[Closed] Decent Tools

I know park are slightly more expensive versions of other good tools, however, after struggling with a short cheap 8mm hex key for many years, buying a big park p-handle one was a revelation, better fit, longer, more leverage, better made doesn't round off, it's like a breath of fresh air.

I really like my teng stuff tbh, it's generally horrible value for money but I'll be using some of it for the rest of my life I reckon. Until the car industry hires someone from the bike industry to change all the nut and bolt standards anyway. The textured sockets thing sounds like marketing fluff til you're trying to do something horrible like remove a mondeo turbo oil feed, then they're suddenly genius

And my little Ryobi rechargable screwdrivers- they're just like everyone else's rechargable screwdrivers except a hair better. I was always a skeptic but they make light work less faff and I do hate faff

(and on that subject, the whole load of cheap Hakkin screwdriver bit tools I got off amazon- I'm pretty sure Hakkin is just a rebrander but everything I've had from them has been spot on, and having tools like long screwdriver bits, small sockets, allen heads, and hss drill bits that I can fit into the scrwedrivers without adaptors is lovely)

chestercopperpot - Member
Just been reminded how much I like Teng 1/2 inch drive sockets. After hanging off their basic ratchet wrench, with a three foot scaff bar and using my foot on said scaff bar, in a confined space to move seized bolts 1/8th of a turn at a time

You're not servicing my Pikes! 😀

Nothing wrong with Teng stuff. I've got some 3/8th drive stuff thats had some use in my 'mechaniching' days & a Teng impact driver thats been well bashed, all still going strong.

Hands and brain.

Christ they're useful.

You're not servicing my Pikes!

I can be a gentle lover too 😆

It was a day for my persuasion tools. Had the antique (think it's an adjustable tractor wrench) out. Built like a tank, tighten the double jaws down on any size bolt with the twist handle, I know sounds shit right, but it's so solid with no slop not like modern adjustables. I wallop the handle with my 4lb tapping stick and it's fine, don't make-em like they used too! Can't remember where I picked it up from, never seen another like it, a mans tool 😆

My stuff is mainly Gedore and Britool in up to 3/4" for really tight stuff. Wera for screwdrivers and Allen keys. Knipex for pliers and a small Bahco in my pocket for emergency stuff. Park for home bike specific stuff. All pretty much industry standard stuff

Chester what are you working on to use these industrial methods?

Just being nosy!

I’ve never understood the love for Teng tools. I’ve used it, but never bought anything for my own use.

Gedore sockets and extensions, Proto ratchets, Bahco adjustable spanners, and Stahlwillie spanners are what I bought and use. Never, ever let me down.

Never broke a Teng socket. I'm sure you can but you'd have to be going some.

I use the fibre handle ratchet, which at first I thought would be mickey mouse but no it's actually really nice to use. I've got the old one which is a bit agricultural in terms of the ratchet itself (quite coarse with slop), but it can take ridiculous amounts of torque and keep on chugging. I always seem to have scaff bars on it 😳 and it never flinches.

Chester what are you working on to use these industrial methods?

Just my van. 12 years in exposed places can make for very stubborn fixings. Thankfully most are beefy bolts you can gorilla hand.

@ RustyNissanPrairie - That's a good mix.

@ bigblackshed - Some of their stuff is average but dependable. If I was being fussy I would use a better ratchet wrench from another manufacturer with Tengs sockets and extension bars.

Yep, me too actually- tbh mixing and matching is always going to be the best way

I just bought (shudder) a silverline cordless tiny impact wrench. It's too weak to really use as a proper impact but it's dead handy, sort of like a super screwdriver- sped up ripping the front end off my motorbike a lot. We'll see how it lasts but I'm actually loving it. Sometimes you just need good enough- I'd not have bought an expensive tool to do the same thing

Let's not forget the mighty £6.99 wire rope cutter- the best bike cable cutter I've ever used. My Park is relegated to cutting fence wire and spokes now. Which it does like a boss, but it was never that good at its actual job

Just my van. 12 years in exposed places can make for very stubborn fixings. Thankfully most are beefy bolts you can gorilla hand.

Ah,yes. I bet!

Just wanted to make sue you weren't rebuilding a nice carbon frame build.lol

My "nice tools" are Halfords. Lol

Mainly used on the bike and occasional car duties so they are actually ok for that.

Bondhus on allen key duty. Cheapish and good quality. Had years of abuse at home and at work, showing hardly any signs of wear.

I'm a big fan of Teng, 30% the price of Snap-on, 95% the quality. Knipex for pliers/cutters etc.

