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I admit it, I like and own snap-on tools, but didn’t always have them. They are quality and nice to use that what I like about them. When I was younger, however, I bought Wards tools or whatever cheap stuff I could afford, like so many young fellas starting out (nothing wrong with this). Anyway, what I experienced at that time was that some of these guys that had all Snap-on stuff would literally laugh at somebody who didn’t, in the shop or working environment. I mean the cheapshot commments didn’t end. These insult throwers had snap on everything. Spray guns, welders, posters, signs, you name it, they had it. A whole lot of the stuff was just rebranded stuff. The Spray gun was a Sharpe, but one dare not say that. And these insult throwers said my tools were garbage (even my Craftsman stuff), thus basically stating that I was poor tech at best, because I did’t have the latest Snap-on whatchemecalit — tooltruck guy was of course, onboard with this. My question is this, I have known a ton of really talented techs young and old that made livings with Kmart tools, or whatever worked Wooden screwdrivers, home made tools, whatever worked.. Then again I see an 84 Snap-on Box in a TIRE Shop..(Really ) Some super techs even boycott trucks, however, where did the tool snobbery come from ? Ideas fellas ?
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Humans love forming groups and ridiculing anyone who is not part of their group. For example: sports team you follow, brand of car you drive, race, religion, music you listen to, country you’re from, political party you support, brand of clothes you wear, Apple vs Samsung, PS4 vs XBOX ONE etc… The list goes on. At the end of the day, some people are insecure and have a need to identify with a particular group to feel better. So, some people spend $30,000 on a single brand of tool because it’s like joining a club. Then, they make fun of others because it justifies the purchase of those tools. “I’m in the club and you’re not”. It’s the same reason why humans form gangs, cliques, states, countries, etc. It’s just human nature.
So, if people mock others about their tools, it’s likely their own insecurity. Just browse the comments in any random YouTube video and you’ll see that people love to argue about their choices. lol
Here’s an article on this subject: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribalism
[quote=”matthewross1987″ post=123538]Humans love forming groups and ridiculing anyone who is not part of their group. For example: sports team you follow, brand of car you drive, race, religion, music you listen to, country you’re from, political party you support, brand of clothes you wear, Apple vs Samsung, PS4 vs XBOX ONE etc… The list goes on. At the end of the day, some people are insecure and have a need to identify with a particular group to feel better. So, some people spend $30,000 on a single brand of tool because it’s like joining a club. Then, they make fun of others because it justifies the purchase of those tools. “I’m in the club and you’re not”. It’s the same reason why humans form gangs, cliques, states, countries, etc. It’s just human nature.
So, if people mock others about their tools, it’s likely their own insecurity. Just browse the comments in any random YouTube video and you’ll see that people love to argue about their choices. lol
Here’s an article on this subject: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribalism%5B/quote%5D Couldn’t have said it any better.
I never wanted to spend the money on Snap-on Tools but then I figured out how nice they were (long time ago) and decided I could join their club. (nobody rifles through my box, however) Of course this snap-on game costs obscene money. Have you seen the Snap-on rescue rig videos on youtube ? Its interesting when the tool guy picks up a blue socket rack and says, ummm Matco and basically tells the guy his tool is crap. Interesting to me, cause Matco is nice stuff I think, although I don’t have a large shop and wouldn’t be rescued if I was using Matco sockets anyway. I know some guys that would kick that guy right out of the shop if he started criticizing the tech’s tools..
My response to them and the tool guys is so you think 112 dollars for an oil funnel is really worth it? Tell me how my 99 cent funnel and a little technique is not better? Or i can buy 112 of these compared to your one.
Don’t get me wrong there are some things that pretty much have to be snap-on to get a quality one but, to me 112 dollars will always be too much for a funnel unless it saves me 6hrs on a job I do all the time.
