American Made Hand Tools

[CharlieG]

Still looking for good quality USA made hand tools- axes, picks, shovels, rakes etc. All seem to be made in china or mexico. Any recommendations? Been looking, but to no avail. Personal experiences would be appreciated .

 

[2dogs]

Ames is the oldest continually operated business in the country according to some statistics. Nupla is a good brand too.

 

[PB]

Still looking for good quality USA made hand tools- axes, picks, shovels, rakes etc. All seem to be made in china or mexico. Any recommendations? Been looking, but to no avail. Personal experiences would be appreciated .

Snow and Nealley axes from Maine are phenomenal tools. I find that many of the Rigid branded long handled tools at the Home Depot are usually made in the US. Look for USA stamped in the shovel head, or on the rake. Tools at TSC are almost all made out of the country now.

 

[Knotdodger]

Yeah,, Ames is the oldest maker of that stuff.. The shovel heads in the day used to be wood with a metal tip on the cutting edge.

 

[5shot]

Awesome! I try my damndest to buy american whenever I can - I will be taking a look at all these companies!

Keep em coming!

 

[5shot]

BTW - I found out, after visiting the Ames sight, that I have one of their mauls. The end of the Polymer Handle says "Made in China" - really pissed me off after I spent so much time looking for US Made. The head might be made in the US, but the handle is not.

 

[Uwharrie]

Here's a Manufacturer that I keep looking at. They are some of the best looking tools I've seen. Here's a quote from their website:

We have grown to be recognized nationwide for our quality features, and our 100% American manufactured Edging & Steel Tools. All of our Aluminum edging is manufactured at our home base in West Michigan, as well as our steel rakes, spades, cap rock shovels, aluminum landscape rakes, and trenching shovels.

http://www.wolverinehandtools.com/

Here's another company but I have not seen their tools.
http://www.nuplacorp.com/

Here's Vaughan, they make axes etc.
http://hammernet.com/vaughan/pages/products/hatchets-axes.php

 

[Frank Boyer]

I bought a Snap On 1/4" air ratchet and later found that it was made in China.

 

[sILlogger]

I like Ames..but alot of that is due to the fact that i have cut logs that went to them that got saws into blanks and eventually handles...so a few of you with Ames tools might have a handle from a tree that I cut.....small world aint it

 

[Wood Junkie]

I was shocked the other day when I picked up a new gas can for the chainsaw and saw made in USA on it.....

 

[CharlieG]

Ive seen aames products made in china, too. I'll keeplooking. I think the rigid 12 tine rake I bought in HD was foreign made . I'llalso check out the Wolverine stuff. Keepit a comin.

 

[brent denny]

I have a council axe that I bought from baileys that has been good. Made in th usa and priced reasonably, too. www.counciltool.com

 

[joesawer]

The last Collins ax I bought had a sticker on it that said it was hand forged and made in the USA. I have been very pleased with it.

 

[PB]

The last Collins ax I bought had a sticker on it that said it was hand forged and made in the USA. I have been very pleased with it.

I have a Collins axe, it was made in PA. The Rigid stuff is hit or miss.

 

[OLY-JIM]

I've used Wolverine tools before (shovels and rakes primarily) and they're well built. I believe that they are entirely American Made.

 

[5shot]

Along these same lines...how about Made in USA Work Wear?

Carhartt is now making lots of stuff off shore or Mexico.

Who is making good quality stuff here?

 

[pbtree]

I bought a Snap On 1/4" air ratchet and later found that it was made in China.

 

[2dogs]

Along these same lines...how about Made in USA Work Wear?

Carhartt is now making lots of stuff off shore or Mexico.

Who is making good quality stuff here?

Key is made here. Prison Blu (Prison Blues) is also made here though there is Japanese ownership of the brand and marketing. You will have to look up the specifics. White's original boot line along with Nick's is made here too.

 

[CharlieG]

I've used the website usstuff.com for American made products. I don't know how updated it is, but I wound up buying a pair of "Diamond Gusset" jeans, made entirely in Georgia. Been said to wear like Levi's 550s, but made in the USA. Still struggling to find locally made tools. The last tool I bought, a felling wedge, was made here....a step in the right direction Carhartt is hit or miss where it is made. I'll continue to read labels and email companies that "outsource" of my allegiance to locally made goods.

PS- My sons baseball glove, is a NOKONA, and is the last company making the "all american sport" baseball glove in the USA, in Texas.

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Im all for USA made stuff...but my problem is COST.

I use my hand tools every day at work...Craftsman, snapon, etc...and they break. They break like any other tool, except they are very expensive, and Im 45 minutes from a SEARS to replace broken craftsman stuff.

So I took 100 bucks to the local harbor freight...and I got.

SAE 6pc Ratchet wrench, colored for Identification

SAE 3/8" drive sockets, (about 12 of em) colored also

Metric 3/8 drive sockets (also about 12, ranging from 10mm to like 21mm)

3 pc allen/(sae and metric) and Torx driver set. all sized fold into the handle.

1/4" drive ratchet, and complete sae and metric socket kit, 5mm-14mm and 3/16 thru 9/16

21pc SAE/Metric go-thru socket/ratchet set.

And so far, 2 months after purchase, with every day professional use at an actual small engine shop, I have yet to break a single tool.

If Id gone to sears and gotten it all from them...Id have paid easily 225.00

The HF warranty is the same as Sears also... lifetime, you break it, bring it back and get a new one.

I hate buying the Chinese stuff...but it says something about american made stuff. Cheaper to ship raw materials to China, make it, assemble it, package it, ship it to america, distribute, and sell it here for outrageously low prices, and still cut a modest profit.