Douglas Shook wrote:
>
> 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."
The problem is a long-standing one for most people. I have, on occasion,
bought cheap tools from Harbor Freight which worked fine for occasional
use. But, particularly for hand tools, I would rather have good stuff,
because I value my hands. <g> I've broken sockets while using a breaker
bar and narrowly missed breaking my hand. A cheap socket or ratchet
which fails, with a lot of force applied, can hurt one, while a power
tool which won't do the job is just flat annoying.
> 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
Snap-On makes a very good line of thin-wall sockets, but they are
probably even more expensive than the S-K line. I do like the finish on
the S-K stuff, as well.
> 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.
Well, like pearls, when one is gone, one's unmechanically-inclined
relatives can always sell them for a good price or give them to those
who really appreciate them. <g> Cheap stuff gets given away at garage
sales. (!) I once worked with an old engineer who, in his retirement,
did jewelry, and held the patent on the bola tie clasp. He'd
accumulated, over a lifetime, an incredible set of beautiful tools for
woodworking, mechanical and surveying work, in addition to all his
jewelry tools... and late in life, his nephew said, "one day, all these
will be mine." One might think of that as crass, but his nephew had been
taught by the old guy about the value of good tools, and it was somehow
nice to know that those good tools would go to someone who valued them
and would use them well and take care of them.
Cheers.
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