Let's not forget the mighty £6.99 wire rope cutter- the best bike cable cutter I've ever used. My Park is relegated to cutting fence wire and spokes now. Which it does like a boss, but it was never that good at its actual job

I've got a full set of Teng insulted screwdrivers, pliers and cutters in a case. The heavy duty cutter snips bike cables like hair.

Was round a mates using his shite tools and hurt my wrist cutting a cable 😆

My stuff is mainly Gedore and Britool

Great tools! Are Gedore still being made? I was an apprentice vehicle/plant mechanic way back in 1972 & remember using Gedore, Britool, Gordon & Bahco tools. Council use as well so they got some serious hammer. Can't remember any of those brands being dodgy.

(Thank you National Coal Board for all my Bahco crescent wrenches)

Nothing wrong with Bahco. Got their 1/4 inch 6 point set for tiny things.

Think Britool is not what it used to be, so I've heard! Only got a single socket of theirs.

Most of my stuff is a mix of Blue Point (cheap SnapOn) and an Aussie make called Mogy that bought when I lived there around 1990.

Teng sockets here too, the 1/2" drive set is knocking on 30 years old and the 3/8" about 25years and used every week.

Both ratchets became very worn and a bit slippy a few years ago, so took them to a local stockist - not the original supplier - and they simply gave me a brand new replacement of each, no quibble, no fuss and off I went. Lifetime guarantee.

The sockets are still going strong, same can't be said of the cases, both the lids are free and much care needed when picking them up. There have been a few times when some unwitting helper has scattered the contents to the four winds across a workshop floor!

Do you suppose Teng provide the same guarantee for the cases?

Gedore is still going and still decent stuff. Britool isn't as good nowadays.

Record stillsons and Rigid (#101) pipe fitting spanner (designed to use scaffold tube extesnion) for pipework, Fluke 123 oscilloscope for electrical work.
Record gclamps,
Bosch blue battery stuff (grinder, drill, impact driver)

Breaker bars or sliding T bar for 'breaking bolts' - with an extension bar if needed, ratchet for running it off. Extension on a ratchet would have me bollocking you at work.

Record stillsons and Rigid (#101) pipe fitting spanner (designed to use scaffold tube extesnion)

Breaker bars or sliding T bar for 'breaking bolts' - with an extension bar if needed, ratchet for running it off. Extension on a ratchet would have me bollocking you at work.

I hear ya. Unfortunately I'm a serial abuser and so ingrained is my behaviour, I am sadly beyond help. The ratchet in question will continue it's arduous and repressive life until it spits it's pawls out like broken polos.

In my defence/excuses I have rationalised my mobile tool collection into a 3 sliding drawer and miscellaneous top section tool box, that I can just about pick up without slipping a disc! This means some tools have found themselves subjected to multiple tasks they are capable of, but are beyond there design remit.

@ slackalice - There is a repair kit for the ratchet if you can be bothered. Mine was so cheap, about 12 quid, that I'm not going to lose any sleep over it when it finally gives up.

Yeah some of cases are a bit shoddy.

I have an ancient Heyco 1/2" socket set my father in law gave me, it's missing a couple of bits but is still functional if not in the best nick.

Imagine this but with a Fallout patina applied:

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Still not got a 1/4" torque wrench 🙄

Teng 1/2 3/8 and 1/4 sockets here. Can't rate them highly enough and mine get proper abuse, I love the matt finish which can be a huge time saver.

One point to note is Halfords advanced stuff is also very good, I've a set of the combi ratchet spanners, which on an almost daily basis has a 5ft scaffolding pipe slid over the 17mm, with me giving it the beans and it keeps on trucking.

Yup, I have those ratchet spanners as well as the 1/4" drive set. My 1/2" drive set is a Laser set I got from Toolstation, honestly it's never had any issues but given I only use it for DIYing the car it shouldn't.

Maybe not the highest quality, but tools in LIDL again this week, notably cordless dremel copy, adjustable temp soldering iron, drywall colletted screwdriver thingy and more.

JIS screwdrivers, the now defunct Japanese Industrial Standard screw type, just different enough from phillips/pozidrive to make dismantling classic Japanese bikes a screw chewing nightmare.

My younger brother's rebuilding an old CG125 and discovered that standard to his expense!

chestercopperpot - Member

I hear ya. Unfortunately I'm a serial abuser and so ingrained is my behaviour, I am sadly beyond help. The ratchet in question will continue it's arduous and repressive life until it spits it's pawls out like broken polos.

