Milwaukee acquired Stiletto Tool in 2007.
Stiletto Tool, which specializes in titanium hammers and striking tools, launched their TiBone III framing hammers a few years ago, and recently launched a new TrimBone titanium hammer for finishing tasks.
There’s not a lot of cross-promotion between Milwaukee and Stiletto, leading to surprised reactions when tool users learn of the brands’ relationship.
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I could not find news or press from the time, but here is what Milwaukee Tool has said in their Innovation & Product Development page:
In keeping with its mission of producing only high-quality heavy-duty products for professional users, Milwaukee branched into the hand tool market in 2007 by purchasing the Stiletto Tool Company, the leading manufacturer of innovative professional titanium hammers and other hand tools, stiletto.com.
Milwaukee updated their website a few years ago, but you can still see the cached page via the Wayback Machine internet archive.
Milwaukee Tool, a TTI company, also owns Empire Level and Imperial Blades. These acquisitions were made in 2014 and 2018, respectively.
Learn More:
Tool Brands: Who Owns What? A Guide to Corporate Affiliations
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Milwaukee Tool Acquires Imperial Blades, USA-Based Oscillating Multi-Tool Accessory Brand
mike foley
Dang they’ve got a big checkbook! I’ve been trying to get them to look at my company for years (Nail Jack Tools) oh well!
Leo B.
What’s the advantage of the Nail Hunter vs a pair of carpenters nippers?
Joe H
I wonder the same thing. Maybe the nail hunter might be able to grab staples that are slightly more flush than compared to carpenter pliers? Really the guy should have made a video demonstrating there two compared to each other if the nail hunter offered any real advantages to a carpenter pliers to clarify things.
Franco Calcagni
I have one, it’s pretty good. If you want to see better pictures of how it works, click on this Lee Valley link…
https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/hand-tools/pliers/63397-nail-hunter?item=25K0650
One picture shows how you can strike it with a hammer. It is a pretty indestructible tool, so you can whack, pry, dig or whatever necessary to get a nail, staple or anything buried in wood.
Josh Walters
Looks like a strike face on the back to use similar to a cats paw? I could see it maybe working
Ken
I see Estwing branded “nail hunter” tools – are these yours? They are Estwing’s color scheme rather than the blue & red that I see on your Nail Jack Tools website.
fred
I’m not sure when this hit mt radar screen – but it was some years ago.
I believe that aside from Imperial Blades and Empire Level (that you mention) – Milwaukee may also have acquired the Hempe brand (perhaps along with Empire)
Meanwhile TTI – the parent for Milwaukee – also owns brands like EZ Clean, Dirt Devil. Green Earth, Homelite, Hoover Vacuums – and produces some tools under the name Hart Tools, Ridgid (some small power tools under license from Emerson for sale at HD) and Ryobi (for sale at HD)
Dave
Stilleto is a “division” of Milwaukee, legally Milwaukee doesn’t own anything. Stilleto was purchased and is owned by the Chinese company TTI. One of the main functions of Milwaukee tool is to act as TTI’s intermediary in the acquisition of American brands. Normally you would expect quite a bit of backlash to a Chinese company scooping up a bunch of American brands, and TTI is well aware of this. In all their formal press releases its “Milwaukee aquires” this or that, but legally they are all entirely owned and under the control of TTI to be split, sold, dissolved as they wish. It’s all part of TTI’s little dog and pony show to keep 3 degrees of separation between their “American” brands and Chinese ownership.
Stuart
TTI = Grandparent
Milwaukee = Parent
Stiletto = Milwaukee Child
TTI is a publicly traded company that’s based in HK. If you look at the top institutional shareholders, most are American investment firms. The top private investors are the company founders.
If you’re not clear as to what a publicly-traded companies is, or who owns them, there’s plenty of information available online.
For all intents and purposes, “Milwaukee owns Stiletto” accurately conveys that “Stiletto is a division of Milwaukee,” and provides much-needed context.
“TTI owns Stiletto” is also true, but misleading. TTI also owns Ryobi and Hoover, but Stiletto is not managed by the same companies, it’s managed by Milwaukee, which seems to operate completely autonomously from its sibling brands.
Not all companies operate in this manner. But as Stiletto is part of Milwaukee, it’s not comingled with other TTI brands.
