My auto shop teacher gave us a great piece of wisdom when he said "The tools don't make the mechanic, but they sure make his job easier" buy the best you can afford is solid advice 👍
I've been a small engine tech for a couple years on the side and had nobody to share this wisdom with me. In the last 6 months every tool I've bought has been either Gearwrench, Tekton, SK, and a select few SnapOn tools that i feel like have the best build quality over other brands (pliers, screwdrivers, and flex head ratchets).
i honestly love harbor freight. For my semi daily use theyre perfect. Id love to see a tradesmen give their tools a shot. I ended up in the hercules line because my dad had a drill and 2 batts in it already and i got a saw/bat and charger combo for 75$ and so far theyre amazing.
Harbor freight has come a long way with their tools. The Hercules brand is pretty good and the datona 3 ton floor jack is better than the expensive brands. Im kot a professional anything when it comes to tool so i use bits, bit holders, pliers and some other tools from Temu, their tools are ok, and amazon.
I love the tradesmen who brag about how they didn’t go to college and don’t have student loans but then are 20 or 30k in debt to the tool trucks- buddy, it doesn’t matter what you end up doing, if you don’t think about how you spend your cash you’re gonna get screwed regardless.
That is not true the bill just comes and goes and most times it is interest free if you maintain a good standing on your truck account and don’t have to use the trucks credit company
20-30k in tools is way better than 100k+ in school loans. Also I can sell my tools if I want and get a large portion of my money back. Good luck selling your liberal arts degree.
Those slip joints are pretty much a direct copy of the Knipex TwinGrip pliers, which I have and love. Specifically the notch in the end that allows you to grip fasteners or threaded rods or whatever from the end.
I have 3 snap-on boxes. Ran out of room, didn't want to shell out all the cash so i bought a Icon box. Was satisfied with the quality, very satisfied with the price. Overall i would do it again. 👍🏻
Thank you for the honest, real-world reviews. I also agree that you get what you pay for. If you go cheap, don't plan on the tool to last to the next job. Some tools are meant to last and some brands have lost quality over the decades. There is no ONE brand that consistently does everything great always. But guys like you, doing stuff like this, helps others avoid crap when getting tools.
I'm a union commercial/industrial electrician with more tools than I know what to do with. I have full USA made sets of tools- but I have been shopping at HF and getting Icon and Doyle hand tools for some time. Quality is excellent in general and their warranty is fantastic. For tools which can break or wear out, tools that get used day in and day out, the hassle free guarantee is priceless to me. And if my tool bag gets jacked out of the gangbox I'm not out $1000 bucks of klein, channellock and ideal tools.
I still hold tight to advice given by Adam Savage. Buy the cheaper tool, use it until it breaks, then buy the higher end, better quality version. That way, you know what tou actually will use and need
Funk FPV.. Snap-on makes their hard line of tools like wrenches, sockets, ratchets, toolboxes etc. Snap-on owns a lot of other tool brands. Stanley Black & Decker owns Mac Tools. Mac and Cornwell still make a lot of their hard line of tools tools and they rebrand some. Matco doesn't make any of their tools, they rebrand all of them. The only thing that Matco makes is their toolboxes. It's a shame but tool companies are realizing they can have a tool made in Taiwan for half the cost of making it in the USA and still have a good quality tool that is just as good as the USA made one. Today we have a lot of different tool companies to choose from and a lot different ways to buy the tools like the internet. Back in the day we had the tool trucks, Sears (Craftsman) and maybe one or two more places to buy tools from and their tools weren't that good so we didn't have much of a choice.
From canada here i have no experience with harbour freight but i think its a couple notches better then my princess auto princess autos best tools are comparable to harbours worst but on the other hand i really like Canadian tire tools they’re pro tools are made in the same factory as gearwrench and sometimes still have the gearwrench logo on the back side and are good tools just more affordable then gearwrench themselves lol
I don't buy a lot of hand tools because I've still got the Craftsman tools I bought with my first paycheck 35 years ago... But I've been really happy with the Icon and Doyle tools that I've purchased at Harbor Freight.
I bought their SAE impact sockets about 3-4 months ago and have been using them along side some Pittsburgh brand. Haven't noticed a real quality difference for an upgrade, but they work and I've had no issues with them. Most of their hand tools on the other hand are worth the price difference. Look forward to seeing how they perform for you!
The difference in the HF warranty is if you use your phone number the receipt is now tied to your account instead of needing the paper one. I believe they will also look up some stuff by credit card if it wasn’t purchased too long ago. Yes it’s all rebranded Chinese tools, but so are a large majority of the others. HF just typically gives more freedom to the manufacturer to make minor alterations based on tooling and part availability. Which means different batches of the same tool may just not be perfectly identical. The main difference between no name on amazon + a aftermarket warranty and HF is you can usually drive to HF and get it today, and if it’s broke get another one today; with Amazon there is shipping time. Same thing with VEVOR brand, they just are a big Chinese mega-retailer that resells anything one of their partner factories are equipped to churn out.
