Sold my Snap-On screwdrivers for Icon.

B

Bailey28

Joined
Sep 30, 2004
Messages
143
Location
Gainesville FL
I was at HF a while ago and picked up a set of Icon screwdrivers with a $10 off coupon. After I used them for a few months I sold all of my Snap-On screwdrivers. To this day I do not regret what I did even though some would consider it sacriligious. IMHO the Icon handles are easier to use especially the stubby drivers. The tips seem to grab the screwheads in the same way the snappys did.

Anyone else have a similar experience?
 
If I were to start out today and needed tools for work, I'd buy 2 pair of everything from a brand like Icon. 2 pair so if I destroy something mid-job I have a spare set. Then after work get a warranty replacement to complete the first set again.

If some tools are not good enough, I could move up to something better and more expensive. I rzally don't see the value in spending my earnings on soething like a snap-on lifetime account. It's like a honey trap for mechanics.
 
Bailey28 said:
I was at HF a while ago and picked up a set of Icon screwdrivers with a $10 off coupon. After I used them for a few months I sold all of my Snap-On screwdrivers. To this day I do not regret what I did even though some would consider it sacriligious. IMHO the Icon handles are easier to use especially the stubby drivers. The tips seem to grab the screwheads in the same way the snappys did.

Anyone else have a similar experience?
Click to expand...
The closest thing I have to Snap on screwdrivers are the Williams black handle, these are an old Snap on model branded as Williams and come from the same factory.
I would not get rid of them because I bought another set for some reason, I like the hard handles and don't own any "comfort grip" ones but that is personal preference. The Snap on are very good tools, the others I have are hard handle PB Swiss, Walter and a few others, all get good use and are keepers. The PB Swiss and red hard handle Walter "Profi-Werkstatt" are my personal favorites.
 
To clarify the Snap-on set I got rid of were the comfort grip soft style. I bought them years ago after selling a set of SK square handle ones. The #1 Snap-on phillips was not set into the handle properly and was always off center at a slight angle. Not enough to complain and demand it be traded out but it was visibly not straight.

My girlfriend acutally let the AAA guy steal this particular #1 phillips while getting the battery in her car changed out in our driveway. I was not home and the AAA guy didn't have one. She let him 'borrow' it and forgot to ask for/get it back. The cost to replace the #1 Snap-on phillips was almost as much as the entire HF Icon set with the coupon.
 
In screwdrivers I have Craftsman and MAC. I wouldn’t trade one for the other. The only Snap-on tools that I ever purchased were metric line wrenches. They were the first tool vendor to have them right after GM was switching over to metric fittings. Other than the immediate need for those metric line wrenches, Snap-on has never been in my tool box. I think they are priced insanely too high. Just because a tool has a brighter polish doesn’t make it any better than MAC, Craftsman, Cornwall, and SK. The Snap-on tool peddlers I’ve encountered were pushy jerks…
 
Remember the days when Craftsman ratchet sets were guaranteed for life? Maybe they still are. I still have the original 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 ratchet sets, the 1/2 and 1/4 I got in high school. Bought the old 3/4 set when I got an old Mercedes about 20 years ago. I've only had to add metric sockets to all these sets! But, my Craftsman screwdrivers are beginning to get a little shabby, maybe I'll pick up the icons like you did.
 
Since we are on the subject of tools in general, years ago I started collecting all the Wright tools I could find. Lots of flea market singles, then onto ebay for complete sets. I have not found anything I like better than Wright. I cannot break anything from them either. No Wright tool in my box has ever done anything wrong. I have not tried the Wright screwdrivers but I don't think they make them in house.
 
Oldwolf said:
Remember the days when Craftsman ratchet sets were guaranteed for life? Maybe they still are. I still have the original 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 ratchet sets, the 1/2 and 1/4 I got in high school. Bought the old 3/4 set when I got an old Mercedes about 20 years ago. I've only had to add metric sockets to all these sets! But, my Craftsman screwdrivers are beginning to get a little shabby, maybe I'll pick up the icons like you did.
Click to expand...
under all that mess, is my craftsman set 20 years old. That set has been all over, in a major car wreck, saved me a bunch of money, and taught me a bunch

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Nessism1 said:
Vessel Megadora are my go to. I have others, like PB Swiss Swissgrip, but the Vessel's are nicer to hold and work with, in my opinion. They are more expensive than Harbor Freight, but they are worth it to me.
Click to expand...
What I like about HF is they're one mile up the road if / when one fails.
 
bought some Tough Built screwdrivers (set of 7) at Menards on sale for $7.99 on a one-time sale, found them very decent , a screwdrivers asset is the way they feel in your hand as of course how durable they perform. Harbor Freight Icon and Quinn get a thumbs up also.
 
I don't blame you a bit. I have the hard handle black Snap On one's (rarely use them) and also have Wera and now a few Milwaukee ones (you can find them in the electrical section at Home Depot. I like the handles of the Wera ones but the tip sizes are kind of all over the place. The new Milwaukee ones though, oh man they feel great. I would easily replace all my screwdrivers with a set of these if I needed to get another set. I have the small set of Icon ones and a set of similar sized Snap On and think the Icon is as good in this application. Here's a review of the Milwaukee ones.
 
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