Pittsburgh Tools ?

[1936]

Any information on this company also do you use this brand?

 

[neblinc]

This is the brand that Harbor Freight sells. I have a few sets of the large wrenches & socket sets to work on my H's.

Would not use them if I made a living using tools, but these work fine for occasional use and carry a lifetime warranty if you break one.

I used to be of the mindset of not buying anything China made, but when it comes down to saving 75% or more on items that I use once in a while it is hard to justify buying name brand tools.

Randy

 

[Anonymous-0]

A lot of the Pittsburg brand tools are ok for home use. I would strongly recommend that you not waste your money on their adjustable wrenches, as they simply will not hold a deminsion. The regular wrenches do not have the "feel" as a Craftsman or Snap On has, but they will work for occassional use. If you use them everyday, also buy a supply of Band-Aids, as you are going to need them.

 

[rustyj]

First thing--i doubt those tools are made in Pittsburgh, even though they spelled the name correctly!
(Or maybe we have found a "sister" city in China!
They have stolen all o0f our manufacturing--what the heck--they might as well have the name, too!
As for buying foreign made tools, yes, i have several socket sets made in Taiwan many years ago. I bought them because our travelling Snap-on and other tool trucks/salesmen wanted an arm and a leg for their tools! And, i was learning the trade and wasn't making enough to buy the expensive tools. But, i still have them and they still do their job, so i'm not complaining. But, from what i have read and seen of the stuff imported from China--well, i'd stay from it, if possible.

 

[big fred]

I got a set of their large wrenches from HF a few years back, for very occasional use on tractors. I needed to get the cutter assembly off my bush hog last year, to replace the blades, and the only wrench that would fit was one of those HF wrenches. It wasn't coming off without a fight, and I ended up taking a 8 lb sledge to the wrench (poor man's impact wrench) and couldn't damage it.

 

[Anonymous-0]

14mm deep split open when torqued

19 mm deep split open when torqued

remaining sockets went in trash

Looked nice all lined up in the socket holder though.

 

[Stan in Oly, WA]

Hi 1936,

One thing that Pittsburgh hand tools have going for them that other classes of Harbor Freight tools don't is that they can make up for in size what they lack in steel quality. I haven't used the Pittsburgh adjustable wrenches I have very much because they're so bulky. Any time side to side clearance is an issue, they're likely to be too fat. I didn't even know about them not holding a setting, as NTP noted. Several years ago I noticed that their 16oz carpenter's hammers actually weigh 20oz. I have no idea how the wrenches would hold up to hard or constant use because I don't have to use them that way, but I have no trouble believing the people who say they won't hold up. In general though, I'm more convinced when someone admits that something he really likes is not much good, or something he doesn't like is actually all right. It's hard to know how much to allow for attitude when someone claims that something they hated before they ever used it is no good. For instance, some people are absolutely convinced that any tool made in China is, by definition, a piece of sh!t. Politics aside, some Chinese tools are average or better. Not many, but some.

All the best, Stan

 

[Don-Wi]

Were they impact sockets or no? I know it shouldn't matter and a craftsman socket will hold up to being torqued, but if they weren't impact and you were torquing them pretty good, you can't really blame the socket.

Donovan from Wisconsin

 

[Don-Wi]

I've got a few things from Harbor freight that are Pittsburg. The adjustable wrenches, like has been said, don't hold a dimension but I don't use them too much, and when I do I don't need it to hold very close.

I've also got their 1/2" socket set w/ 18" breaker bar. So far the only pc. that's junk is the ratchet, but that's because it fell into a spinning lathe chuck and blew up. Didn't like that one anyway, so I bought a different style of ratchet that's still a Pittsburg. The gear assembly likes to come loose on it, but I use that set quite often and haven't had any problems yet with them. Their pry bars are ok, but if you got something really heavy or really stuck, it'll just bend. The punches & chisels are junk.

Some tools are worthless, but most of what I got is still holding up. I also have a set of metric wrenches from them, but I've only used them once or twice so far. I use them all at work in a machine hop, so they do get used & abused some. Maybe later on when I get some more money I'll invest in a better socket set, or maybe a ratchet, but for now they work fine under daily abuse.

Donovan from Wisconsin

I'm not afraid to spend money on tools either. My toolbox is probably worth atleast $7000 with what I've got in there.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Every once in a while, I buy those off brand tools just to compare them to the high priced ones. They usually don't last very long. I'm a heavy equip mechanic and my wrenches get pushed to the limit. I've tried the Pittsburg wrenches and they have all ended up in the scrap pile. For very light use, they are ok. I cannot keep Craftsman ratchets and sockets in one piece either. At last inventory, I have about $38,000 invested in tools and toolbox and there might be about $1200 in off brand tools and most of them being Sunex. Even though they are off brand, I've found them to be about as good as the high priced tools.

 

[1936]

Good feed back on field used of the tools. Never been in Harbor freight so did not know the origin. I have found craftsman comb wrench and a 3/4 drive socket that are stamped Japan. Gave the wrench away and no one would take the socket.

 

[Anonymous-0]

thats about all i have and i run a shop i like them better then crapmans did brake a few sockets [used impact big one] and they repalce the hole set not just the socket and did not want the rest back and for the price they are great

 

[Anonymous-0]

It was the Pittsburgh deep impact socket set that says chrome vanadium and the side of the socket.

I was using it them with a 1/2" ratchet to do brakes on a F250.

I don't believe what they say on any of their stuff anymore. I think they copy the American label but don't have the real material in the product.

 

[Don-Wi]

I'm surprised the impacts are plated wiht anything. We've got a set of Pittsburg 1/2" drive deepwell impacts that we use around the farm on occasion and they've just got a black oxide finish on them. Much thicker than a normal socket too. They work good when we need them.

Donovan from Wisconsin

 

[Anonymous-0]

Not plated, those were the words stamped into the side of the socket.

 

[Up North Louie]

I sold a pile of scrap metal not long ago, and the Chineese wrenches were in it. I got tired of rounded-off nuts and ratchets that strip out on the third or fourth use.

 

[Gleanerguy]

1936-I don't where you are located, but in the Midwest we have Northern Tool (used to be called Northern Hydraulics). About 6-7 years ago they carried really low end stuff like Pittsburgh tools. Now they have some decent quality tools badged under their own Northern Hydraulic name. They are probably still made in china, but the wrenches fit real nice and tight on fasteners and they are thin, not real thick like the cheapo ones are to make up for poor quality steel. Their adjustable wrenches fight tight, not sloppy like the Pittsburgh ones. Best thing is their prices are similar to Pittsburgh tools.

 

[Leland]

bought a whole box full of them for the car washes they seem to be holding up and nobody really steals them either like they would craftsman tools .