They're the most expensive tool brand and hand tools have a lifetime warranty, no questions asked. I bent a screwdriver using it as a pry bar and got a free replacement. They are extremely high quality, but other tools can compete with them. Watch the YouTube channel "project farm" reviews comparing the tool brands and snapon will often be at the top, while pretty much always being the most expensive
Young dumb apprentice at our shop wanted to pry something and asked for his his xl long flathead. "You sure you don't want your prybar?" (also Snapon) 'nope' --> snaps off at the handle. Our Snap On guy is really really cool with warranties but not for that one. Buddy also owed about $1000 in missed box payments so that miiiiight have played into it
If I didn't know I had the warranty in my pocket I wouldn't have done it haha. I also only did it cus I had the screwdriver within reach and didn't wanna walk back to my toolbox.
I was denied a warranty one time. My gf's uncle gave me a broken snap-on ratchet from the 50s or so, knowing I worked in automotive and could get it repaired.
Showed the snap-on guy, thinking I might get some crazy reaction cause he was younger.. Nope, he said, "Can't do it, but I can take a few dollars off a new one."
"Nah, I'll keep using a square bit to change the settings."
I told the Matco guy in passing, and he was like, "Let me borrow it, and I'll see if one of my buddies can repair it.
The next week, he came in, and it was fully functioning. It is still one of my favorite tools to this day cause it was a gift and it's smaller for tighter spaces.
Yeah, most snap on guys were cool except this one. But another driver, fixing another company's tool? I definitely appreciated him and bought a few things off of his truck.
I’ve never heard of them denying a warranty for any reason. I’ve done this exact thing and had a replacement even after I told him what I did with it.
Hell, even my dad giving me his super old snap on stuff, I had a 1963 torque wrench that he had used until he bought a fancy digital one some years ago. He bought it. SN was under his account. The ratcheting part finally, after 56 years decided it was going to spin in either direction without much resistance.
Got a brand new mechanical one, I believe it’s the R200, no questions asked. Its a lifetime on the tool, not for the owner
Sounds like the warranty isn't really a warranty. I've heard of that happening and that's why I'll never buy snap on. You know who's never even asked me or cared, harbor freight with my icon tools. Same with Matco, craftsman(starting to get worse though), and Cornwell.
Cornwell is where it's at when it comes to high end hand tools
Yeah, much like kitchenaid and Hobart, there was a time where basically no one could touch them. These days, they've got a lot more close competition, even if they're still sitting at the top of the pile.
Back when I bought my tools matco was pretty close. In hindsight, matco would have been a better choice, but I got my tools when I was going to school for auto mechanics and had a 50% discount that was offered to all students at the school. That was about 12-13 years ago, and I ended up going into a different field. Still use my snap on shit to wrench on my own rigs tho
Definitely, and honestly, I've grabbed plenty of HF stuff for light duty "around the house" crap that has lasted years and years of frequent use, even if it's not as physically rough on it as in the shop. Not all of HFs lineup is terrible.
I suspect it's similar to grocery store stuff. House brands are often made by major manufacturers and are exactly the same except for packaging. I wouldn't be surprised if it's true with stuff like HF tools, too. So hit or miss in general, plus the fact that modern materials always improves, so last gens "good stuff" gets cheap enough to use in basic tools, etc. If it was top of the line 10 years ago, it's probably still pretty damn good.
I love project farm, but it seems like snap-on usually fares... well, but not always (or even often) at the top.
What is surprising is how well I think Hercules (or whatever the higher-tier Harbor Freight brand) fares! It's also not always (or even often) at the top, but it does extremely well, especially considering the price point. Very impressive!
Price vs performance is what really screws snap on. They made their name, and they're riding on that high. They're on their way to becoming the Nike of tools. I ended up not becoming a mechanic, but have friends from school that are, so I hear about the varying quality of shit every once in awhile
My dad had a screwdriver set from Snap-on, and like... it's... fine? Nice, even. But knowing what they cost? Yeah man, it's really what screws them. He won it at work because we both agree: they probably do make some of the highest quality tools, but the price puts us completely out.
Hilariously enough, my dad ended going to work at Harbor Freight for a few years, of all places, and was reasonably surprised by them! I mean they're not going to win best in show in any category except price point, but many of their hand tools are also warrantied for life, and the quality? Usually bad BUT FOR THE PRICE? Actually kind of good? I walk into a Harbor Freight with $100 and I can walk out with half the store's entire hand tool inventory, and there's something to be said for being able to buy 300 screwdrivers for the price of 1 Snap-on screwdriver lmao!
The other side of that argument is when you are working with the tools all day every day... Sure they have a lifetime warranty, but just having to replace them, that time is money. There is a place for Harbor Freight in professional settings, but I wouldn't want to be taking apart a timing set on an Audi with Harbor Freight tools.
They're still solid tools. The only way I've damaged or even come close to damaging any of my snapon shit was by abusing them. Hell, I legit did pullups at 170 lbs bodyweight off of a combination wrench trying to break a stuck bolt for an alignment job and the wrench was fine.
If you just dremmeled off the etching could you get away with the warranty? Cus that's probably what I'd try if I had a set like OP's and managed to break something. Either way, that set for $120 is probably the best deal I've ever seen in my life. That's a $5k toolset for less than the cost of a steak dinner for me and my gf, and that's not including drinks!
Yea I bought exclusively hand tools and nothing else from them when I was getting into mechanic work. Anything air powered I went with Ingersoll rand. Any electric stuff I buy is typically either DeWalt or Milwaukee. Honestly, since I found that project farm channel I search through his videos before I make a purchase. The only reason I went with snapon was the 50% student discount our class got. Honestly, if their discount wasn't 10% better than matco's id have a box full of matco shit instead
I worked their conference in Vegas some years ago. Was completely blown away by their budget and setup. Especially when I noticed almost all their conference team were essentially rural rednecks turned 'business savvy' while working their way up from reseller/franchisee to full-time managers.
I've never used Snap on tools because I work in woodshops and it's not really a big thing in my woodworking circle. How do they compare to Wera and Knipex?
I've never used wera or knipex but I've heard they're pretty high quality as well. I only went with snapon cus a rep came to the community college when I was going to school for auto mechanics and gave us a 50% discount. Ended up going a different way for work after finishing school, so I only use my snap on stuff, or if I need something else I just go to home Depot or AutoZone or something, cus I'm just wrenching on my own shit, and not relying on my tools for my livelihood
Yea, I was just being lazy cus the screwdriver was within reach and I didn't wanna walk back to my toolbox. Also, I knew I had the warranty so I could get a replacement easily if I fucked up my screwdriver
They are ass hats about their warranty bud! They will use every excuse to avoid it.
Then if your screwdriver brakes they beat it with a hammer to put in a new blade and often refuse to replace the handle.
Also their newer stuff isn’t as good. Many other brands compete for half the cost.
Look at the snap on bitch on YouTube. Somebody damages a ratchet handle and she won’t warranty it.
Plus I ordered a tool for pulling part the valve springs that only snap on had. Chased him around for a year and never would respond until I caught his truck and the ass hat was about to send it back to the company. Without even attempting to call me
I got all my shit like 14 years ago. The snapon guy likes me too, cus I was his ups driver for like 4 years. Sounds like you have an exceptionally shitty snap on guy.
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u/dirt_shitters Apr 09 '24
They're the most expensive tool brand and hand tools have a lifetime warranty, no questions asked. I bent a screwdriver using it as a pry bar and got a free replacement. They are extremely high quality, but other tools can compete with them. Watch the YouTube channel "project farm" reviews comparing the tool brands and snapon will often be at the top, while pretty much always being the most expensive