Before I retired from working in Industrial Maintenance, the head Mechanic asked me if I would sell him my 1-1/2” Harbor Freight open end wrench that I had. I was curious as to why, since I knew he had both Craftsman and Snap On tools. He took me over to large truck he was working on, and showed me the problem. He had to slide a wrench into a narrow space along the interior of the frame rail to hold a bolt head while he removed the nut from the outside. His Snap On wrench was too thick to fit into the narrow opening but he spent the next hour grinding my Harbor Freight wrench down so it would fit into
Really for the most part, Harbor Freight tools are a great buy considering their prices. I have a set of their metric combination wrenches that are from the early 90's that have done a tremendous amount of work. I ruined the open end part on a 15mm, but that was my fault. Not bad for a set of wrenches that I paid $9.99 for in 1992! These don't even have the "Pittsburgh" name on them!
+D J Tanner wow thats crazy. Im really thinking about making a video on how non mainstream tools have really stepped there game up. Thanks for the comment!
Please point out the "snap on patent" of rounding out the corners of sockets so they grip nuts by the edges, and how that patent has now expired and all the new Pittsburgh sockets carry that feature. Snap on made their name from not rounding off fasteners, and now that tech is in every chinese/taiwanese socket.
A few years ago, I would not have even considered HF but they IMO are really becoming a great hand tool resource especially when economics is concerned.
Great review. 30+ years ago, I wouldn't even consider anything but top name brands. The sad truth is most of the top names have either went under or cheaped their products out. HF has a selection of decent stuff. Some better than others - but it boils down to economics. Cant go wrong for the money on lots of it.
+Cyclops Garage Thats Interesting. I was wondering if they even had cheap china/taiwan stuff back then. I agree with you about current brands I know personally mac tools has some taiwan made tools,I had a set of pliers that all the grips on the pliers wore off pretty quick. My Snap-On tools have always been USA. Idk about other brands though.
My grandfather came up wrenching in the '30s and eventually got up to owning a GMC and Kenworth dealership that he sold when he retired in the early '80s. He always just bought tools from whatever was around (hardware stores and such) and a lot of the stuff he bought was Taiwan or Chinese stuff and literally none of it (again, from probably the '70s-'80s) has ever been a problem. My 3/4" drive SAE set is some unbranded stuff from Taiwan set that is probably at least 40 years old and has been abused tons over the years and it's still fine. He had a giant set of ancient Husky wrenches (from well before Lowe's was around) that have all held up perfectly fine too. I've got tons of made in USA tools and still try to buy them when I can, but I really can't fault most of the Chinese stuff I've run into. The only stuff that is just flat out crap is like the Harbor Freight sidewalk sale stuff. I bought a socket and ratchet set for $3.99 in one of those sales just to use as pressing dies. The sizes on the sockets run pretty wild and the ratchet is total crap. I'd never actually work on anything with them.
I have been buying from HF since they were a catalog only (in my area) store and it used to be trick or treat. More on that in a moment. The quality has increased dramatically through the years. Years back, you could order a hundred or two in hand tools, wait forever to get the order through UPS, open the box and go through the stuff. Some items were good, some just passable, and at least a few items were guaranteed to be tool shaped objects -- basically, ballast for a boat that was shaped like a tool. Those items were the trick and the others were the treat. At the time I don't think they had any quality control over the brands they carried, at all. Many things have changed since then. I don't hesitate to buy many Harbor Freight items now, though then I would have just laughed and let someone else risk their money on the higher priced items in the catalog. Today? There are many brands in HF that I do not hesitate to buy. If something I am interested in is questionable, I go to their website, find the item, then check actual customer reviews, weeding out the moronic good and bad reviews ("good item", doesn't have a clue why to claim it -- or the "horrible item", don't use a screwdriver like a prybar and not expect it to fail: or better yet, next time don't use a four foot cheater -- types of reviews) I haven't had a trick item in years using the technique. The worst I have encountered in recent years are items that are just OK, but not spectacular. HF does still have a few junk items, but the reviews on those items reflect that. If it has two or three stars, run hard, run fast.
To claify about fhe oil filter caps, i said spend money on a better set that will actually be revelant to the cars we work on. Idk if its just me but i rarely have a vehicle that the hf oil filter caps fit on. I am trying to say that a more expensive set will most likely have ones that fit most common cars oil filters.
I use the hell out of the black 5 point impact sockets. They're great. Surprisingly, my HF Click Torque Wrenches have been great as well. I have calibration ability and they have remained accurate. I also have the 21 gallon Oil Air Compressor which has been great with a super fast recovery and about 5cfm which is enough to spray.
