It seems that “Made in USA,” and even “Made in USA with Global Materials” is becoming increasingly rare in the tool world today.
You can blame politics, regulations, retailers, or other parties. But, most of the time, it comes down to more people preferring to buy cheaper tools.
There are other reasons, of course.
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For one, Sears’ downfall rippled through the industry with major consequences.
International, a tool box maker, closed in late 2018.
Armstrong Tools closed in 2019.
Many Sears Craftsman Professional mechanics tools were widely believed to have been produced at Armstrong facilities. Western Forge made screwdrivers and pliers for Sears Craftsman.
Stanley Black & Decker acquired Waterloo Industries, a company that produced many tool boxes for Craftsman when they were owned by Sears, in 2017. What would have happened to Waterloo if this acquisition didn’t happen?
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But Sears cannot be blamed for everything.
Irwin moved Vise-Grip production in 2008, reportedly to keep the Vise-Grip brand competitive. In 2019, at least some Irwin Unibit step drills were imported, rather than being made in the USA.
Irwin launched NWS-made pliers in 2014. By 2016, Irwin replaced them with a line of similarly-styled pliers that were made in Taiwan. While neither line was made here, there are thematic parallels.
Shop-Vac shut down in 2020 and was later acquired by Great Star. Great Star, which is based in China, acquired the company months later.
Great Star has acquired or revived several other tool brands – they own Arrow Fastener, Pony, Jorgensen, Goldblatt, Shop-Vac, and also SK Tools.
Ideal Industries sold SK Tools to Great Star in mid-2021. Ideal Industries acquired SK Tools 11 years prior, along with other USA tool brands. Ideal Industries absorbed Pratt-Read and shuttered Western Forge’s factory.
It is still uncertain as to what Great Star will do with SK, but they have made promises to maintain US-based manufacturing.
Craftsman, now owned by Stanley Black & Decker, will be soon be launching their first USA-made mechanics tools.
Milwaukee Tool’s new USA hand tool factory is now set to open later this year.
Tekton announced their stance on USA production, and they seem intent on expanding their domestic production efforts.
Dewalt had USA-made screwdrivers, but they were discontinued seemingly quickly. I would presume these were made at the same factory that makes screwdrivers for Stanley Black & Decker’s Proto and Mac Tools brands.
The tool industry is very dynamic.
A lot of times, though, it comes down to money.
What’s going to sell better, a USA-made 6pc screwdriver set for $30, or an imported 10pc set for $22? A USA-made 2pc pliers set for $36, or an imported 3pc set for $20?
If you want USA-made tools, you can still find them! You just have to look a little harder.
Tool users vote with their wallets. If imported tools sell well, why would retailers replace them with higher-priced USA-made tools? Fans of American-made tools would cheer at the news, but money speaks louder.
A reader left a comment today – “why are American tool brands dying off?”
Frankly, there are a lot of reasons. I would say that Western Forge never recovered from Sears’ downfall. With Shop-Vac, fingers have pointed towards gross mismanagement. Some brands fail to innovate or adapt to changing times.
Are American tool brands disappearing? Yes, some of them are gone. Some have rebounded, or are trying to. There are also positive changes, such as Tekton’s broad selection of USA-made screwdrivers.
Channellock came out with a new line of screwdrivers in 2009. At the time, I asked why they were imported, and I was told that their supplier exceeded their quality standards and that they simply couldn’t offer USA-made screwdrivers at affordable pricing.
Fast forward to 2014, and Channellock was able to launch a new line of USA-made screwdrivers and nutdrivers. They continue to sell both USA-made and imported screwdrivers.
The good news is that you can still buy USA-made wrenches, sockets, ratchet, hammers, chisels, punches, screwdrivers, tool boxes, organizers, and many other types of tools.
The same goes for outdoor garden tools – shovels, rakes, and so forth.
Sometimes you can find USA-made tools at big box stores. Other times, you have to shop online at independent dealers and industrial suppliers.
All that said, the truth still remains – a lot of people are choosing to buy imported tools for various reasons – and that’s okay. Maybe they prefer the brand, maybe the availability is better, maybe the lower pricing was a significant factor, or maybe they aren’t aware of competitive USA-made options.
Sometimes I buy USA-made tools, other times I buy imported tools. A lot of different things factor into each purchasing decision.
Strong companies adapt and grow.
Do you think that Ideal Industries would have sold SK Tools to Great Star if the company was thriving?
A lot of USA tool brands have branched out to also offer imported tools at lower pricing. Proto has Blackhawk. William has separate USA and imported lines. Snap-on has Bluepoint. Estwing and Vaughan, different hammer and striking tool brands, both have USA-made and imported hammers. Wright has Cougar Pro.
It’s strange to see iconic USA brands launching more and more imported tools, but if that’s what it takes to keep their forges lit, I’m for it. I always presume – and hope – that they’re keeping a close eye on quality.
Whenever we get into USA vs. imported tool discussions, there’s always a lot of judging. The fact is, there are excellent tool brands and toolmakers in the USA, Canada, Europe, Asia, and elsewhere.
USA production is great, as it means jobs, domestic capabilities, preserved technical know-how, and more high quality purchasing options for end users.
You’ll never see me saying “you should buy [specific tool] because it’s made in the USA.” Country of origin is sometimes a factor in my own purchasing decisions, but quality, functionality, and differentiation are significant factors.
“Made in USA” shouldn’t simply mean “a more expensive tool.” When I buy USA-made tools, they often have unique, innovative, iconic, or distinct designs.
