Buying some new combination wrenches soon

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Sep 17, 2013
Messages
429
Location
Cascadia
I'm going to be in the market for some metric combination wrenches very shortly. I've been looking at a few different sets and I'm pretty much settled for why could be considered 'mid tier' I suppose. I've looked at Wright, Armstrong, SK, and Williams; they're all almost identical in price at ~$175 for a 15 piece set on Amazon. The only brand I had heard of before I started searching was Armstrong.
Any suggestions? Any clear winners out of those four? I had also looked at Britool and Wiha as other options, but they were a little out of my budget of $200 for a 15 piece set.
 
No love for ratcheting wrenches? I couldn't live without them! GearWrench on Amazon or PowerTorque from O'Reilly, both are actually excellent!
 
Originally Posted By: dogememe
No love for ratcheting wrenches? I couldn't live without them! GearWrench on Amazon or PowerTorque from O'Reilly, both are actually excellent!


Ratchet wrenches are part of the toolbox but do not replace combo wrenches.
 
I've got an okay set of SAE combo wrenches but I find myself needing metric a LOT more now that I've got different vehicles than I did a year ago. I usually just borrowed my dad's since I would always work in his garage, now that I live in a different city it means borrowing my father in laws metric wrenches. He doesn't mind, but I do.
 
The Armstrong brand has been discontinued.

Any of the brands you mentioned, Armstrong included, are quality tools.

Another set to keep in mind is the Hazet 600N series. I have seen the 600SPC/16 set available for under $200 shipped. They are high quality as well.
 
I would look at these..

http://www.toolup.com/Proto-J1200F-MASD-15-Pc-Metric-Combination-ASD-Wrench-Set-12-Point

If you could spend just a bit more these from Hazet are IMO better than all the others you listed and Amazon Germany will ship them to the USA.
The Hazets are thinner and stronger than most top names, these are very good wrenches. These and the Proto have a nice satin finish not the cheesy looking chrome.
If restricted to the four you listed SK.

https://www.amazon.de/HAZET-600N-17N-Ring-Maulschl%C3%BCssel-Satz/dp/B001CA1JEI/ref=sr_1_1?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1501698867&sr=1-1&keywords=HAZET+600N
 
Originally Posted By: drtyler
The Armstrong brand has been discontinued.

Any of the brands you mentioned, Armstrong included, are quality tools.

Another set to keep in mind is the Hazet 600N series. I have seen the 600SPC/16 set available for under $200 shipped. They are high quality as well.




Bummer. I was leaning toward Armstrong too. May make warranty an issue?
I'll have a look a Hazet today.
 
As @drtyler pointed out, Armstrong has been discontinued which makes the lifetime warranty sketchy.

SK and Williams are both top quality tools. SOME Williams products are made in Taiwan, whereas SK is pretty much universally USA made, if that makes a difference to you. I have also heard great things about SK warranty, but I have never used it.

Other than those differences, I don't think you could go wrong with either. If you want something quality for slightly less money, GearWrench also makes excellent combos.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
These and the Proto have a nice satin finish not the cheesy looking chrome.



I forgot Proto. As much as I hate supporting Stanley as a company, Proto still makes great tools.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
I would look at these..

http://www.toolup.com/Proto-J1200F-MASD-15-Pc-Metric-Combination-ASD-Wrench-Set-12-Point

If you could spend just a bit more these from Hazet are IMO better than all the others you listed and Amazon Germany will ship them to the USA.
The Hazets are thinner and stronger than most top names, these are very good wrenches. These and the Proto have a nice satin finish not the cheesy looking chrome.
If restricted to the four you listed SK.

https://www.amazon.de/HAZET-600N-17N-Ring-Maulschl%C3%BCssel-Satz/dp/B001CA1JEI/ref=sr_1_1?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1501698867&sr=1-1&keywords=HAZET+600N



My rudimentary German language skills come in handy! I wouldn't be shy about going a little over budget. I did I quick lookup and found the same hazet set on amazon US for $388. Amazon DE's price in EUR figures to ~$225.
 
Gearwrench ratcheting flex head set is what I would choose.

https://www.amazon.com/GearWrench-9902D-Flex-Head-Combination-Ratcheting/dp/B000HBC7U8

Then you still need a good set of metric regular wrenches with offset. Ratcheting wrenches some times are just too big to fit in tiny spaces because of the ratchet mechanism, but when they do fit it makes for easy work.

I have this Gearwrench ratcheting set I bought at Sears a couple years ago for $35. No flex head, but they still work dang good. Combination SAE and metric, and they work very good if there is enough space.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AA7Y8QU/ref=psdc_553422_t4_B000HBC7U8?th=1
 
Originally Posted By: slowdime
Originally Posted By: Trav
I would look at these..

http://www.toolup.com/Proto-J1200F-MASD-15-Pc-Metric-Combination-ASD-Wrench-Set-12-Point

If you could spend just a bit more these from Hazet are IMO better than all the others you listed and Amazon Germany will ship them to the USA.
The Hazets are thinner and stronger than most top names, these are very good wrenches. These and the Proto have a nice satin finish not the cheesy looking chrome.
If restricted to the four you listed SK.

https://www.amazon.de/HAZET-600N-17N-Ring-Maulschl%C3%BCssel-Satz/dp/B001CA1JEI/ref=sr_1_1?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1501698867&sr=1-1&keywords=HAZET+600N



My rudimentary German language skills come in handy! I wouldn't be shy about going a little over budget. I did I quick lookup and found the same hazet set on amazon US for $388. Amazon DE's price in EUR figures to ~$225.


Yep you can save a lot by buying in the COO.
 
Check ebay for new Armstrong. I got a lot of them a couple years ago very reasonably, all new. Snap on of course is another. For Taiwan made, not China, and well made, the Lowes tools look good to me. I have bought a number of clearance sets in the store for very low prices. The quality seems perfect. Lowes warrants them. Some have the spline style openings which is something a little different.
 
Originally Posted By: goodtimes
Check ebay for new Armstrong. I got a lot of them a couple years ago very reasonably, all new. Snap on of course is another. For Taiwan made, not China, and well made, the Lowes tools look good to me. I have bought a number of clearance sets in the store for very low prices. The quality seems perfect. Lowes warrants them. Some have the spline style openings which is something a little different.


I had thought about going the eBay snap on route. But honestly I would rather have a quality tool that's brand new than a pro tool that's seen years of heavy use.
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
Originally Posted By: dogememe
No love for ratcheting wrenches? I couldn't live without them! GearWrench on Amazon or PowerTorque from O'Reilly, both are actually excellent!


Ratchet wrenches are part of the toolbox but do not replace combo wrenches.


Well said.
01.gif
 
Trav's Proto set can be bought at Zoro for $161 delivered if you can use their first time purchase 15% discount.

I am attracted to Wright Tools simply because they seem like such an American company to the core. The price is good at about $148, but their set skips size 20mm. The "China made" is incorrect at Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Wright-Tool-752-Metric-Combination/dp/B004RILQP4

Nice to know that others like satin finishes also.
 
Originally Posted By: slowdime
Originally Posted By: goodtimes
Check ebay for new Armstrong. I got a lot of them a couple years ago very reasonably, all new. Snap on of course is another. For Taiwan made, not China, and well made, the Lowes tools look good to me. I have bought a number of clearance sets in the store for very low prices. The quality seems perfect. Lowes warrants them. Some have the spline style openings which is something a little different.


I had thought about going the eBay snap on route. But honestly I would rather have a quality tool that's brand new than a pro tool that's seen years of heavy use.



Why? Wrenches should last pretty much forever.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top