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[Webby the Bear]

Just purchased a set of allen sockets from 6 to 17 (got them cos I've had the call to use them from brake claipers and diffs right through to 17mm vw drive shafts.

Are these going to last? place your bets... not that bothered as they didn't cost much but its always nice when you can stick two fingers up at the snap on boys get cheap tools that last forever. 

[Seth]

Never had/used their allen sockets Webby, though most of my spanners and sockets are Britool

Had 'em just over 40 years now in A/F; Metric and Whitworth sizes, and for the first 20 years they took a real hammering working on big, heavy buses, day in, day out!

Personally, I rate Britool stuff highly. Sensibly priced too!

[Rods2]

I've always found them to be very good quality tools.

As you will be using them day-in day-out let us know how you get on with them.

[Vamps]

Never had/used their allen sockets Webby, though most of my spanners and sockets are Britool

Had 'em just over 40 years now in A/F; Metric and Whitworth sizes, and for the first 20 years they took a real hammering working on big, heavy buses, day in, day out!

Personally, I rate Britool stuff highly. Sensibly priced too!

Think I have some too................

[dbug]

I've still got a Gordons 1/2" whit/AF socket set bought in early '60s - really hammered over the years - ratchet still ok and all sockets [incl 1/2" AF] still in excellent condition.

Have some Britool sockets [also quite a few years old] still in v good condition

[Webby the Bear]

Cheers guys. As said real nice price for the set. It's the 'expert' range if interested

Any problems I'll let ya know

It does show that snap on is a rip off. Although I'd love a set of their aircraft wrenches

[Omegatoy]

Never had/used their allen sockets Webby, though most of my spanners and sockets are Britool

Had 'em just over 40 years now in A/F; Metric and Whitworth sizes, and for the first 20 years they took a real hammering working on big, heavy buses, day in, day out!

Personally, I rate Britool stuff highly. Sensibly priced too!

Hmm orange metal box? Metric.af,whitworth and stud remover,breakerbar,loads of extension bars?
Sounds like my own set and also owned for 35years,and was used extensively on hgv trucks (scammel routeman,crusaders,mag deutch aircooled,etc etc) as well as all the superstocks,bangers,classic car restorations ive done,
Like you have never managed to break any piece of it,still comes out now and then,when i get a tough job!
Wonder what you would have to pay nowadays to got same size and quality set.?

[Nick W]

Old Britool stuff was excellent, but well priced.
Modern Britool is mostly rebranded Draper Expert/all the other names from the same far-Eastern  factory, and is good enough if you don't pay retail prices for it.

[tigers_gonads]

Old Britool stuff was excellent, but well priced.
Modern Britool is mostly rebranded Draper Expert/all the other names from the same far-Eastern  factory, and is good enough if you don't pay retail prices for it.

Yup 
My very first socket set (came in a orange tin case) was a Britool.
In fact, I still have the extension bars and a few sockets left over as spares somewhere

[TheBoy]

Didn't the draper stuff from 30yrs ago come in same orange tin?

[Sir Tigger KC]

Didn't the draper stuff from 30yrs ago come in same orange tin?

Yep my first socket set when I was about 15 was a Draper in an orange tin. 

I still have it and it's seen very little action as it's AF!    My Old Man was kinda old school with good intentions!   

[Marks DTM Calib]

Yes the top end Britool stuff is excellent, there are some cheaper stuff out there which is average.

Britool/Facom got bought by Stanley which then merged with Black and Decker.

[tigers_gonads]

Didn't the draper stuff from 30yrs ago come in same orange tin?

Got me thinking that
I remember the old man throwing the tin at me buying me it when I was 16 year old because I was always nicking his tools to fix my pushbike which I used to get to a YTS I was doing at the time 
Can't ask the old man because he is floating around the Caribbean until tomorrow 
I know that nearly all the etching / markings have worn off
I'll have a look on Thursday when I next get chance to work on the car

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Can only agree with Marks DTM - modern stuff is reputed to be nowhere near as good 'as it used to be', no doubt in part truth, and partial nostalgia - would add I only have personal experience of the older stuff, which is excellent - but find Facom to be top-drawer, and they're the same company, so hmmm. Just look at the prices of used, 20+ year old Britool stuff on hee bay to get an idea of the high regard in which it is held. If I saw some at a Car Boot Sale, I'd get it if it says 'Made in England' on it, as for the modern stuff personally wouldn't pay the price, when compared with Halfords with their lifetime guarantee etc.. but I confess to be a bit of a Halfords convert of late.

That said, when it comes to decent tools there's a bit of that BMW, Merc or Audi things going on, there's always person A who'll say 'bah, I hate xyzs, xyzs are rubbish, I'd only ever buy a zyx', then person B will say 'really?? I hate yxzs... had one break on me, so I only ever buy xyz these days' but in reality they're all good. Canon or Nikkon?

Personally loving old Britool, Facom, Halfords pro and Bahco of late.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Didn't the draper stuff from 30yrs ago come in same orange tin?

Yes. I have a set from 1976 finished in Sainsbury's orange.

[Webby the Bear]

As I mentioned before the head guy has Mac and the other mot tester has ALL snap on.

Other than DESPERATELY wanting a set of snap on aircraft wrenches I will stick to Hellfrauds hand tools. Can't remember if mine are professional or the advanced range but either way they're great with the lifetime guarantee.

So far I've broken three torx sockets. They're all the 3/8 ones. T55 3/8 broke trying to undo omegs head bolts. But I was just starting out and made the mistake ofi not using half inch. The other two were t45 and t30. . . . . They were just weak and broke on something easy . . . Breather bridge iirc

But no other problems and I do properly abuse them 

[Marks DTM Calib]

The Halfords Torx bits (not the sockets) are woeful, well worth getting a decent set   

[05omegav6]

Sealey do a nice box with a good selection of hex, torx and spline bits... All in 1" and 4?" come with bit holders in both 3/8" and 1/2" so pretty versatile About £35 iirc...

The problem with the Halfrods 3/8" set, (at least the rail I bought ten years ago) was that the bits have a square shank pressed into a round hole, so any effort required soon makes them slip, which is less than helpful

[Marks DTM Calib]

Sealey do a nice box with a good selection of hex, torx and spline bits... All in 1" and 4?" come with bit holders in both 3/8" and 1/2" so pretty versatile About £35 iirc...

The problem with the Halfrods 3/8" set, (at least the rail I bought ten years ago) was that the bits have a square shank pressed into a round hole, so any effort required soon makes them slip, which is less than helpful

Yes, used a few sets of those and they work well, Machine Mart sell the exact same set for slightly less money (much less on a VAT free day) 

Just be aware that T60 is becoming a popular size also now (e.g. flywheel bolts) and many kits don't include this.

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Heard tales that Halfords get more of the torq brought in broke than anything else, so you're not alone in breaking them, Mr The Bear 

[Sir Tigger KC]

Heard tales that Halfords get more of the torq brought in broke than anything else, so you're not alone in breaking them, Mr The Bear 

I broke my T55 doing up the head bolts.