I went to college to be a GM dealer tech. With that came a 52% off of our first Snap-On tool order. You could add as much or as little to the order as you wanted. So I purchased an upper and lower box, several air tools (1/2" impact, 3/8" ratchet, etc), and a whole basic starter wrench/ratchet/socket/hammer/screwdrixer/Torx set, along with some specialty hand tools. That was a pretty good deal, although still expensive. The nice thing about the tool trucks is they are there weekly, so if something was broken they came to you to replace it. However, I didn't generally spend lots of additional money on the truck. Occassionally they would offer a tool that specifically did a job really well that would save me a lot of time. Those were the tools I would purchase. But, I have SK, Craftsman, some MAC, Matco, Stanley, and yes, Harbor Freight. I have to say, Harbor Freights tools (many, but not all) have gotten MUCH better in the last ten years. Their brake and suspension tools are pretty solid. It is much better than the pot-metal crap they were making 15-20 years ago.
Love your videos funk, glad you like the icon tools! The ratchets are pretty rad too, been holding up like a tank for me. Tore apart many engines with icon tools im pretty satisfied with them for the price👍🏻
Dude, you gotta get a zip-tie gun! Best 10 bucks I ever spent! I have one in the house tool box, one in the garage box, and one in my electrical tool bag!
Years ago I bought a 1/4 icon swivel head ratchet while my snap on was waiting on a warranty repair. It wound up replacing the snap on I liked it so much. I recently broke it, took it to harbor freight and they just gave me a new one. For 40 bucks I was pretty impressed. Doesn’t speak for the entire icon brand but I do like the little ratchet I bought.
Diesel Mechanic here. When it comes to simple hand tools, HF is pretty good. Same Snap-On warranty, mostly same tool design, but you're spending 1/4 of the price on it. I wouldn't bother with their air/electric tools though. Their Earthquake LXT isn't *bad* but for the same price just buy an Astro Thor and get imo the best impact on the market
The Icon pliers have 5 jaw width adjustments. They can be used as multi-purpose. Howe they're primarily for gripping various fasteners, nuts, and screws heads.
Quick note: the face on those slip joint pliers is for screw extraction. You know, when the indent is stripped and you can only get a few mil of head... Personally, I'm not convinced they would be good at that given the horizontal (side-to-side) slippage but you could try it. I bought the Engineer brand "Screw extraction pliers" from Japan and they paid for themselves in one operation.
I have some of their Pittsburgh impact sockets and a couple of their ratchets. used them without failure for years. as for the icon brand, they seem to be of decent quality so far
I broke in to big rig repair early eighties worked with 2 mechanics , taught me lots of good habits and a few bad ones. They both said if you need it buy it don’t go in over your head on the tool trucks, set an affordable limit per purchase pay that purchase off then buy more as you need tools. If you borrow a tool more than 3 times buy it . We have a great snap on dealer that comes to shop weekly. I’m pretty loyal to him . 25 years ago I needed a bottom box desperately , We had a baby on the way and money was tight he made me a great deal on a nice used box and I still have that box . I do have a few icon tools and so far so good Thx for the video
I just bought my first ICON pliers they other day and those grips aren't just inspired, they're pitch-perfect copies of the Snap On handles -- grippy, somehow almost sticky. I love them and have already experienced on the one set of SO pliers I have.
Those sideways Icon wire strippers are actually made in USA by Southwire. Southwire also makes a version of them for Snap-On as well. The Icon branded version is the least expensive one. 👍
The original version made by Southwire was actually made for electricians. The 90 degree head is supposed to fit inside junction boxes easier. Then Snap-On and Harbor Freight jumped on the bandwagon with them, but are marketing these towards mechanics.
As others have said the pliers are a direct knock-off of Knipex twin grip pliers. They are a "screw extraction" plier used to grab the head of screws and twist them out. They also bite down pretty hard on round stock like the Knipex Cobra Pliers. They have a different purpose than the slip joint Snap-on pliers so it's hard to directly compare them. HF does make a slip join plier to compete with those Snap-ons also.
Just remember guys, just because something is made in China or Taiwan doesn't make it cheap. If it's made for an American company, it's usually made to a certain spec, just cheaper labor. Most tools are made there now. Some Lincoln welders are made in China, but that doesn't mean they're garbage
I splurged on a pair of Knipex diags, they cut through about anything on the construction site. But the very tip, a mil maybe, snapped off and I'm not sure how. Didn't drop, didn't bash with a hammer. WHat the Shit, they were 40$. 40$ F'N dollars for side cutters. My Kliens never did that
Flush cut reminds me of SnapOn. Your one of the few people that have mentioned what poorly made cutter can do. The crush and squeeze doesn't work for tyewraps. I always hold the cutter up to a light source to see if I can see light. You'd be surprised at the number of name brands that cant get the grind correct.
I'll stick to my trigger style strippers. One hand operation and it auto sizes. Got two pairs from either Mac or Snappy years ago and they still work great. The kind you're using are a huge pita.
IF you are using wire ties a lot just go buy the wire tie tensioner and cutter tool. $20 or under will get you a good one and all you do is pull the trigger and it set the tension and cuts it flush fast and simple.