Here are some examples:
Bondhus is not a premium tool brand, but their hex tools are fantastic and offer great quality at lower prices. Eklind is another hex tool brand with a strong industrial presence. Xuron makes excellent no-frills mini cutters and pliers. Channellock has excellent pliers. Klein has excellent wire cutters and strippers. Estwing, Vaughan, Nupla, Martinez, and Trusty-Cook make excellent hammers and mallets. Mayhew makes excellent punches and cold chisels. Proto has excellent screwdrivers, mini pliers, and mechanics tools. Williams and Tekton have great hard-handle screwdrivers.
For all of these tools and brands, “made in USA” is far from the main selling point.
These and other brands are not going anywhere – or at least I don’t think so and hope not – because they are distinct and irreplaceable in the market.
A lot of the time, many consumers seek out cheaper tools. But, with sufficient reasons, they’ll spend more on USA-made products.
A growing number of tool brands have closed down over the years, but there are also new efforts taking their place.
Honestly, for the the first time in quite a few years, I’m optimistic that the trend is reversing course.
Mike (the other one)
Pratt-Read is dead now, BTW.
Stuart
https://toolguyd.com/pratt-read-usa-tool-brand/
When I looked deeper, Pratt-Read’s factories closed in 2010, and were reportedly never operated by Ideal. An Ideal rep said that Pratt-Read screwdrivers were being made at Ideal’s facilities.
So if Ideal acquired Pratt-Read, but Pratt-Read’s separate facilities were closed from the start, has it only existed in name since then? If so, then it’s fair to say they were absorbed into Ideal Industries.
Mike (the other one)
Up until recently, they were still using “Pratt-Read” as a brand name for their industrial line.
Ideal also appears to have stopped making screwdrivers (and handles) for a lot of other brands, such as Master Mechanic, Masterforce. I suspect they will no longer be making drivers for Channellock, Wilde, Wright, Martin, and other brands as well.
All this happened around the same time as the SK selloff, so maybe they sold a lot of the tooling to them as well. Their own brand of screwdrivers that are sold at Lowe’s appears to still be made in USA, but the selection is very limited.
Jeff Anderson
I’d add that the growth of online buying has also impacted buying habits. Consumers have more choice now than ever. I can buy Knipex, Nepros, Wera, etc just as easily as I can Craftsman now.
Access to information, like this fine blog and social media forums, also has greatly expanded people’s awareness of certain brands. We’re just becoming more global as a society.
Anson
There are certainly a number a brands that can be purchased for reasonable prices that would have been very expensive 20+ years ago. For me, Wiha regular and precision ESD hand tools, Wera for the house(fits more hands comfortably), and Knipex Parallel pliers.
Rafe
And as far as buying choice goes, a lot of people don’t want or need an expensive lifetime quality tool. And tools like that won’t typically be made in the US.
Paul C
Harbor Freight, both low end and high end lines, are lifetime warranty. That sales pitch is so cheap to support that it’s nearly universal.
As far as quality goes the bar has been lowered so much that except for some insanely priced stuff with dubious advantages there isn’t much difference functionally. But there is a profit motive to convince a customer that paying extra for the premium name is worth it or that the slightly cheaper alternative is “good value” from a popular manufacturer compared to lesser brands/names which is the Craftsman pitch. Marketing people spend tons of money creating differentiation where none exists. Chevrolet is the master of this to the extreme.
MM
I think that’s a very important point.
A lot of us talk about the good ol’ days of Craftsman tools. Looking back, the tools themselves weren’t all that special, but the availability and warranty service were because Sears and Sear Hardware stores were everywhere. Now internet mail-order has made nearly any brand just as available, if not moreso.
fred
That’s a good point. The world changes. Nostalgia has its place – but is often clouded by the passage of time. I have vague memories of WWII – and more to the point – tools purchased from Sears in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. Back then – you might not have had access to many different alternatives to make comparisons. SnapOn – would not sell to joe-public – European brands were mostly not available – Autopart and hardware stores usually had one brand that they carried – some very good – but all at high price. Shopping around for choice and variety was tedious. If you didn’t like the Armstrong wrench at the local hardware store – it might be you would need to drive several miles to find the Williams dealer etc. Same with power tools – one store might carry a limited stock of Skil – another might have Milwaukee. If you wanted a Porter Cable woodworking tool for personal use – you might have to order it (at full list price) from a catalog.
The Sears tool catalogs – and stores provided an alternative that offered a bigger variety of tools than the local hardware store – with competitive pricing (for the time), decent (not top) quality and easy replacement. Just like the earlier age of the Sears Catalog selling to rural America – that time is long gone – and as you say – the Internet has made it just as easy to shop for something like a high-quality wrench whether you want Proto, Stahlwille or Ko-Ken to name a few brands.
Matt the Hoople
Agreed. Back in the day, Craftsman was readily available and was easy to replace. The tools were decent, mostly.
I used to use tools professionally. Nowadays, I’m Harry Homeowner but do almost all my own auto repairs and home improvements so still use tools quite a bit.
My preference is for tools that are ergonomic, work well (well designed), are durable and won’t break the bank.
I’ll gladly pay more for made in USA but not double/triple. This is why I am a fan of companies like Tekton or Channelock for example. They offer a bunch of US made products at reasonable prices.
fred
Other than custom cabinetry – the businesses that I partnered in – did not produce mass-market consumer products. In both our production and service/contracting businesses – we had the reputation for high quality products and work – never low price. We paid well above average to attract and retain employees . We did the utmost to retain them on payroll in both flush and lean times. I like to think that’s why we had many stay with us – honing their skills and taking pride in their work over most of their working lives. I’m sad to say that these sorts of attributes do not comport well with selling at Wal-Mart, Home Depot or at bargain basement prices on Amazon – as examples of how the masses shop. But such business practice can still be profitable if you find your niche. I’m not sure that we will ever see a turnaround in consumer product manufacture here in the US – certainly not to the levels that I experienced in the 1950’s and ’60’s. As Walt Kelly had Pogo say “we have met the enemy and he is us” – spawned by ever increasing consumerism that has brought us many good things – but not a demand for producing run-of-the-mill consumer goods in high-cost venues.
