Most are familiar with the DeWalt, Craftsman, Stanley, Black+ Decker, Bostitch, Irwin, Porter-Cable, Mac Tools, Proto and Lenox brands, to name just a few. The most common tool brands manufactured in the United States are DeWalt, Craftsman, Bostitch, Irwin, Mac Tools, Lenox and Proto, among other brands. The name Craftsman, one of the tool industry's most famous brands, has long been synonymous with Sears, but its tools are also found in stores like Ace Hardware and Lowe's. Not all of the company's tools are manufactured in the U.S.
But many of them are, and you can tell which ones are domestic by a special logo on the packaging, including some electric drills, lawnmowers and tool boxes. They come from plants in Tupelo, Mississippi; Sullivan, Illinois; Fort Mill and Cheraw, South Carolina; New Britain, Connecticut; and Sedalia, Missouri. Another famous brand, Stanley, began in New Britain, Connecticut, in 1843, but over the years the company eventually outsourced much of its production overseas. However, it recently returned part of its production home when it introduced a select line of tools manufactured in the United States, such as measuring tapes, saws and multi-purpose knives.
Like Craftsman, their Made in the USA line comes packaged with a special logo. Located in Meadville, Pennsylvania, Channellock was founded in 1886 by a Pennsylvania blacksmith. Today, more than 350 employees manufacture 75 different types and sizes of pliers, the tools that have long been the company's bread and butter. Their high-quality pliers are designed for plumbing, automotive, agriculture, electrical, metal fabrication, HVAC and metal fabrication.
The Estwing family business was founded in 1923 and is located in Rockford, Illinois. While they make Bowie knives, axes and levers, Estwing is known for its hammers. They manufacture high quality roofing hammers, bricklayer hammers, drywall hammers, dead hammers, soft-faced hammers and more. Although known for their wrenches, considered to be among the best and most reliable in the industry, PROTO Industrial also manufactures a complete line of products that includes bushings, precision torque tools, screwdrivers, hexagonal wrenches, cutting tools and finishing tools.
Proto, which is part of Connecticut-based Stanley, were used in the Apollo 11 mission and on the Golden Gate Bridge. Since 1923, the Estwing family and its employees have been designing and manufacturing hammers, axes, special tools and levers. Their iconic leather-handled hammers and axes are a beauty, and it's all produced at their Rockford, Illinois plant. Founded in 1886, Channellock is a leader in the manufacture of high-quality pliers and varied hand tools.
It employs more than 350 people at its factory in Meadville, Pennsylvania, and is committed to the plumbing, automotive and electrical sectors. Klein has been manufacturing tools since 1857 and has made a name for itself with its line judge pliers and tools for electricians around the world. Lineman pliers are invaluable for gripping, twisting, bending and cutting wires and cables. Vaughn is best known for his reliable hitting and prying tools.
The company has been manufacturing them in the United States since 1869, and members of the fifth generation of the Vaughn family are still running the company. Lie-Nielsen Toolworks was founded in 1981 to revive popular but discontinued carpentry tools. Lie-Nielsen produces more than 100 types of airplanes, saws, candle holders and chisels destined to last generations. Founded in 1923, Eklind Tool Company was founded in 1923 and focuses solely on the production of high-quality hexagonal wrenches.
You probably have one of their T-keys, foldable keys or Torx keys in your toolbox. Eklind employs more than 100 people at the Franklin Park, Illinois factory. Thirty years later, Kraft Tool continues to manufacture American-made tools for cement finishers, bricks, asphalt finishers, pavers, tile installers, plasterers, and drywall craftsmen. .