Many years ago when Harbor Freight was mail order only (at least on the East Coast), I was working on charter fish boats and making some extra money as a diesel mechanic in the evenings mostly on the charter boat docks. I had a nice set of Craftsman hand tools - sockets, open ends, box wrenches, torque wrenches, etc. Came home one day from an offshore tuna trip only to find my car had been broken into and my tools were gone. Homeowner's insurance covered my tools ...sort of...still not exactly sure how a lifetime warranty tool depreciates, but the insurance company understood exactly how that worked! I could not afford to replace my tools with Craftsman on the insurance money, and could not afford to lose the additional income from my mechanic activities. Enter Harbor Freight --- I bought 3 sets of SAE sockets, 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2" square drive ( $36. for all three sets!) plus a set of SAE combination wrenches that went up to 1-1/4". I hoped that those tools would get me through until I could afford to replace them with Craftsman wrenches. I was pleasantly surprised! As the years passed I added metric tools and over sized wrenches and 3/4" sockets. Granted, I do not use the tools every day anymore, but since 1979 the only Harbor Freight tool from my original purchase that broke was the 1/4" ratchet and the plastic handle on a screwdriver type driver for 1/4" drive sockets. Not a typo, that is 39 years I have had the SAE sockets and combo wrenches. I certainly cannot complain.
Gearmo Auto, the CH VAN designation stands for Chrome Vanadium steel, which is a very good quality tough tool steel, though the grain size is crappy for cutting edges. I am a bladesmith, as well as numerous other things. I can rebuild a motor from the ground up, but I rank myself as just a shade tree mechanic at best though. One thing I am is impartial. I will put a four-foot cheater just as quickly on my Snap-Ons, Craftsman, Bostitch, or Crescent as I will a super cheap ratchet, like Pittsburg. At that point, I know something will give, and often it is the ratchet regardless of brand. A 3/8" or 1/2" nub of tool steel is only going to take so much torque before it breaks, regardless of brand -- lol. Neither I nor anyone else for that matter should expect more of a tool than it is inherently capable of. When it comes to brands? There are steels and technologies (such as sintered metal technology) available that would make a ratchet invincible against the naked arm, yet NONE of the brands use these super expensive items to manufacture their tools. As much as many of the expensive brands charge, they should already use these techs -- for the same price they already charge. However, tools that won't break under even heavy or abnormal use don't need to be replaced, which means they sell fewer tools over time to the same customers, which is bad for profit margins. To give you an idea, I could make small knives out of some of the new steel techs. You could drive several into a tree and then use the dang things to climb by walking up the handles like rungs in a ladder without bending any of them. I can only imagine what it would be like to own a ratchet that had the drive mechanism made from sintered steel and the handle made from D2 -- you could probably get a 300lb man to use a long handle ratchet on a frozen grade 8 bolt like a trampoline without even stressing anything. Dang. That ratchet would cost $100 or so just in materials, but who cares? The general policy today seems to be to use a good steel which maximizes profit, then sell at a premium price which allows you to easily cover a warranty replacement and STILL maintain a profit on the sale. That is what you ultimately get with the premium brands.
Just an FYI those Pittsburgh wrenches are called V Groove combination wrenches. I am waiting for my local store to get these back in stock. The cool thing about the set is that its a 14 piece set all the way to the lower spectrum of the jumbo size wrenches.
were having one built here in little ol Jasper tx my guess is they have good confidence in exspanding. there tools are good I will enjoy not having to dive all the way to bouemont just to get a tool
Craig: Nice to hear someone who does not abuse his tools. Often it appears that some folks dog their tools out. My hubby, who was a journeyman plumber/pipefitter, talked about the value of taking care of your tools, and not knocking them around trying to look tough. When he died, I was able to give his plumbing/pipefitting tools to a younger plumber apprentice. Even the tools he had around the house for simple repair, he took good care of them as well. Sixteen years later I still have his HF heavy duty 1/2" VSR hammer drill, which I am planning to give to a young truck/auto mechanic. Works like new.
+mharris1270 Yeah, it makes me sick to see Craftsman turn to shit...I have been a big Craftsman fan for decades and have countless sockets, ratchets, torque wrenches, end wrenches, screwdrivers, crescents, pliers, etc, etc. etc. and have had great luck with them. First time I noticed they were made in China was a vise-grip set I bought a couple of years ago and after one of them bend fairly easily and started to fail overall, I noticed they were made in China, and my heart dropped, then next time I was at Sears, I looked and even their iconic ratchets and sockets are now made in China! Now I'm open to buying HF, Husky, Stanley, etc, but I'm really glad the bulk of my tools are old school Craftsman...I'll treasure and protect them until I die. What pisses me off, is the fact that Channellock has made an amazing brand of pliers for many decades, that are some of the best tools you'll ever lay your hands on and they are very affordable AND made IN THE USA!!! The other day I was looking at my 10 year old pair of Channys, it amazes me the abuse I've put them through! I use them and abuse them daily, using them as a hammer, prying with them, constantly getting them wet (I'm a plumber), using them in mud (and worse) and exposing them to harsh chemicals, etc, and sure, they are showing wear and age, but I bet I can get another 10 years out of them! I have been in the business for 40 years and have never seen a pair fail, other than teeth getting dull. The thing that pisses me off, is that you can buy a pair at Wally World for $15...15 bucks for a legendary American made tool that will last decades and you don't even have to take care of them, yet all these other US brands charge up the ass for their stuff. I realize labor costs, etc, but if Channellock can do it, why can't other brands? Greed? The thing that hurt the most about Craftsman, is they were pretty affordable damn good tools, but they went overseas and made inferior products (compared with their old US made stuff), yet they kept the same higher US made prices and you have to look at the fine print at the bottom of the package to find out they're Chinese. I won't buy Craftsman anything anymore for that reason, it was a bait and switch situation...at least Harbor Freight is honest about what they are selling and are probably just as good as what Craftsman makes these days.