Corey Moore
Conflict between supporting domestic, or our accustomed priority of easy access to cheap conveniences. It’s expensive for several reasons, more than a few of which are consumer concessions despite the popular angry opinion about the situation.
GAK
Yea, I think low-end USA made tools are dead. They simply can’t compete.
The high-end is going to going the other way though. Not necessarily USA made, but call it “Free World” made in the USA, Canada, Europe, Japan. Once you get into the top quintile of a market’s price points, this is basically a prerequisite on anything that doesn’t have a motor in it, and I think power-tools are just a matter of time.
Two things are happening:
1- Folks are really waking up to what a solid percentage of us have known since forever, that the value proposition of draining your industrial base to countries who’s long term interests are not married to yours is a bad idea.
2- The cost curve of automation is going down while Asia labor is going up, and they are at or have passed the inflection point where building an advanced, flexible, automated USA plant is getting cost competitive with Asia sourcing.
Manufacturing will never be the employer it once was – you aren’t going to have 5000 people working at the screwdriver factory that supports an entire mid-size town. But you will have hundreds employed in higher-wage, more advanced technical jobs keeping modern manufacturing plants running, and this is a 100% good thing that we should support by buying as much USA made stuff as we possibly can.
Wayne R.
Good points, agreed.
Anson
I’ll add that used purchasing is also strong. I’d rather refurb a $75 craigslist Wilton than buy a new ~$400 unit. My small vise is ~50 years old and has only needed new handles, shoes, and lube.
The biggest for me is that I believe we’ve been at a point where precision manufactured tools have reached a hand me down point.
I’ve seen fresh into the work force folks who are being handed a grandparent’s set of tools that was sitting in corner/garage/attic because their parent had bought their own set and when the grandparent moved/passed away/etc they didn’t want to part with those tools but they had long since bought their own. I’ve seen tools that are over 20 years old and new in box get opened.
dandLyons
Sears had it’s difficulties but it actually fell victim to vulture capitalism. Kmart & Sears had value in their brick and mortar real estate. A genuine effort to reorganize may have had a chance. But instead, vulture capitalist stepped in and sold themselves the real estate for pennies on the dollar. Then they charged high rents to Sears to bleed off the remaining value. They sold off the brands, etc. Sadly, greed plays a big role. It is not always as simple as consumer preferences.
SamR
You got it right. These hedge funds keep squeezing all US businesses and bleed them out to maximize their profits.
And when the hedge fund is done, they throw that the US company is under the bus.
It is funny how this is ok since this is essentially a wall street activity, representing capitalism at its finest! The system eats itself!
fred
We had a few discussions about taking one of our businesses public. The siren song of money for expansion was strong – but not as strong to persuade us to give up control of a profitable niche business and hitch our wagon to stockholders. There were some lean years as we had to buy out one partner that was keen – and neither we nor he ever became billionaires – but we slept well at night and continued to keep our customers and employees happy. Running small companies can be tough – and tougher still if you are tied to producing consumer products. I was also often struck by the thought that family owned and run businesses might even be a tougher minefield to negotiate.
Lynyrd
Vulture Capitalism isn’t Hedge Funds per se. Edward Lampert(Kmart CEO) bought Sears and then later sold the Real Estate to his other business Seritage.
Joe E.
I wonder how many Joe Homeowners would spend a few more dollars for a set of USA made mechanics tools, vs. a similar set made in China, if they were sitting next to one another at Lowe’s or Home Depot… I bet they would sell a lot more USA sets.
When those large retailers don’t have any other option but to sell cheap, imported tools… you’re going to have people buying cheap imported tools. Thus the cycle of dis function continues.
Cars are quickly disappearing from automotive manufacturers lineups because apparently people demand crossovers and SUV’s. There are still people who want cars, but eventually they won’t exist and those car buyers will have no other choice but to buy a crossover or SUV.
Jared
“…would spend a few more dollars for a set of USA made mechanics tools…”
That’s the dream, but I think the disparity is often a lot larger in reality. E.g. You might find a Husky 279 piece socket set for $200 on the shelf of your Home Depot – but a Proto USA-made set of a similar piece count might be $1100.
If that’s what it’s like, I think the Proto sets would sit on shelves a long time waiting for Mr. Homeowner to pick them up.
It’s not all like that of course. Sure, you might find $3 China production pliers and $30 USA Channellocks – but the difference between them is more that COO. A more competitive pair of import pliers might be $15-20.
It seems like what people are lamenting about lost USA production is the disappearance of budget USA tools.
MM
It seems like what people are lamenting about lost USA production is the disappearance of budget USA tools.
I think you’re right.
fred
When we (USA Manufacturing) produced most of what was sold here – there was room for a full spectrum of producers. As an example, in the 1950’s and early ’60’s, I could buy USA-made box wrenches of varying quality with names on them like Amstrong, Blackhawk, Bonney, Craftsman, Crescent, Duro/Indestro, Fairmount, Husky, KD, Keenkutter, Martin, Miller Falls, Plomb, Proto, SK, SnapOn, Stanley, Thorsen, Williams, Wright and many other brands. The brands I listed all represented decent or better quality – but you could also find some USA-made junk (cast, stamped or poorly forged) wrenches.
All of this production represented USA manufacturing jobs – at a percentage of total employment that may never come back.
Derek
Who buys the most tools a year? I’d guess contractors not homeowners. Around here the average contractor I see uses all Ryobi and frankly they probably buy them because they’re the cheapest and readily available at every Home Depot. While I might rather buy a nicer or made in USA tool and can afford to wait a few days or weeks to get it, a contractor needs to get a job done and move on to the next one. “Sorry I can’t fix your house until next week because I’m waiting on a Made in USA screwdriver to come in” isn’t going to fly.
