decent tools

[Profpointy]

What's the verdict on Kamasa?

Mixed - my first socket set back in the '80s was a kamasa. green tin box with full set of 1/2" drive metric, af, and maybe even whitworth with lots of different handles. Was the cheapest full set I could find. Fantastic - nothing broke or bent and everything worked. Naiively I left in the car and it got nicked, along with the car, though I got the latter back. Replaced with an identical set also in Kamasa green tin and it it was shyte - sockets bent on first use, ratchet failed, t bar feeble and bent. Couple more kamasa items also poor. Went for Britool for.the decasde after that - but as I've mentioned old-Britool good, modern Britool poor so no longer a good buy.

Now I tend to get facom, but no doubt they'll start producing rubbish too eventually. Their screwdrivers were fantastic, and sold quite cheaply in machine mart - but I don't like the handles on their new ones.

Have got quite bit of snap on too - 3/8 drive stuff not too dear even new, and have got some fleabay bargains from time to time, but mostly it's too dear on fleabay.

 

[sight-pin]

I was on £100 a week in 1976 at a Ford main dealer, the bonus was so easy if you worked it well. I did not take lunch breaks and drunk my tea whilst working, the average amongst most of the guys was about £50ish. Married in 1974 also, at 18 though.

I was fleet work on tankers, the only bonus we got was skiving off for 5 mins to do your own stuff

 

[alecstilleyedye]

some of the stuff i've had from aldi is perfectly good, especially the bondhus allen key set…

 

[Pale Rider]

Here's a pic of one of my favourite Snap-on tools.

It's 1/4 ratchet converted to 3/8, which the Snap-on man did for us at the time.

The mechanism and joint still works perfectly - the correct friction to hold it in place is still there.

It is beautifully balanced and wipes up like new.

It's also 40 years old.

Needless to say, I support the old saying about money spent on good tools is never wasted.

 

[screenman]

A lot of my income comes from PDR where most of my tools are self made.

 

[stalagmike]

I have a Kamasa spanner roll as an emergency back up.
Nothing special but generally do the job

I have a kamasa spanner roll. Used to belong to my dad. They do the job. It's the cheesey screwdrivers that annoy me.

 

[stalagmike]

Here's a pic of one of my favourite Snap-on tools.

It's 1/4 ratchet converted to 3/8, which the Snap-on man did for us at the time.

The mechanism and joint still works perfectly - the correct friction to hold it in place is still there.

It is beautifully balanced and wipes up like new.

It's also 40 years old.

Needless to say, I support the old saying about money spent on good tools is never wasted.

View attachment 151133

That tool is older than me. Wipes up better than me an all...

 

[stalagmike]

What's the verdict on Kamasa?

A quick Google tells me they have recently started making bicycle tools. No idea what they are like though.

 

[DRM]

The mechanics have to buy their own tools in order do the work the boss wants, I think the managers should buy their own computers for .work too

 

[tyred]

It makes sense to get good quality screwdrivers and hex keys (Stanley and Draper both good). For a bike you can skimp a bit on spanners – even cheap ones work.
Bike-specific stuff like cone and pedal spanners are worth spending money on. Chain tools seem much of a muchness, as do removal tools for cassette and bottom bracket.

The problem with cheap spanners isn't so much that they might break but rather that some in my experience are very poor fitting which will lead to slipping and damaged nuts/bolts. You don't need to go crazy for bike or general DIY use but definitely avoid the real cheapies.

 

[Pale Rider]

I'm wary of cheap chain tools after the pin on my Aldi/Lidl one snapped on first use.

Fortunately, I was only tinkering in the house at the time.

My Park Tools Mini-Brute has only been used a handful of times, but it has stood up to my hamfisted attempts at chain breaking and joining.

The local bike shop uses a couple in the workshop, which is another good recommendation.

Cheap enough, too, at around a tenner.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/...gclid=CKjr8aWAp9ACFVVuGwodYssNdg&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[slowmotion]

Some cheap tools are very good. I've had some appalling experiences with the Forge Steel brand that Screwfix sells, but their 1000mm stainless ruler was a bargain. Their Erbauer router cutters are a third of the price of Trend ones, and seem to last as long. The Erbauer drill bits (in packets of five) are excellent too. Sometimes you strike gold, other times, pure cheese.

 

[Ian H]

I'm wary of cheap chain tools after the pin on my Aldi/Lidl one snapped on first use.

I was thinking more of Cyclo cheap than Aldi cheap.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I got one of these several years ago, and they've been reliable. The one tool that failed in this lot was the chain tool, but the others have been great. The carry case is also very handy. In the years since, I've gradually added some other tools to it.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/au/en/park-tool-advanced-mechanic-tool-kit-ak37/rp-prod17700
I seem to recall it cost a few hundred dollars, which is dirt cheap, considering how much these tools would cost at a typical hardware store.