https://store.snapon.com/OFKIT-Master-Oil-Funnel-Kit-Kit-Master-Oil-Funnel-5-pcs-P812978.aspx
Hey, that’s a good example of rebranding — as I mentioned in another post, I have a set of Allen wrenches in a plastic holder, and they are Snap-on. Anyway, I went to harbor freight today and got some alligator clips and a magnifying glass, and I was shopping around I say without a doubt that the harbor freight plastic allen wrench sets of the same style are better, although I didn’t buy them. Neither set near as good as my old Craftsmans, however. Now don’t get my wrong, I love my snap-hand tools, but that doesn’t make the rest of their stuff any better than harbor freight, obviously. The problem is that If went work for a shop now, and I had a bunch of harbor freight tools in my box, the insults would be endless. Owner may even think I am a hack don’t know what a good tool is. I actually know people that wouldn’t have a tool that wasn’t a snap-on, even a funnel. That’s how people get 30,000 wrapped up in tools. I have a very big Matco long barrel air hammer, I am sure its a rebranded IR, which I am sure is the best, but there are postings all over about how much better Snap-on is. I have some Milwaukee cordless tools and I would put them against any tool truck stuff. Problem is that in a shop environment, I would be accused of being a carpenter or handyman, even though Milwaukee cordless tools are amoung the best tools out there. But since its not off a truck, it must suck…
For me if the tool does what I need and will do it for a good while then I’ll buy it, I like some of the snap on stuff but if a tool does the job and has life time warranty then I’m not sure what I’m getting by spending 2,3,5,10x more for the snap on equivalent
As long as your boss and coworkers don’t give you grief, I totally agree. However, if you could spend 3 times the amount on a funnel, and have the assurance that your coworkers wouldn’t shun you, would you do it ? If there was any possibility that fellow coworkers would open and your box and spray the Hotsy washer in it, unless it was truck tools in there, would you spend the extra money ? What if a person had a whole box of Craftsman tools and the boss told them to pack up there their Sh*t and he wasn’t firing them he was just telling them to get Snap-on tools, would they form a bond, and a line of credit with the tool truck guy ? I understand that some guys and shops don’t care what tools you use, but some guys and shops do. Its like golfing, you can do it at a city course, and have fun, low cost, but no status, or you can spend tens of thousands of dollars per year and do the same thing, but be with the “IN” crowd. Pro baseball players don’t use wiffle bats, NFL players are not using helmets from Kmart and if you went into surgery and saw that the doctor using a needle and plastic scissors on you from the dollar store, wouldn’t you wonder just a little ?
Yeah andrewbutton442 I got a lot of that when I was at the main shop. When that happened I say trade with me for one day. I stopped getting grief the first week I did that.
I have harbor freight tools in my box and I use some of them every day. They hold up as good if not better then any other brands the other mechanics use. Then there are harbor freight tools that are broken out of the box or don’t work at all. I bought a red tube like transfer pump, ya never again. I only have to get covered in diesel fuel once before rtving it and floor cleaner the second time. They are junk. It is hit or miss you have to really know what you are looking for or looking at when at harbor freight. I got made fun of for my torx impact Pittsburgh sockets. That was until people needed one then they just shut up about it.
Haters gonna hate. But, at least I can afford to eat.
[quote=”andrewbutton442″ post=123596]As long as your boss and coworkers don’t give you grief, I totally agree. However, if you could spend 3 times the amount on a funnel, and have the assurance that your coworkers wouldn’t shun you, would you do it ? If there was any possibility that fellow coworkers would open and your box and spray the Hotsy washer in it, unless it was truck tools in there, would you spend the extra money ? What if a person had a whole box of Craftsman tools and the boss told them to pack up there their Sh*t and he wasn’t firing them he was just telling them to get Snap-on tools, would they form a bond, and a line of credit with the tool truck guy ? I understand that some guys and shops don’t care what tools you use, but some guys and shops do. Its like golfing, you can do it at a city course, and have fun, low cost, but no status, or you can spend tens of thousands of dollars per year and do the same thing, but be with the “IN” crowd. Pro baseball players don’t use wiffle bats, NFL players are not using helmets from Kmart and if you went into surgery and saw that the doctor using a needle and plastic scissors on you from the dollar store, wouldn’t you wonder just a little ?[/quote]
Never had any issue over here with snap on stuff but if you think it’s expensive there most things are about 40% more here so for someone to have just snap on stuff it’s just not realistic for example the FHLF80 3/8 rachet Thats retailing at $140 in the US here it’s just shy of $195
that kind of cost on top of the high snap on prices It’s doesn’t make sense for most techs to buy all snap on sure there are some who still do but with so many other makes carrying the same lifetime warranty snap on is really starting to lose out (here atleast)
It is starting to in the US mainly because older techs go to get their tools replaced and either can’t or the new one breaks right away where the old one lasted them 15-20yrs.
I agree with everything you are saying. Although some of the Snap-on stuff is much better. Have you tried a dual 80 long handled 1/2 ratchet ? Incredible tool, worth the price. Nobody sees my box anyway, so I am not in the tool club, but I do love Snap-on hand tools.
Yeah I have it’s sitting in the the left hand corner of my box, the dual 80 ratchets with comfort handles are my favourite ratchets so I have 3 atm and will build them up as I can, it’s not that I wont buy snap on but for example that 1/2 ratchet was somewhere around $250 and for a new tech spending out that just on a 1 ratchet hurts lol
I wouldn’t say any tool brand is the best at everything for the most part with top end brands it’s really personal preference.
I use quick release flex heads. I do not like their button design for them and also the forward and reverse selector both of them stick out too far and the selector is now a soft aluminum which is easy to break.
They are good ratchets do not get me wrong but, I like my Experts though the head is pinned which allows it to flop i could very easily drive it out, tap one hole and put a set screw in. The expert ratchets are roughly 1/3 to 1/4 the price and I dare say more heavy duty without much size difference. Though they are 72 teeth. A difference of .5 degrees is not that much of a difference. Also if I was going to go that route I would get a FZero or FN100 from Snap-on.
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