Love harbor freight. I have everything from klein to harbor freight depending on how bad i need it and how often i use it. Most of the power tools i have at home, miter saw, oscillating tool, things like that i buy at harbor freight. They aren't norm abrams quality but im not norm abrams. My hvac tools are nice though
Only big brand i use is knipex. The only time those cobra pluers slip is when the grip overpowers the metals ability to hold itself together. When they start cutting a ring through the pipe i know its time to go fetch the pipe wrenches from the truck.
I got a full year out of a harbor freight oscillating tool, before one of the pins broke on the thingy that holds the blade. I’m going to buy a Ryobi today.
Ive been buying loads more tools since I finally got a real job and have been wanting to do more DIY. This includes anything like Car work, home repairs, minor electrical. I also use some tools at my job as a datacenter technician. Ive been impressed with HF tools in general. Obviously they have many cheapy tools, theres also some quality tools. If youre smart, (aka know how to google) you can easily filter out which is good/bad. I have lodes from the hercules line and theyve been great. I tend to buy 50/50 new vs used. Im not going to lie, ive definitely bought some items from people who most likely stole them but whatever.
I’ve havent had issues getting my tools exchanged at harbor freight If they have it in stock they exchange it for a new one all the time That’s pretty much what has had me going back for tools
Buy everything at HF with a phone number and youll never have to worry about a receipt if they ever decide to ask. So long as you don't lose it its really a tool for life
For tight spaces, you should try the ICON Flex Head Ratchet and Bit Set. It seems to me that it's an improvement on Chapman's low profile ratcheting bit set. Item 58074.
Those pliers are a direct copy of the Knipex Twin-Grip pliers. I have a set of the Knipex, and went to look at the Icon. The problem I have is the much rougher finish and cut on the actual teeth/jaws, that of the 4 sets at the store I couldn't find one that I liked where both the teeth were cut well, and the two jaws matched each other well, both in teeth closing and overall alignment. Some jaws were also cut larger than others. So the'll be offset but also have a more blunt gripping end. So for me I woulf have to find a set of Icons that properly matches the jaws, have well cut teeth, and no alignment/finish issues before I buy one. That goes for most of the ICON pliers, and tools at HF in general. I inspect them before purchase, as there's sometimes a ton of variability that actually effects use/longevity/feel. But when u get one u like, they generally perform great at what I need them for. This goes as far as even their Apache cases...even in the same series like the 3800, two different batches might have completely different types of foam inserts (along with the usual finish, alignment, and latch strength variability). Like some have this nice thick harder foam, some have this very soft, loose, and light type foam.
To be fair I prefer buy all tools regardless they can be used in any circumstance aka brand name for longevity,use case and specialty and cheaper tools for less precision and having multiple tool kits aka individual vehicle kits and bearing tools where if they get rusty or destroyed it isn't that big of an issue
Look into the Irwin auto wire strippers. I've watched reviews and they always beat the Klein equivalent. Can't do everything but work great. Not the best at cutting but can strip a large range of wires and multiple of the same guage of wire at the same time. Also Irwins are excellent at removing sheathing without cutting into individual wire insulation. Not great for Romex tho
Dude for inline style wire stripping get the quinn or Pittsburgh pistol style autostripper. I use them nearly daily and its a game changer for tight dark holes😂
Those end serrations are like the ones on Engineer or Vampliers, and they are shockingly good for stripped or snapped fasteners. Not sure if the HF jaws are as hardened as the name brands tho
Harbor Freight has gotten better but I don't think they're going to compete with SnapOn anytime soon. Or ever. It's nice of them to accept and exchange broken stuff without the receipt because it's gonna break. But it's cheap. My heat gun from HF lights natural charcoal with no gas or lighter.
Ill take pittsburg impact sockets and end wrenchs because they are cheap and plenty durable. I dont hesitate to grind them, bend them, cut them. Icon is too pricey to just hack up, and they dont seem to be very strong. My boss has broken so many icons.
Those aren’t in the same category of pliers. The icons are knipex twin grips knock offs. They’re engineers pliers that are mostly for removing damaged fasteners with the tip. Or grabbing smaller diameter pipe. The snap on pliers are just slip joints with a narrower head than most slip joints traditionally have.
I honestly like good old hobo freight, I have a fair amount of tools between them and home Depot and Amazon and whomever I can get the right tool for the right price. I have a few snap on and matco tools when they count but yeah save money. I will say Quinn has an automatic wire stripper you might like
I get a lot of shit for using Ryobi power tools but I can get a battery, charger, and tool for the price of a DeWalt battery. I recently burnt out my impact after using it for a decade. It was my dad’s when I got it too.
Snap on wrenches are the best you can buy and are worth the investment if your wrench for a living, that being said I started out with craftsman. Honestly after 7/8 it doesn't matter which wrench you get there is enough steel and snap one are to much to justify the buy.
Something came up on a YT short the other day.. a bent Snap On No. 3 Phillips Screwdriver used as a pry bar. The video was done by the very attractive female Snap On sales rep, wearing the tightest pants.. so no wonder guys are spending so much in the Snap On truck. For me, recently, I've taken to Kinchrome tools. Dunno if you have them in the US, but pretty sure they're not Australian. Actually great value. Think they were originally a rip off from Sidchrome, but have developed into a quality tool unto themselves.
