I know I am an coming out as the minority on this cheap tool thread, but
I will not buy cheap tools, period. I know this is not a totally
rational decision, but the only purchase regrets I have is when I decide
to go cheap on something.
You know the scenario, you are facing the purchase decision, vacillating
between an S-K wrench and some of the Taiwan scrap iron, and you go
cheap and say, "Aw, this one ought to be good enough."
Then you get it home and start using it, all the time thinking "This
thing is a piece of crap -- wish I would have paid the extra $5 and got
a good one." But now you can't justify buying a good one because you
have one that works, perhaps poorly, but it works (I have the same
problem right now with my fax machine -- it is a piece of crap, but it
won't quite die, and I just hate to buy another one while the one I have
still works, well, sort of works.
Anyway, as a result of all of my previous purchase regrets related to
buying low quality products, I now refuse to buy anything that is not
top quality. This does limit some of my purchases, but the tools I do
buy are all top quality, they are a pleasure to use, hold, clean, etc.
It makes me feel good every time I pull out my S-K hand tools. They
work beautifully, I have never broken one, they don't rust, they are
finished beautifully, feel great in the hand, etc.
I can rationalize this decision purchase somewhat by noting that the S-K
sockets and end wrenches are much thinner walled than the typical budget
tools. I do a good deal of motorcycle wrenching, and started buying S-K
wrenches 30 years ago when I found they alone would fit the cylinder
stud nuts on Triumph 650 twins, and that the S-K sockets would fit into
those tight rocker box studs on my BSA singles when other tools
(Craftsman included) simply were too thick-walled to fit. S-K uses very
high quality steel, I assume that it is stronger and that they can use
thinner walls while attaining the same or higher strength. I don't have
to spend time grinding down (and ruining) the sockets and end wrenches
so they will fit the tight spots that come with motorcycle engines, and
increasingly, automotive engines.
Although this is my "rational" reason for buying S-K, I have another
reason that is equally important, if not more so. I buy tools because I
need them, but I also buy them because I enjoy them. For me, I think
they are a lot like jewelry is for my wife. I recently bought her a set
of Miki Moto (sic?) pearls for her birthday. They look very nice, but
cost about twice as much as the pearls sitting right next to them that
were not of the same "grade." I could see the difference in a
side-by-side comparison under bright lights in the showroom, but would
not have been able to pick them out if they were actually being worn.
I could have bought her the cheaper pearls, they would have "worked"
just as well, probably would last her a lifetime (this is where my S-K
vs. Harbor Freight tool metaphor comes in), but all the time she wore
(used) them, they would not give her the same satisfaction she would get
by "knowing" she got the higher quality pearls (wrenches) she really
wanted.
I think all of us who are interested enough in shops to be on this list
owe it to ourselves to buy and use high quality tools. You can
rationalize a good case for them as I have for my motorcycle work, but
more importantly, do it for yourself. You deserve to use S-K
Professional series tools, Protos, Snap On, etc. They even double as
artwork in the shop (I have the S-K pro-series wrench sets rack-mounted
on the wall in my shop for "easy access," of course. :-)
You'll never regret buying the best tools you can afford. If nothing
else, you can just go out to the shop to look at, clean and hold them.
Life is too short for cheap tools.
doug
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