Stop Wasting Money on Tools 

He who dies with the most tools wins! Good video and you raised some very valid points.

If the pliers are Knipex cobra’s they are fantastic and will likely be the best adjustable pliers like that you’ve used. Check out their pliers wrench. It’s in the top 3 best tools I’ve ever used

Although we come from polar opposite views on tools. I really like how passionate you are in your tool opinions. Good on you.

Best bang for the buck is tekton. Complete no skip sockets and wrenches. Like you said buy a good set and then you arw good to go. Most other tools that dont come in a set buy cheap

Sometimes you just need a fixed blade screwdriver. Them 6 in 1s and all them extensions just dont put out the torque like a fixed blade.

Pittsburgh impact sockets are what got me into Harbor Freight. I was trying to bust a really stuck bolt and had broken a Craftsman and Cornwell socket. A friend brought over his Pittsburgh impact sockets and we broke the bolt and the socket survived. This was on a 6' breaker bar with two of us standing on it and hopping up and down to try and break it free. The Pittsburgh socket survived and I was no longer a Harbor Freight hater. The do have a LOT of cheap crap, but there are more and more diamonds in the rough there as they've been trying to improve their reputation with quality tools at affordable prices instead of just affordable prices.

Lots of good information here, a couple of tips I'd give as a long time DIY kinda guy, cheap sockets are fine, cheap(est) ratchets are not, and get alot of them, flex head, stubby, long reach etc to help for whenever you need them. Also a set of mid-length sockets can be a game changer if you're too long for a regular socket and not enough room for a deep. Also when you get your wrenches, definitely the no skips, but also try and get a ratcheting set if you can. When it comes to power tools, buy once cry once, go straight to milwaukee or dewalt, and don't bother with the lower end ones on those either, go straight to the brushless model and when you need a special power tool don't be tempted by the random other brand that offers a tool, battery and charger for close to the same price, stick to the one you've got. And last but certainly not least, don't try for forever to use a tool not made for the job, save your self the pain and go get the correct tool so you're ready for the next time!

A valuable skill in life, and one that no one always gets correct all the time, is to recognize when it's best to invest money in a quality tool and when it's ok to go with a cheaper option.

Klein Impact rated 11-1 is the best multi screw driver I’ve ever used as an electrician and at the house.

Good video. I'm a retired finish carpenter. Tape measures, at least in my trade, are every bit as particular in regards to quality as any other tool. We lived and died by accurate measurements, down to a 32nd of an inch. You need a 1 inch tape so that it can reach as far as possible without collapsing. It needs an easy to use locking mechanism. The spring that rewinds it needs to be strong and durable. I can't tell you how aggravating having to finish stuffing the tape back into the body of the tool gets after a long day. The markings on the tape need to be highly legible and stand in stark contrast to the tape color. When I was measuring for baseboard I always measured an entire room and then went out to the saw to cut it. The measurements were made from a standing position looking down to the floor where the tape was. I needed to be able to read between the 16th marks clearly to get a 32nd accuracy. Cheap tapes always break at the leading edge, right where the little metal edge holder is. You usually find this out when the tape is retracting and that tear slices your finger open. Tape measures need to be built well enough to survive a drop from ten feet or so to the subfloor. Cheap tapes break most of the time. Sorry for the length of this comment but, for a finish carpenter, a high quality tape makes everything better.

Don't forget that 6 in 1 multi screwdriver you first spoke of, that has a 1/4" and a 5/16" nut driver as well. The bit end is 1/4" and where the shank goes in the handle is 5/16". That's very handy to remember when you are doing sheet metal screws or something along those lines if they don't happen to have a flat or phillips head.

Hello. Your video just proves I have "no" self-control. After watching this, I went out and bought me a $169 Tap and Die set. Didn't need it right now, but it just seemed like the thing to do. Great video.

I work in manufacturing and your 100% right about all the bolts being Allen head bolts. I’m a die setter and bolts break allllll the time! The grip edge RPT sockets are where it’s at! Irwin visegrips only as well as Knipex pliers only or SO. Those are worth the price tag in my opinion. Also better start investing in them better bolt extractors you were talking about if your going to be using them hyper tough or cheapest Pittsburgh wrenches they make. A quality set of wrenches is definitely a must. Impact sockets it doesn’t matter. Buy the Pittsburgh impact sockets! And you killed me with the the breakOVER bar statement.😂

I learned this at an early age with my dad being a mechanic but still had to learn it myself when it came to hunting gear etc. I often say buy once cry once, or do it right or do it twice.