I bought hf hose pinch-off vice grips and they’re the cats pajamas. Unbelievably tight grip on hoses. I left a pressurized coolant system over the weekend with the hoses off and it actually held. No other brand makes them. Unfortunately you get one or two that the rivets pop out of. Got to watch for that.
As far as I know the whole Pittsburgh line at Harbor Freight is warranted. I'm like a lot of guys I work on my vehicle's when they need mataintce or other stuff. So I have no problem with Harbor Freight. If I break it I can replace it.
Hey Funk, love your stuff. Those strippers look like the Southwire knockoff of a Klein design I've had for years. They're specifically for stripping back 14-2 or 12-2 Romex; they strip just the outer jacket while leaving the insulation intact on the conductors inside. The straight-on angle is brilliant for stripping the ends inside a box.
I've been pleasantly pleased with all my Icon stuff so far. I have alot of them at this point because all my previous tools were stolen. At my age, I refuse to go into debt on a tool truck. I don't own or work at a high turnaround garage and that's the only thing that would justify Snap-on prices and, even then, their tools would be kinda hard to justify considering how far Taiwan manufacturing quality has come. Tool truck fans can bitch all they want, Taiwan makes a decent tool now, and I'm not in debt. $1500 in Harbor Freight tools is probably the equivalent of $5000 to $7000 in Snap-on. Also, some of the Icon tool lines are made in the U.S.A. by companies like Mayhew.
Exactly but amount I’ll use them do we need knipex . I used the cobra channel locks everyday so it was well worth the purchase , my snap on tools got used everyday at a time too , that’s good thing about good tools they’ll last forever, but space to store them becomes more than value of snap on tools you’re in trouble 😂
Just looked for the flush cut pliers on the Harbor Freight website. It had a picture of them that did not link to the product. Not too surprising .... their website always seems to be a bit sketchy. Oh well.
After watching many tool reviews, one thing stands out above all others, Snap-On is a highly overpriced brand peddling mid-range to slightly over mid-range tools. They can do better, but have chosen the corporate path.
Props to your wife for respecting your man-cave and tool collection. I don’t have a torque multimeter, but I still gave both eyeballs and all of the fingers I was born with. Your shorts crack me up, but you’re interrupting Darwin’s expected evolution to get Stupid out of the gene pool.
I’ve never found a cable tie gun that worked well or didn’t break. There is places where it would be too bulky but for 90% of what I’d use it for they would work fine.
i bet the hole is to add a drop of oil to keep her butter smooth. i mean if they thought enough to include a cover, i'm sure that'd be an oil weep point or something
I have that set and it has the same hole. Just seems like a little drill hole, probably an artifact of the manufacturing process. Definitely does not access any interior part of the joint. The cap stopped staying on after the third time I clicked it on so it lives with the rest of the packaging now. Have been great for their intended uses so far, though.
My auto shop teacher gave us a great piece of wisdom when he said "The tools don't make the mechanic, but they sure make his job easier" buy the best you can afford is solid advice 👍
I've been a small engine tech for a couple years on the side and had nobody to share this wisdom with me. In the last 6 months every tool I've bought has been either Gearwrench, Tekton, SK, and a select few SnapOn tools that i feel like have the best build quality over other brands (pliers, screwdrivers, and flex head ratchets).
Harbor Freight has come a long way. I think they are doing great from my diy perspective.
They have stepped into the void that was vacated by Sears.
@@kennethsouthard6042oddly enough, I noticed HF increased their quality right around the time Sears announced their liquidation
@@kennethsouthard6042 crazy thing is that HF started to up their game right around the time Sears divested themselves of Craftsman
@@kennethsouthard6042 crazy thing is that HF started to up their game around the time Sears divested Craftsman
@@kennethsouthard6042 crazy thing is that HF started to up their game around the time Sears divested Craftsman
We might give Harbor Freight a hard time, but it’s honestly incredible how much they’ve pulled their shit together following Sears’ decline
i honestly love harbor freight. For my semi daily use theyre perfect. Id love to see a tradesmen give their tools a shot. I ended up in the hercules line because my dad had a drill and 2 batts in it already and i got a saw/bat and charger combo for 75$ and so far theyre amazing.
Harbor freight has come a long way with their tools. The Hercules brand is pretty good and the datona 3 ton floor jack is better than the expensive brands. Im kot a professional anything when it comes to tool so i use bits, bit holders, pliers and some other tools from Temu, their tools are ok, and amazon.
I love the tradesmen who brag about how they didn’t go to college and don’t have student loans but then are 20 or 30k in debt to the tool trucks- buddy, it doesn’t matter what you end up doing, if you don’t think about how you spend your cash you’re gonna get screwed regardless.
The worst part is that 20-30k never gets paid down because as you pay it off you add to it.
That is not true the bill just comes and goes and most times it is interest free if you maintain a good standing on your truck account and don’t have to use the trucks credit company
@@maxwellpeter1598they build the price of the interest into the price of every tool, whether you pay cash or not.
speaking as a sparky i just shop on amazon, home depot and lowes and rotate deals when i need something
20-30k in tools is way better than 100k+ in school loans. Also I can sell my tools if I want and get a large portion of my money back. Good luck selling your liberal arts degree.