I like that you apparently use tools for a living, but are not a tool snob. You've shown that generally speaking the HF tools are worthy. If they are good enough quality for someone like you, they should definitely be good enough for someone like me.
+kings17court Thanks dude, there is some definite garbage at hf but there is also a good amount of gems there too. I like alot of stuff they have and it does the job well, there is some tools i will get from a expensive brand but just because in those situations i want the best there is. For instance a long breaker bar i would want 100 percent trust that its the best if im trusting all my weight and force onto it.
hmmm im a lube tech but i might be moving up soon i was thinking about getting more tools like those impact swivel head sockets even if they spring goes i think its lifetime warranty so all good anyways
I have a few snap on tools but i love HF and they are just a few miles from my house. I buy a lot of their stuff and it holds up very good for the most part. When i read someone say they bought 4 or 5 HF rachets and they all broke the same day i say BS. Were they 1/4 inch and you tried to take lug nuts off a big truck with them? I buy HF and put my OWN kids through college instead of the tool truck guys lol.
most of my tools come from HF been buying before they were stamped Pittsburgh,i still have a 2lb deadblow when it was black in color still using it and never has come apart the only tools that were really useless was their 4 piece 3 jaw puller set complete garbage i still have 3 of them cause one broke and the ball joint separator with a screw that you crank on with a wrench that's it.
I bought 5 ratchets from Hf, none worked from day one, wrenches aren't much better, the hf tools are good for the illusion of having a full toolbox, I did buy a cutoff tool for 4 bucks which last 7 years, I recommend the cutoff tool
if i were you id get on swapping out the all chrome vanadium lower quality torx n shit. the new ones are made from s2 steel, well, the torx or allen bit at least, the chrome part is vanadium
Wouldn't wire brush the rust off, use rust remover. Wire brush just removes the protective coating, and leaves scratches that just increases the surface area for rust to form on. The more you wire brush the more you'll find it forms surface rust. Just my personal experience! Cheers
just a tip, if you buy any new stuff and keep the receipt take a picture of it and store it online somewhere easy to access so that if you ever lose the paper copy you have a backup for proof. I've started doing it with all my big buys and lifetime warranty stuff.
@@MrZimmaframe Harbor Freight keeps most of your receipts on their online database as well never had any problems returning anything. Also sign up for emails and you get a copy that sent right to your email
@@MrZimmaframe If you buy new stuff from Harbor Freight, and you're on their mailing list (tied to your phone number and email address at the in-store checkout), they will send an e-mail copy within minutes for you to save 'in the cloud'.
Yep. A lot of the H.F. stuff is better than people give them credit for. I have bought tons of tools from HF tools. That mallet sure seen better days though! 😆
Great review!! very concise and to the point. Alot of these tools I have as well and agree, but you have used them a whole lot more than me. Im not the pro.
Anything that is Pittsburgh that broke take to store and replace life time warranty. All my stuff has held up and the warranty process is easy. I don't trust the air tools, tourq wrenches, pliers, or screwdrivers but for someone just getting in the field its a good alternative rather than getting screwed buy the tool truck. Only thing ive bought from the truck was my box a plier set and screwdriver set. All my impact stuff ratchets and most wrenches besides my ratchet wrenches are all Pittsburgh and I'm okay with it. The tools don't make a mechanic good, its how the mechanic utilizes his tool.
02:30 . . . that's not a rubber mallet its a dead-blow hammer. It has a chamber of sand inside of it to limit recoil. A firm rubber mallet would have cost less and lasted longer for what it was actually used for. Dead blows are for things like hydraulic cylinders. When you replace it, buy the two-sided rubber mallet instead: www.harborfreight.com/1-lb-rubber-mallet-with-fiberglass-handle-95083.html The best use I've found for a deadblow hammer is setting in landscaping curbing stones or pavers, it sets them down into the sand without letting the recoil unseat them.
Harbor freight now guarantees the hand tools for life. If your turn wrenches on the weekend you should not even consider any other brand. Looks like the biggest problem with the HF tools is... You lose them, and if you are going to misplace or loose tools, HF is the superior brand.
This reason alone is why i DO NOT buy from Snap On! I lose more tools that i can count being a professional tech i lose wrenches, sockets, flashlights if i replace every item i lose from Snap On i would be dead broke....Also people need to stop thinking Snap On is the only way to get tools from ..you'd be surprised at the quality HF and other tool companies are making
+megadethGUY M I join you in the confusion. I work with a few guys who only buy off the tool trucks. I think theres a snootyness to it maybe. Idk though. I think its best to have a good mix of high quality tools where needed and hf on stuff that doesnt really matter.