"the amount of time I spend looking for tools is insane". I feel that so hard. I moved from a house with an external shop I built myself. New house has a little workshop in the basement...which is awesome...but far away from the garage wear a ton of tool use happens. So I have a constant struggle with what gets stored where and am slowly developing two completely separate tool collections.

Olsa tools is great for not skipping sizes. The quality of their sockets and wrenches seem top notch too!

Good video. I had all S&K tools since the 90s, but I got robbed about 8 years ago and they got most of my tools. Ended up getting a 300 something piece kobalt set and adding to it. All the socket, allen key, and wrench sizes you could ever need up to 24mm and 1 1/8 inch. It has been an excellent base set. You're totally right. Get a full set the first time or you'll end up with half a dozen overlapping sets and/or spending too much. Thanks!

I watched your video while eating popcorn, like a good movie. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

Well I'm glad I watched to the end. One thing I'll say about power tools is ALMOST the same as what you're saying, but not quite. Yeah, the batteries are christly expensive so when you buy something with batteries MAKE SURE IT NEEDS TO HAVE BATTERIES. When you consider the cost of batteries vs the cost of extension cords or even a small generator (especially secondhand) it makes sense to have some corded tools. I just got a nice 3/4" Makita hammer drill for $150 bucks. The cordless version of the same thing runs about $190 for the bare tool, and about $90 for the cheapest battery and charger that you can get in their 18v LXT line. That's $280 vs $150 before you even start work, near enough to twice the price after tax. If you actually use the tool you'll be shelling out for batteries pretty often on something that pulls decent amps like a hammer drill or miter saw, so figure another $70 bucks a year for batteries to run the tool. I don't know what power is going for where you are, but here it's about 16 cents per kWh. If I run my drill for a full hour, flat out without stopping to change bits, it'll cost me 38 cents. I don't even think that the cordless could do that, but if it could you'd need at least three batteries to do it. Don't get me wrong, I love cordless tools, but you'll save a lot of money if you only buy the ones that NEED to be cordless.

I agree with some of this, like the ez-outs and hex keys. I have to disagree about screw drivers, wrenches and sockets. If all you are doing is occasional lawn mower repairs and the like, you are correct, but if you are things that are a bit more complicated there are times that all in one screwdriver just won't fit. It may not happen often, but when it does you need those other sizes. I also disagree on not needing quality screwdrivers. I have broken the tips on Snap-On , cheap ones don't last long. Since SK is now china owned, my preferred screwdrivers are Williams (industrial division of Snap-On.) I have cheap wrenches, and I have good wrenches. I keep cheap wrenches in my vehicles because if they are lost or stolen, who cares? Again, most of the time you are right, but the times that you need that open end to get at a bolt that you can't get anything else on, you will be glad that you have a good set. As for your question, I have probably spread 5 or 6 open end wrenches in the last 5 years. Also cheap combination wrenches are made to fit as tightly and the better sets. The sockets follow the same pattern as the screwdrivers and wrenches. Most of the time it doesn't matter, but when it does, you need quality. I do agree that you should buy sets of sockets, NOT socket sets. If you are using air or cordless impacts or ratchets, go ahead and get the impact sockets first, but don't forget the chrome sockets, again they fit places that that impacts won't. Harbor freight Impact sockets do hold up well. I started buying tools in the late 70's, I worked on cars, trucks and construction equipment for a living over the years. Back the we would buy a good set of each of these things and also get a cheap set of the same things. That still works well today. Also if you are not turning wrenches for a living, Snap-On isn't worth it. If you are, Snap-On may be. People think it's all about warranty and that's only part of it. I have broken many tools over the years, from many different brands. Snap-On does not break as easily as the cheaper brands, and when you have to get a job done because a customer needs it back, or you are in the middle of nowhere working on a bulldozer or other time sensitive jobs, you can't afford to have tools break, ruin fasteners or cause injury, when you need them the most. Professional mechanics will use tools much harder than a DIYer, so things that are fine for you will not hold up to professional use where they have to do whatever it takes to get the job done. As an after thought, the missing 10mm socket thing is NOT a joke or a myth. Many tool companies sell rails of various 10mm sockets, its not a gag. If you work on anything made in the last 40 years, the most common bolt head size is 10mm, so the most commonly used socket is 10mm, so the most commonly broken or lost socket is 10mm. Every mechanic or tech that I have known kept 10mm spares.

