Dremel also makes an excellent 3D printer.
The Wiha catalogue is tool porn.
I’m a fan of Gesswein for jewelers stones and tiny figidy stuff.
Milwaukee power tools will outlive me.
On a slightly different front, for the machinist Starrett tools are the finest.
Usually I can’t afford them, but whenever I am buying a heavy use tool I try to buy Starrett.
As an example of the quality, look at combination squares…you probably have one like this in your toolbox somewhere. That square costs $14 at Home Depot. The equivalent Starrett tool, with hardened steel head, costs ten times that.
Whenever I want to demonstrate what this quality means I hand someone one of each–they can all see and feel that one clearly is of the finest quality, while the other is not. One is definitely ten times better than the other.
Other Starrett tools I own include my dial caliper, an automatic center punch, six-inch rule, and height scriber–daily use stuff.
I’m not rich, so everything else is off brand. Dial indicators, 123 blocks, calipers (non measuring kind), tap wrenches, and so on. I can’t justify spending close to $200 on a Last Word dial test indicator when quality indicators can be had for $40.
Other makers in the same league include Mitutoyo, and Brown & Sharpe, though I think the heyday of the latter has passed.
I lucked out and got a huge discount on a ratchet and socket set and wrench set from Snap On when I worked there. I could never bring myself to pay full price. They’re worth every penny, but I just don’t use them enough to justify that kind of scratch.
Most of my woodworking tools are Stanley. Decent price, and they’ve all held up. Aside from a orbital sander and a reciprocating saw, both DeWalt, I don’t own any power tools. A good sander is imperative for boatbuilding, as well as stock in any company that produces sandpaper, so you can attempt to recoup your investment. It hasn’t worked out yet, but I build for myself anyway. Heck, it’s about time to start planning another build. Byebye bank account.
Snap-on are my go-to hand tools. I think I’ve had to replace one in over 45 years of use. And it was replaced free, no questions asked.
I design, build, and maintain automated manufacturing equipment. I have found that cheap wrenches, allen wrenches, and screwdrivers will damage equipment. They are far more likely to strip bolt heads, screws, etc.
We mostly useKlein screwdrivers, but I highly recommend the Vessel screwdrivers (Japanese ball handled screwdrivers). They are very ergonomic, you can generate higher torque, and they hold up well, I really like them.
For precision screwdrivers: Wiha are really nice, as stated up-thread.
For allen wrenches: PB Swiss is the best (I have only used their allen wrenches, but evidently they make many hand tools that I’d love to try), but they are very expensive. Bondhus is also very good and more affordable.
I’ve also come to love the Japanese Lobster brand adjustable wrenches. Their mechanism feels precise without slop, and the outside dimensions are small and can fit in location that a Crescent wrench will not.
That looks interesting.
It’s not hand tools, but a friend of mine has a collection of Festool power tools, and they are just amazing. Their “Track saw” comes with an aluminum track that you can clamp to a sheet of plywood and get cuts as accurate as one from a table saw out in the field. Can I justify spending more than $600 on a saw? No way in hell! But I can lust after it, and if I were doing cabinetry every day, it would be totally worth it.
I was using my Milwaukee 1107-1 Right-Angle 1/2" drill the other day at a friend’s. He only has the $39 Home Depot type Cheese-o-Drill and paddle bits and had never seen a drill like this one. He was wondering “why”. I took a 1" Milwaukee Ship Auger Bit out, put it in the chuck, and got through a 2x4 in seconds. I said “That’s why. Do a hundred holes like that a day, it pays for it’s self in no time.”
Stabila levels. Certified accurate.
I agree with Starrett squares. I have a small one I use for woodworking.
Incra jigs and miters for table saws. Made in USA. Not exactly a hand tool, I guess.
Kreg pocket hole jigs.
Don’t know if you’d consider this a hand tool, but the Thermopen is an excellent instant read thermometer for cooking.
Hock Tools makes terrific replacement blades for edge tools like planes, scrapers, etc. Buy an old Stanley plane and replace the blade with one of these, and it will last your lifetime and then some.
If you want to see how one of those saws is built, check out AvE’s teardown of the beast: here and here.
If you aren’t familiar with AvE, he is a wild Canadian guy who curses and rambles all over the place while giving the most intense and knowledgeable teardown and analysis of materials and construction of things.
I have an Annihilator, and I like it, but for most jobs I still go with my Stanley FuBar. A great demolition tool.