Shopsmith Forums

Are there any hand tools, other than the bionic wrench, domestically made anymore?
BPR

Letherman multi-tools are made in Oregon. http://www.leatherman.com/about

Snap on, kd, craftsman, crescent, bisco supply sells drill bits, lisle...there are many others but thats off the top of my head. Of course, read labels. No matter the issues in this thread about craftsman, I still make every attempt to buy USA made and sears happens to have quite a bit of it. More power to them for stocking it.

ryanbp01 wrote:Are there any hand tools, other than the bionic wrench, domestically made anymore?
BPR

Channellock pliers say "fiercely American" on the packages. I love them. I bought my first set around 1980, and lately bought new ones that are even better made.

ryanbp01 wrote:Are there any hand tools, other than the bionic wrench, domestically made anymore?
BPR

Most every hand tool can be found USA made. As was mentioned, Channellock for pliers, but other things branded Channellock may be imported.
Crescent Wrenches-- some of them-- Cooper Hand Tools (the owner) seems to have two different "Crescent" brands, one which is imports, the other which is made in the USA.
Klein Tools-- many things, like screw drivers, pliers, wire strippers, but not everything. These are targeted toward electricians, and are in the electrical aisle at Home Depot.
Many hammers, particularly Estwing, Nupla (dead blow).
Screwdrivers-- even sometimes the store brands are made in USA.
Nicholson (sp?) files are mostly.
Wiss tin-snips, and Midwest tin-snips.
Some rulers, levels, can't remember brand names.
That's all I can think of off-hand. Again, check the back of the package for "Made in the USA" which means almost all the pieces as well; or "Assembled in USA" which means the pieces were made all or in part elsewhere and then put together in the U.S.
Walk down the hand tool aisle in Home Depot someday and check. You'd be surprised how much actually is made in the U.S.
Makita actually makes some power tools in the US as well, as well as England even (I've got a belt sander and skil saw from them made in England).

In Slovakia it is not hard to get all EU made tools. Any tool that I buy here that isn't for a seriously one-off occasion is made in the EU.

Except Vise-Grip pliers. The Irwin's are all made in China, and when I was doing my standing seam roof last year and needed wide jaw vise-grips, the clear answer to me was to buy several no-name chinese pairs for 2.50€ a piece and weld flat pieces of metal to the jaws instead of buying Irwin's wide jaw chinese ones for 25€ a piece (I needed 5 to clamp roof pieces together while folding).

I noticed once that Grainger does sell locking pliers made in Spain, and Harry Epstein old stock U.S. made vise-grips, but good luck finding those in any store.

billmayo wrote:Thanks for the history lesson. In over 50 years and many tool boxes full of tools, I have never seen this wrench or heard about it. Always time to learn about unknown tools.

Bill, they are WELL over 50 years old. The first patent date was during World Mistake 1. (1916, I think.) If you go to Ebay, look for the later models. The earlier models have a recessed place for the info, the later models are just stamped on the sides, and angle cut gears. BUT the later models have straight-cut gear teeth, and have MANY more jaws.

One of the best tools I've ever seen. You can basically break down a cinder-block wall, with minimal damage.

Almost as durable as a Shopsmith 10ER.

steve

billmayo wrote:Thanks for the history lesson. In over 50 years and many tool boxes full of tools, I have never seen this wrench or heard about it. Always time to learn about unknown tools.

Bill, you don't know just how much you have praised me. My father found the first one I've seen I was about 14, Needless to say, it ended up in this old bike rider's hip pocket. ((Yes, I "borrowed" it from him, and used it for NUMEROUS years. Wrench that just would NOT round off nuts or bolts, screwdriver on the handle, and, if the need arised, a hammer,or self defense weapon..

But, it wouldn't undo the head bolts on the old Dodge 318 engine. (To mis-quote Harry Callahan, a man's GOT to know his tool's limitations.)

steve