I've been collecting tools for over 60 years. Most were bought in used sets. When I built my house I had to buy a lot of tools including a dozer, a TLB, dump trucks and a screening plant. All required a lot of mechanics tools to keep them going. Because everything paid for themselves in building the house, I kept them. I have picked up a lot of junky tools that go into a couple of tool boxes for junky tools. These are the tools that I modify for special purposes. Most junky tools were in with tool boxes of good tools that I bought. Nice video. Good Luck, Rick

As an auto tech I started with harbor freight hand tools after I broke the harbor freight tool 3 times I upgraded it to a tool truck brand. Or if it keeps rounding the fastener I will upgrade it. Quality screwdrivers make a big difference on rounding fasteners. I still have 10+ year old Pittsburgh impact sockets that I use daily that haven't broken yet.

Those knipex cobras you were questioning i can tell you are extremely durable. I have been using them for plier functions as well as hammer functions for the past several years the mechanism has proven to be basically indestructible. After owning them all other channelock pliers are basically a joke i even keep a mini pair in my pocket at all times they just seem to work so well for so many things.

The push button channrl locks water pump pliers..if they are knipex they are the best available period they hold up and do the job without sliping

Best tool quote ever, "I could win the lottery tomorrow, and I would not buy a $700 torque wrench." 👍 Getting wrench sets and ratcheting wrench and socket sets without skips is a great tip. It also looks like you either need to duplicate the tool boxes you have, or buy a 42 inch bottom tool cabinet.

I was going to comment until I finished hearing your intro. I like that you explain that there is no one size fits all approach. I similarly take a different approach based on the tool. I don't buy anything that is snap on or equivalent. I am mostly in the mid range for power tools and I buy specialty tools from harbor freight because they are things I often don't need again. If they don't survive the special use case they are still in the return period so it works out. Like I had to return their tire changer when it failed to break the bead on my ATV tire. After that I went to walmart because their price to change them for me was low enough. Eventually I'll buy a better tire bead breaker. I bought cheap tools for repacking a hydraulic cylinder. Even if they only last once I saved nearly a 1000$ because my local CASE dealer wanted nearly 1000$ and I did it for 100$ in parts and tools. I have ruined many soft allen screws with a ball driver. I need a good set without the ball end. I try to be meticulous with my tools, and the one time my dad used my tools my 10mm socket went missing. I think there really is a demon out there that steals all the 10mm.

Great advice, but I disagree about wooden hammer handles. If you sand off the poly and coat them in an oil finish, they're WONDERFUL. And hickory has great shock absorption that you won't get from a steel hammer.

I need a set of ez outs. Glad I watched this before I bought a cheap set

I agree with you on buying a tool box the Icon is a great choice same with the tool charts. Thanks for sharing 👍👍👍🔧🔧🔧

Howdy Brock! Totally agree with your tool assessments here. Pick what to spend the money on. I know you mentioned a dislike for the big plastic tool sets... but I picked up a Kobalt 95 piece tool set for 75% off at Lowes. Perfect to keep in my truck toolbox. If I ever see another on clearance like that again I'll get one for the house. I got a heck of a nice roll away 2 piece chest tool box set from Costco for $700. Very sturdy, heavy as heck, ball bearing drawers, I think 13 drawers plus a cabinet? It's too cold to walk out to the shop and look at it lol. I've had it for 8 or 9 years now and has been GREAT! So there are quality toolboxes out there at a reasonable price.

I’m 66, I have tools I bought for tech school when I was 15. Many more from when I was 16, got a job, and had money. They don’t just sit in drawers or a tool box. They get used regularly. There have been a few cracked and broken sockets. The 1/4” and 3/8” SK ratchets been rebuilt a few times, a Craftsman 3/8”ratchet been rebuilt a couple times. A Snap-on ratchet is in need of a rebuild. SK Craftsman Snap-on Cornwell Mac Marco Klein Estwing Channellock Vise Grip Diamond Xcelite Ideal Mitutoyo Starrett Fowler Brown and Sharp Bondhus Makita Milwaukee Dewalt But being 66 and winding down I’ve added a lot of Harbor Freight’s finest to the collection. I expect they will last the rest of my lifetime.

I really enjoyed the video. I am in my late fifties and grew up using tools. I picked this up from a father that was also skilled working on machines. I remember when he pointed out a made in Japan stamp on a product and said ‘Japanese junk’. Oh how times have changed. Cheap tools in the seventies were junk. Now only the cheapest tools are junk. I grew up buying Craftsman tools from the local Sears and ordering through their catalog if I needed something special. Those days are gone too. I can go to Ace or Lowe’s and buy Craftsman, but I am pretty sure those are now imports. Back in the day they were made by S-K or Williams. Now I go into a Harbor Freight and buy an Icon or a Quinn. They seem to be of pretty good quality. It makes my Snap-On collecting friend cringe. You said so many things that echo my experience. I think you are making good choices. Thanks for the great video.

