Looking really nice spanners what do you use

[Cobbler]

You bought yours about ten years before I bought mine.
Your workmate would have found out what britool spanners tasted like if he'd done that to me.

The problem was, I was 16, 8 stone & 5’6”. He was mid 20’s & about 6 foot.

 

[harveyp6]

The problem was, I was 16, 8 stone & 5’6”. He was mid 20’s & about 6 foot.

I have a very long memory, and I can be a very patient man.

 

[Smallfry]

I still have my Britool combination, offset ring, and mini ring sets that I bought as an apprentice about fifty years ago, but I do wonder if the current offerings would stand up to the same use as mine have over such a long period without failure.

Most of my Britool stuff belonged to my dad, and he has been gone since 1976. They must date from the mid fifties to early sixties. A Britool sales van (like Mac and Snap On) coming round when I worked in Agri and Plant in mid eighties. I wasn't on the tools then, but I remember the guys had a fair few breakages and complaining about them. ISTR they came from France by then ?

I also have most of dads Gordon Tools 1/2 inch socket set in A/F and BSF and BSW sizes. None of them have ever broken, and the ratchet and speed brace still work perfectly. They are also from the 1950s. They were in a nice metal case, but unfortunately I flattened it with a vehicle some years ago,

 

[Hitch]

I'm using some full chrome draper expert ones still, from late 90s.
Nice length to them and nice to hold.
Got a selection of Stahlwille too which are nice to use.

 

[premmington]

I reckon after 43yrs of being a motor mechanic - I have a selection of every make of spanner made - but I don't own a full set of anything now....


Honestly I just own too many spanners....

 

[harveyp6]

Honestly I just own too many spanners....

You can never own too many.

My other half watched one of those programmes where people remove all their possessions to de clutter, and said that a guy on there had nearly 300 spanners, leading to remarks about how ridiculous that was . I of course agreed, but when she was out the next day, I couldn't resist a stocktake, and found that I had,




Exactly




500.




Whoops.

 

[Dapph2]

Sadly they won’t deal with you here without a VAT number

Borrow one from a friends who has one ?

 

[harveyp6]

Most of my Britool stuff belonged to my dad, and he has been gone since 1976. I wasn't on the tools then, but I remember the guys had a fair few breakages and complaining about them. ISTR they came from France by then ?

I just had a Google, as you do, and Facom took over Britool in 1991
I've never had a breakage.

 

[Mick Annick]

Borrow one from a friends who has one ?

I have in the past, but the only person I know is builder I’ve not seen for a few years.

 

[tom2207]

Stahlwille are nice but expensive.

Ive a full set of them I bought about thirty years ago , they are mighty , very slim and very light , they seem to be made from a very strange alloy ,,

 

[8ob]

Stahlwille are nice but expensive.

Especially as a single set is not much use, two of everything in any of the leading brands is going to get expensive.

Bob

 

[Dapph2]

I have in the past, but the only person I know is builder I’ve not seen for a few years.

Time to reacquaint , with a bottle of Crimbo brandy and pay the invoice in cash? Then hand him the paid for invoice??

 

[brightspark]

The problem was, I was 16, 8 stone & 5’6”. He was mid 20’s & about 6 foot.

shoulda given him some laxative chocolate

 

[Shiny Steve]

Kennedy pro at work have now done 20 years daily use just showing some wear on the common sizes, really nice to use similar shape and profile to snap on. These are a long spanner so tones of leverage but sometimes a bit awkward in tight spots (totally different beast to Kennedy standard spanner’s)

Facom 440 at home these did 2 years as a service engineer then got retired to my home workshop. These are a lot shorter than the Kennedy spanner’s but quite a bit chunkier one thing I have noticed is the jaws are a little bit wide. However they are one of the nicest spanner’s in the hand ( and Mac do an identical version just longer)

 

[Shedendman]

Halfords advance,same life time like for like exchange as snap-on,and just as good imho

 

[Jackimus]

Halfords advance,same life time like for like exchange as snap-on,and just as good imho

I have and enjoy quite a few Halfords Advanced bits, very dependable quality and easy warranty for the price, especially if you get things on sale.

My only worry is, 'will Halfords still be in business when I need to warranty this one day?'

 

[oldbikedavey]

I have a considerable variety of makes of spanner , if correct, they comprise :
Britool , Williams, Bedford, Garrington Kestrel, Snap-On, Blue Point, Facom, Stanley, Stahlwille, Snail, Elora, Gedore, Terry, Apollo,Melco, Rolls-Royce, BSA, and no doubt several others besides....
The nicest pattern of spanner, though, is the French ' Cle a pipe', which is a bit like an Allen key, but female.
Marvellous, they are.....

 

[angellonewolf]

at the price compaired to snap on and some others ive even bought a new one from ebay delivered rather than spend the time on going over to use the warrenty but to be fair to them ive shown them the email they say we can order one ive then said its 12 miles to get here can you post they guys have found one out the back and will replace it when the new comes in

 

[Craig-SM]

I have and enjoy quite a few Halfords Advanced bits, very dependable quality and easy warranty for the price, especially if you get things on sale.

My only worry is, 'will Halfords still be in business when I need to warranty this one day?'

You need to worry more about who you get at Halfords. Professional (name before Advance) torque went ping so took it back and the young lad said this doesn't have a lifetime warranty only Advance does. Tried to argue it out and he got the assistant manager, who said the same thing but in a more derogatory tone. Just then the manager walked past with the regional manager so I collared them and it was the regional manager that said I was right and it was the previous name and warrantied. The name had only changed a couple of years ago.

Returning cracked sockets and broken bits (too often, now use Bahco) was always a lottery to which monkey would be operating the till to authorise the exchange show much more time was wasted on what started out as quick job. Luckily never had to exchange a spanner.

 

[Bornfree]

Kennedy pro at work have now done 20 years daily use just showing some wear on the common sizes, really nice to use similar shape and profile to snap on. These are a long spanner so tones of leverage but sometimes a bit awkward in tight spots (totally different beast to Kennedy standard spanner’s)

Facom 440 at home these did 2 years as a service engineer then got retired to my home workshop. These are a lot shorter than the Kennedy spanner’s but quite a bit chunkier one thing I have noticed is the jaws are a little bit wide. However they are one of the nicest spanner’s in the hand ( and Mac do an identical version just longer)

Facom 440s are ok until you get to 24mm then they get incredibly wide in the jaw, very strong but slightly impractical.