Im not a pro i work on cars im a part time mechanic well im a moble mechanic on my days of for 2 years now and ive bin using the same harbor freight tools and craftsman tools for more than that and the only things iv noticed are the teeth on the ratchets get mest up when i put to much presure but other than that ive bin using the same tools
I've found that often times the ratchet teeth build up grime and crap in them which won't let the little spring loaded catch seat all the way down in the notch, so they slip. Just really douche the ratchet out with WD40 and get all the grime out and there's a good chance there is nothing really wrong with it...I've seen many well used ratchets that were considered worn out or broken because they slipped, brought back to life doing this and performing like they were new. I've seen it with many different brands, from cheap HF type stuff, to better brands like Armstrong, Craftsman, Williams, Stanley, Proto, etc. It's worth a shot before turning them in for replacement.
21mm, 80lbs & 100lbs torque sticks... Toyota Tech I bet! Great Vid...You got a Sub! BTW... Im a Toyota Tech as well! 18yrs! Currently still in the Business.
Any socket and wrench set,I always check if 18mm is in the set.This size is left out in most cheap sets and I hate this,18mm is one of the mostly commonly used metric wrench and socket sizes used.
Includes 15mm sometimes.I know Nissan,the domestics and VW do use 18mm a lot.One application for an 18mm in the Nissans I ran into was the brake caliper bolt bracket bolts for a Nissan Armada so far
I don't understand why you have such good luck with harbor freight. everything I've bought there has busted or malfunctioned within the first 5 uses. many times within the first 2 uses.
pittsburgh rachets n sockets are awesome. their conpressors suck. for little things like cable ties , hardware like nuts and bolts. hf is perfect. i have hf tools that i ordered when they were just a catalog
It must be your ability to perform QC or to discern bad from good. I too can admit to having bought junk tools from harbor freight. . . .(18 volt drill that would stall on a lag screw that a 12 volt black and decker from walmart had no problem driving in.) but if you do proper Harbor Freight Quality Control, you can get your money back and just be out time. You'll notice many "all they sell is junk" comments never specify what they bought, nor what they used it for.
DOYLECLEVERLOBE1 And those bits probably weren't S2 steel at that point so it would definitely be an upgrade to have those replaced. I've been avoiding those swivel sockets for years but I may actually try a set now. Thanks for the review.
When a guy spends more time cleaning his wrenches than working on your car, you know he paid too much for them. And you will be paying to much for the car repairs.
Before I retired from working in Industrial Maintenance, the head Mechanic asked me if I would sell him my 1-1/2” Harbor Freight open end wrench that I had. I was curious as to why, since I knew he had both Craftsman and Snap On tools. He took me over to large truck he was working on, and showed me the problem. He had to slide a wrench into a narrow space along the interior of the frame rail to hold a bolt head while he removed the nut from the outside. His Snap On wrench was too thick to fit into the narrow opening but he spent the next hour grinding my Harbor Freight wrench down so it would fit into
Really for the most part, Harbor Freight tools are a great buy considering their prices. I have a set of their metric combination wrenches that are from the early 90's that have done a tremendous amount of work. I ruined the open end part on a 15mm, but that was my fault. Not bad for a set of wrenches that I paid $9.99 for in 1992! These don't even have the "Pittsburgh" name on them!
+D J Tanner wow thats crazy. Im really thinking about making a video on how non mainstream tools have really stepped there game up. Thanks for the comment!
Please point out the "snap on patent" of rounding out the corners of sockets so they grip nuts by the edges, and how that patent has now expired and all the new Pittsburgh sockets carry that feature. Snap on made their name from not rounding off fasteners, and now that tech is in every chinese/taiwanese socket.
A few years ago, I would not have even considered HF but they IMO are really becoming a great hand tool resource especially when economics is concerned.
+Curly Q. Link I agree 100%!
Great review. 30+ years ago, I wouldn't even consider anything but top name brands. The sad truth is most of the top names have either went under or cheaped their products out. HF has a selection of decent stuff. Some better than others - but it boils down to economics. Cant go wrong for the money on lots of it.
+Cyclops Garage Thats Interesting. I was wondering if they even had cheap china/taiwan stuff back then. I agree with you about current brands I know personally mac tools has some taiwan made tools,I had a set of pliers that all the grips on the pliers wore off pretty quick. My Snap-On tools have always been USA. Idk about other brands though.
Cyclops Garage i
My grandfather came up wrenching in the '30s and eventually got up to owning a GMC and Kenworth dealership that he sold when he retired in the early '80s. He always just bought tools from whatever was around (hardware stores and such) and a lot of the stuff he bought was Taiwan or Chinese stuff and literally none of it (again, from probably the '70s-'80s) has ever been a problem. My 3/4" drive SAE set is some unbranded stuff from Taiwan set that is probably at least 40 years old and has been abused tons over the years and it's still fine. He had a giant set of ancient Husky wrenches (from well before Lowe's was around) that have all held up perfectly fine too.