You don't need a larger tool box, you just need another tool box. I'd keep an eye on Marketplace, and pick up one that matches what you've got. As far as socket sets, the Pittsburgh sockets are garbage. You may not break them, but they have poor tolerances. The 3/8" drive size is often too right or too loose. And the actual ratchet wrench shouldn't even be allowed to be sold. It will jam up or slip, and do everything except ratchet correct. Buy a good socket set and an Icon or Gearwrench ratchet. As far as 6 vs 12 point, I have both, but I always reach for a 6 point first. I've rarely found 12 point to be useful. @thequestionable garage has a great video on building a really good tool box for under $1000. And, of course, Project Farm has excellent testing of many tools.

You've made a lot of good points in this video! Thanks for that. I do think there is value in both sides of the "buy once, cry once" etho. The alternative also has some validity: Buy cheap, and by the time you go to replace it, you know what you're looking for. And if you never need to replace it, it's good enough. I laughed when you got to the rant about the socket sets! So true. I've been getting around to buying new ratchets and sockets, and really two new full toolboxes full of new stuff -- one for the garage, one portable. The sockets have been a source of frustration for sure. I fully agree that those all-in-one kits are usually pretty stupid. I've been doing my best to pick and choose intelligently, based on what *I need* and my use cases. I'm sure many of them would object to being called this, but many of these RU-vid tool influencers really do seem to be about getting the views more than putting together a common-sense tool box. They are just showing off with their tool box tours. Does the average person need a full set of 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" shallow and deep 6-point, 12-point, and all of ALL of those for both metric and SAE. For my use, I actually rarely touch SAE these days. So a basic set of wrenches and a basic set of probably 1/4"-3/4" for sockets in 3/8"-drive and I'm good. That's probably more than I'll touch in years. Having a full metric set with more options is more important, but even then, *I'd* like to be the one selecting what I use -- not some executive deciding what sizes to take out, etc. Anyways, good video with some solid insight! Thanks again.

Bondhus and Elkind are my favorite Allen wrench sets. I’ve abused the bondhus set for 7 years. I lost my metric bondhus and got a eklind as a replacement and they’re just as good.

WESCOT ADJUSTABLE WRENCHES ARE GREAT TOOLS. AFTER YOU TIGHTEN IT OVER WHAT YOU WANT TO LOOSEN UP OR TIGHTED DOWN YOU COULD BEAT ON THE HANDLE OF THE TOOL TILL THE COWS COME HOME, GREAT TOOL.!!!!! I HAVE SEVERAL OF THEM THIS REVIEW OF THIS WESCOT TOOL COMING FROM A RETIRED JOURNEYMAN MACHINIST OF 40 YRS. I JUST SCRIBED TO YOUR CHANNEL. KEEP THE VIDEOS COMING TO PITTSBURGH PA. 😊😊 GOD BLESS

My wrench set is TEKTON. I think I paid $250 and it was 1/4-1” and 6-24mm and it’s worked really well. Also with a lifetime warranty

After receiving a 12volt Milwaukee grease gun as a gift, decided to stay with only 12's from then on. Bought impact and drew drivers as needed and several I just wanted at cheaper prices than newer models at higher volts. Does the jobs fine. The grease gun is a real time saver on a backhoe.

I had the privilege of managing the 3rd largest tool shop back in the late 70's and early 80's. I went to all the show, bought in bulk and sold from massive sets to individual units. I have seen a "quality of steel" change, but the biggest changes have been in the power tools. The more you use a tool, the more you want it to feel good in your hand. If you rarely touch it, get what will work several times and take care of it.

A LOT OF GOOD VALID POINTS right here!! Thanks for sharing your time and knowledge. Blessings to you and yours 🙏 🙏👏

Started working in automotive 3 years ago. I bought crafstman sockets, gearwrench wrenches, 120xp flexhead ratchets, knipex pliers, Pittsburgh pro breaker bar, and a milwaukee tool box. A couple of snap on fan boys at my work were making it seem like all of my tools would disintegrate within one year. They said nothing I bought would last me and that I should buy snapon stuff. 3 years later and I've yet to break anything. Snap on costs 10x as much as normal tools but is only 10% better. Terrible value imo

I have a Craftsman Digitorx I purchased 48 years ago for around $25. I checked it against a digital and it is still accurate.