I’m real curious to know what the average homeowner has in terms of tools. With a full woodshop in my townhouse basement I know I’m not the average homeowner. I see people asking on Facebook to borrow a cordless drill so they can hang a picture. I’d guess most people have a cheap homeowners starter toolkit and will maybe get additional tools depending on their needs.
Dave P
I work alongside of other contractors almost daily.
I have 3 trucks full of Milwaukee. The plumber I work beside also uses Milwaukee. The electrician I work beside uses Makita with a bit of Dewalt sprinkled in.
The carpenters use Festool specialty stuff, otherwise Makita, Milwaukee or Dewalt.
Lots of other contractors come and go on various sites and I have NEVER seen Ryobi, ever. A small amount of Ridgid for the lifetime battery guarantee but never ever one contractor using Ryobi.
Derek
I wonder if it’s a regional thing? Or a company size thing?
Maybe the Ryobi tools are limited to the handyman type contractor who does a bit of everything. Seems like most of the people I see working on my neighbors houses are the general handyman not focused on one area.
Jared
I had a finishing carpenter come work at my place for a bit and he had a bit of everything – including Ryobi. He works for a company and himself on the side. REALLY talented guy.
His tool collection looks a bit like mine though – every shape and color. There was a Milwaukee Fuel miter saw, Dewalt XR drill and impact, Ryobi 18g nailer and sander, Makita vacuum – and those were just the cordless tools I spotted. We had a discussion about it (in part because I have tools from a whole slew of brands too and I was curious how his collection ended up that way).
Anecdotes are poor evidence, but I figured it was notable.
Dave
We have some Ryobi stuff, but not much. I head a small team and I’m mostly on Milwaukee, the lead guy when I’m not around uses Makita, a couple of helpers have DeWalt.
If it’s for an odd job we don’t do much (in property maintenance we see a bit of everything) we might buy a Ryobi tool for price – if it gets used often enough to wear out, it’s replaced with a comparable offering in a higher-end line. So Ryobi functions as our cheap trial brand – right now I think the only green in my shop is a pole saw and a stick vacuum my wife uses on our tile floors.
fred
Deek – you said:
“Who buys the most tools a year? I’d guess contractors not homeowners. ”
I think that your statement is probably true for many tool types – where contractors and industry buy lots of different tools. But consider how many households exist in the USA and how many new ones form each year. Those numbers far exceed the number of contractors and businesses. So for tools like the lowly screwdriver or hammer – perhaps even the cordless drill – I would think that the homeowner (even apartment dweller) market would be larger than the contractor segment. I’m sure that the tool buyers at Home Depot have a better handle on this – and adjust their purchasing strategies accordingly.
Derek
Could be. I’d guess contractors are wearing their tools out faster, breaking or losing them more often so might need more replacements?
Dave P
I think you’ve a valid point. Lots of my customers have a garage full of stuff that would bend/break/strip out or otherwise become worthless if actually used, but they bought all of that stuff mainly to look at, or maybe use once every couple of years in a light-duty fashion–someone made sure it was available–those manufacturers know they can build cheap crap because the limits of their stuff is seldom tested.
There’s 2 ways to make money: VOLUME at a low profit per piece or QUALITY and a higher profit per piece. Of course Dewalt and Milwaukee mix both–good quality at a higher profit/price and high volume…but they still have their cheap lines….
If I have 5 guys on a job and their $100-$200 Porter Cable/Craftsman/Kobalt/Ryobi rotary hammer starts smoking, it could waste several hundreds of dollars in labor plus the damage to our schedule. I opt to have a $300-500 Milwaukee on their truck to greatly reduce the odds of the pitfalls just mentioned.
I don’t need Snap-On or Festool, but I ain’t equipping my trucks or my shop with Craftsman or Ryobi, either…..
Derek
Totally get it. I would do the same thing if I were in your shoes. Lots of people buy cheap and it ends up costing them more in the long run.
I have Dewalt cordless tools and my only Ryobi is an 18 gauge nail gun that I use the Dewalt batteries with an adapter, but I also have an air-powered gun if it goes down.
MIKE GUENTHER
There isn’t anything wrong with Ryobi. Before retirement, I was a carpenter for 40+ years. I’ve used all the major brands of cordless tools as well as corded tools. Most of my cordless tools are Ryobi green. I’ve had the same Ryobi set for about eight years. (It would have been ten years except I had to repurchase everything because my job trailer was broken into.)
I’ve only replaced a few batteries with more powerful ones over the years. These tools were used hard daily, too.
Granted, the corded Ryobi tools aren’t much to write home about, for heavy use. I’ve gone through a couple of their corded sawzalls on demolition jobs.
My first experience with Ryobi tools was when my bought me a 12V Ryobi drill 25 years ago. I was building houses back then and used it for everything except drilling into concrete. It would turn a 4 1/4 inch hole saw through hardwood floors and sub floors for installing dryer vents and a couple of times, I used it to drill through double rim joists and siding for the same purpose.
I had a DeWalt cordless tool set that I burned up in less than 2 years. The five or six tool set in the big black plastic carrying case.
The only cordless Ryobi tools I’m disappointed in are the reciprocating saw and the miter saw. The miter saw because anything larger than a 1×2 will big it down and the reciprocating saw because I kept breaking the bit holder attachment. But I’ve also broken the bit holder on my Milwaukee Sawzalls, too during hard use in demo work.
My last few years, I was a traveling, working superintendent for a company that worked in 44 states. I had different crews on every job and just about all of them made fun of my green tools, but they didn’t have any problem borrowing them when one of their Red or Yellow or Makita tools shit the bed on them.
Of course this is just my opinion and your mileage may vary. Maybe I’ve just been lucky.
MattW.