I've got tons of made in USA tools and still try to buy them when I can, but I really can't fault most of the Chinese stuff I've run into. The only stuff that is just flat out crap is like the Harbor Freight sidewalk sale stuff. I bought a socket and ratchet set for $3.99 in one of those sales just to use as pressing dies. The sizes on the sockets run pretty wild and the ratchet is total crap. I'd never actually work on anything with them.
I have been buying from HF since they were a catalog only (in my area) store and it used to be trick or treat. More on that in a moment. The quality has increased dramatically through the years. Years back, you could order a hundred or two in hand tools, wait forever to get the order through UPS, open the box and go through the stuff. Some items were good, some just passable, and at least a few items were guaranteed to be tool shaped objects -- basically, ballast for a boat that was shaped like a tool. Those items were the trick and the others were the treat. At the time I don't think they had any quality control over the brands they carried, at all.
Many things have changed since then. I don't hesitate to buy many Harbor Freight items now, though then I would have just laughed and let someone else risk their money on the higher priced items in the catalog. Today? There are many brands in HF that I do not hesitate to buy. If something I am interested in is questionable, I go to their website, find the item, then check actual customer reviews, weeding out the moronic good and bad reviews ("good item", doesn't have a clue why to claim it -- or the "horrible item", don't use a screwdriver like a prybar and not expect it to fail: or better yet, next time don't use a four foot cheater -- types of reviews) I haven't had a trick item in years using the technique. The worst I have encountered in recent years are items that are just OK, but not spectacular.
HF does still have a few junk items, but the reviews on those items reflect that. If it has two or three stars, run hard, run fast.
Paul Andrulis thanks Paul. I wish more people were like that
To claify about fhe oil filter caps, i said spend money on a better set that will actually be revelant to the cars we work on. Idk if its just me but i rarely have a vehicle that the hf oil filter caps fit on. I am trying to say that a more expensive set will most likely have ones that fit most common cars oil filters.
I use the hell out of the black 5 point impact sockets. They're great. Surprisingly, my HF Click Torque Wrenches have been great as well. I have calibration ability and they have remained accurate. I also have the 21 gallon Oil Air Compressor which has been great with a super fast recovery and about 5cfm which is enough to spray.
+Chris Cunningham Thats awsome. Thanks for the comment!
Many years ago when Harbor Freight was mail order only (at least on the East Coast), I was working on charter fish boats and making some extra money as a diesel mechanic in the evenings mostly on the charter boat docks. I had a nice set of Craftsman hand tools - sockets, open ends, box wrenches, torque wrenches, etc.
Came home one day from an offshore tuna trip only to find my car had been broken into and my tools were gone.
Homeowner's insurance covered my tools ...sort of...still not exactly sure how a lifetime warranty tool depreciates, but the insurance company understood exactly how that worked!
I could not afford to replace my tools with Craftsman on the insurance money, and could not afford to lose the additional income from my mechanic activities.
Enter Harbor Freight --- I bought 3 sets of SAE sockets, 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2" square drive ( $36. for all three sets!) plus a set of SAE combination wrenches that went up to 1-1/4". I hoped that those tools would get me through until I could afford to replace them with Craftsman wrenches. I was pleasantly surprised! As the years passed I added metric tools and over sized wrenches and 3/4" sockets.
Granted, I do not use the tools every day anymore, but since 1979 the only Harbor Freight tool from my original purchase that broke was the 1/4" ratchet and the plastic handle on a screwdriver type driver for 1/4" drive sockets. Not a typo, that is 39 years I have had the SAE sockets and combo wrenches.
I certainly cannot complain.
Gearmo Auto, the CH VAN designation stands for Chrome Vanadium steel, which is a very good quality tough tool steel, though the grain size is crappy for cutting edges.
I am a bladesmith, as well as numerous other things. I can rebuild a motor from the ground up, but I rank myself as just a shade tree mechanic at best though. One thing I am is impartial. I will put a four-foot cheater just as quickly on my Snap-Ons, Craftsman, Bostitch, or Crescent as I will a super cheap ratchet, like Pittsburg. At that point, I know something will give, and often it is the ratchet regardless of brand. A 3/8" or 1/2" nub of tool steel is only going to take so much torque before it breaks, regardless of brand -- lol. Neither I nor anyone else for that matter should expect more of a tool than it is inherently capable of.
When it comes to brands? There are steels and technologies (such as sintered metal technology) available that would make a ratchet invincible against the naked arm, yet NONE of the brands use these super expensive items to manufacture their tools. As much as many of the expensive brands charge, they should already use these techs -- for the same price they already charge. However, tools that won't break under even heavy or abnormal use don't need to be replaced, which means they sell fewer tools over time to the same customers, which is bad for profit margins. To give you an idea, I could make small knives out of some of the new steel techs. You could drive several into a tree and then use the dang things to climb by walking up the handles like rungs in a ladder without bending any of them.
