Who makes Autozones Duralast tools? How do they compare.

[unknown]

...and how do they compare to either the venerable Craftsman or the
Stanley 'Pro' tools recently advertised on TV?

Doesn't Stanley now have the Sears contract from Danaher?

Is so - Does Danaher make any tools under other names mass marketed to
home/DIYer market?

Did anybody else notice that Stanley claimed their tools were 'hot
forged' (a reference I rarely hear these days) on their TV ad but NOT
their website? I sent Stanley an email and the response I got was that
'certain' items were hot forged but not sockets.


(PS: to hopefully avert any potential Craftsman vs Snapon arguments -
this is asked purely from a perspective of a hobbyist/DIYer)

[Alex Rodriguez]

Post by unknown
...and how do they compare to either the venerable Craftsman or the
Stanley 'Pro' tools recently advertised on TV?
Doesn't Stanley now have the Sears contract from Danaher?
Is so - Does Danaher make any tools under other names mass marketed to
home/DIYer market?

I got a small set of Stanley tools and I have been very happy with the
it. It is of very high quality and at the price I paid a real bargain.

Post by unknown
Did anybody else notice that Stanley claimed their tools were 'hot
forged' (a reference I rarely hear these days) on their TV ad but NOT
their website? I sent Stanley an email and the response I got was that
'certain' items were hot forged but not sockets.

Cold forged would be better.
---------------
Alex

[unknown]

Post by Alex Rodriguez
Cold forged would be better.
---------------
Alex

Define 'better'

[Bruce Chang]

Post by unknown

Post by Alex Rodriguez
Cold forged would be better.
---------------
Alex

Define 'better'

Being more desirable.

[unknown]

On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 18:28:35 GMT, "Bruce Chang"

Post by Bruce Chang

Post by unknown

Post by Alex Rodriguez
Cold forged would be better.
---------------
Alex

Define 'better'

Being more desirable.

So a slightly softer (and cheaper) cold forge metal treatment process
is more desirable and thus better than the harder yield of hot forged
metal?

[Bruce Chang]

Post by unknown
On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 18:28:35 GMT, "Bruce Chang"

Post by Bruce Chang

Post by unknown

Post by Alex Rodriguez
Cold forged would be better.
---------------
Alex

Define 'better'

Being more desirable.

So a slightly softer (and cheaper) cold forge metal treatment process
is more desirable and thus better than the harder yield of hot forged
metal?

As far as I understand hot forged metal does not necessarily mean that you
will have a harder metal. If the metal is allowed to cool slowly, the grain
of the metal will not be established and the metal will not be as strong.

Cold forging is more desireable because it's easier and cheaper to produce
than hot forging. Starting with the same metal, you can still get the same
strength out of a cold forged metal as with an identical item that's been
hot forged.

Someone chime in and let me know if I got that right.

-Bruce

[unknown]

On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 19:35:32 GMT, "Bruce Chang"

Post by Bruce Chang
As far as I understand hot forged metal does not necessarily mean that you
will have a harder metal. If the metal is allowed to cool slowly, the grain
of the metal will not be established and the metal will not be as strong.
Cold forging is more desireable because it's easier and cheaper to produce
than hot forging. Starting with the same metal, you can still get the same
strength out of a cold forged metal as with an identical item that's been
hot forged.
Someone chime in and let me know if I got that right.
-Bruce

Apparently it's more debatable than I realized.

Here's Wrights blurb on it:
http://www.wrighttool.com/about/whywrite.htm#hotfudge (not the
spelling...!)

Stanley Professional grade cold forges their sockets and hot forges
their ratchets. Their larger wrenches were hot forged but are
converting to warm forged. It comes down to cost. To be honest the
differences between hot and cold forged may be close enough to make
other things of more import like the quality of metal used, carbon
content and such...

[Jim]

Post by unknown

Post by Alex Rodriguez
Cold forged would be better.
---------------
Alex

Define 'better'

You guys realize that most of Stanley's tool are made in China now,
right? They closed their US plants a couple years ago (laying off all
the workers of course).

[unknown]

Post by Jim
You guys realize that most of Stanley's tool are made in China now,
right? They closed their US plants a couple years ago (laying off all
the workers of course).

AFAIK tools made in asia are NOT hot forged period. (again why is cold
forged desirable or better???)

However some Stanleys ARE still made in the US last I heard including
many (not all) that are made for Craftsman. But since Craftsman
purportedly switched from Danaher to Stanley - they are no longer 100%
US made - (90+%?). Stanley also does (or did?) Matco or Mack - can't
remember which and I think most of those are US made in either case.
Again, my info may not be current however.