Those slip joints are pretty much a direct copy of the Knipex TwinGrip pliers, which I have and love. Specifically the notch in the end that allows you to grip fasteners or threaded rods or whatever from the end.
They are surprisingly versatile. I find I get incredible grip on nuts and bolts
Update. Made in Taiwan. They are the germans of the far east, if japan is a level above.
Not cheap labour in china any longer, $10 an hour
I have 3 snap-on boxes. Ran out of room, didn't want to shell out all the cash so i bought a Icon box. Was satisfied with the quality, very satisfied with the price. Overall i would do it again. 👍🏻
Thank you for the honest, real-world reviews. I also agree that you get what you pay for. If you go cheap, don't plan on the tool to last to the next job. Some tools are meant to last and some brands have lost quality over the decades. There is no ONE brand that consistently does everything great always. But guys like you, doing stuff like this, helps others avoid crap when getting tools.
Knipex
I'm a union commercial/industrial electrician with more tools than I know what to do with. I have full USA made sets of tools- but I have been shopping at HF and getting Icon and Doyle hand tools for some time.
Quality is excellent in general and their warranty is fantastic. For tools which can break or wear out, tools that get used day in and day out, the hassle free guarantee is priceless to me.
And if my tool bag gets jacked out of the gangbox I'm not out $1000 bucks of klein, channellock and ideal tools.
I still hold tight to advice given by Adam Savage. Buy the cheaper tool, use it until it breaks, then buy the higher end, better quality version. That way, you know what tou actually will use and need
Those Snap on tools are big time expensive down here in Aussie. Thanks for the review mate.
They are insane on this side of the planet too.
Good stuff. I really like your comical shorts. Keep it up, good to see “regular working dudes” on here.
Funk FPV.. Snap-on makes their hard line of tools like wrenches, sockets, ratchets, toolboxes etc. Snap-on owns a lot of other tool brands. Stanley Black & Decker owns Mac Tools. Mac and Cornwell still make a lot of their hard line of tools tools and they rebrand some. Matco doesn't make any of their tools, they rebrand all of them. The only thing that Matco makes is their toolboxes. It's a shame but tool companies are realizing they can have a tool made in Taiwan for half the cost of making it in the USA and still have a good quality tool that is just as good as the USA made one. Today we have a lot of different tool companies to choose from and a lot different ways to buy the tools like the internet. Back in the day we had the tool trucks, Sears (Craftsman) and maybe one or two more places to buy tools from and their tools weren't that good so we didn't have much of a choice.
Those flush cuts are the best I've ever found. Just amazing. They'll cut 8ga if you really want.
From canada here i have no experience with harbour freight but i think its a couple notches better then my princess auto princess autos best tools are comparable to harbours worst but on the other hand i really like Canadian tire tools they’re pro tools are made in the same factory as gearwrench and sometimes still have the gearwrench logo on the back side and are good tools just more affordable then gearwrench themselves lol
I don't buy a lot of hand tools because I've still got the Craftsman tools I bought with my first paycheck 35 years ago... But I've been really happy with the Icon and Doyle tools that I've purchased at Harbor Freight.
I bought their SAE impact sockets about 3-4 months ago and have been using them along side some Pittsburgh brand. Haven't noticed a real quality difference for an upgrade, but they work and I've had no issues with them. Most of their hand tools on the other hand are worth the price difference. Look forward to seeing how they perform for you!
The difference in the HF warranty is if you use your phone number the receipt is now tied to your account instead of needing the paper one. I believe they will also look up some stuff by credit card if it wasn’t purchased too long ago.
Yes it’s all rebranded Chinese tools, but so are a large majority of the others. HF just typically gives more freedom to the manufacturer to make minor alterations based on tooling and part availability. Which means different batches of the same tool may just not be perfectly identical.
The main difference between no name on amazon + a aftermarket warranty and HF is you can usually drive to HF and get it today, and if it’s broke get another one today; with Amazon there is shipping time.
Same thing with VEVOR brand, they just are a big Chinese mega-retailer that resells anything one of their partner factories are equipped to churn out.
not all chinese.
Im getting all 3 of those handtools for sure. Those pliers are better than what i see from other companies in the wild.
The strippers I wouldn’t recommend if you work with wires small then 12 gauge 👍🏻
You give some very good advice you're very smart and hot you say thank you for your video. I always enjoy them.
I went to college to be a GM dealer tech. With that came a 52% off of our first Snap-On tool order. You could add as much or as little to the order as you wanted. So I purchased an upper and lower box, several air tools (1/2" impact, 3/8" ratchet, etc), and a whole basic starter wrench/ratchet/socket/hammer/screwdrixer/Torx set, along with some specialty hand tools. That was a pretty good deal, although still expensive. The nice thing about the tool trucks is they are there weekly, so if something was broken they came to you to replace it. However, I didn't generally spend lots of additional money on the truck. Occassionally they would offer a tool that specifically did a job really well that would save me a lot of time. Those were the tools I would purchase. But, I have SK, Craftsman, some MAC, Matco, Stanley, and yes, Harbor Freight. I have to say, Harbor Freights tools (many, but not all) have gotten MUCH better in the last ten years. Their brake and suspension tools are pretty solid. It is much better than the pot-metal crap they were making 15-20 years ago.
