I was in HF today and a manger told me the Pittsburgh tools are lifetime and no receipt is needed. Kind of like Craftsman.
HF and Pittsburgh branded tools
- Thread starter Donald
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Exactly, like a Yugo is a car, kinda like a Mercedes. The idea of a lifetime warranty is to never need to use it. Don't get me wrong, some Pittsburgh stuff is as good as some Craftsman stuff.
They (the Pitt's) can't be worse than the new Chinese Craftsman "lobster claw combo wrenches". Look at these stubbies, both 18mm:
Yeah some of the newer Craftsman wrenches are horrid, worse than the HF Pittsburgh stuff I have. The HF stuff is inexpensive and fine for light household use. Better value than a lot of the newer Craftsman [censored].
The Pittsburgh "Pro" series are much better in quality.
Comparing anything to the current Craftsman tools is difficult. Their large sets generally include USA made wrenches and sockets with the exception of the ratchets. Their Chinese made stuff (smaller sets. single sockets,etc) is IMO no better than Harbor Freight
Comparing anything to the current Craftsman tools is difficult. Their large sets generally include USA made wrenches and sockets with the exception of the ratchets. Their Chinese made stuff (smaller sets. single sockets,etc) is IMO no better than Harbor Freight
Hf has many great deals. The earthquake air tools, composit ratchets and impact sockets are a great buy.
I found the best way to buy tools from HF is to actually see and handle the tool. I will never buy a tool from HF w/o seeing it. Some of their tools are good, and some are total junk.
I was not comparing the tools to Craftsman tools, just the warranty.
I too like to see and touch the HF tools before making a decision. Luckily there is a store in Albany.
I too like to see and touch the HF tools before making a decision. Luckily there is a store in Albany.
No thanks to anything from Harbor Freight.
A good majority of my tools were purchased at local farm and estate auctions. The quality of the older tools (wrenches, sockets, etc.) is vastly superior to Harbor Freight garbage, and in the day when I was building my tool collection it wasn't unusual to buy a toolbox full of quality wrenches for $10. I still see large collections of quality tools go for a fraction of what you'd pay at Harbor Freight.
Although I guess if I were to purchase tools from Harbor Freight the warranty would be an important consideration-chances are good that I'd need it.
A good majority of my tools were purchased at local farm and estate auctions. The quality of the older tools (wrenches, sockets, etc.) is vastly superior to Harbor Freight garbage, and in the day when I was building my tool collection it wasn't unusual to buy a toolbox full of quality wrenches for $10. I still see large collections of quality tools go for a fraction of what you'd pay at Harbor Freight.
Although I guess if I were to purchase tools from Harbor Freight the warranty would be an important consideration-chances are good that I'd need it.
How many of the same Harbor Freight discussions with the same players do we need to have? At least one a week? The same guys say they are okay for the same reasons, other guys talk about junk. Someone brings up Craftsman, more good and bad comments. At least one person has to declare their disdain for anything made in China...
Originally Posted By: tom slick
How many of the same Harbor Freight discussions with the same players do we need to have? At least one a week? The same guys say they are okay for the same reasons, other guys talk about junk. Someone brings up Craftsman, more good and bad comments. At least one person has to declare their disdain for anything made in China...
while they type it out on a Chinese keyboard.
How many of the same Harbor Freight discussions with the same players do we need to have? At least one a week? The same guys say they are okay for the same reasons, other guys talk about junk. Someone brings up Craftsman, more good and bad comments. At least one person has to declare their disdain for anything made in China...
while they type it out on a Chinese keyboard.
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
No thanks to anything from Harbor Freight.
A good majority of my tools were purchased at local farm and estate auctions. .....
I don't mind buying from business liquidations - I've been on both ends of those, but I avoid estate auctions on general principle. Nothing frosts me more than to see a persons lifetime sold on the cheap to bargain hunters.