Me and my company using ryobi for flooring saw(no more table saw for trim jobs) and the portaband because it’s half the price and works fine. The most used tool is the lphv handheld inflator to blow off dust on everything especially the cut stations and tool cleanup! I do carry good high quality German Japan and made in USA toils for myself but sadly the other workers that don’t respect the hand tools are relegated to cheapies some made in USA like channellock. Dewalt is 80% of the power tools but ryobi has some stuff that can’t be beat. While price is important responsible shopping can be every bit as important. Example of that is instead of buying Milwaukee or husky for nippers I buy channellock or knipex for about the same money but I have to usually order ahead at least the money is not going to major China made item. By not buying whatever available at home depot at the time is how I vote with my wallet. Some will and most won’t source there tools ethically or get the best product for the money but rhats job I choose to do it.
Joe
Decent tools are actually not so expensive compared to what most consumers normally buy, ie electronics. And they last a lot longer.
Dave P
First of all, not being made in America isn’t really the issue–it’s building offshore CHEAP JUNK trying to capitalize on the former reputation of the previous USA line that was of good quality. Crazy-high profits on the first round of junk unsuspecting people buy, and then the company swirls down the drain when people leave in droves.
Such companies have it coming to them; good riddance. I will NEVER buy anything Craftsman again, no matter if they get back on track. They stole my money when they first started selling imported junk…
Look at the GARBAGE end wrenches Craftsman sent from overseas after decades of selling good stuff at great prices. Those crappy, terrible cheap pieces of junk were so bad that the open-end jaws had to be thick and bulky and they’d still spring open if you pulled hard on them… I bought one set and sent them to the landfill the same day of purchase.
Make the same or better quality overseas as you used to make here, and while I’m sad you moved, I’ll still buy if I can’t find a USA replacement.
Made in USA used to mean QUALITY, and imported from Asia used to (and mostly still does but not always) mean JUNK. That’s what matters, QUALITY vs JUNK.
It’s about QUALITY, not origin.
Casey
I read a lot of comments about how Craftsman quality went down when it went overseas. But I feel like it really started going down while it was still made in USA. I have some Craftsman ratchets that were made in the USA during the later years and quite honestly they are pretty poor quality. My Craftsman sockets are better quality but I have had more break than I would have expected. I am slowly replacing them with Proto’s USA ratchets and sockets.
I would buy Craftsman again if they were made in USA and actually good quality.
Jkr
“It’s about QUALITY, not origin.” I think this is right to the point and this is were the American tools failed. The same reason GM went bankrupt – Quality was sub-par.
While Snap-On still makes quality tools, although at crazy prices, most of the USA made tools were of low quality relative to their prices.
Dipped handle pliers and acetate handle screwdrivers??? Are we in the 70s? Almost every European-made pliers and screwdrivers are ergonomic with high quality materials. Olfa and KDS blades are sharper at same or lower prices than Irwin, sometimes Stanley as well – made in Japan.
Taiwanese are also of very good quality at half the price. They are also more innovative – think GearWrench ratcheting wrenches (they invented it).
Bondhus is an example of good value – very good quality at reasonable prices. If only other Ametican tool companies were up to this standard…
MM
I think you’re right on the money. There are a USA-made tools which offer good value for money. I think Channellock and Ridgid both are good examples of that. But I think that in many cases the USA made tools just didn’t keep up. Thinking back to some of my early tool purchases, I liked the Craftsman acetate handled screwdrivers (made by Western Forge, I think). Compared to what you’d find in the average hardware store back then they were great, they were certainly better than the black-and-yellow handled Stanleys that were everywhere. But then I got my hands on Wiha screwdrivers and had an epiphany. Likewise with the classic raised panel Craftsman wrenches and ratchets. It didn’t take long for various brands coming out of Taiwan to offer a much better ratchet with the same no-questions-asked warranty for a competitive price. Another big wakeup call was the first time I used a Japanese pull style saw.
As for innovation, I agree that the big boys like Craftsman didn’t seem to do much innovating, but there certainly were, and are, smaller American brands innovating. For example, indexable pry bars are all over the place today, but I remember when they first came out. I can’t recall the brand name, but it was a small company being sold 3rd party off tool trucks before they got bought by a bigger company. Tribus also comes to mind making new and different hand tools in the USA.
Steve B
The reason I always strived for purchasing US made tools was, without exception, the overall quality was far above those imported from Asia and India.
As a high-schooler in the late 80’s I was always tinkering in the garage and relatives thinking of me during the holidays undoubtably would buy me tools (though I worked at a home improvement center). An aunt bought me a nice little hand tool set – sockets, screwdrivers, etc – in a convenient blow-molded case. I tossed it in my car along with various other items for those on-the-road emergency repairs. When needed, the screwdriver blade twisted with very little torque, a socket split long before I could apply max hand torque (no cheater bar, either), the already loose ratchet lost some teeth, and the teeth on the pliers stripped before an unhardened nut did. It was worse than useless, as it was false security. COO on these 80’s era tools: Sri-Lanka, India, China
I was never let down with a USA made tool, and USA made could be had for only a 10-20% premium – my piece of mind in the security the tools would actually work in a pinch was worth that. Even when I had little spare money.
I’d say around early 2000’s, perhaps a little before, was when I noticed the China/Taiwan tools started to really differentiate themselves by having multiple quality lines. You still had the $1 bucket tools that were crappy, but there were some mid-price options that were respectable. These found their way into the toolboxes of less mechanically inclined friends. When I helped them out and had to use them, they were fine – and would be for the occasional weekend-warrior.
To my friends who are looking to fill their toolbox these days, I still recommend USA/German/Swiss for anything with an edge or used for gripping (wood chisels, knives, pliers, cutters, screwdrivers). I suppose impact universal joints should also be on this list. There still are lots of quality and price variations here, but disappointment in tool quality is rare. Those that ignored this advice and went Harbor Freight all later commented about making bad choices.