I want to agree with the organization of tools. I work in construction for 20 years and you go look at some of the service trucks and they would be a complete mess. Ask any one of my corkers if I didn’t have a tool I bought and I couldn’t hand you the keys for the box and tell you exactly where the tool was. Efficiency is key in any application. As a homeowner from time to time I’ll have several things I’m working on and tools in different locations and it drives me nuts. However when I finish a project I make a serious attempt to put everything away. One thing I did was used foam and cut out a lot of my tools so I know when something is missing

it was a common thing for metric wrench sets to have skips in particular sizes. It may appear to be annoying but if you happen to buy both the metric and sae sets, the missing metric wrench has a sae equivalent.

Great video Brock. Just an explanation, the reason wrench and socket sets skip a size is for for entry level people. This is because some standard sizes are equal to a metric size and vice versa. Keep up the great videos,

Put great big labels on your drawers. When the family starts using the tools, they can put them back where they belong AND you can send someone for a tool when you really need one.

I've run the Irwin sliding channel locks for many years. Never had an issue with them. Have a couple pairs that I've had for about 15 to 20 years. Used to carry every single day with my previous job. They hold up.

After buying replacement batteries for years for cordless tools, I switched over to all Ridgid power tools purchased directly from Home Depot. They are built very heavy duty, and the batteries are covered under lifetime warranty so they will replace free whenever they go bad.... I have the same 14.4-volt impact driver that I purchased 20 years ago and has been discontinued for 16 years and they are still providing free battery replacements and tool repairs. I have received at least 14 batteries over the years. The 18-volt tools now that I have are even better, and the max batteries last a long time.

I have all three sets of the Doyle pushbutton water pump pliers and I have had them for almost two years they are ok used mine for plumbing in ball valves and union joints. They work

I have that same 3 drawer Craftsman mechanics set behind you. I have some luxury tools but that Craftsman set is my favorite value buy. Got it for $99 and really like the way it's labeled and organized and that it's not a blow-molded case. Lots of guys would look at that set and turn up their nose but I'll be enjoying it for many years knowing how little it cost me.

Excellent vid filled with good info. My one peeve of the more versatile all in one screw drivers, for many applications they are either too long, too short or don't have the tight tolerance to get into many areas. That being said, you still need multiple screwdrivers.

I've been a tool freak since I was 5 years old so 47 years of collecting. I bought my first set of wire cutters when I was 9. They're still my favorite cutters and I use them almost daily. They broke on me a few years ago so I bought new ones. The new ones suck so I made parts to fix my old ones. I have a large flat head screwdriver my grandfather gave me when I was 6 or 7. I still have it and use it often but as a small prybar now.

Hi Brock. I prefer driver bits which are 1.5 inches or longer. I find the short bits are hard to remove from my impact gun.

My channel lock tool set from Sam's was $100 and has payed for its self many many times over! Especially the ratcheting wrenches have saved me in tight spots doing power steering pump, water pump, alternator, in an 04 civic.

If those push button adjustable pliers were knipex cobras then they are solid. I have used mine for years and are my go to replacement for channel locks.

I have a set of black hard handle snapon screwdrivers that are the new style, not the old square style. I use them as a screwdriver. Except for my boys losing the #3, I haven't ever replaced any. I got them for Christmas almost 40 years ago, and they don't strip screws.

Before i joined the Army, i worked as a diesel mechanic in a heavy truck shop in was snap on crazy box, tools,shirts,hats , you name it. The amount of debt i had was crazy, and every now and then i got something for free. lol looking back i was just young and Nieves but also “cheaper” tools were chesaply made back the, the only cheaper tools i woulda not considered “cheap” was craftsman. However er these days, Icon is cheaper but really nice. I have really been impressed with the product. Really all this depends on how much you’re gonna use it, and what your priority’s are. I will say as a diesel mechanic in the Army, we had a lot of SNap on and S&K, SnapON really supported us in Afghanistan sending tools and specialty tools quickly. Other manufacturers not so much.

Irwin push button adjust pliers had for over 10 years never failed me in maintenance

Metrinch are great sockets They will fit both SAE and Metric. Unlike a 6 point socket that grabs the corner of the fastener, the Metrinch socket grabs the side of fastner, and will not round it.