I can only imagine what it would be like to own a ratchet that had the drive mechanism made from sintered steel and the handle made from D2 -- you could probably get a 300lb man to use a long handle ratchet on a frozen grade 8 bolt like a trampoline without even stressing anything. Dang. That ratchet would cost $100 or so just in materials, but who cares?
The general policy today seems to be to use a good steel which maximizes profit, then sell at a premium price which allows you to easily cover a warranty replacement and STILL maintain a profit on the sale. That is what you ultimately get with the premium brands.
Good review, I think sometimes some people just try to break tools. I'm happy, we are FINALLY getting a HF in Sioux Falls.
+Grant W. Whitwam Thanks for the comment! Happy your getting one too! It makes a difference for tool guys.
Just an FYI those Pittsburgh wrenches are called V Groove combination wrenches. I am waiting for my local store to get these back in stock. The cool thing about the set is that its a 14 piece set all the way to the lower spectrum of the jumbo size wrenches.
were having one built here in little ol Jasper tx my guess is they have good confidence in exspanding. there tools are good I will enjoy not having to dive all the way to bouemont just to get a tool
+Jesse Mase Thats great. They have defiantly made there way into the toolworld.
Gearmo Auto indeed. great video by the way
I never have trouble with Harbor Freight stuff... always works properly. .I don't abuse them and maintain them and they'll last... Nice review!
+Craig Cundiff Thanks. Ya i got got harbor freights back. I plan to make some more harbor freight vids soon.
Craig: Nice to hear someone who does not abuse his tools. Often it appears that some folks dog their tools out. My hubby, who was a journeyman plumber/pipefitter, talked about the value of taking care of your tools, and not knocking them around trying to look tough. When he died, I was able to give his plumbing/pipefitting tools to a younger plumber apprentice. Even the tools he had around the house for simple repair, he took good care of them as well. Sixteen years later I still have his HF heavy duty 1/2" VSR hammer drill, which I am planning to give to a young truck/auto mechanic. Works like new.
Get the craftsman prybar set. They are full tang with a metal cap on the back of the handle
+mharris1270
Yeah, it makes me sick to see Craftsman turn to shit...I have been a big Craftsman fan for decades and have countless sockets, ratchets, torque wrenches, end wrenches, screwdrivers, crescents, pliers, etc, etc. etc. and have had great luck with them. First time I noticed they were made in China was a vise-grip set I bought a couple of years ago and after one of them bend fairly easily and started to fail overall, I noticed they were made in China, and my heart dropped, then next time I was at Sears, I looked and even their iconic ratchets and sockets are now made in China! Now I'm open to buying HF, Husky, Stanley, etc, but I'm really glad the bulk of my tools are old school Craftsman...I'll treasure and protect them until I die.
What pisses me off, is the fact that Channellock has made an amazing brand of pliers for many decades, that are some of the best tools you'll ever lay your hands on and they are very affordable AND made IN THE USA!!! The other day I was looking at my 10 year old pair of Channys, it amazes me the abuse I've put them through! I use them and abuse them daily, using them as a hammer, prying with them, constantly getting them wet (I'm a plumber), using them in mud (and worse) and exposing them to harsh chemicals, etc, and sure, they are showing wear and age, but I bet I can get another 10 years out of them! I have been in the business for 40 years and have never seen a pair fail, other than teeth getting dull. The thing that pisses me off, is that you can buy a pair at Wally World for $15...15 bucks for a legendary American made tool that will last decades and you don't even have to take care of them, yet all these other US brands charge up the ass for their stuff. I realize labor costs, etc, but if Channellock can do it, why can't other brands? Greed?
The thing that hurt the most about Craftsman, is they were pretty affordable damn good tools, but they went overseas and made inferior products (compared with their old US made stuff), yet they kept the same higher US made prices and you have to look at the fine print at the bottom of the package to find out they're Chinese.
I won't buy Craftsman anything anymore for that reason, it was a bait and switch situation...at least Harbor Freight is honest about what they are selling and are probably just as good as what Craftsman makes these days.
The prybar set is made in US. The warranty may not be worth anything soon, but they are still a good value.
I like that you apparently use tools for a living, but are not a tool snob. You've shown that generally speaking the HF tools are worthy. If they are good enough quality for someone like you, they should definitely be good enough for someone like me.
+kings17court Thanks dude, there is some definite garbage at hf but there is also a good amount of gems there too. I like alot of stuff they have and it does the job well, there is some tools i will get from a expensive brand but just because in those situations i want the best there is. For instance a long breaker bar i would want 100 percent trust that its the best if im trusting all my weight and force onto it.
hmmm im a lube tech but i might be moving up soon i was thinking about getting more tools like those impact swivel head sockets even if they spring goes i think its lifetime warranty so all good anyways
+Free Spirit i would recommend it! Harbor freight has alot of good basic tools.
