I second this. I cannot recommend the Milwaukee scissors highly enough.

Anyway, here are my favorites: Knipex Cobra & Pliers Wrench. Easy adjust and firm grip. Probably the best tool period. I’ve got a big bulky USA Craftsman ratchet/socket set that I wouldn’t carry, but solid as a rock and basic. Very nice. I’ve got a lot of Stanley tools. A locking adjustable wrench. Stanley & Blackhawk removable head flex ratchets. Easy to carry and awesome. VIM Bit Ratchet is compact and strong, very high bang for the buck. Very handy. I just picked up a compact Wurth Flex head bit ratchet. High quality! Neiko double head ratchet. Nice quality. Got an Ares 2 in 1 bit holder, very convenient and high bang for the buck. Just picked up some NWS pliers and these are high quality and comfortable too. I’ve got several bit drivers that I like too, Harbor Freight, Master Mechanic, Northern Tool, Pep Boys, Wiha. All great tools! If they flex, ratchet, and pack a lot of bits I love them.

The Knipex Pliers-wrenches are must-have tools in my opinion. I have sizes from 150mm up through the 400mm and they are among my most used hand tools. If you told me I could only have five hand tools period the 250mm would be one of them. Not only are they fantastic for working with pipe fittings and bolts but they make a very handy press tool as well, excellent for pressing things like roll pins in a much more controlled manner than striking with a hammer and a punch.
The Knipex “CoBolt” mini bolt cutter is a great tool too. It really punches above its weight.

I totally agree, I love mine. It’s a super useful tool. I still use my Dewalt impact driver for jobs where there are no access issues but I love the M12 for getting into tight spots. It’s very useful for auto work as well as tricky carpentry.

Agree– those came out on top when I did a snap-off blade shootout cutting 8-ply Museum Board a few years ago. I was burning through stacks of blades making conservation art frames, and it was a revelation to finally achieve a 12′ cut with a perfect edge without interrupting the cut to snap a new segment.

You might like the Olfa Speed Blades — it’s the hardened blades with the addition of a low friction coating, on the ground edge as well. Dangerously slick when new and in my use, they last even longer.

Thanks Stuart

Sometimes its easy to figure out who the OEM is.
Home Depot and Lowes put OEM GTIN’s (aka UPCs) on the packaging of many of their house brand items (like HDX, Husky, Ridgid and Workforce (all at Home Depot) – and Blue Hawk, Garden Plus, Kobalt, Task Force and Utilitech (at Lowes)
For Ridgid branded items GTIN’s starting with company codes 757038 , 095691 and 648846 indicate that the item came from Emerson (who owns the Ridgid brand name and licenses it to Home Depot for certain classes of tools from other OEMs). But other Ridgid branded items carry different OEM GTINs.

When UPC’s started gaining traction on packaging – Sears used to do the same thing with Craftsman tools. Before that you could sometimes decipher the OEM by the Sears part number.

Many other tool brands may not pass on these sort of hints about the OEM should they be different.

Very true, I don’t think they make much of anything themselves, it is all likely licensed and branded. But for the money they have been more than adequate. They are inexpensive and fairly well built, perfect for a weekend woodworker.

It is definitely more similar in appearance to the Triton, but still incredibly similar to the Rockwell. The WEN and the Triton Super Jaws XXL have the similar specs (weight, capacity, etc.), while the Rockwell is a little smaller and lighter, almost somewhere between the two aforementioned and the standard Triton Super Jaws.

The WEN still still seems like the better buy to me, especially for me personally with its 40″ capacity, as it can hold a 40″ x 48″ pallet for easy tear down. Admittedly, I have not used the Rockwell or Triton, so I cannot comment on them, just was offering an alternative.

I’ll be updating that post as well.

Here’s the older version: https://toolguyd.com/if-i-lost-all-my-tools-which-brands-would-i-pick-for-replacements/

There’s also: https://toolguyd.com/youre-a-colonist-headed-to-mars-and-can-bring-four-of-your-own-tools/

It’s very likely the same tool.

Vaughan does contract with other tool brands as an OEM, and Klein works with OEMs for tools outside of their direct wheelhouse.

There are too many differences in structural features. Looking closer, the Wen looks to share features from two Triton Super Jaws models.

https://www.amazon.com/Triton-SuperJaws-SJA100E-Portable-Clamping/dp/B00XBO020A/?tag=toolguyd-20
https://www.amazon.com/Triton-SuperJaws/dp/B07BZVHN7X/?tag=toolguyd-20

The Triton models have always been cheaper than the Rockwell JawHorse. I’ve used the JawHorses with great results, but don’t have any firsthand experiences with the lower priced SuperJaws models.

Might be. Daco is owned by Vaughn & Bushnell.
I don’t recall them being the OEM for other’s tools – but that’s not out of the realm of possibility. Klein owns a batch of subs like Vaco, UEI and Mumme (Australia) but none that specifically make tools like Dasco’s

I also like that idea. The “What to replace your stolen/lost/destroyed kit with…” list. And in two user categories: Intense Users, and The Rest of Us.

Like framers could more easily justify a Stiletto hammer, and the rest of us an Estwing or Vaughan.

Not related to your specific recommendation, but Wen seems to share lots of tools with a variety of brands – especially power tools. I’ve seen bandsaws, lathes, drill presses, grinders and more sold under a variety of brand names.

Neat! I wonder if Dasco makes them for Klein – they look identical minus the handle coating. Both made in the USA.

Dasco: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Dasco-Pro-7-in-Scratch-Awl-431-0/100192459

https://wenproducts.com/products/wen-wa600-600-pound-capacity-portable-clamping-saw-horse-work-bench-with-8-by-3-inch-jaws

I like the M12 installation driver for the magnetic hand guard and the highly ergonomic rear grip. The swappable heads are icing on the cake. It has been my go-to tool for a lot of things lately.

I for one would love to see that. Whenever you do these kinds of mashups there are always interestIng finds that make life easier.
Much appreciated.