So true! These days the less expensive tools can usually get the job done. Steel alloy manufacturing outside the USA has evolved over the decades, and CNC machining improved the tolerances of cheap wrenches, sockets, etc. That said, I agree that some cheap tools like the "easy outs" you mentioned, absolutely suck! I've had a hard time finding high quality drill bits for drilling steel. Some of the common name brands suck. I got my latest set from Amazon. I think they're made of M6? steel. So far they've held up pretty well. Some of my best drill bits are "new old stock" made in the USA brands that no longer exist. I got lucky when an 80 year old tool supply company decided to close shop.

Buy once buy smart take care of them

I've had 2 sets of those style channel locks for 25+ years, knipex was the original and the brand I have.

I'll be the one who disagrees in the comments. 😀 For majority of my hand tools I buy Snap-on because they are US made with better steel, have a lifetime warranty, and have a very noticeable better fit and finish to them than big-box store or China Freight models. Are they more expensive? Yes and that's why they are a business expense and noted in accounting for tax purposes. I literally have that $700 Snap-on torque wrench and see it as a massive investment, it's the digital ATECH model that can calculate torque in multiple measurements and also angle. The only time I'll buy a cheap tool is when I wasn't able to plan for it's use and a task needs to be completed right now; otherwise I won't settle for cheap tools. Knipex pliers is another brand I'll buy without hesitation because of their stellar German quality. Unfortunately there were American tool brands that were once great but have turned to shit because their accounting departments decided that making them in China with poor quality steel was a good idea, e.g. Vise-grips are now made in China so if you want to find the good ones made in the US you have to buy Eagle Grip brand. Life is too short to use shitty tools.

I just picked up a Harbor Freight Quinn 3/8 drive master socket set and it’s amazing. No skips 6mm to 24mm metric and 1/4-1” SAE. Best set I’ve ever had and has everything I need. They also have a 1/4 and 1/2 drive set with no skips either. The ratchets are 90t slim profile and just as nice as the equivalent Gearwrench. Was debating on getting the Milwaukee set but it has fewer sockets and the square tops seem like a gimmick to me. They still roll and I’ve never encountered a situation that would require putting a wrench on a socket where I couldn’t just put the wrench on the fastener. If I need more leverage I have a breaker bar. The best thing about the Milwaukee sets are they look pretty and the trays pull out of the blow mold case to go in your toolbox. That just didn’t surpass the value of the Quinn sets for me.

Harbor Freight has quinn torque adapters. I like them. You can stick them on a breaker bar or ratchet and they'll beep when you get to the target torque you set. They have a wide adjustment range and seem to wrok well.

Channel Locks, Klein, Crescent, Irwin, Vise Grip, Williams, SK are mostly what I buy.

Like the variety in videos. Related to your typical content, it's relevant, and changes it up a bit.

I have a set of Irwin channel lock pliers with a push button to adjust size and they have been fantastic, had them for probably 8 or 10 years

Ive found a lot of tools at our pawn shops where I live.

I can completely relate to this video, I am the tool man for my department in a manufacturing facility. We use a shared roll around, with a work top and a mounted vice. (all my doing) anyway, I am very passionate about tools being returned after use, and something comes up missing, almost daily. Then a few days later, some junk ass cheap tool will show up. I do agree with you on the fact that cheap tools will work, however. If I had a nice ratchet wrench in that slot, and you stick a cheap ass manual wrench in there, do you honestly think that I will not notice? Anyway, just venting, those fools are about to see that Mr.Tool guy is not going to keep replacing tools, so good luck doing your job.

I run a klien 11 in 1 with the flip sockets. Put them straight into my impact gun. But always have a demo flat head

Impact ... 6-point, you're right about square nuts and 12-point sockets.

I do the same with screwdrivers. I do save old round shank screwdrivers to make custom tools.

Multi tools are neat but usually to bulky and clunky use as a full time electrician, normally don't fit in the holes of terminals of starters, contractors, or breakers!!!!!

Main reason I recommend TEKTON! No skip sizes, mid tier quality, lifetime warranty and, their socket sets go from 4mm to 34mm. You absolutely can’t beat that.

I couldn’t help but laugh when I remembered the 18 yr old you spoke of. Good to see you’re still following practices of those that taught you. 😎

I have some DeWalt but just jumped in to the Milwaukee world . Didn;'t have that much invested in DeWalt so not a big move. Will have the option now if I need a particular tool between the two. Good video.

On those 6-in-1 screwdrivers, I keep one in all vehicles, my boat, and on my tractor at all times. Even if it's one from Harbor Freight. I probably have 10 of them somewhere at any given time, I do have other screwdrivers but fine myself looking foe one of them for almost any job for simple maintenance for homeowner - small property owner.

