I love my Proto tools, wish I had more of them. I have a few Armstrong combination wrenches I really like too.
I would put Proto, Snap-On, and SK all in the top tier. Craftsman and several others in the second tier. The rest of US made and SOME of the Chinese stuff in the third tier. And all the rest. I have never broken a Top tier tool, and I've used an 8 foot long BY-GODDER on a breaker bar many a time.
I have a lot of older Blackhawk stuff I search it out in pawnshops and online, same as proto, something happened and blackhawk went to crap. I went to trade in a 1/4 drive ratchet that had lasted for years, and the one they replaced it with was junk, it's a quarter drive racket, and it was so stiff I couldn't even ratchet it by hand. They claim it "was supposed to be like that"
Old Proto's are great. The newer stuff is manufactured in Mexico, I believe. Proto is more of an industrial tool as opposed to Snap On, which seems to be more of an automotive tool
been using the same proto tools my dad used for years. no problems even heated a few to bend around odd corners and such still never broke one. if it's not proto, snap-on, s-k, or the like i won't use it. busting a knuckle because of tool failure hurts worse than operator error. side note i love my flank drive snap on wrenches, only wrench i will use open end on.
I picked up a 50s Proto top box and some nondescript bottom roller for $100. Pretty neat item Jerry just gave me my first Proto ratchet to start yet another collection.
I run the Central Stores operation at the University of Texas, and we almost exclusively buy Proto. Really good stuff. If we try and sneak something else in, the Tradesmen really let me have it!
well its kinda like snap-on & blue point. ones american made and the others chinese junk... proto is a great brand(id go along with the others that said equal to snap-ons quality)
I took several proto screw drivers with bad tips ( badly abused ) down to my local proto dealer, they replaced them on the spot no questions asked! Dave
They're 1421 body hammer that they quite making around 15 years ago is the best body hammer i have ever used. If you ever see one for a reasonable price at a swap, buy it!!! I scored 4 years ago at a swap and bought mine with a couple handfulls of dollies and various shaped lead files in a small tool box for 40 bucks !!
my old ones say made in USA on them, I believe they were made by Stanley, remember when Stanley made good tools? my grandfather wouldn't buy anything else, If I remember correctly they shut a productive factory down and went to mexico for more profits.
I was correct, they moved production to overseas, I know they had opened a plant in mexico too, it looks like Proto is going to China now too. When I bought my big set, I had found it in a very dusty case up near Dallas Georgia at a Carquest, It's a US set and probably the same as Proto, I went to the carquest here and the one they replaced my lifetime guarantee with was junk. the 1/4 drive ratchet, Someone told me the USA made Stanley pro stuff is also really renamed proto, when it was still made here. I know they had bought me a set of el mexican ,chinese, whatever ones at work, and within a week all the ratchets were broken. here's an article on it. http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14518
i bought my first proto 1/2" socket/ratchet set in 1954 for $35, $5 bucks a week. Still have them and reach for them first
Proto flare nut wrenches are the best. No slip or flex on the juice fittings, unless they were already boogered up by others.
When Proto mfg. plant was in L.A., my father used to buy a bag of tools every week (he got wholesale price). I still have them, never have broke one. They may not be as pretty as a Snap-On but were as good or better in many cases. Look for the Made in USA label for better quality tools.
FWIW any of you western NY guys, There's an estate sale that's running this weekend that has some Proto, Snap On, Williams & Armstrong sockets & stuff. No wrenches though. Not a huge amount but the stuff is there. Opens Friday @ 9:30 323 Everett Place, Tonawanda, NY 14150
I'm using pop's tools from the 70's and 80's many were proto, proto/challenger. I have never broke a proto tool, they are a more industrial type wrench, no flash, just all function, unless you get the T500 wrenches. They're yummy. Seems like the automotive industry uses tool truck brands, and heavy industry tends to favor Proto, at least around here, the powerplants, coal mines, oil fields use Proto. My local tool place is always ordering tools for these industries, if my order goes in along with the other big orders, they pass the savings on to me. It's nice to buy locally at a price the internet can't match.
I forgot about Armstrong, as far as I know still made here, not cheap but good tools. I have a 3/8 clicker torque wrench used every day for years, still fine but went out of calibration, It's in a drawer. I need to send it to them and have it re calibrated, very good tool, It got a LOT of use before it went off. They are lifetime guaranteed
just got a bunch of proto stuff as well as a bunch of old craftsman, some old made in USA Stanley sockets, some of the old Huskey made in USA stuff, even some Armstrong, the pawnshop here has plastic boxes just full of unsorted crap, mostly made in taiwan or china junk, I just took a cardboard box with me and started sorting. got a big box of all American made sockets,wrenches,even some old USA made Stanley screwdrivers. entire box full of this stuff for ten bucks. The only imprt tools i grabbed are some japanese sockets, they seem to make good tools.
Hey guys, I just bought a pair of Proto safety wire pliers at a swap last weekend and they are broken. The guy there said you could just send them in for a new pair. (I got them pretty cheap) Has anybody done this? Do they come back and ask for proof of purchase? Thanks!
Can't beat 54, but i bought 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 inch sets plus wrenches from 1/4- 1 1/2, extra rachets, screwdrivers, hammers, punches, misc pliers and a bunch of other proto stuff in 61. Spent 344. 97. have the receipt. Still use it today as my pickup set. Missing a couple pieces now, but at my age i really don't care.
A segment of Proto history. Proto Tool had a plant in Milwaukie, OR. My Grandmother worked there starting in late 1942 or 1943, when the family moved to Milwaukie from eastern Oregon. At that time it was called P and C tool (Peterson and Carlborg) http://plombtools.com/CompanyHistory.aspx http://plombtools.com/PandC.aspx. P and C started making tools by using Ford Model T axles. The early tools were not chromed, just blued. Durning the war years they weren't chromed either. The P and C name was still used after Plomb bought the company in 1942. I believe the name changed to Proto in the 60s. Ingersall-Rand bought out Proto and continued to opperate the plant into the late 80s/ early 90s. IR sold the hand tool division to Stanley Tool. Stanley did opperate the Milwaukie plant for a time after the purchase. The tool plant was closed and some of the buildings were sold to a hospital and one was torn down. These were great hand tools! We have my grandfather's P and C tools and my father had several wrench and socket sets. My Grandmother work there for over 30 years, she even went back after retirement. I am always on the lookout for the "P and C" logo on tools at sales.
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