What's happening to tools nowadays?
 

I have a set of Husky 1/2 inch drive metric impact sockets which I bought a couple of years ago. I was at my local Home Depot a few days ago and while checking out the tool department, (which seems to be diminishing) was disappointed to see that many of the current Husky tools are made in Taiwan: ratchets, sockets, and wrenches. None of the impact sockets on the shelf were made in USA.

Later that day I made a trip to Sears. I noticed a mini plier set (Craftsman Professional) on sale and noticed that it too, was made in Taiwan. I bought it anyway because it seemed well made and still has the lifetime warranty.

Is it only a matter of time before it will be rare to find American made hand tools? I'm not insulting Taiwanese made products, but I'm just surprised by what I've seen on the shelves lately.

Re: What's happening to tools nowadays?
 

Welcome to the commodification of labour and free trade. US used to be a manufacturing economy, but the shift is to a service economy. Most stuff will be made by developing nations. Did you hear that VW is possibly closing it's Mexico plant? Mexican labour is becoming too expensive...

"When they overrun your defenses
A minor invasion put down to expenses
Will you go down... to the airport lounge?
Will you accept your second class status
A nation of waitresses and waiters
Will you mix their martinis
Will you stand still for it?
Or will you take to the hills!

From Radio KAOS by Roger Waters

What can we do? American companies are finding it cheaper to use offshore steel. We were particularly hard hit here. Whole sectors of the Minnesota economy in what we call the iron range here have vanished in the last three years. The tariffs imposed on steel a few years ago have done nothing than to move US operations to places like China and Taiwan. Because no restrictions were put on manufactured steel imports we are now seeing even more of an influx of steel products from other nations.

Husky used to take any tool in for trade about 8 years ago, I wanted to buy all the traded in tools and fix them up. Well now you are a husky owner, and you cant get replacement tools. Yeah it was really worth trading in your snapon ratchet for those husky tools.

I buy Snap on, Hazet, and all the other german brands.
www.samstagsales.com is where I get my german tools.
My neighbor is a snapon man, so I can go over on saturdays if I need something.

Mac is also very good, but I dont like cornwell tools, matco, etc, but matco can order Hazet, but it takes a while.

IR is the best for air tools. Mac has mostly IR tools and all their pliers are knipex of Germany. Snapon carries some knipex, but they are marked up more than buying them straight from A Germany tool dealer. Sometimes snapon air tools are made in taiwan too, so watch out.

Best American tools
Snapon
MAC
Ingersoll-Rand

German tools
Hazet
Klann
Stahlwille
knipex (pliers)

There are some other brands like Blackhawk, etc, which are good, but you only have to buy snapon once unless someone steals it or you lose it.

for snap on, if I know snapon makes it, Ill buy it, but some stuff, they dont make, and its better to buy it where it comes from for cheaper, but then again, its there right now....Impluse buying!

I hope this has helped you aaron.