Great video, Brock! I agree with all the points you made. To add-on to your discussion about wrenches, I have had great luck with Tekton torque wrenches, but not that happy with those from Harbor Freight; especially the 1/4".

I have actually been thinking of getting a cheap tap and die set, but only with the intention of using them to clean up threads.

Good advice for most things for a home owner or mechanic but a good tape and a good hickory handled hammer are king on the construction site. You don't want a metal shafted hammer if you're using it all day because a metal shafted hammer will transfer shock and vibration into your hand, up your wrist, through your elbow and into your shoulder and can cause carpal and cubital tunnel problems, destroy nerves and joints. I mostly use hickory shafted hammers and mauls for construction and demo work. This is why many framers use hickory shafts, and they're not prone to breaking if you know what you're doing, and if they eventually break they are no big deal to put a new handle on. If you need to pry, use a pry bar. Only time I'd use a metal shafted hammer is for formlaying and I guess if I worked in a machine shop, but probably would still use a hickory shafted hammer and ball peen and sledge. A good tape is essential, because it will have a much longer stand out before it breaks than a flimsy tape, and will be able to take drops and abuse more than older style tapes and cheap tapes. For a tape I have a $25 milwaulkee tape that can stand out past 13' before breaking, I also have a nice DeWalt fractional tape that I love for more precise work. I know a mechanic that basically has the same advice as you for mechanic work- don't waste money on super expensive dead blows, wrenches, etc. I've personally found that Harbor Freight dead blows are great and do the job without breaking the budget. My grandpa was a mechanic before the Korean War and for a while afterwards and worked on his cars and flew model airplanes and fixed them up and he was all about Snap On and quality Craftsman before they went down the toilet in quality. He was from the era where there was only quality and crap manufacturers. But its funny because many of his non mechanic tools are homeowner grade, but not his mechanic tools which were exclusively high quality. Me and my cousin inherited all his tools and they have a central spot in my shop because of the memories we have with them. Good video. Oh and the only reason I can see dropping even $3,000 on a brand new toolbox is for a tax write off. If you are just over in a higher tax write off and you are an independent contractor I could see doing that. But for me I would buy a nice brand new table saw or something I would use more. If I was a mechanic, I could see doing that though.

Good afternoon Brock. I just now got to the part of the video where you were talking about Craftsman wrenches. I'm like you, there was a time when that's all I would buy. No more. Back in the day before people started using metric here in the U.S. that's all I bought. Well, I needed some metric wrenches for something that I was working on. So I drive 30 miles into town to buy a good set of Craftsman metric wrenches. I drive 30 miles home, open it up and lo and behold the one wrench that I need isn't there. You guessed it, the 18mm. Another 60 mile round trip to get it. The other thing that I wanted to say is that I have wrenches that were made in China that I've had for 40 years that I bought at a swap meet. I've beat on them with hammers, pried on them with pry bars and totally abused them and they still look brand new. I'm done now. I'm going to go watch the rest of the video. God bless and have a wonderful day. 👍👍🙂

Knipex Cobras are solid last good value and are made in Germany, Same for the Knipex pliers wrench. Multi use excellent quality & good value for money. Imo I had mine for idk a minimum of 12 years.

This is my opinion on the tool subject. Good ratchet and extensions at least a nice midgrade. Cheap ratchets don't work well at all. Cheap extensions can twist, either causing them to break or loose a lot of torque. Screwdrivers, Allen wrenches and Torx wrenches are the hardest to find real quality in, but are a definite must. Drill bits if you are just drilling wood and soft plastics a lower midgrade will work just fine. Drilling steel go ahead and bit the bullet anf get the best you can afford. Hole saws the same as regular drill bits. Sockets and end wrenches don't go to cheap or some want fit correctly and cause rounding of nuts and bolts. When using on a ratchet i feel there is a need for 6 and 12 point sockets. Impact sockets 6 point only until I find a need for the 12 point impact sockets. Tape measures yes I have had 2 different tape measures read different measures. Ive had a cheap tape measure have a long or ashort inch somewhere in them. I had one tape measure that was fine also long as you stayed 10 inches or under, from 10 to 11 inch marks was only 13/16 of a inch. A good midgrade reputable brand tape measure should be fine like stanley. Power tools cheap is cheap and bad quality and don't hold up. No need to buy to of the line just no off brand Amazon crap. I prefer milwaukee battery tools dewalt, and makita are both good also. When buying battery power tools pick a brand that has the tools you need. This will keep you from having 2 or more brands of batteries and tool to keep up with. Tool box buy the best you can afford that fits your needs. Icon at harbor freight will do just fine. Look at fit, finish and how quality and durability there is. Buy once cry once and be done with it. Buying a bigger box next year will hurt more in the long run. And yes before its over you may have 2 or 3 tools boxes just get the ones that will last and not fall apart. One time use tools buy good enough to get the job done and still be able to do the job 2 or 3 more times. That will most likely last you close to a life time.

