Re: [MV] Re Sears/Tools (long post)

From: Fred Martin (mung@in-touch.net)
Date: Fri Mar 14 2003 - 05:48:39 PST


Yeah John...some more good quality tools that the government used. Those
  black oxide finished Armstrong and J H Williams brand and others. Down
in shipboard engine rooms...they used what is called "slugging
wrenches"...had a flat on them that was designed to be struck with a big
'ol clobbering iron (4 # or bigger hammer)...used for steam stuff...all
heavy duty. I think the orientals should take a walk through there and
get a working knowledge of the english word "Heavy Duty"! Once while
doing one of these jobs (as a young snipe)...I saw the heaviest
screwdriver ever...had metal going around a wooden handle...you could
pound on this one. My thoughts were...I'm gonna get one of these when I
find them. Years later I was in a little hardware store in New Vienna,
Ohio (I called it New Banana) (another story...smile) and lo and
behold...there they were...brand new and for sale...hoorahhhh! Looked on
the box and they were made less than 20 miles away ...by Irwin...in
Wilmington. I now have about half a dozen...as Irwin stopped making them
a few years ago. I have also noticed the new Craftsman look...they kinda
look more like a Snap-On or Mac design. I wonder why? They let the
quality of theirs slip for the profit margin and now they're feeling the
pinch. Heavy into advertising to the homeowner...instead of the more
informed professional tool buyer. Sears used some of the local small
forge shops locally years ago for their tools. Seems all the small tool
shops would make a tool with any name on it...kinda like the gasoline
thing...you don't know where it came from. After seeing the foreign
tools some years ago...I knew that when they got around to finding
chrome vanadium steel and getting their heat treating on the
money...they'd get a pretty good share of the american market. If their
tool doesn't say CR-V on it...you can about guarantee it will be made
from high carbon steel or a cheaper alloy and some I've seen weren't
even heat treated at all. Thats how the oriental tool makers do
business...just sell enough junk tools to get modern equipment in their
plant and then get competitive with the American tool makers. Theres a
large world market out there and they sold a lot of this stuff to unwary
customers used to American (and others) quality...but getting junk. They
knew what they were doing...did you ever see a company address or phone
number on the tool box that they sell? Probably all you seen was
"Guaranteed for Life." And they got what they wanted...enough cheap
stuff flooding our market to get their plant tooling and driving a lot
of our companies out of business. We have so many rules pertaining to
the building of vehicles in this country...why don't we have rules or
laws pertaining to the tools used to work on them with? Fred Martin

John Seidts wrote:
> Proto tools are grown out of Plumb tools, which made tools on contract for
> the USAF and NASA, amongst others. Another brand that is a sleeper is
> EASCO, which made many for the US Government, and also made them for
> Craftsman (back when Craftsman was on par with Snap On). I have several,
> and they are extremely well made.
>
> If you haven't looked recently, Craftsman tools have a new look, and seem to
> be of higher quality than recent years. Of course, they are more expensive.
> I bought a replacement ratchet head, and it is very nice.
>
> By the way, I buy old Plvmb tools, with the v instead of u, if you have any.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bjorn Brandstedt" <super_deuce@hotmail.com>
> To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
> Sent: Friday, March 14, 2003 8:44 AM
> Subject: Re: [MV] Re Sears/Tools
>
>
>
>>Last summer, I purchased a few PROTO brand tools (made in the USA).
>
> Grainger
>
>>carries them. The rathet has the best non-slip handle I have ever used and
>>the mechanism is extremely heavy duty, sounds like a small chain hoist
>
> when
>
>>using it. I also like them in the black non-glare finish to go with the
>
> MV.
>
>>The 1/2" Proto ratched lists for $54.00. They are pricy, but I'm starting
>
> a
>
>>collection to go with the truck./Bjorn
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>From: "Henry J. Fackovec" <hfackovec@easternems.com>
>>>To: <mil-veh@mil-veh.org> (Military Vehicles Mailing List)
>>>Subject: Re: [MV] Re Sears
>>>Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2003 07:09:28 -0500
>>>
>>>Steve is to vehicle restoration, as France is to Bravery: They talk
>>>about it a lot, but its hard to see any qualified results.
>>>
>>>HJ Fackovec
>>>President MVMVC
>>>
>>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From: Military Vehicles Mailing List [mailto:mil-veh@mil-veh.org] On
>>>Behalf Of Steve & Jeanne Keith
>>>Sent: Friday, March 14, 2003 6:54 AM
>>>To: Military Vehicles Mailing List
>>>Subject: Re: [MV] Re Sears
>>>
>>>
>>>clip-clop, clip-clop, BANG
>>>
>>>That is only from Ronzo, Potzo, Bozo II, Putzie or whatever he is called
>>>today
>>>
>>>Steve AKA Dr Deuce
>>>
>>>
>>>----- Original Message -----
>>>From: "Steve Grammont" <islander@midmaine.com>
>>>To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
>>>Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2003 11:19 PM
>>>Subject: Re: [MV] Re Sears
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Hi Joe,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>If you are a professional mechanic they will not guarantee anything.
>>>>
>>>>That's OK. According to several people (mostly from Vermont for some
>>>>reason), Steve isn't a professional mechanic or anything else.
>>>>
>>>>Hey! That is just what I heard Steve! Don't shoot the messanger :-)
>>>>
>>>>Steve
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>><ack@mil-veh.org>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
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>
>
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