For sockets, ratchets, wrenches, and other tools mid-priced Taiwan/China sets are the way to go for the average Joe (like the current Husky, Kobalt, Pittsburgh Pro, and Craftsman lines). The price differentials here are too much, and the jump in quality is almost imperceptible. I am ignoring the huge quality/precision difference in wrenches, as I think the average person would not notice anything other than the 5-10x price tag.
Ball_bearing
Sometimes people don’t know any better. Where I live, you could get USA Craftsman at Sears, go to an industrial supplier, or call the snap on guy. Everyone else sold china or taiwan tools.
Sears has been reduced to the home centers. Industrial suppliers don’t really advertise, so most people don’t even know about them or what they sell. Some of them don’t sell to individuals, so the only stuff people can buy is the cheap stuff sold at walmart, HD, or the local hardware stores.
People do try to buy what they believe are/were quality tools like Craftsman, Stanley, Crescent… but they are no longer USA made. BTW Stanley has mostly disappeared from store shelves for some unknown reason (maybe because of Craftsman?).
Mike
Exactly. I think part of the problem is people don’t k ow where the tools were made. If every package had to have a stamp of the country of origin, people would truly compare the prices between 2 tools, and I would bet a decent percentage of people would pay the USA premium.
MM
The country of origin of a product has been required to have been marked on products imported into the USA since the McKinley Tariff act of 1890. Everything is marked, though sometimes you have to read the fine print to find it. Products which are made in the USA tend to state that fact clearly on the tool or the packaging as it has obvious advertising benefit. While I think that some people might buy more American tools if the markings were made even more clear, I think that most people honestly don’t care.
Most of us on this forum are tool enthusiasts so many of us do care where tools are made. But what about things which aren’t tools? How many of us checked where our clothes hangers, bathroom towels, or indoor lamps were made? How many die-hard USA tool fans make sure their shoes, frying pan, and plant pots were made here? I think most people simply don’t care where most of their goods come from. Sometimes some people care, usually in certain niche fields, but by and large most people don’t care where most of their goods come from.
Jared
That’s a good way to explain it! I’m certainly guilty of paying attention to tools in a way I don’t for most other products.
Stuart
I do, at the least out of curiosity.
Target switched from a Canadian supplier for their back-to-school plastic products, to a Chinese supplier. I went home and ordered USA-made magazine and file holders. I then found Canadian-made ones on Walmart’s website for a much better price.
In mid-2019, I noticed that older Liquitex Basics art paint was made in China, and tubes with newer packaging were made in France. I asked them why, and the person I spoke with believes it has to do with fulfillment rates and lead times.
Derek
I would like to replace some of my tools with USA made versions but frankly it’s hard to justify doing when whatever version I have works fine. I do look for more quality made tools now if I think it’s something I’ll use on a semi-regular basis. If I had someone close who was into fixing things I would hand some down and upgrade here and there.
At this point I should have just bought a Snap-On ratcheting screwdriver instead of the 4+ ones I’ve bought since my old Craftsman one stopped working years ago.
Nathan
sorry but I have to point out one issue with the timing. none of those points go back to the 90’s. when did Milwaukee become TTI – when did we open our doors to no protectionism for USA made products on our shores. When did SBD move most power tool production to China. etc etc. So it’s not a 2017 forward issue but has it accelerated – maybe.
But I think we are on the cusp of local made resurgence. Add to that more people I know buy stuff online and skip the box stores. Now if Amazon or Wallmart.com would have a dedicated made in America section it would probably take off faster. but I think more people are taking the time to look more for what and how something is made. The how probably trumps the wear for alot of people but it’s a start.
Casey
I do not buy into the whole “unable to compete” line that so many manufacturers have tried to spin over the years as justification for going overseas. Not anymore, anyway. It no doubt was true to some extent before the internet, when access to customers was more limited, but I feel like a lot of times now it is unwillingness to compete.
When consumers buy US made tools, they expect quality. But some manufacturers have not done a very good job delivering on that expectation. I’ve had Channellock pliers that had jaws off-set by 1/4″. Project Farm demonstrated well that Eklind keys are nothing special and unfortunately my own experiences seem to relate. I’ve received US made Montana driver bits that were unshaped round cylinders. I can’t even keep track of how many Leatherman tools I have seen break. Incidents like this tend to make people question if made in USA is really better. There are lots of Amazon reviews showing consumers let down by lack of QC and loyal customers are being lost.
US manufacturers also haven’t done a good job keeping up on innovations in products or manufacturing processes. Look at Maglite. I would argue they have done a pretty terrible job keeping up on innovation in terms of lumen output, battery life, reliability, etc. compared to Chinese companies like Fenix and have now lost a lot of their retail space. German tool companies have a strong growing presence in the US tool market today because they keep producing innovative products. Many times their prices are even higher than the US made tools, which shows consumers will pay for a good product. But part of that is also availability. It is easier to buy a Knipex brand product than a Wright brand product. It can be surprisingly frustrating for a consumer to buy Wright tools because many of their distributors do not have consumer friendly websites or may not even sell to consumers at all. And some of the distributors mark up the prices substantially, making the “made in USA premium” artificially high. A lot of times paying the scalpers on Ebay/Amazon can actually be cheaper.
Just my thoughts.
Allen
“ Do you think that Ideal Industries would have sold SK Tools to Great Star if the company was thriving?”
Possibly, if the money was right.
fred
I what I heard about the Goldblatt sale (by Stanley) to Great Star is any indication – then Great Star looks for companies that are in distress to be bought at bargain prices.
I’m not sure that the same was true for their other acquisitions like Arrow Fasteners, Jorgensen/Pony Clamps or Millers Falls – but it sure seems like they buy up companies/brands that are on the rocks.