[Scotty]

Post by unknown
...and how do they compare to either the venerable Craftsman or the
Stanley 'Pro' tools recently advertised on TV?
Doesn't Stanley now have the Sears contract from Danaher?
Is so - Does Danaher make any tools under other names mass marketed the
home/DIYer market?

Duralast is a new trademark registered to Autozone. If you could post a patent
number off of one of the tools, I may be able to find out something about the
manufacturer based on the patent.

Here's what I've gathered elsewhere on the 'net and at the library...

Craftsman is made by Danaher. Stanley lost the Craftsman contract to Danaher in
1994 because of manufacturing costs. Danaher also makes Matco, K-D, Allen,
Armstrong, and probably several others. I've read that all of them are made in
the same plants.

Stanley makes Proto, Blackhawk, Stanley, MAC, and Husky (Home Depot?) tools.
All are made in the same plants using the same processes and materials.
However, the Proto line is supposedly of higher quality than the others because
of it's contract with NASA and the U.S. military.

The French company FACOM owns S-K (Sherman-Klove) tools.

Snap-On manufactures Snap-On, of course, and for a while they sold J.H.
Williams tools as an independent brand, but I don't know if they still do. They
also make Kobalt tools, which are sold by Lowe's. The Kobalt manufacturing
processes and materials aren't the same as those used for the Snap-On brand,
though.

I won't comment about "hot forging" vs "cold forging." It'd turn into a
pissing contest.

HTH

Scotty

[unknown]

Post by Scotty
Duralast is a new trademark registered to Autozone. If you could post a patent
number off of one of the tools, I may be able to find out something about the
manufacturer based on the patent.

Sorry don't have any info handy - I was just wondering if it were
common knowledge or known - I was guessing Stanley - maybe
same/similar to their 'Professional Grade' line or maybe Danaher...?

Post by Scotty
Here's what I've gathered elsewhere on the 'net and at the library...
Craftsman is made by Danaher. Stanley lost the Craftsman contract to Danaher in
1994 because of manufacturing costs. Danaher also makes Matco, K-D, Allen,
Armstrong, and probably several others. I've read that all of them are made in
the same plants.

I had some info that suggested Danaher lost the contract to Stanley in
the last 1 or 2 years. Sears specs their tools and a change really
isn't always that obvious. Danaher had the contract since the 80s and
before that it was a mix of companies including Easco and Stanley
etc...

I'm sure it's a very desirable account for any tool company to get.

Post by Scotty
Stanley makes Proto, Blackhawk, Stanley, MAC, and Husky (Home Depot?) tools.
All are made in the same plants using the same processes and materials.
However, the Proto line is supposedly of higher quality than the others because
of it's contract with NASA and the U.S. military.

I couldn't remember if they had MAC or Matco - thanks!

Post by Scotty
The French company FACOM owns S-K (Sherman-Klove) tools.
Snap-On manufactures Snap-On, of course, and for a while they sold J.H.
Williams tools as an independent brand, but I don't know if they still do. They
also make Kobalt tools, which are sold by Lowe's. The Kobalt manufacturing
processes and materials aren't the same as those used for the Snap-On brand,
though.
I won't comment about "hot forging" vs "cold forging." It'd turn into a
pissing contest.

Ah - didn't know this was yet another one of those religious arguments
- thanks for the heads up. I've known several retired machinist from
teh tool trade they all unanimously said hot forged hands down and
convinced me of the same. They said cold forged is very good - cheaper
and comes pretty darn close (close enough?). For the money the hot
forged always represented diminished returns in my mind. But it's
largely academic anyway - only Wright tools AFAIK still sticks with
hot forged across their line (previously I mentioned another brand
that was my mistake). Most of the stuff, yes even Snapon is cold
forged making the argument academic for the most part.

[Brent P]

Post by Scotty
I won't comment about "hot forging" vs "cold forging." It'd turn into a
pissing contest.

I won't say anything about which is better, everyone else can argue
that.

Cold forging results in better surface finish and better dimensional
accuracy. Material choice is limited to those that have sufficent
ductility at room temp.

Hot forging requires less force in forming, dimensional accuracy
and surface finish is generaly not as good.

Then there is the material science behind coldwork etc....

[Daniel J. Stern]

Who makes Autozones Duralast tools?

The lowest bidder in China.