Saying “TTI owns Stiletto” confuses the manner and is an inaccurate representation of how the companies operate. Too many people have been parroting similar on social media and elsewhere without taking the time to understand Milwaukee Tool and TTI corporate structures.
fred
I somehow thought that Ryobi was a Japanese Company that makes printing equipment, and components for the Auto, Electronics and Telecom businesses. I also thought that the Japanese Ryobi has licensed (not sold) its brand name to TTI to use on tools that are sold under that name at Home Depot. TTI also makes some (but not all) of the small power tools bearing the Ridgid brand name (under license from Emerson) and AEG (under license from Electrolux)
Stuart
It’s complicated.
TTI owns the Ryobi North America power tool and accessory business, and so it’s not a licensing arrangement.
There’s a separate Ryobi brand as well – https://toolguyd.com/no-kyocera-did-not-buy-ryobi/
fred
Interesting!
Thanks
TomD
What’s interesting is the apparently haven’t bothered doing “by Milwaukee” as in “Stiletto by Milwaukee” for the various sub brands, or subsumed them entirely.
Franco Calcagni
Nice clarification on the TTI and its ownership of Milwaukee, Ridgid, and Ryobi (NA), and Stiletto being owned by Milwaukee.
The other explanation of TTI using Milwaukee to buy US companies, certainly sounds plausible, and I can see how the paranoid or gossipmongers would jump all over, if it were true. But TTI isn’t even Chinese, but from Hong Kong! (why let facts ruin a good gossip story).
So thanks again for pointing out the facts.
Speaking of TTI’s, Ridgid, Ryobi and Milwaukee divisions; unless if I missed something, Ridgid (power tools, not plumbing) and Ryobi, are HD exclusive. So even smaller independent tools stores, do not sell them…correct? (I see online the odd seller of Ryobi or Ridgid, but I am guessing they are not registered companies, or do it illegally…basically, they do not get inventory from TTI)
What is the deal with Milwaukee, which is sold by many other retailers, but not Lowes. Is it that it can’t be sold by Lowes, or also other specific retailers that cannot sell it?
Stuart
For all intents and purposes, Ridgid (power tools) and Ryobi can be considered to be Home Depot private label brands.
Milwaukee presumably has an exclusivity arrangement with Home Depot. Other brands have similar arrangements with Home Depot or Lowe’s.
Milwaukee does have authorized dealers outside of Home Depot, such as independent and chains as well – just not Lowe’s.
Steve
I’d like to get one of the TrimBone hammers, but man their pricy. If I can find a good sale. Should lighten my tool bag some having a titanium hammer, plus it shouldn’t rust like my current one has…
Stuart
Titanium hammers are a big investment, but complaints tend to be incredibly rare from what I’ve seen.
If or when your budget allows for it, order from a retailer with an easy return policy, just in case it’s not for you.
Leo B.
They’re pretty similar to the Martinez M4, but you’re much less likely to find a sale on those. The Trimbone looks like a very nice option.
Big Richard
Reminds me a of a post that was on the Milwaukee subreddit the other day – LINK
Justin
Yeah seems like this author and OP on Reddit are pals.
One of them is a mod over there I think.
Stuart
Not that I know of. I fire up Reddit during breaks sometimes and it occasionally shows me tool content.
I don’t care about anyone’s geopolitical opinions, but misinformation grinds my gears. This post was prompted because I’ve seen the same inaccuracies parroted multiple times in comments around the web (YouTube, Reddit, social media). It seems Stiletto’s position under Milwaukee isn’t something that can be easily fact-checked in under 30 seconds.
TTI and Milwaukee’s corporate structure also isn’t obvious to anyone who hasn’t communicated with the various brands. The same is true about Stanley Black & Decker.
It seems like a good idea to make facts public knowledge. I did similar here – https://toolguyd.com/dewalt-tool-box-companies/
And I’ve tried to dispel other types of frequently-parroted tool affiliation misinformation:
https://toolguyd.com/does-harbor-freight-own-snap-on-tools/
https://toolguyd.com/dewalt-milwaukee-tool-not-the-same-company/
Felix
Stiletto wood and composite handle hammers are made in China now. Even Hart (also a TTI brand) sells a Titanium hammer now, probably same factory as the Chinese Stiletto. I see no reason to buy Stiletto when Martinez exists.
Stuart
The new TrimBone is made in the USA.
David
Interesting, I always assumed tti owned stiletto, empire, and imperial as opposed to milwaukee directly owning them.
Ryan
I have 2 Stilettos. Mini 14 is great. The full TI 12oz is not that great. The handle is huge and the head is soft.
So, if you purchase a stiletto. Make sure it has a replacable steel head vs titanium head. I’ve had to resurface the TI head twice now. It’s just grade 2 CP TI. So it’s rather malleable.