Love your videos funk, glad you like the icon tools! The ratchets are pretty rad too, been holding up like a tank for me. Tore apart many engines with icon tools im pretty satisfied with them for the price👍🏻
Dude, you gotta get a zip-tie gun! Best 10 bucks I ever spent! I have one in the house tool box, one in the garage box, and one in my electrical tool bag!
Years ago I bought a 1/4 icon swivel head ratchet while my snap on was waiting on a warranty repair. It wound up replacing the snap on I liked it so much. I recently broke it, took it to harbor freight and they just gave me a new one. For 40 bucks I was pretty impressed. Doesn’t speak for the entire icon brand but I do like the little ratchet I bought.
Good Man, speaking the truth. Especially at the end there.
Keep it up brotha!!!
Diesel Mechanic here. When it comes to simple hand tools, HF is pretty good. Same Snap-On warranty, mostly same tool design, but you're spending 1/4 of the price on it. I wouldn't bother with their air/electric tools though. Their Earthquake LXT isn't *bad* but for the same price just buy an Astro Thor and get imo the best impact on the market
The Icon pliers have 5 jaw width adjustments. They can be used as multi-purpose. Howe they're primarily for gripping various fasteners, nuts, and screws heads.
Quick note: the face on those slip joint pliers is for screw extraction. You know, when the indent is stripped and you can only get a few mil of head... Personally, I'm not convinced they would be good at that given the horizontal (side-to-side) slippage but you could try it. I bought the Engineer brand "Screw extraction pliers" from Japan and they paid for themselves in one operation.
The fast adjust slip joint is actually Harbor Freight's version of Knipex Twin Grips.
I have some of their Pittsburgh impact sockets and a couple of their ratchets. used them without failure for years. as for the icon brand, they seem to be of decent quality so far
I broke in to big rig repair early eighties worked with 2 mechanics , taught me lots of good habits and a few bad ones. They both said if you need it buy it don’t go in over your head on the tool trucks, set an affordable limit per purchase pay that purchase off then buy more as you need tools. If you borrow a tool more than 3 times buy it . We have a great snap on dealer that comes to shop weekly. I’m pretty loyal to him . 25 years ago I needed a bottom box desperately , We had a baby on the way and money was tight he made me a great deal on a nice used box and I still have that box . I do have a few icon tools and so far so good Thx for the video
He gave you a "deal" on a used box? That's why you have loyalty to him? Lol wow
I just bought my first ICON pliers they other day and those grips aren't just inspired, they're pitch-perfect copies of the Snap On handles -- grippy, somehow almost sticky. I love them and have already experienced on the one set of SO pliers I have.
As myself am a 20 year mechanic I'll admit those tool trucks are a great way to establish and build up credit for it helped me restore my credit!
But those interests rates 😧
@@FunkFPV that's the only downfall but that's why we do side work jobs
Those sideways Icon wire strippers are actually made in USA by Southwire. Southwire also makes a version of them for Snap-On as well. The Icon branded version is the least expensive one. 👍
The original version made by Southwire was actually made for electricians. The 90 degree head is supposed to fit inside junction boxes easier. Then Snap-On and Harbor Freight jumped on the bandwagon with them, but are marketing these towards mechanics.
If you're worried about that cutter putting a hole in your bag, I recommend not carrying it in your front pants pocket.
The icon pliers wrench is easily one of my favorite tools
Lol i like sparing with our cats 😊 love the review I need a pair of the cutters
As others have said the pliers are a direct knock-off of Knipex twin grip pliers. They are a "screw extraction" plier used to grab the head of screws and twist them out. They also bite down pretty hard on round stock like the Knipex Cobra Pliers. They have a different purpose than the slip joint Snap-on pliers so it's hard to directly compare them. HF does make a slip join plier to compete with those Snap-ons also.
Just remember guys, just because something is made in China or Taiwan doesn't make it cheap. If it's made for an American company, it's usually made to a certain spec, just cheaper labor. Most tools are made there now. Some Lincoln welders are made in China, but that doesn't mean they're garbage
Lincoln welders are garbage 😂
I splurged on a pair of Knipex diags, they cut through about anything on the construction site. But the very tip, a mil maybe, snapped off and I'm not sure how. Didn't drop, didn't bash with a hammer. WHat the Shit, they were 40$. 40$ F'N dollars for side cutters. My Kliens never did that
Flush cut reminds me of SnapOn. Your one of the few people that have mentioned what poorly made cutter can do. The crush and squeeze doesn't work for tyewraps. I always hold the cutter up to a light source to see if I can see light. You'd be surprised at the number of name brands that cant get the grind correct.
I'll stick to my trigger style strippers. One hand operation and it auto sizes. Got two pairs from either Mac or Snappy years ago and they still work great. The kind you're using are a huge pita.
The model numbers change almost monthly. So that they can rebrand the same product and charge more and claim that old coupons don't work anymore.
IF you are using wire ties a lot just go buy the wire tie tensioner and cutter tool. $20 or under will get you a good one and all you do is pull the trigger and it set the tension and cuts it flush fast and simple.
