31 replies to this topic

[TempesT]

We are guilty of slandering Tool makers these day, there not the quality they use to be, they all over priced, my mate had this happen ect ect ect�.

Well a first hand good news story,

Earlier this week I purchased two Kincrome socket sets from Bunning�s. Both were old display stock and reduced in price due to the plastic trays being tatty and cracked. Today I emailed Kinchrome and emailed them on the availability of replacement tray, stating mine were damaged due to general wear and tear. I was fully intending to purchase some new trays and happy to do so.
15min later I received an email back from their customer support say that had dispatched an order to have a replacement tray posted to my address. I emailed him back and asked if I could get one for the �� set I had purchased and once again a email was forwarded to me simply saying, �consider it done�.

I own Sidcrome, Kincrome, JBS , SP and super works gold sockets and hand tools. This is my best dealings with any of them by far to date.

One very happy Kincrome socket set owner and user.

[orangeLJ]

Thats good to hear!

Ive got a full kinchrome 3/4 drive set, and 1/2 inch metric and imp impact socket sets, kinchrome 2ft breaker bar and a bunch of other kincrome gear. Apart from the Plastic ratchet handle, I have zero complaints. The handle is only a pain because it gets small nicks and marks from general use (when you sit it down, or it falls down etc) but nothing that stops it functioning. I LOVE my breaker bar though!

[TempesT]

Well i was surprised with the turn around of their response and without question just sent what I asked for to my address....

Now here is the thing, I thought I would give sidcrome a try as I had a rather funny moment a few years ago when I bent up my case for the 3/4" socket set. I emailed them just after posting this and still have not herd back.....

[308 Sunbird]

^ Now that's clever!

[TempesT]

hahahah is soon as i told my story in the office i was told the exact same thing oldjonno

[Toranamat69]

I have a shed full of Sidchrome stuff and a reasondable amount of Kingchrome and it is all great and mostly about 15 to 20 years old. I have witnessed first hand the denigration of Sidchrome and Kingschrome products over the last 10 years or so to the point I wouldn't buy either anymore.

That is great they replace the tray so easily - to me it is unacceptable it broke at all. We all have different expectations I guess.

When I buy tools now I expect them to last for the rest of my life - you wont get that out of either of the 2 brands above.

When I buy tools I also expect that they won't wear out my fasteners as I also spend big $$ on them.

I don't rate these any higher than the supercheap 'drop forged' brand :-)

We will have to make them ourselves soon - like everything these days.

BTW, if you want good prices on tools, go to a tool suppler and become a good customer, don't go to Bunnings - they mark everything up at least 20 to 30% over the tool suppliers and prey on the lazy 'ahh but they have it all in 1 shop' type buyer. Almost nothing worth getting there these days either as their quality has gone through the floor.

Sorry Rant over :-)

[Toranamat69]

Yep I will be getting Stahlwille from now on - got their catalog they do an awsome range of tools. I was eyeing some off on Monday actually.

[TempesT]

Toranamat,

The plastic case was ruined as had about 8 tec screws screwed into it to affix the Perspex so that people didn�t knock the sockets off. It still performed its function just that it was tatty.

I understand your viewpoint but in the micro economy in which I live I cannot agree with the comment on local distributors. It�s the reason I am buying my new 4x4 tires in Brisvegas next week, there is just over a $60 a tire difference. It was also the reason that I was, up until I purchased these for half the normal retail price, looking into bring in a full socket set from the states as I feel the local brands are overpriced.

My purchases on tools and in fact any non-essential item in my life is driven on a cost v performance. I work in an industry that is very bone head and low tech in its heavy engineering and maintenance. I watch a lot of gear getting abused and holding up very well. Also in the same breath, I have no need for aircraft quality tools no matter how much I would love them. My tooling is not used in applications that would require the precision and in the majority of the applications I am using some "creative" measure that would see even the most expensive hand tool loose it calibration over time.

Im just illustrating the factos that drive my desicions. Different to your yes but neither right or wrong.

[Toranamat69]

The plastic case was ruined as had about 8 tec screws screwed into it to affix the Perspex so that people didn�t knock the sockets off. It still performed its function just that it was tatty.

That's different then.

We do get a bit more spoiled with choice in the city and I now have a very good arrangement with my local guys.

Don't get me wrong, it still hurts when I have to hand out the big piles of coloured stuff when I want some new toys. Me and a handful of mates try to buy the 'expensive but hardly used' tools to complement each other's workshops - the only way we can afford to get the really good stuff.

Just makes me crazy when they let me down or break my fasteners and I have to purchase all over again, and wait till the shops open after the weekend has finished :-)

[makka]

The plastic case was ruined as had about 8 tec screws screwed into it to affix the Perspex so that people didn�t knock the sockets off. It still performed its function just that it was tatty.

That's different then.

We do get a bit more spoiled with choice in the city and I now have a very good arrangement with my local guys.

Don't get me wrong, it still hurts when I have to hand out the big piles of coloured stuff when I want some new toys. Me and a handful of mates try to buy the 'expensive but hardly used' tools to complement each other's workshops - the only way we can afford to get the really good stuff.

Just makes me crazy when they let me down or break my fasteners and I have to purchase all over again, and wait till the shops open after the weekend has finished :-)

Trust me, kinchrome socket trays fail pretty quickly in the real world.

for people who bicker and whinge about snapon ect. its true, they are shitloads better quality than sidchrome/kinchrome ect. if they are worth the difference im not sure. All of my important tools are snapon, stahwille or bahco but I use them to make a living (on real stuff, not cars)

[Statler]

My brother splurged & bought a 6.5K massive tool chest from Kingchrome.
Paid cash & the price was dropped to 5.5K.

He only had them for about a month when some low life; in the middle of the night; unscrewed the sheeting from his shed & stole about 70% of the kit.

I don't know if it was a deal at the time, but Kingchrome had a free insurance offer going on. They replaced the entire kit for free.

I got the remains of the old kit.

As for Snapon...... i can't even afford their stickers!