101–110 of 144 posts
Just for the record, this is a novelty domain with a history of posting AI-generated articles that are clearly designed to get clicks based on nostalgia for how random things "used to be better": https://news.ycombinator.com/from?site=worseonpurpose.com
Tangentially, Arrow T50 stapler used to be a tank but now it's wet shit. Apparently they changed to a new factory. So when your reputation is big you can slack on the product. Or is that naive? Is it the natural progression for all products? Like in that movie Brasil. The food is awful but the illustration of the food is wonderful.
The problem is MBAs see an unpriced asset of the commons and burn it down to get temporarily, one time ahead.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
For every one public headline failure there are hundreds of profitable executions that never get mentioned.
I think the general rule is more like they expect only 1 in 4 to work out, but that 1 works out good enough for the rest.
The big thing that happened to power tools was Lithium-Ion batteries. All of these companies competed when they were still corded electric tools. You could just make a really good drill or saw or router. Interchangeable batteries got really good and made every set of tools a platform. More importantly, there are only a handful of sources to get batteries from. For all these companies to differentiate and compete they…
Cordless tools were a niche product, they could barely run an hour and they didn't have 1/10th the power a corded tool does. Things like cordless angle grinders didn't even exist because there was no way to get the required power to drive them.
You also have the advent of brushless tools recently which drive even more power to cordless tools. Smaller, lighter, more power and longer runtime. You put a cheap 18v Ryobi driver against an all metal housing Craftsman corded from the 80s, that cheap plastic Ryobi will outclass that Craftsman every time.
Some brands have risen and fallen. What's happened to Porter Cable is a shame. But conversely, how completely competitive a brand like Ryobi has gotten is also a near miracle. It's a great time for power tools!
I think most pros agree that Klein tools have fallen off. And conspicuously missing on the list is Wiha and Wera. Wiha is a family-owned private company in Germany. Relies on self-funding and conservative growth using long-standing relationships with German banks rather than private equity. They manufacture in Germany, Vietnam, Switzerland, and a tiny plant in the US. Well known by electricians. Much better warranty.…
Professional builders, craftsman and people who care about their art care about these things.
The people that these companies are selling to (Home Depot “weekend warriors”) do not care about these things which is why they continue to sell despite the alternative existing at a higher price point
And even most entry-level professionals these days are using whatever they can get. I went to a yard sale in Manassas Virginia which is very blue-collar and mostly people working on houses and mowing lawns and things and somebody was selling all of their DeWalt tools because they just bought a new set for cheaper than they could’ve bought a really solid tool.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Snap-on is one of the worst value buys out there. Even for professional mechanics.
The only Snap-on tools I have, I picked up off the side of the road, except for a ratchet which my father somehow brought home from Vietnam --- his comment on the brand? >It's pretty easy to get the about the same quality, but it's hard to pay more. Just figure out their OEM and buy a Williams brand screwdriver for example. That said, for a professional mechanic, there's a lot of value in buying a tool which one can…
There is some value having a truck that delivers the items to do and does infield warranty but I don’t think it warrants a 4x cost.
I would imagine most mechanics would do well these days buying the premium cheap option, like Icon, and buy better when they know what they need and identify longevity issues. I could absolutely see certain air tools or power tools where you may buy brand but even then the Harbor Freights of the world have come a long way.
Just for the record, this is a novelty domain with a history of posting AI-generated articles that are clearly designed to get clicks based on nostalgia for how random things "used to be better": https://news.ycombinator.com/from?site=worseonpurpose.com
I'm glad I'm not the only one that noticed the article felt AI generated.