I proudly sponsor your videos 😂
Love harbor freight. I have everything from klein to harbor freight depending on how bad i need it and how often i use it.
Most of the power tools i have at home, miter saw, oscillating tool, things like that i buy at harbor freight. They aren't norm abrams quality but im not norm abrams. My hvac tools are nice though
Only big brand i use is knipex. The only time those cobra pluers slip is when the grip overpowers the metals ability to hold itself together. When they start cutting a ring through the pipe i know its time to go fetch the pipe wrenches from the truck.
I got a full year out of a harbor freight oscillating tool, before one of the pins broke on the thingy that holds the blade. I’m going to buy a Ryobi today.
Ive been buying loads more tools since I finally got a real job and have been wanting to do more DIY. This includes anything like Car work, home repairs, minor electrical. I also use some tools at my job as a datacenter technician.
Ive been impressed with HF tools in general. Obviously they have many cheapy tools, theres also some quality tools. If youre smart, (aka know how to google) you can easily filter out which is good/bad. I have lodes from the hercules line and theyve been great. I tend to buy 50/50 new vs used. Im not going to lie, ive definitely bought some items from people who most likely stole them but whatever.
I’ve havent had issues getting my tools exchanged at harbor freight
If they have it in stock they exchange it for a new one all the time
That’s pretty much what has had me going back for tools
Buy everything at HF with a phone number and youll never have to worry about a receipt if they ever decide to ask. So long as you don't lose it its really a tool for life
The flush cuts kick ass. I was reluctant to jump on the icon band wagon, but so far, so good.
For tight spaces, you should try the ICON Flex Head Ratchet and Bit Set. It seems to me that it's an improvement on Chapman's low profile ratcheting bit set. Item 58074.
Icon tools have progressed really far int he last 3 years and there pretty good tools now a days for a good price
The end of those offset pliers looks great broken or stripped screws
Honest content, nicely done!!
There Icon brand it built pretty well and as you stated there return policy has improved substantially. Thank you for the reviews as always funk .
Those pliers are a direct copy of the Knipex Twin-Grip pliers. I have a set of the Knipex, and went to look at the Icon. The problem I have is the much rougher finish and cut on the actual teeth/jaws, that of the 4 sets at the store I couldn't find one that I liked where both the teeth were cut well, and the two jaws matched each other well, both in teeth closing and overall alignment. Some jaws were also cut larger than others. So the'll be offset but also have a more blunt gripping end. So for me I woulf have to find a set of Icons that properly matches the jaws, have well cut teeth, and no alignment/finish issues before I buy one. That goes for most of the ICON pliers, and tools at HF in general. I inspect them before purchase, as there's sometimes a ton of variability that actually effects use/longevity/feel. But when u get one u like, they generally perform great at what I need them for. This goes as far as even their Apache cases...even in the same series like the 3800, two different batches might have completely different types of foam inserts (along with the usual finish, alignment, and latch strength variability). Like some have this nice thick harder foam, some have this very soft, loose, and light type foam.
The 1/4 inch rachet snap on knock off is legit.
To be fair I prefer buy all tools regardless they can be used in any circumstance aka brand name for longevity,use case and specialty and cheaper tools for less precision and having multiple tool kits aka individual vehicle kits and bearing tools where if they get rusty or destroyed it isn't that big of an issue
Look into the Irwin auto wire strippers. I've watched reviews and they always beat the Klein equivalent. Can't do everything but work great. Not the best at cutting but can strip a large range of wires and multiple of the same guage of wire at the same time. Also Irwins are excellent at removing sheathing without cutting into individual wire insulation. Not great for Romex tho
Dude for inline style wire stripping get the quinn or Pittsburgh pistol style autostripper. I use them nearly daily and its a game changer for tight dark holes😂
Those end serrations are like the ones on Engineer or Vampliers, and they are shockingly good for stripped or snapped fasteners. Not sure if the HF jaws are as hardened as the name brands tho
Harbor Freight has gotten better but I don't think they're going to compete with SnapOn anytime soon. Or ever. It's nice of them to accept and exchange broken stuff without the receipt because it's gonna break. But it's cheap. My heat gun from HF lights natural charcoal with no gas or lighter.
I have a garage full of icon tools, they were on my service truck when I was mobile
I don’t buy tools or fix anything before making sure this guy hasn’t shit all over it first so I don’t waste my time or money! Thanks, big guy
I doubt I will ever use another stripper besides my Miller Ripley 101-s. Been using them since the late 90's
Ill take pittsburg impact sockets and end wrenchs because they are cheap and plenty durable. I dont hesitate to grind them, bend them, cut them. Icon is too pricey to just hack up, and they dont seem to be very strong. My boss has broken so many icons.
Don't know if anyone has commented on this already but the wire strippers are the same ones Snap-on has
Those aren’t in the same category of pliers. The icons are knipex twin grips knock offs. They’re engineers pliers that are mostly for removing damaged fasteners with the tip. Or grabbing smaller diameter pipe. The snap on pliers are just slip joints with a narrower head than most slip joints traditionally have.
Wes, get yourself automatic wire strippers where you don't have to hold the wire with your thumb.
I like to hold a lighter to the end of the zip ties for a few seconds to make it not so sharp.