That dead blow hammer looks hardly used!
Very nice review, i've had a few problems but for the most part all of mine have held up for many years.
+Jimbo's semi-customs Thanks for the Comment! Me Too!
I have a few snap on tools but i love HF and they are just a few miles from my house. I buy a lot of their stuff and it holds up very good for the most part. When i read someone say they bought 4 or 5 HF rachets and they all broke the same day i say BS. Were they 1/4 inch and you tried to take lug nuts off a big truck with them? I buy HF and put my OWN kids through college instead of the tool truck guys lol.
most of my tools come from HF been buying before they were stamped Pittsburgh,i still have a 2lb deadblow when it was black in color still using it and never has come apart the only tools that were really useless was their 4 piece 3 jaw puller set complete garbage i still have 3 of them cause one broke and the ball joint separator with a screw that you crank on with a wrench that's it.
I bought 5 ratchets from Hf, none worked from day one, wrenches aren't much better, the hf tools are good for the illusion of having a full toolbox, I did buy a cutoff tool for 4 bucks which last 7 years, I recommend the cutoff tool
Dude! Great review very well done! Thanks!
if i were you id get on swapping out the all chrome vanadium lower quality torx n shit. the new ones are made from s2 steel, well, the torx or allen bit at least, the chrome part is vanadium
+frankenstrat25 Thanks for the tip!
Its called a striking cap and not all snap on pry bars have them. And pry bars that dont are not meant to be used as a chisel...
Wouldn't wire brush the rust off, use rust remover.
Wire brush just removes the protective coating, and leaves scratches that just increases the surface area for rust to form on.
The more you wire brush the more you'll find it forms surface rust. Just my personal experience! Cheers
rub in machine oil, don't live in 1000% humidity. . . .
You know it Vinegar-->rinse --->oil.
Dead blow hammer is life time take it back let us know do a vid on the returns thanks
+John Gibson Thanks I will!
Actually all of the Pittsburgh hand tool products you own have a lifetime warranty (sockets, hammers, ratchets, etc...)
just a tip, if you buy any new stuff and keep the receipt take a picture of it and store it online somewhere easy to access so that if you ever lose the paper copy you have a backup for proof. I've started doing it with all my big buys and lifetime warranty stuff.
@@MrZimmaframe Harbor Freight keeps most of your receipts on their online database as well never had any problems returning anything. Also sign up for emails and you get a copy that sent right to your email
@@MrZimmaframe If you buy new stuff from Harbor Freight, and you're on their mailing list (tied to your phone number and email address at the in-store checkout), they will send an e-mail copy within minutes for you to save 'in the cloud'.
With harbor freight tools you get a lot of bang for a little buck.
Their tools are pretty good these days and they are lifetime guarenteed....
Yep. A lot of the H.F. stuff is better than people give them credit for. I have bought tons of tools from HF tools. That mallet sure seen better days though! 😆
Great review!! very concise and to the point. Alot of these tools I have as well and agree, but you have used them a whole lot more than me. Im not the pro.
+Robert Gelley Thanks for the comment!
Anything that is Pittsburgh that broke take to store and replace life time warranty. All my stuff has held up and the warranty process is easy. I don't trust the air tools, tourq wrenches, pliers, or screwdrivers but for someone just getting in the field its a good alternative rather than getting screwed buy the tool truck. Only thing ive bought from the truck was my box a plier set and screwdriver set. All my impact stuff ratchets and most wrenches besides my ratchet wrenches are all Pittsburgh and I'm okay with it. The tools don't make a mechanic good, its how the mechanic utilizes his tool.
Great review. Gives enough information to make and informed purchase of HF tools. BTW - krome va-lay-dee-um.
+SuperYtviewer Thank You!
02:30 . . . that's not a rubber mallet its a dead-blow hammer. It has a chamber of sand inside of it to limit recoil. A firm rubber mallet would have cost less and lasted longer for what it was actually used for. Dead blows are for things like hydraulic cylinders. When you replace it, buy the two-sided rubber mallet instead: www.harborfreight.com/1-lb-rubber-mallet-with-fiberglass-handle-95083.html
The best use I've found for a deadblow hammer is setting in landscaping curbing stones or pavers, it sets them down into the sand without letting the recoil unseat them.
great review
+megaeverything101 Thank You!
Good information
Thanks
Harbor freight now guarantees the hand tools for life. If your turn wrenches on the weekend you should not even consider any other brand. Looks like the biggest problem with the HF tools is... You lose them, and if you are going to misplace or loose tools, HF is the superior brand.
+Mike Hathaway Thanks for the comment i agree!
This reason alone is why i DO NOT buy from Snap On! I lose more tools that i can count being a professional tech i lose wrenches, sockets, flashlights if i replace every item i lose from Snap On i would be dead broke....Also people need to stop thinking Snap On is the only way to get tools from ..you'd be surprised at the quality HF and other tool companies are making
At 2:07 you said all anyone needs to know.
Yeah, I get my tools from Harbor Freight. I've been satisfied since.
