Most of my tools (about 50%) are Craftsman. I do have a 50yo Husky 3/8" socket set. The rest are a mix of SK and some odd names. I bought a set of SAE box wrenches some 40 years ago at one of these tool sales at a hotel. They were easily 1/3rd the price of any other set at the time…40 years later and I still have them and working fine.
I also have a couple Snap-on Ratchets that I bought from a snap-on guy at a McDonalds about 20+ years ago.
If you work on anything German…you will discover why they put the odd numbered wrenches and sockets in the tool kit.
Ze Geermanz seem to have an affinity for the odd numbers… Dunno why…but there you have it
I believe that depends on point of view. I had an Austrian moped and a VW and worked at Volkswagen dealers prior to the U.S. invasion of cars and motorcycles from Japan, Korea, and China (back when a Nissan was a Datsun).
Where I could ordinarily “eyeball” a 13mm, 15mm, 17mm, 19mm fastener wrench size I found those goofy 12mm and 14mm sizes to be oddball.
Eventually I was wrenching on my Volkswagen car and Honda motorcycle and just understood that I could still “eyeball” sizes once I put myself in German or Asian mechanic mode.
Now I’m working on Pontiacs and Chryslers and Chevrolets using mostly metric sizes and outdoor lawn equipment using SAE. I’m still pretty good at “eyeballing” sizes, but sometimes I’ll grab a couple sizes to be safe.
CSA
No kidding @common_sense_answer ? Modern German vehicles definitely have an affinity for the odd number sizes. It always throws me…even when I know its coming… because the even numbered tools are in the forefront of some travel bag…and I have to dig around for the less utilized odd sizes.
I guess its up to the mfg of course…but I have had several BMW’s and one pesky VW…each and all were Odd fastener fantastic…
I too have a home tool set and an away tool set. I’m not about to haul tools from one location to the other. My tool sets are 1,500 miles apart.
My home(?) (away?) set began back in the early 1960s when I was in elementary school or Junior High and scrimped and saved (mostly birthday money from relatives) and I went to Sears and got a Craftsman beginner’s tool set, like 63 piece and a steel box. It just kept growing from there.
I’ve added Craftsman (when they were real) and some S-K (we sold some at the VW dealer) and Snap-On (the guy came to the VW dealer). Oh yah, and a Harbor Freight wire-feed welder and torque wrenches in all sizes. The tools multiplied until they now live in a roller cabinet and chest with a side shelving unit.
The other away(?) (home?) set began recently 1,500 miles from the original set and is mostly Harbor Freight. I had to start from nothing and they’re used occasionally and I got a big bang for my buck at HF, especially with sales and coupons, etcetera… it’s crazy!
And let me tell you, for instance, a huge set of metric and SAE HF combo wrenches in a holder cost me like 17 bucks. They’re not Snap-On, but they work great for me and they are beautiful! The chrome finish and the smoothness of the metal qualifies them as museum quality pieces of art. They are nice to touch. I got a nice set of sockets, 3 wrench sizes, metric and SAE, all in a nice case and perfect for limited condo space.
Since I’m less than a few miles from a HF store the warranty on these tools goes a long way toward making me a satisfied customer. My cheap HF drill works better than other brands I’ve had.
I’ve got code readers/scanners in both place (actually they live in vehicles where I’d ever use one).
I’ve got infrared non-contact thermometers in both locations. In the north I’ve used them for cars and checking for heat leaks in the house. The one in the south works great for checking temperature differentials in my central A/C just to give a rough indication of the health and functioning of the unit.
Anyhow until I sell the place in the north one of these days and move south, permanently, my wife and I have busy creating a parallel universe. We keep tweaking it. This time I’ve loaded the southern residence with golf shirts (I’m up to 22) and shorts (8), golf shoes (2 colors), sandals (3 pairs) etcetera, that stays here. There’s all that stuff in the other spot.
The idea is to be able to travel back and forth without packing anything, but a carry-on bag.
Tools, bikes, boats, golf equipment, fishing stuff, clothes, toilet articles, electronics, you name it in both places. We bought the condo turn-key furnished so that helped a lot. I just upgraded all the kitchen appliances (4).
Combine having stuff in 2 locations with a memory that isn’t always as good as it once was and I’m always wondering… “Now where’d I put that ____ and was it here or there that I remembered seeing it or using it?” Not all drawers, closets, and cabinets are alike in the two locations. There are lots of surprises. The first couple of nights after I change locations, I get up at night to use the bathroom and walk into a wall. “Now, how many scoops went in this coffee maker?”
I figure that I’ve saved so much over the years by DIYing that if I need a tool I buy it. It works for me.
CSA
HF tools have their place… and honestly the durability of some select items rather astonished me. I’m still trying to break my deep well metric impact sockets…and brother have I tried. 3/4 ratchet handle with a 5 foot pipe on the handle and the only thing I broke was the adapter ( the weak link in that chain but I digress). I also broke my close friend …a Snap On breaker bar doing something rather stoopit with those sockets and a semi truck… I still have the broken warrior… I have to find a Snap On guy on my travels and maybe get it replaced (not sure if they will do that still).
