Snap On take over.

**Motu** · 10th June 2006, 21:21

Just thought I'd let you into a trade rumour - Snap On Tools is going to be taken over by Matco Tools.....

**Edbear** · 10th June 2006, 21:23

Originally Posted by Motu

Just thought I'd let you into a trade rumour - Snap On Tools is going to be taken over by Matco Tools.....

Interesting! Nice to know what the competition is up to! They're both way too overpriced anyway!

**Titanium** · 10th June 2006, 21:41

But snap on is good gear, still way to expensive....

**WINJA** · 10th June 2006, 21:42

snap on is to expensive considering the average quality , ive got 2 snapon ro spanners and one isnt centered properly, same price will get ya koken or stahlwillie stuff and that real quality

**Edbear** · 10th June 2006, 21:58

Originally Posted by WINJA

snap on is to expensive considering the average quality , ive got 2 snapon ro spanners and one isnt centered properly, same price will get ya koken or stahlwillie stuff and that real quality

While most of the gear actually branded, "Snap-on" is still made in the USA, the Blue Point range is Chinese. A lot of the USA-branded gear of different brands is now made either in Taiwan or China. Matco and Stahlwille are still good quality, as is Koken, (and Koken is the only company I've had problems with warranty over), but you're paying for the name and can get very good gear at much cheaper prices without going to the depths of "Supa Cheap" or Bunnings, etc. We deal with several different manufacturers and companies around the world and can offer a range of price/quality combinations to suit either the home handyman or the professional. It's a global market and competition is fierce.

**Brian d marge** · 10th June 2006, 22:06

Is that Snap on America or NZ??
Snap on were good back in the day. Our grandfather bought a 1/2 inch ratchet in 1938 odd and we had it renewed a few years back ( lifetime garrentee) and yes it was free!!!

I use Stahwille, nice in the hand , sockets Snap on, the van comes round and replace them if there is any prob

The tool box is Snap on as it has a picture of your Man Arron Slight !! and that alone was worth the money!!!

Looking over to the bench I am actually using a ratchet from the 2 dollar shop , ( 100 yen shop ) the quality of that is surprisingly good ( I use them at race meeting so if stloen /lost I dont care!)

Snap on lost the plot a good few years ago I reckon ...oh well

Stephen

**Ixion** · 10th June 2006, 22:57

I've never bought Snapon, though it has a good rep, mainly cos the Snapon van never called on me!

Stahlwille or Koken for stuff that will damage bits if it's not good , Sidchrome is quite good.I still reckon by P&N for cutting tools. And Stanley for woodworking stuff. And you can get some good quality stuff at Bunnings. Mixed amongst the rubbish I'll grant you.

And for some things , cheap stuff makes sense. I bought a cheapo 20mm ring spanner at Super cheap. I just want it for the tool kit on the bike,it fits the rear axle nut. I don't want an expensive one in case I lose it, and a cheap one will work Ok for that purpose.

My tool kit is all sorts, accumulated or inherited bit by bit over the decades. Remnents of about 4 socket sets , cheap rubbish, good quality stuff, spanners bent at wierd angles and ground down to fit that bastard impossible to get at bolt, screwdrivers with holes drilled through the handle , all sorts of stuff , it all has its purpose.

**myvice** · 11th June 2006, 17:44

Haven’t seen the Snap-On rep this year!
Slack bastard, not that he has missed much due to saving for new toy!
Don’t get the Matco rep ether... Nobody loves me!

**Edbear** · 11th June 2006, 17:57

Originally Posted by myvice

Nobody loves me!

Awww! We all wuvs you, Karl...!

**Madness** · 11th June 2006, 17:59

Sidchrome has been exclusively made in Taiwan for a couple of years now. As a predominantly Australian brand under the Stanley umbrella, Sidchrome has had to go offshore to compete with Kincrome, an Australian owned company that buys exclusively from Taiwan.

Record tools are also now made in China. Record was bought by Irwin Industrial Tools of USA and the entire Sheffield manufacturing works has now ceased production.

Koken is by far the best bang for the kiwi $, however is limited to Socketry and the odd driver. Stahlwille is too expensive, many German brands have ceased to be imported into NZ as a result (Elora, Hazet)

King Tony is a little-known brand in NZ, Taiwanese but of good quality at a good price. It is being imported by Fox & Gunn, The NZ Stahlwille agents for many years. I'd buy King Tony over Kincrome,Powerbuilt,JBS or Sidchrome - they all come from the same village and have shite representation in NZ.

**stify** · 11th June 2006, 18:16

got a selection of snap on gear, bought most of it 15 yrs ago( including a blue point impact gun which still out grunts the latest and greatest from most different brands) and i'll only add what hasn't gone missing has never broken, and some of the tools get a real hard time, had good results from matco tools aswell,but their reps are few and far between

**marty** · 11th June 2006, 18:28

koken stuff is ok, but snap on and stahlwhille still comes out tops. i've got an awesome 72-tooth 1/4 drive stahlwille ratchet- only beaten by one of the guys new 106 tooth snap-on one.

i've had to drill out all the centres of my koken 6 point tube sockets to fit over studs. all the koken 12 point ones have rounded out (on titanium) but the snap on ones still go strong.

king chrome and king tony are ok for home use, but rubbish for aircraft engineering

**marty** · 11th June 2006, 18:30

and nothing comes even close to a snap on ratchet screwdriver

**Madness** · 11th June 2006, 19:02

Originally Posted by marty

and nothing comes even close to a snap on ratchet screwdriver

Agreed. I've sold industrial tools for 15 years and have often told customers to buy a Snap-On ratchet driver for that very reason. Stahlwille is preferred by Aircraft Technicians due to the slim profile of it's spanners and thin wall on sockets. KD tools have introduced a new type of socket drive called Vortex. It allows studs to pass right through the socket & ratchet (there's a hole). Overkill for many situations, but unique none the less.