Armstrong hand tools
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I think it would be a very bad idea.
Walmart would want to buy them at fire sale prices like they do with everything else (Simplicity refused), when the company cant meet the price they are told to cheapen the product.
IMO the result would be poorly finished American tools like the last generation of US made Craftsman or worse and further degrade the perceived quality of American brands.
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/102/open_snapper.html
http://walmartwatch.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/2/files/pdf/danger_for_sale.pdf
Walmart would want to buy them at fire sale prices like they do with everything else (Simplicity refused), when the company cant meet the price they are told to cheapen the product.
IMO the result would be poorly finished American tools like the last generation of US made Craftsman or worse and further degrade the perceived quality of American brands.
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/102/open_snapper.html
http://walmartwatch.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/2/files/pdf/danger_for_sale.pdf
I think Walmart sells USA-made Channellock pliers. I haven't seen them, but I rarely go to WM. People on a tool forum have been saying the tools are being carried in their local stores.
I will see if i can take a pic of a pair of Channellock side cutters from the 70's or 80's i got at a yard sale, you wont believe the difference in fit and finish to today's models.
Seems an unending problem. I am fortunate in that I still have and use my Craftsman tools bought in 1961, my Channel locks are newer however cause I bought them in 1964.
Always buy the very best you can in handtools-who knows they might last a lifetime.
Always buy the very best you can in handtools-who knows they might last a lifetime.
You are right, Armstrong is nice stuff. I have an 8mm combo that I use at work all day long. Surprisingly Armstrong is a division of a company that nobody's ever heard of called Danaher. Danaher also owns Gearwrench,Jacobs drill chucks,KD automotive tools, Fluke meters and long list of tool and instrument companies. Their web site used to say that they made Craftsman tools for Sears but today-who knows? Somebody mentioned Proto {owned by Stanley)and some of that stuff is Chinese. SK(made in USA) went belly up but were bought by Ideal (electrical tools) and they are back and even honor the warranty on the old stuff.
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Originally Posted By: TPMS
Surprisingly Armstrong is a division of a company that nobody's ever heard of called Danaher. Danaher also owns Gearwrench,Jacobs drill chucks,KD automotive tools, Fluke meters and long list of tool and instrument companies. Their web site used to say that they made Craftsman tools for Sears but today-who knows?
When Sears switches all their Craftsman tools over to Asian contractors, you're gonna have to start buying
Armstrong if you want the quality that used to be there when Danaher was making Craftsman.
Surprisingly Armstrong is a division of a company that nobody's ever heard of called Danaher. Danaher also owns Gearwrench,Jacobs drill chucks,KD automotive tools, Fluke meters and long list of tool and instrument companies. Their web site used to say that they made Craftsman tools for Sears but today-who knows?
When Sears switches all their Craftsman tools over to Asian contractors, you're gonna have to start buying
Armstrong if you want the quality that used to be there when Danaher was making Craftsman.
For those of us with tool boxes full of old Craftsman, it's going to suck if we warranty replace stuff and get Chinese replacements.
For those building new tool sets, we will have to guess which company might be around 10 years from now to warranty broken stuff (or not).
For the past 50 years or so, there was a sense of stability in the Craftsman product that steered me away from building a tool set of Husky or Kobalt. Maybe Snap On and Wright are the only 2 left that we can hope for some stability. Proto, being under Stanley seems iffy to me.
Will Armstrong and SK be around for awhile? Let's hope so.
For those building new tool sets, we will have to guess which company might be around 10 years from now to warranty broken stuff (or not).
For the past 50 years or so, there was a sense of stability in the Craftsman product that steered me away from building a tool set of Husky or Kobalt. Maybe Snap On and Wright are the only 2 left that we can hope for some stability. Proto, being under Stanley seems iffy to me.
Will Armstrong and SK be around for awhile? Let's hope so.
Originally Posted By: GMZ
I even prefer Wright over SO but thats fairly subjective.
Are you comparing apples to apples? The Wright stuff I've seen is the heavy industrial stuff, not higher quality than SO, but heavier duty ... I associate their stuff with slugging wrenches and the toughness needed.
I'm heavily biased towards the "SO Industrial" line, formerly (and still sorta) JH Williams
I even prefer Wright over SO but thats fairly subjective.
Are you comparing apples to apples? The Wright stuff I've seen is the heavy industrial stuff, not higher quality than SO, but heavier duty ... I associate their stuff with slugging wrenches and the toughness needed.
I'm heavily biased towards the "SO Industrial" line, formerly (and still sorta) JH Williams
Originally Posted By: George Bynum
Originally Posted By: GMZ
I even prefer Wright over SO but thats fairly subjective.
Are you comparing apples to apples? The Wright stuff I've seen is the heavy industrial stuff, not higher quality than SO, but heavier duty ... I associate their stuff with slugging wrenches and the toughness needed.
I'm heavily biased towards the "SO Industrial" line, formerly (and still sorta) JH Williams
I think so, on the ship we have a bit of everything, kinda like a mish mash of tool brands: SO(and JHW), MAC, MATCO, Blackhawk, Wright, Bonney, KD, Armstrong, Cman, Allen, Proto, Challenger, Stanley is what we have in the gun mount alone.
So I often can compare literally side by side different brands in a more or less industrial setting. Also a good proving ground for my personal tools. WrightGrip combos for example I feel are just as good as FlankDrive. Same with their ContourGrip ratchets. Wright doesnt have the tool truck/financing overhang so I think thats why their tools are roughly 50% less than SO. I like the fact that I can sell my mixed bag of used SO wrenches to pay for outright a 15 piece Wright set.