One of my go-to tools is an enormous clarke torque wrench which I've had for about 15 years. I'd never use it to actually torque anything any more but it makes for a very handy ratchetty-breaker, it is impervious to harm (it's had a 2 metre scaff pipe "extension" on it)

JIS screwdrivers, the now defunct Japanese Industrial Standard screw type,

I believe still used in derraileur adjustment screws, I've still to get some but seemingly they are a joy to use whence adjusting.

Quite smitten with my Facom sockets and ratchet, not the all out quality of a nice Snap On ratchet but almost and the engagment points are fantastic.

I can also heartily recommend Bahco hacksaws too, the cheaper plastic one being better than the metal one. I've used a lot of hacksaws through the years and these are markedly better.

One of my go-to tools is an enormous clarke torque wrench which I've had for about 15 years. I'd never use it to actually torque anything any more but it makes for a very handy ratchetty-breaker

😀 Sounds fair. I've got one of those as well, just can't be bothered reaching for it when lay on my back. The scaff bar is next to me at all times.

My 'best' tool is a Facom 3/8" 12" breaker bar I acquired about 30 years ago - used with a set of Allen key bits. Good enough leverage to deal with things like stuck pedals, freehubs, but light enough to tweak small screws. Only trouble is, I have trouble finding it between my bike workshop, garage bench and camper van toolbox, really need to get another...

JIS screwdrivers, the now defunct Japanese Industrial Standard screw type, just different enough from phillips/pozidrive to make dismantling classic Japanese bikes a screw chewing nightmare.

I think the limit screws on Shimano derailleurs are JIS, not Phillips or Pozi. Or they were.

Although my bikes are in the garage, and it's cold so I'm not going to check. Have a feeling they've started coming with a flat slot as well. Aren't they an odd thread gauge as well?

Makita LXT everything, fab stuff for powertools.
For hand tools Facom is my favourite for sockets and allen keys.
Bahco sockets are good too (better than the Halfords stuff I also have).
I have some Stanley professional screwdrivers that are a joy to use.

The main thing I have found over the years is that there is a right tool for every job, and the difference between having the right tool and botching with the wrong tool is profound. That's my excuse for having more tools than many garages and I am sticking to it!

FACOM spanner’s, sockets and some nice 6 sided socket spanner’s. I’ve some snap on swan neck ring spanner’s as well which are brilliant for fiddly stuff (x trail anti roll bar bush clamp nuts....grrr).

Some metrinch sockets for use when stuff has rounded off.

The Park derailleur hanger tool is sweet

Best tool ever......Lidl £6 multi tool driver with some very small Torx bits for tiny torx bolts that are used by some manufacturers of Telecoms kit. It’s been a “life saver” at 3 am when a colleague calls me out as he cannot get the “sodding Allen bolts” undone on a failed card on some of the new kit we’ve got

For JIS screws I have a Vessel Megadora screwdriver which is excellent quality. JIS screwdrivers made by Hozan are also supposed to be good (I haven't tried them).

Last year Park Tool released their own JIS compatible screwdrivers: https://www.parktool.com/product/derailleur-screwdriver-dsd-2. A bit late to the party. I hope they're better quality than Park's standard screwdrivers, which are quite poor.

JIS screwdrivers made by Hozan are also supposed to be good

Thumbs up here for my Hozan, makes the job of adjusting mechs that bit smoother...

JIS screwdrivers, the now defunct Japanese Industrial Standard screw type,

I believe still used in derraileur adjustment screws

Got a stack of rubbish 27mm sockets at work, various sizes and origins. Land Rover, tractor and dumper wheels amongst other agri' stuff. Wheels rarely come off on the big stuff, so generally require an 8' bar and a combined 30 stone.

Re the JIS screws....

That explains so many chewed up screw heads over the years! 👿

Never heard of it before this thread!

Re JIS screwdrivers the model I have is the 'Vessel Megadora 900 Series JIS Cross point No 2 x 100mm' which fits the JIS screws used on bikes very nicely.

Hozan for the win!, this is a Hozan D-332 2-100, very secure fit in B-Tension screws as they seem to lock themselves in to the machine screw heads and also very handy for fettling Honda Ride-On lawnmowers/ motorbikes etc.....

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Heh, my motorbike's carbs had JIS screws. Really soft JIS screws. I always assumed it was Mikuni's revenge for Hiroshima.

Nah, they were invented for the benefit of Japanese/Honda technicians

Customer : "dunno what's wrong with it?, it just started playing up for no reason whatsoever"

Honda technician : "you've been ****ing about with this again haven't you"