Love the old man advice 😂
I honestly like good old hobo freight, I have a fair amount of tools between them and home Depot and Amazon and whomever I can get the right tool for the right price.
I have a few snap on and matco tools when they count but yeah save money.
I will say Quinn has an automatic wire stripper you might like
I get a lot of shit for using Ryobi power tools but I can get a battery, charger, and tool for the price of a DeWalt battery. I recently burnt out my impact after using it for a decade. It was my dad’s when I got it too.
Snap on wrenches are the best you can buy and are worth the investment if your wrench for a living, that being said I started out with craftsman. Honestly after 7/8 it doesn't matter which wrench you get there is enough steel and snap one are to much to justify the buy.
Love your vids man
Thought you would be all over these. We have them in UK, but under other brands
Something came up on a YT short the other day.. a bent Snap On No. 3 Phillips Screwdriver used as a pry bar. The video was done by the very attractive female Snap On sales rep, wearing the tightest pants.. so no wonder guys are spending so much in the Snap On truck.
For me, recently, I've taken to Kinchrome tools. Dunno if you have them in the US, but pretty sure they're not Australian. Actually great value. Think they were originally a rip off from Sidchrome, but have developed into a quality tool unto themselves.
I bought hf hose pinch-off vice grips and they’re the cats pajamas. Unbelievably tight grip on hoses. I left a pressurized coolant system over the weekend with the hoses off and it actually held. No other brand makes them. Unfortunately you get one or two that the rivets pop out of. Got to watch for that.
I was looking at these icon tools. The Kinpex channel locks knock offs looks good. I think im gonna pull the trigger on those after watching this.
As far as I know the whole Pittsburgh line at Harbor Freight is warranted. I'm like a lot of guys I work on my vehicle's when they need mataintce or other stuff. So I have no problem with Harbor Freight. If I break it I can replace it.
My opinion I don't like them stealing everyone else's ideas but it is what it is. Just snap on clones for the common man. I get it.
I'm pretty sure snap on makes a version of that 90 degree stripper , but i don't know if it's any better than the icon
6:16 maybe that's their warning message for you not to f around with their work... 🤣😜
Cannot wait for the day Funk reviews Nord VPN.
Hey Funk, love your stuff. Those strippers look like the Southwire knockoff of a Klein design I've had for years. They're specifically for stripping back 14-2 or 12-2 Romex; they strip just the outer jacket while leaving the insulation intact on the conductors inside. The straight-on angle is brilliant for stripping the ends inside a box.
I've been pleasantly pleased with all my Icon stuff so far. I have alot of them at this point because all my previous tools were stolen. At my age, I refuse to go into debt on a tool truck. I don't own or work at a high turnaround garage and that's the only thing that would justify Snap-on prices and, even then, their tools would be kinda hard to justify considering how far Taiwan manufacturing quality has come. Tool truck fans can bitch all they want, Taiwan makes a decent tool now, and I'm not in debt. $1500 in Harbor Freight tools is probably the equivalent of $5000 to $7000 in Snap-on. Also, some of the Icon tool lines are made in the U.S.A. by companies like Mayhew.
The slip joints are actually okay, but if i have the choice I'm going with knipex
Exactly but amount I’ll use them do we need knipex . I used the cobra channel locks everyday so it was well worth the purchase , my snap on tools got used everyday at a time too , that’s good thing about good tools they’ll last forever, but space to store them becomes more than value of snap on tools you’re in trouble 😂
Just looked for the flush cut pliers on the Harbor Freight website. It had a picture of them that did not link to the product. Not too surprising .... their website always seems to be a bit sketchy. Oh well.
After watching many tool reviews, one thing stands out above all others, Snap-On is a highly overpriced brand peddling mid-range to slightly over mid-range tools. They can do better, but have chosen the corporate path.
You took the old man's advice. It just took time to kick in. Same here
I probably got 100 examples of me doing it that way 😜
Thanks for the review, I constantly use wire cutters, I was not impressed with the wire cutters/ strippers
we vet mechanics know what is good and bad through experience, the tool does not make the man, the man makes the tool. the master needs very little
Props to your wife for respecting your man-cave and tool collection.
I don’t have a torque multimeter, but I still gave both eyeballs and all of the fingers I was born with.
Your shorts crack me up, but you’re interrupting Darwin’s expected evolution to get Stupid out of the gene pool.
Just curious, are cable tie guns too cumbersome to use vs. diagonals? I personally prefer the cable tie guns.
I’ve never found a cable tie gun that worked well or didn’t break. There is places where it would be too bulky but for 90% of what I’d use it for they would work fine.
@@FunkFPV fair enough :) Thanks for the explanation.
i bet the hole is to add a drop of oil to keep her butter smooth. i mean if they thought enough to include a cover, i'm sure that'd be an oil weep point or something
I have that set and it has the same hole. Just seems like a little drill hole, probably an artifact of the manufacturing process. Definitely does not access any interior part of the joint. The cap stopped staying on after the third time I clicked it on so it lives with the rest of the packaging now. Have been great for their intended uses so far, though.
I looks like a hole to nowhere 🤷🏻♂️
HF used to stand for something but now they just want to keep improving their products like everybody else
well said take the old man advise folks