Reminds me of a Snap On ratchet I came upon when I was about 17… It was on the side of the road and I was sympathetic to its plight so he came home with me. After a few years the ratchet internals were breaking down so I went to the truck to ask for a replacement or the internals to repair it… The guy laughed at me and told me that my ratchet was easily from the 40’s and probably saw action in WW2… I looked it up and dern it he was correct. In the end I was able to order the parts needed to repair it… Still have it
But back to HF… yeah they have a place and I do have some. They accompany me on dirt bike missions and other instances where the loss of a tool or its reapropriation is highly likely…and they serve their purpose without complaint…for sure. Open end wrenches arent terrible either and their “pro” tools are improving. Different coatings are also available now…matte and high polish too. I come across many HF tools at a particular job site I frequent…and they are going strong after many years for the guys who own them and nobody sheds a tear if they get lost. Especially their giant size wrenches that would ordinarily cost a small fortune. Makes you wonder…with the mfg of “name brand” tools being off shore so often today, it begs the question of who made the tools over in China and what metal was used… were the “name brand” tools made on the 2nd shift by the same people in the same factory? I am beginning to believe that answer is …“very possibly”
At my northern location (I live on a lake in the forest) I’m 20 miles from a town that doesn’t even have a hardware store, and a Harbor Freight is 2 hours distant.
I have to keep tools on hand. It’s a DIY world there and you’d better have some tools or fold your hand.
I don’t have a need for impact wrench work very often, but when I do there is really no substitute. I bought 4 sets of HF impact sockets (SAE and metric regular and deep well) for about the price of one set of another brand. For a couple more bucks I threw in a set of (3 or 4) 1/2" “wobble” extensions ( they let me attack on an angle when need be) and they’ve been very handy and tough! The sockets work great, although I have nothing to compare them to.
CSA
I tried the Sears Die Hard once . . . they hurt my feet
I also tried Wolverines once . . . based on a colleague’s recommendation . . . they also hurt my feet
Timberland Pro has always been comfortable for me, but they don’t last
Redwings are also comfortable right out of the box, but more expensive and much longer lasting
Anybody remember a brand called Knapp . . . they went bust about 20 years ago . . . I recall they seemed to be fairly high quality
That also describes the Japanese . . .
Yeah, I remember Knapp shoes. I tried a pair once and they hurt my feet. 
Anyone remember Mason shoe’s I tried a pair of their work boot’s once and they were the most uncomfortable I ever wore.
Actually I tried selling those once. Had a pair which were OK but in the sales kit was a shoe shaped key ring that I used for many years. I don’t know what happened to it. I think they are still in business in Wisconsin some place.
I have not thought about them for year’s untill the subject of shoe;s was brought up I only tried them because like you a friend tried selling them he did not last long selling them. If I remember right they were suposed to be long lasting so if you tried selling them you would take too long between sale;s to make any money at it.
I have also always wondered how the tool company’s could stay in buisness with the life time warrenty’s it would seem like if they sell enough new one’s they would run out of customer’s to sell new one’s to after a while.
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I like the sizing the Japanese use on their cars. Part of the PDI (or pre-delivery inspection) included going over all nuts and bolts underneath the car. A 10, 12, 14, 17, and 19 MM wrench bundle covered all the bases and made that a 10 minute process. Never found loose fasteners. Ever.
One oddity I discovered (and don’t know if it still holds true) is that Subaru uses Standard 5/8 head bolts to hold the seat belts in. No they are not 15 or 16 MM either.
I was about to say the same thing about Honda’s… You can literally take an entire vehicle apart with a 8,10, 12, 14 and 17 and oh yea…19. No there are not loose fasteners.
LOL… I thought if I mentioned the Soobie seat bolts I would get push back or find that I was asleep behind the wrench.
So basically @ok4450 I am in full agreement with everything single thing you stated bar none…and in saying so… I just re stated what you stated…LOL
I’m an advocate for the metric system (I have been since before the U.S was going to change everything to it. (Remember when signs came down and went up on the interstates… and then came down, again?), especially when it comes to measuring anything, using volumes (cubic centimeters/milliliters/liters) and weights (the whole milligrams/grams/kilograms thing), but for fasteners and tools, too. It’s easy using mm/cm/meters, too.
What’s up with 19/32" or 13/16"? I have to have those tools, but who’s responsible for it?
How about 16 “ounces” per “pound” and 32 ounces per “quart”? Who did that?
13/64", 12 “inches” to a “foot”, 36" to a “yard”, 5,280’ to a “mile”… (???)
#8 screw, 10d nails?
Who’s responsible for it? I hope that individual or individuals is/are resting in peace. 
On second thought… 
CSA
Who? England is responsible… all about measuring some Kings finger or some shite…
I was actually asking a (hopefully humorous) rhetorical question, but you’re narrowing it down!
I forgot “pounds” the weight and “pounds” the monetary unit. Words can’t express how happy I am that I don’t depend on measuring “cubits.”
And “feet” actually makes a lot of sense because as we all know, everybody has the same size feet, right? 
Oh, wait… crap! 
I think I’ll continue to use and be a cheerleader (the manly kind!) for the metric system. 
CSA
You could take apart about 80% of a Chevy Vega with 1/2" and 9/16" sockets or wrenches.
Let me guess… The other 20% already detached itself? 
CSA
The alternator on a Mercury Sable I owned was held on with a 15 MM head bolt and a 9/16 nut. Apparently Ford was still undecided about the Metric thing. And no it was not a 14 MM nut. I actually miked that thing.
A 9/16 nut threaded metric. Who woulda thought…one of Ford’s better ideas as they used to say.
My one regret is stepping onto the Snap On truck as much as I did. Not everything with the SO logo is a good tool. I’ve bought some sheer SO junk in the past. I do admit my SO ratchets and torque wrenches are well worth their price though. Wrenches and sockets are fantastic. Have not had much luck with SO wire cutters, strippers, and screwdrivers.