Franck B.
That’s probably true. When I think about it, we may think of some brands as providing good/high quallity products, but that doesn’t mean the company is well run.
Or like Arrow, how many people are concerned that the staple doesn’t jam or lasts a many years? I mean, that’s what I used to use to staple in insulation, hoping that it would be there 20 years. It seems more people want a cheaper product, or at least the perception of it.
Like metric socket/ratchet sets or wrenches… the higher quality sets which skip sizes get eclipsed by lower quality at the same price because they “have every size no skips”. Most people won’t need them, but the perception…
DC
I try to buy Made is USA all the time ever since the 1980’s. About 10% of my tools are imported either from Canada, Japan, Taiwan and China (mostly my Milwaukee cordless tools) and the rest made in USA by old Craftsman, Snap-on, Mac, Klein, Channellock and S-K.
Something my mom always told me that Made is USA stands for quality and durability and it was something her father always told her.
Will
The reason for the disappearance of, well, anything made in the USA is due to two things: the endless chase of ever increasing quarterly profits and the American consumer.
One has a number (quarterly net profits) that not only must remain positive (obviously) but must increase quarter over quarter. So the things that get shutdown can many times be profitable. They simply do not fit the psychotic 80s and onward version of that word.
The American consumer’s endless hunt for the best price and the (in)ability to not simply go with the lowest bidder (so to speak) is the other side of the coin. The cost difference between a high quality item and junk usually isn’t all that great if you look at it as a function of an items functionality against the same items lifetime. Yes that made in the USA Ideal Wire stripper that was stolen was replaced with a nominally cheaper made in china version, but when you get down to it, one will continue to work and function, the other now only has a super massive 90 day warranty period. As most consumers just see the dollar on the price tag and stop any further thought, combined with the need to constantly increase profitability on a quarterly basis, well, the self perpetuating cycle of the death of quality and the race to the bottom is well and truly a thing of endless horror.
Harry
I think the end of affordable midgrade USA made mechanics hand tools died with the Armstrong Factory closing. The Armstrong factory made everything from high end wrenches branded Matco to a a slew of house brands(Craftsman, NAPA, KD, Allen, Master Mechanic, 2nd generation Kobalt, and others). With the expansion of Gearwrench from being a sub brand of KD Tools to a stand alone line of mechanics hand tools dealt a deathblow to US made midgrade mechanics hand tools. No one is left to make affordable midgrade mechanics hand tools. Although not close to being completely US made, I think Tekton is the new Craftsman for affordable mechanics hand tools that offer quality with the most bang for your buck coupled with excellent customer service.
Stuart
Are you sure about Kobalt? Before Lowe’s/Kobalt switched to overseas production, their last line of USA-made tools were somewhat basic.
Some of them were decent (such as breaker bars), but the wrenches were nowhere close to Craftsman Professional wrench quality.
Those Kobalt tools were closed to being full polish chrome versions of Craftsman raised panel wrenches. Maybe they were also made at Armstrong facilities, but I doubt they were made on Armstrong factory lines, which is where many Craftsman Pro tools were widely believed to have come from.
That said, I agree – there’s a hole where affordable midgrade USA-made mechanics tools used to be.
There’s really no USA-made options anymore until you get to industrial-grade and pro automotive tool truck brands. At the industrial side, you have to be mindful since it’s not always clear which tools are imported and which are USA-made.
But, there are some great mechanics tools coming from Taiwan.
Tekton, Milwaukee, Facom/Craftsman V-Series offer great wrenches without having to step up into even more premium pricing tiers.
Carcollector4072
The time that Craftsman was still US made, before the shift to China, many of the tools were terrible. The new Craftsman, Husky, Tekton, Klutz, etc. that were made in Taiwan have been great. I bought the Craftsman 450 piece mechanic tool set that I have been very happy with. It was made by Great Star in Taiwan and is NOT junk. I have tons of US made tools that are junk, that I would gladly swap for Taiwan made tools. US made Elklind hex wrenches are terrible, but US made Bondus hex wrenches are good. Made in the USA sometimes means quality, sometimes not.
Adabhael
This discussion is much more thoughtful and interesting than I usually see on the subject, thanks to all for all the good points. One thought I’d add: I think we consumers know about, desire, and then purchase more tools now than in the (perhaps romanticized) past. Mass market products are designed to a price point, so less expensive (cheap) tools allow us buy more of them.
For example, I compared my tool list to my father and grandfather, all of us hobbyists and homeowners. Notwithstanding some specialty tools related to particular interests, our quantity of hand tools are very similar, and each of us saved up to buy large fixed power tools for shops. The really big difference is in handheld power and especially battery tools. My grandfather built two houses with a circular saw, electric drill and belt sander and a lot of muscle power. Wimpy me, on the other hand, have corded and cordless versions of each of those, plus a couple dozen other powered, pneumatic, or battery tools, OPE etc. 50 years ago those tools either didn’t exist or were the realm of professionals or specialty contractors. Grandpa’s hand tools are good quality, and nearly all made in the USA because (as Fred notes) he had choices among brands, and these tools represented a much larger proportion of his budget than mine.
Like everyone here, I want good quality and good price, and try to pay attention to COO when buying tools. But, If I’m honest, I want (or think I “need”) a lot more tools, so the cost difference between $1,000 Proto mechanics set vs the $200 Husky (to use Jared’s example) is not only measured in dollars, it means buying bunch of other tools. Christopher Schwarz offers an interesting counterpoint, urging fewer, higher-quality tools, and lots more skill.
fred
A very sensible analysis. I’ d add that when my grandpa was growing up in the late 1800’s that building tasks took much longer and perhaps required more skill than many do today. I’ve noted many times that I like to build reproduction furniture that hearkens back to styles of the colonial period and 1800’s. I have many more tools – powered and hand – some of superior quality to past builders like Duncan Phyfe. What I don’t have is his skills and patience to work on a project the number of hours he and his shop devoted to perfecting it. I wonder what he would have had to say about tools like my Festool Domino machine, or Lamello Cantex planer – or even the more ubiquitous cordless tools that you mention?