HF tools, generally, are fine these days. Last summer I hired some $10/hour kids to tear out a building I needed to reconstruct and refurbish, equipped them with HF tools, and they held up fine to this rough service.
No thanks to anything from Harbor Freight.
A good majority of my tools were purchased at local farm and estate auctions. .....
I don't mind buying from business liquidations - I've been on both ends of those, but I avoid estate auctions on general principle. Nothing frosts me more than to see a persons lifetime sold on the cheap to bargain hunters.
HF tools, generally, are fine these days. Last summer I hired some $10/hour kids to tear out a building I needed to reconstruct and refurbish, equipped them with HF tools, and they held up fine to this rough service.
Originally Posted By: Donald
I was in HF today and a manger told me the Pittsburgh tools are lifetime and no receipt is needed. Kind of like Craftsman.
This is not necessarily always the case. It varies by location. I've read that some locations will require a receipt.
I was in HF today and a manger told me the Pittsburgh tools are lifetime and no receipt is needed. Kind of like Craftsman.
This is not necessarily always the case. It varies by location. I've read that some locations will require a receipt.
It's a good ideal to save your receipts for all your tool purchases.
As far as HF tools go, they've come a long way with their sockets, namely
their Pittsburgh Pro sockets. Everything else in the store is questionable.
As far as HF tools go, they've come a long way with their sockets, namely
their Pittsburgh Pro sockets. Everything else in the store is questionable.
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
It's a good ideal to save your receipts for all your tool purchases.
As far as HF tools go, they've come a long way with their sockets, namely
their Pittsburgh Pro sockets. Everything else in the store is questionable.
That blanket statement is questionable in itself.
It's a good ideal to save your receipts for all your tool purchases.
As far as HF tools go, they've come a long way with their sockets, namely
their Pittsburgh Pro sockets. Everything else in the store is questionable.
That blanket statement is questionable in itself.
Seems all these HF threads are very similar in nature. IMO their tools are OK you just have to handle them before you buy them. They have come a long way in the last 10 or so years.
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
No thanks to anything from Harbor Freight.
A good majority of my tools were purchased at local farm and estate auctions. The quality of the older tools (wrenches, sockets, etc.) is vastly superior to Harbor Freight garbage,
True, but old Craftsman is better than new Craftsman as well. You're comparing eras and brands in the same breath.
No thanks to anything from Harbor Freight.
A good majority of my tools were purchased at local farm and estate auctions. The quality of the older tools (wrenches, sockets, etc.) is vastly superior to Harbor Freight garbage,
True, but old Craftsman is better than new Craftsman as well. You're comparing eras and brands in the same breath.
I use some Harbor Freight tools, along with Milwaukee, Bosch, DeWalt, and so on. In power tools, I've found some of the HF stuff to be adequate, but if you want Milwaukee quality and durability, buy Milwaukee.
Some of the hand tools are likewise OK. I bought an air impact wrench at a garage sale without realizing it was a HF tool, and it's been fine. I also bought a 48" pipe wrench from HF, which I needed for a particular job, and it lasted well enough through that job. The teeth, however, are somewhat dull by now. If I had bought a Ridgid, it would have cost about 6 times what the HF wrench cost, but it would last more than 6 times as long. I have Ridgid and Stillson wrenches that are probably older than me and still good.
The lifetime warranty is intriguing, though, and if you're an Inside Track member, you shouldn't need your receipt for exchanges.
Some of the hand tools are likewise OK. I bought an air impact wrench at a garage sale without realizing it was a HF tool, and it's been fine. I also bought a 48" pipe wrench from HF, which I needed for a particular job, and it lasted well enough through that job. The teeth, however, are somewhat dull by now. If I had bought a Ridgid, it would have cost about 6 times what the HF wrench cost, but it would last more than 6 times as long. I have Ridgid and Stillson wrenches that are probably older than me and still good.
The lifetime warranty is intriguing, though, and if you're an Inside Track member, you shouldn't need your receipt for exchanges.
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