I dont understand some mechanics and people think that these toola are gonna break down on the first use
+megadethGUY M I join you in the confusion. I work with a few guys who only buy off the tool trucks. I think theres a snootyness to it maybe. Idk though. I think its best to have a good mix of high quality tools where needed and hf on stuff that doesnt really matter.
Im not a pro i work on cars im a part time mechanic well im a moble mechanic on my days of for 2 years now and ive bin using the same harbor freight tools and craftsman tools for more than that and the only things iv noticed are the teeth on the ratchets get mest up when i put to much presure but other than that ive bin using the same tools
The teeth on the ratchets dont break down they start to skip
I've found that often times the ratchet teeth build up grime and crap in them which won't let the little spring loaded catch seat all the way down in the notch, so they slip. Just really douche the ratchet out with WD40 and get all the grime out and there's a good chance there is nothing really wrong with it...I've seen many well used ratchets that were considered worn out or broken because they slipped, brought back to life doing this and performing like they were new. I've seen it with many different brands, from cheap HF type stuff, to better brands like Armstrong, Craftsman, Williams, Stanley, Proto, etc. It's worth a shot before turning them in for replacement.
21mm, 80lbs & 100lbs torque sticks... Toyota Tech I bet! Great Vid...You got a Sub! BTW... Im a Toyota Tech as well! 18yrs! Currently still in the Business.
+TheTech660 haha ya im a toyota tech. Thanks for the comment and sub.
Any socket and wrench set,I always check if 18mm is in the set.This size is left out in most cheap sets and I hate this,18mm is one of the mostly commonly used metric wrench and socket sizes used.
+wafrederick yes! Me too haha thats funny you mentioned that
and the even call them a "complete set"
Includes 15mm sometimes.I know Nissan,the domestics and VW do use 18mm a lot.One application for an 18mm in the Nissans I ran into was the brake caliper bolt bracket bolts for a Nissan Armada so far
There also famous for using 21mm on the brackets too. yay nissan!
Their #69279 Impact 1/2" drive socket set - has the 18mm
I don't understand why you have such good luck with harbor freight. everything I've bought there has busted or malfunctioned within the first 5 uses. many times within the first 2 uses.
maybe yall only use them 1 or twice a year.
+Bob Piff I will say this. There are alot of things at harbor freight that are ok tools, there are ALOT of junk there as well.
Gearmo Auto
I would say a majority is junk. I haven't found anything of quality yet.
pittsburgh rachets n sockets are awesome. their conpressors suck. for little things like cable ties , hardware like nuts and bolts. hf is perfect. i have hf tools that i ordered when they were just a catalog
It must be your ability to perform QC or to discern bad from good. I too can admit to having bought junk tools from harbor freight. . . .(18 volt drill that would stall on a lag screw that a 12 volt black and decker from walmart had no problem driving in.) but if you do proper Harbor Freight Quality Control, you can get your money back and just be out time. You'll notice many "all they sell is junk" comments never specify what they bought, nor what they used it for.
Dude dat dead blow hammer needed replacing years ago.
I think you can just walk in and get a new dead blow they have a lifetime warranty.
+DOYLECLEVERLOBE1 Thanks for the comment! i will give it a shot.
Yes I have traded out my dead blows many times. They will exchange that swivel socket as well.
+FrugalPrepper Thanks for the comment! Do you know if i need my receipt?
No receipt.
DOYLECLEVERLOBE1
And those bits probably weren't S2 steel at that point so it would definitely be an upgrade to have those replaced.
I've been avoiding those swivel sockets for years but I may actually try a set now.
Thanks for the review.
FYI Dead Blow Hammer is lifetime warranty
+steven petty Yes thats correct. I did a video returning some stuff to hf with no receipt and that was one of the things.
It’s called chrome vanadium steel.
I have snap on used daily for 0ver 40 years
The impact sockets arrent bad at all bin using mine for 10 years
Honest shit! Love it.😆
That digrider I broke in an hour with their wire wheel idk
+Finess Fishing really? Mines never had an issue. Maybe it was a defect?
Quality Control issues, the source of the "chinese stereotype" Return and replace.
Did you add oil to it before you hooked up the air supply??
they have lifetime warranty you could have them replace it for free.
snap on. aka strap on
or Fap Off
Lol 😂 that dead blow hammer 🔨
Va-nay-dee-yum. Great vid bud.
7 years later with very little use
I've had my color coded sockets longer and they've maintained the paint much better, because I've used them obviously much much less.
When a guy spends more time cleaning his wrenches than working on your car, you know he paid too much for them. And you will be paying to much for the car repairs.
SMH reviewing tools with rubber gloves !!!!!!
Where is your accent from?
I like the way you pronounce
Bitch mittons.
Just personally I wear gloves at times.
Don't waste a small amount of money on something you never use... Buy the good ones.... Wow, way to discredit yourself.
See ya later!
Great review. Refreshing to see a review of someone who has ACTUALLY used the tools!