Re: New Snap Ring Plier Set at Harbor Freight

[nj-boatbuilder57]

I built my boat and needed about 75 bar clamps. On sale at HF for $2 ea., it was impossible to say "no", especially when I knew I’d break some, I’d slather them in epoxy, and virtually destroy them eventually one way or another.

But, yeah, I get it: cheap tools are not worth it. If there’s a backwards-left-handed-stubby-offset wrench that I must have but will only use once a year, I’ll go to HF. Otherwise, it’s usually Snap-On or Mac for me.

When I was a commercial diver, we used HF handtools all the time……and considered them "disposable", routinely leaving them on the ocean floor when the job was done.

About the only thing that I always / only buy from HF are Nitrile gloves. For $5.99/bx of 100, nobody can beat that…..

FWIW, my snap-ring pliers were my dad’s. He took them with him when he left the Navy….in 1946! American made, tough as nails, still going strong since WWII. Handtools of the greatest generation!

EDIT: In fairness, and my rant notwithstanding, if I needed a set of snap-ring tools, that HF set would most likely be just fine. I think I’ve set about 4 snap rings this year….not exactly "daily use", ya know? Still, I think I’d look around for a good deal on a name-brand before I pulled the trigger at HF…