Stanley vs. Crescent socket sets?

[Dick2]

Anyone have any experience with either Stanley socket sets sold by WalMart or Crescent socket sets sold by Costco???

Can't tell much by looking at them through the plastic window.They look to be better than Harbor Freight, but hard to tell for sure.

I can't afford the high price spread for what little I would use the tools.

 

[IH2444]

I liked the Popular mechanics brand that wally world used to sell.

 

[Gene C]

I've been getting some Stanley tools lately for small jobs. I have a 1/4" drive set and they are fine for the work I have used them on. My main sockets and wrenches are Craftsman. Had them since 1966.

 

[RobMD]

crescent and stanley used to be all American. But now, I would opt for crescent, you still can't break their famous adjustable wrenches.

 

[RayP(MI)]

My PM sockets have held up well too! Just wish they'd make the sizes larger, easier to read.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Dick2 --

My employer has bought several of the Crescent made-in-Taiwan socket and wrench sets (which came with Chinese-made pliers, which seem to be ok) from Costco in the last couple of years. All things considered, they're darn good tools for the price.

I've also had really good experience with the Taiwan-made Stanley sockets and wrenches, but don't like the Chinese-made Stanley tools nearly as well. (The Husky brand sockets and wrenches that Home Depot sells are badge-engineered versions of the Stanley tools, and as with the Stanleys, the made-in-Taiwan ones have satisfied me more than the made-in-China ones.)

John

 

[Tom B...IN]

I bought a set of Stanley 1/2 drive deep impacts at Walmart in the bargain isle for $4... use them all the time with no problems! I wish I could have bought more

T

 

[MF294-4]

I have to have a few tools for work and I have a Stanley set in the plastic folding case. Some of the slots are wore out now and some you have to pry out. All in all it is a very functional set for me and the sockets are of very good quality. My only problem is I need a replacement socket and don't have anywhere to get one. Need one the right length to fit in the slots. I would like to have a new case also. Case gets a lot of use. I leave my good tools at home for someone to cart off. Wife's unemployed now so she's my guard dog!!! LOL

 

[jack12345]

I have purchased a lot of Stanley tools all with good results.Stanley's customers service is a phone call away and they have replaced tools that I have broke/defective.Of course Costco has a excellent return policy .Most of my Stanley purchases have been ratchets & ratcheting end wenches.Also remember Stanley and Proto are much the same company.

 

[dhermesc]

I bought a set of PM sockets back in 1992 with the nice little black case that keeps everything in place - and keeps you from losing them. They've been great, granted I don't use them as much as a mechanic or real farmer would but they've been less of a problem than my "good" set from Craftsman.

 

[greygoat]

It bothers me that Stanley closed their U.S.
factory, laid off 2000 workers, and moved
production to China.. I don't know about the
quality, but i'll boycott them!

 

[02XLT4X4]

(quoted from post at 18:51:57 05/07/08) I bought a set of Stanley 1/2 drive deep impacts at Walmart in the bargain isle for $4... use them all the time with no problems! I wish I could have bought more

T

Even at full price the Stanly deepwell impact sockets are a bargain at $18 a set, I eventually ended up getting both sets and I really like them. I also like their ratchets too, but aside from that most of my stuff is Craftsman.

 

[Aaron Ford]

I beg to differ, sir. I have indeed broken a Crescent brand wrench. Turns out that dropping them into a 250HP hammermill will do the job two times out of three. The third one came out with a bent handle, some minor denting, but still functioned as advertised.

We use them pretty regular at work and I have been nothing but impressed at the torque you can put through a name brand adjustable wrench. I busted a 8 incher with a 3 foot cheater pipe. Not sure why it broke. I was jumping on the end of the pipe, but still...

Most of the wrenches that I have destroyed have been by dropping them somewhere in the flow path.

I have had luck with both brands, but both had been years ago. Not sure where they are from, but my friend bought a Channel Lock set of sockets and wrenches and they have held up under proper misuse. Not sure where they came from, but they seem to be on par with my Craftsman. The case seems to be a little stubborn, but the tools do not fall out even when flipped.

Anyone build tools in the US anymore? Snap-On still in Kenosha?

Aaron

 

[chvet73]

I have a set of those Stanley sockets at my cabin. They have been put to hard work and I have had no problems with them.
I have many older Stanley woodworking tools that I have had forever and they have always been very good products.

 

[Sagebrusher]

Last year I purchased a set of new Stanley 1/2" drive deep impacts sockets made in the Republic of China (Taiwan.) They have held up great to occasional use with our S-K pneumatic impact.
Just a reminder when you are buying imports from around the Pacific Rim- - - Taiwan is a Democracy and a staunch aly of ours. COMMUNIST China is still our very much avowed enemy. If the communist enemies could include lead, mercury, radioactive waste or rat poison on the junk tools they make to sell us I am certain that they would put it on those too.

 

[dieselpup]

I go for the Crescent all the way. The older sets were only lacking an actual Crescent wrench and beyond that it is amazing what you can do with them.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I have a set of 1/2" drive PM sockets from Wal-Mart I bought several years ago and they have worked OK for me too.

 

[john18436572]

greygoat said "It bothers me that Stanley closed their U.S.
factory, laid off 2000 workers, and moved
production to China.. I don't know about the
quality, but i'll boycott them! "

This says it all for me. F--- stanley tools.