Joe W.
“Vote with your wallet” has always been my policy. Unfortunately I think that we, as enthusiasts, are in the minority. Price being equal, most folks would probably choose a USA-made product when presented with a choice, but rarely is cost equal. We just have to accept that, to the majority of consumers, low cost is a higher value than COO or even quality of the product (Amazon is a ‘prime’ example of people just accepting lower quality products because they’re less expensive.)
I don’t imagine this is going to change any time soon. I have to think that in years past where domestic manufacturing was more common and many folks had good-paying, union jobs in manufacturing, there was more sense of pride and duty to buy American because you were supporting your neighbors and your countrymen, and in turn their buying supported you. The attitude of the individual above all else that is more prevalent now is at odds with that. I don’t think it’s any coincidence that we mostly buy cheap imported junk, and that wages are depressed. To some degree, one necessitates the other, I’m just not sure which one is the chicken and which one is the egg. If we’ve learned anything over the past two years with foreign manufacturing and supply chains being disrupted, and now a war threatening energy and food supplies, hopefully it is a wake up call to return to being a bit more self-reliant as a nation.
patrick
i will spend more on things made locally, or NA but and a big but is that some companies have not innovated in a long time. take one local to me in canada which is gray tools. good tools, robust, but large and rough around the edge, thicker sockets, lower tooth count ratchets. why as a mechanic would i want that when i have other brands who can make just as strong items with smaller profiles and more features for the same price or (most of the time) less? do i support a company intent on making tools from the 1950’s because its canadian made? this is of course only one variable in the story but an important one
Greg
It’s a sign of the times when even a company like All Clad (yes I know it’s not tools) has the triply stainless steel cookware that’s been famously Made In USA forever now say “engineered, designed, and bonded” in the USA.
They like all tools companies these days have had foreign made cookware (admittedly the stuff that was hard to make or required materials that are geo located not in the USA) but their core stainless steel pots and pans were 100% made in the USA with US steel. Now that isn’t even the case anymore.
Charles
I’m also a big fan of “made in the USA” everything and will buy the US made item if it is of equal quality and not much more expensive – but aside from a one-time-use tool, I tend to buy by quality, since I’ve broken too much cheap crap and, as a result, have hurt myself or broken something because the tool broke or slipped.
Half of my tools don’t get regular use, but when something needs to be fixed, my wife is always amazed that I have the right tool and the repair is done right the first time with minimal cursing and very little use of band aids.
A few years ago I gave away all of my cheap junky tools as I replaced them with quality stuff and many of those are US made – almost all are from US or European brands. I’m also very careful who I buy tools from as I’ve bought way too much stuff from Amazon sellers that was counterfeit.
Emilio Gonzalez
The demise of DIYers and globalization plus hunger for increased profits is killing off USA made. We’re entering a new era. I prefer older tools, even some used or Japan and German tools anyway. I buy USA when it’s of high quality and value, like Wright tool.
Today, we’re getting less for higher prices.
Aaron
I am just hoping that someone will build a factory that will make Made in USA adjustable wrenches again, as the last US factory closed in 2019. Otherwise, in a year or so I will start buying new old stock Crescents from Harry J. Epstein.
Franck B.
Old adjustable wrenches actually worked well and had decent tolerances and strength. The new ones are so bad that I chastise anyone who would actually use one. I’ve given away a lot of Knipex pliers wrenches to people that insist on using adjustable wrenches just so they won’t ruin the workpiece or their fingers.
MIKE GUENTHER
Funny story, not about tools, but about a clothing line a few decades ago. There was a factory in a town in Japan called Usa. The product I’m familiar with was blue jeans. Until they got caught, they had labeled all their products as being made in Usa and people naturally thought they were American made. They had to change their labeling practices to show they were actually manufactured in Japan.
fred
Usa is indeed a city in the Oita Prefecture of Japan.
The way I heard the story (likely apocryphal) was that there was a camera factory located there. That camera factory was said to produce a camera named something in Japanese that was loosely translated to “ANY” .
When displayed in a store window the sign might read “Any camera in this window – made in Usa – for $10” I suspect that the story was a fabrication of some comedian – when I was a kid just after WWII – when anti-Japanese sentiment was running high.
Jim Felt
Now. of course*, jeans actually Made in Japan are among the most revered and most expensive in the world.
*Funny how that works as in US labeled Levi’s are also wildly popular on the world pre-owned resale stage.
Franck B.
Quite a few years ago I partially funded a trip to Japan bringing a suitcase of my old Levi’s (USA made).
Marcelo
Price, man!
I’ve lately been acquiring some very cheap tools from Ali that are fantastically good. Luban’s handplanes are as good as any other brand costing 4x more.
James B
Wilde and Lang Tools are also very good. They seem to have carved out a niche, and their prices are very reasonable.
Old Gasser
Question(2) about Great Neck Saw Manufacturing.
In particular, if any poster resides in Mineola, Long Island, New York area and Shellborne Falls, Massachusetts.
(1) Has manufacturing ceased at the Mineola Plant (Great Neck Division) and the Massachusetts Plant (Buck Brothers).
Noticed that now hacksaw blades, wood chisels, screwdrivers , etc. are coming from ChiCom,
Old Gasser
Correction. The Great Neck Saw Mfg./ Buck Brothers Chisel/Hot Work Plant is located in Millbury, Massachusetts.
Mayhew Tool is located in Shellborne Falls, Massachusetts.