Just a couple of years ago a complete no skip wrench set was hard to find for cheap under 50$ but now its easy..if you dont use them everyday they is no reason to buy expensive but you should buy quality

Like you, my dad was a mechanic. After working a few mechanic jobs in my youth, I moved on to other things, but still repaired and raced cars for fun. Now retired, I've been evaluating my hoard of tools, some vintage Craftsman (my cousin worked at Sears, so we got fantastic discounts), some SnapOn from my first real job, and some stuff I have no idea where it came from. K-Mart wrenches??? Anyway, I have to agree with most of what you said, the average guy/girl doesn't need to be financially responsible for sending the Snapon/Matco\s kids to med school. Buy your tools judiciously!! BTW: Chiefs fan eh? I've had season tickets since 1989.

Loved the video Brock!👍🏻

I was a mechanic in the 1970s-1980s. I could afford Craftsman, so that's what I bought. If I used certain tools several times a day, every 3 months I upgraded. Got complete kits of sockets and wrenches from Snap-On. Anything that was only used occasionally stayed with cheap tools. Keep your cheap tools until the better quality ones go on sale.

I used an estwing for years 20oz long handle for doing Formwork, if a hammer can last through a Formwork carpenters hands it'll almost indestructible. The only issue I had was after a few years the Blue handle slipped a little. I bought mine around 1995 ish.

Is there a tool box tour in the works? I agree with you that in general it is good to buy cheap but not too cheap, and that for some tools to spend a little more. How ever, I personally would stay a few miles away from any walmart tools, and any Chinese craftsmen. I'm speaking from experience those will break, or they will strip out, or they will strip out the fastener you were trying to remove. Not to mention the fact that it is a nightmare trying to warranty out craftsmen tools, most Lowes locations have told me I need to warranty out the entire set, and most ACE hardware locations will not have the craftsmen tool that you need in stock. I have not tried sears yet simply because they are few and far between. I am happy to say I have never bought anything off of the tool truck, and I have had great experience with select Harbor freight tools.

Snap-on box is like a high-end suit a realtor wears. You can't sell a high-end home wearing a JCP suit.

As a fellow horder of tools I enjoyed this video. I have an equal mix of low quality and high quality tools. I live in Canada so we don't get harbor freight but we do have Princess auto. I have two rolling tool chests now but I got one at Costco and the other at Sears outlet. I'm no brand snob 😂 but I can get it done

I have a variety of different brands the few things I have that are snapon I mostly bought on sale. The rachets 100% worth it if you use them everyday I’ve went through 3 icons in a year and they are junk. The snapon screw drivers I love the craftsman and kobalt set sucked constantly rounded the tip of the screwdriver. And lastly the adjustable wrench I would buy again. If you wait long enough someone will trade those items in and you can get them for the price of icon.

The screwdriver handles such as craftsman you can also put a box end wrench over the handle for leverage. I’ve always used a 12 pt. Not sure about a 6 point.

One thing i wont cheap out on is adjustables and pipe wrenches. I got a set of the modern crescent brands that sit in my garage. I bought snap on wide jaws love em but too expensive the ridgid wide jaw adjustables is where its at

The US General tool boxes are really nice too, I'm thinking about getting another one, I've got the 42" roller box and top cabinet. I also plan to buy the side cabinet for it.

Love you story, understand your disdain for multiple cheap tools etc. As a retired Engr equipment, generator, wheeled vehicle mechanic and military contractor. This being said stupid tools we laughed at but like insurance, you don't need until you need em. Yes I do know about oddball stuff. Ya never know, be ready.

I’m sorry as a former framer wooden handle hammers are all I use when I have to swing it often or all day.

Cool Common sense tool video. Love your channel keep up the good work.

I keep my 4 in 1 as a quick go to. One in home junk drawer and one in office. Yes the monster driver set from hf is garbage.. the random ones can come in handy but don't expect them to last. Buy the Doyle set instead. With taps and extraactors.. if you feel or hear a crack.. toss it in the bin. Because shortly after it's going to snap.. then your trying to extract that.