Anyway to nudge this back on topic, Armstrong makes good stuff. I liken them to Cman the way Lexus is to Toyota or Acura to Honda. I should have gotten one of their 88 ratchets instead of the Cman premiums I got for 2x the price.
Originally Posted By: GMZ
I even prefer Wright over SO but thats fairly subjective.
Are you comparing apples to apples? The Wright stuff I've seen is the heavy industrial stuff, not higher quality than SO, but heavier duty ... I associate their stuff with slugging wrenches and the toughness needed.
I'm heavily biased towards the "SO Industrial" line, formerly (and still sorta) JH Williams
I think so, on the ship we have a bit of everything, kinda like a mish mash of tool brands: SO(and JHW), MAC, MATCO, Blackhawk, Wright, Bonney, KD, Armstrong, Cman, Allen, Proto, Challenger, Stanley is what we have in the gun mount alone.
So I often can compare literally side by side different brands in a more or less industrial setting. Also a good proving ground for my personal tools. WrightGrip combos for example I feel are just as good as FlankDrive. Same with their ContourGrip ratchets. Wright doesnt have the tool truck/financing overhang so I think thats why their tools are roughly 50% less than SO. I like the fact that I can sell my mixed bag of used SO wrenches to pay for outright a 15 piece Wright set.
Anyway to nudge this back on topic, Armstrong makes good stuff. I liken them to Cman the way Lexus is to Toyota or Acura to Honda. I should have gotten one of their 88 ratchets instead of the Cman premiums I got for 2x the price.
Originally Posted By: GMZ
I think so, on the ship we have a bit of everything, kinda like a mish mash of tool brands: SO(and JHW), MAC, MATCO, Blackhawk, Wright, Bonney, KD, Armstrong, Cman, Allen, Proto, Challenger, Stanley is what we have in the gun mount alone.
Which boat you on?
I think so, on the ship we have a bit of everything, kinda like a mish mash of tool brands: SO(and JHW), MAC, MATCO, Blackhawk, Wright, Bonney, KD, Armstrong, Cman, Allen, Proto, Challenger, Stanley is what we have in the gun mount alone.
Which boat you on?
Which Proto stuff is Taiwan made? You mean like snap ring pliers?
Armstrong has been around for a minute now. There part of Danahar tools (now APEX?) if recall. Last time i used one was in '04, but i havn't seen them in use since. I know the local Fastenal stocks them. Grainger also carries some of their line.
Some one mentioned proto having some taiwan made stuff? I havn't ran into any proto tool, not made in the US. Maybe they do have somethings made in taiwan, but i doubt it's any of their basic hand tools. I order them from Grainger on occasion and there's a local independent tool shop, near by, that caries them.
Some one mentioned proto having some taiwan made stuff? I havn't ran into any proto tool, not made in the US. Maybe they do have somethings made in taiwan, but i doubt it's any of their basic hand tools. I order them from Grainger on occasion and there's a local independent tool shop, near by, that caries them.
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: GMZ
I think so, on the ship we have a bit of everything, kinda like a mish mash of tool brands: SO(and JHW), MAC, MATCO, Blackhawk, Wright, Bonney, KD, Armstrong, Cman, Allen, Proto, Challenger, Stanley is what we have in the gun mount alone.
Which boat you on?
Im on the USS MITSCHER (DDG57) for a couple more years, then hopefully I can get up to Everett, WA.
Originally Posted By: GMZ
I think so, on the ship we have a bit of everything, kinda like a mish mash of tool brands: SO(and JHW), MAC, MATCO, Blackhawk, Wright, Bonney, KD, Armstrong, Cman, Allen, Proto, Challenger, Stanley is what we have in the gun mount alone.
Which boat you on?
Im on the USS MITSCHER (DDG57) for a couple more years, then hopefully I can get up to Everett, WA.
JHZR2
Staff member
Originally Posted By: doitmyself
Proto, being under Stanley seems iffy to me.
Will Armstrong and SK be around for awhile? Let's hope so.
Its a good point.
I wonder if Proto goes foreign, if McMaster Carr will stop carrying. It seems that they have shifted to proto from Armstrong...
Proto, being under Stanley seems iffy to me.
Will Armstrong and SK be around for awhile? Let's hope so.
Its a good point.
I wonder if Proto goes foreign, if McMaster Carr will stop carrying. It seems that they have shifted to proto from Armstrong...
Originally Posted By: Knox
Armstrong has been around for a minute now. There part of Danahar tools (now APEX?) if recall. Last time i used one was in '04, but i havn't seen them in use since. I know the local Fastenal stocks them. Grainger also carries some of their line.
Some one mentioned proto having some taiwan made stuff? I havn't ran into any proto tool, not made in the US. Maybe they do have somethings made in taiwan, but i doubt it's any of their basic hand tools. I order them from Grainger on occasion and there's a local independent tool shop, near by, that caries them.
Would that be Epsteins? I like the Armstrong aerospace ratchets. Im in the market for a long 3/8" ratchet and wouldnt mind trying one out.
Armstrong has been around for a minute now. There part of Danahar tools (now APEX?) if recall. Last time i used one was in '04, but i havn't seen them in use since. I know the local Fastenal stocks them. Grainger also carries some of their line.
Some one mentioned proto having some taiwan made stuff? I havn't ran into any proto tool, not made in the US. Maybe they do have somethings made in taiwan, but i doubt it's any of their basic hand tools. I order them from Grainger on occasion and there's a local independent tool shop, near by, that caries them.
Would that be Epsteins? I like the Armstrong aerospace ratchets. Im in the market for a long 3/8" ratchet and wouldnt mind trying one out.
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