Stanley Professional Grade
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Stanley Professional Grade Hi all,
I'm not a pro of any kind, but I enjoy working around the home. Craftsman is on of my favorite brands for hand tools. I am however curious about the Stanley Professional Grade mechanic tools sold in Wal-Mart. They seem to be very well made, have good wieght and a nice finish. I just don like that they are made in China. I also like the Husky line at Home Depot (also from Stanley). Can anyone who has used any of these two brands tell me how good (or not) they really are? Has the quality of the import become better or have the domestic tools production become slightly inferior?
Please no Snap on, Proto, Mac comparisons, we're talking apple and oranges here.
BTW- before anyone throws in Kolbalt as being made by Snap on, look again. I noticed as of late that they are being distributed by the Danaher. Corp.
I'm not a pro of any kind, but I enjoy working around the home. Craftsman is on of my favorite brands for hand tools. I am however curious about the Stanley Professional Grade mechanic tools sold in Wal-Mart. They seem to be very well made, have good wieght and a nice finish. I just don like that they are made in China. I also like the Husky line at Home Depot (also from Stanley). Can anyone who has used any of these two brands tell me how good (or not) they really are? Has the quality of the import become better or have the domestic tools production become slightly inferior?
Please no Snap on, Proto, Mac comparisons, we're talking apple and oranges here.
BTW- before anyone throws in Kolbalt as being made by Snap on, look again. I noticed as of late that they are being distributed by the Danaher. Corp.
TECH Veteran
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,055
Likes: 1
From: Hartsdale, NY
Yeh - sure. Ive had socket sets, wrenches, ratchets from many different manufacturors. The Stanley tools provide a great value for the money and their fit and finish is superior to Craftsman. Craftsman tools are higher priced and have nicks, casting errors, sharp edges, plating mistakes, etc. and they are butt ugly.
I have not broken a single Stanley tool so far.... Hey, if the Chinamen want to work for .05 an hour and they produce good tools, what do I care? I'll take the foreign made tools if they are better and cost less.... ...easy decision for me....
I have not broken a single Stanley tool so far.... Hey, if the Chinamen want to work for .05 an hour and they produce good tools, what do I care? I'll take the foreign made tools if they are better and cost less.... ...easy decision for me....
craftsman = walk into local store with broken part, go home with new part. 
hence the slightly higher price. ive broken ONE socket, it was a 1/4 inch 8mm that i used on rocker arm bolts with my 3/8ths air ratchet with an adapter to 1/4". aka stupid but i brought it in, got a new one, went home. i had a deep socket and a normal, so i didnt have to stop working, suprizingly the socket broke and not the deep socket. *shrug*
hence the slightly higher price. ive broken ONE socket, it was a 1/4 inch 8mm that i used on rocker arm bolts with my 3/8ths air ratchet with an adapter to 1/4". aka stupid but i brought it in, got a new one, went home. i had a deep socket and a normal, so i didnt have to stop working, suprizingly the socket broke and not the deep socket. *shrug*
yes, but theres no stanley store 5 min away from your house. i mean ive "heard stories" about people replaceing stanley tools on the spot, but if you go to sams club and buy a huge stanley set, they will look at you goofy if you come back 2 years later with a socket in your hand. perhaps autozone or something does this kind of on the spot replacement. i just prefer going with thats been around since my grandfater was my age.
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Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Ok guys, I didn't mean to ruffle any feathers on my first day 
. My post seems to be heading in the wrong direction. I know about Craftsman and like their tools. I just wanted some opinions from folks who have used the Stanley/Husky line in practical applications (ratcheting action, quality of tool. You know, that ole chesnut). I did not mean for this to be a debate on my tool brand is better than your tool brand.
As for the warranty. I've read that Stanley will replace if tool is defective or malfunctions. I would just have to call the company and they would send me a replacement. I also don't think the "Lifetime warranty" is like Sears. But again, I just want to know about the tools themselves. For example, I have a few CM hammers (metal and wood) and they are good, but the Stanley Antivibe has a better grip and weighs less as compared to a conventional hammer and is the first hammer I reach for on most tasks.
BTW- thanks to the guys who already posted.
. My post seems to be heading in the wrong direction. I know about Craftsman and like their tools. I just wanted some opinions from folks who have used the Stanley/Husky line in practical applications (ratcheting action, quality of tool. You know, that ole chesnut). I did not mean for this to be a debate on my tool brand is better than your tool brand.As for the warranty. I've read that Stanley will replace if tool is defective or malfunctions. I would just have to call the company and they would send me a replacement. I also don't think the "Lifetime warranty" is like Sears. But again, I just want to know about the tools themselves. For example, I have a few CM hammers (metal and wood) and they are good, but the Stanley Antivibe has a better grip and weighs less as compared to a conventional hammer and is the first hammer I reach for on most tasks.
BTW- thanks to the guys who already posted.
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 165
Likes: 0
From: College Park, Maryland
I sent my stanley 1/4" ratchet in the mail for like $1.40, and got a brand new husky 1/4" inch ratchet in the mail a week later.
Neat and all, but I like to walk in and out of sears. I do have some stanley stuff from walmart.
Neat and all, but I like to walk in and out of sears. I do have some stanley stuff from walmart.
yeah, thats my thing. i also am a sucker for going into sears, i always walk out with something new too hahaha. so i almost enjoy breaking tools, which has only happend once in 5 years due to using a 1/4 socket on a 3/8ths air tool
I used to work at Home Depot and have several Husky tools. They are really the same as the "new" Stanley product. I broke a ratchet, but took it back and had it swapped out. I will tell you this, although both lines carry the Lifetime warranty, you will most likely not be able to walk into the store and walk out with a new part. You will have to, as one of the other posters mentioned, mail the broken part in and wait for the new one. Bad news if you break your 10mm Combi wrench and don't have another, lol. They are good tools at face value and I would not be afraid to purchase them for a do it yourself type deal.
TECH Veteran
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,055
Likes: 1
From: Hartsdale, NY
Astrocreep:
You started a fight about tool quality and price.
MAC tools and Stanley tools are made in the same factory by the same company - UHG! The price difference is about 10-to-1, however.
The individual users - through the marketplace - are responsible for determining if the additional cost of MACs is justified.
You started a fight about tool quality and price.
MAC tools and Stanley tools are made in the same factory by the same company - UHG! The price difference is about 10-to-1, however.
The individual users - through the marketplace - are responsible for determining if the additional cost of MACs is justified.
