Customer Reviews

Crescent CTK170CMP Mechanics Tool Set, 170-Piece

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I currently work at an agricultural sales and service business and we bought this set for quickly tossing into the truck when we needed to go fix something. It works well for that but we also have found it's almost easier to grab this case just in the shop rather than running back and sifting through the toolbox to find the right tool.

Now you have to consider what you are going to use this set for. For most people it will be good enough quality for their jobs. Great set for a DIY mechanic. Now if you're a long time professional mechanic who's got the money, buy yourself some snap-on stuff; for the rest of us, it'll work good enough.

Lots of tools and are very well organized. Plenty of sockets and enough wrenches to get you by (all the usual, 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, 5/8, and some metric, I can't remember what other sizes).

My major cons with the product is the plastic case. The case folds open with the top two "wings" folding out exposing all the tools. The tools don't always stay in their spots and you can expect a few screw tips, pliers, or what not to fall out when you open it up. The sockets are stuck in there good though, those can be tough to get out. The case secures with a tab on the top and bottom of each wing. It holds good enough but the tab can easily be broken off when the case is open.

Overall it's a good set and the case shortfalls don't justify a drop in rating. If you need a good tool set, this will work.

This is my 4th crescent set I've owned. This set has everything you could need for most repairs on automobiles, it is my standard issue tool box when headed to the you-pull-it junkyards. Only complaint is the clips used to close the 2 door halves to the plastic case will eventually wear and break. But the tools are high quality. The 1/2" ratchet has taken some nice abuse with a 3 foot long cheater bar to losen rusted 3/4" hitch bolts at the junkyard. A great kit for the back of any vehicle.

I already own this set for myself and just purchased two sets for other family members for Christmas. This is an awesome and very durable set especially for the money. I have owned other sets that were somewhat more expensive but just did not compare with the quality of this set. I would reccomend this set to anyone who is a do it yourselfer or is looking for the perfect gift for the professional. You will not be disappointed in your purchase. I have used this set for numerous applications from inside the home to farm use on tractors and equiptment as big as bulldozers and have yet to break anything in this set. Note a little care and clean-up afterwards always helps with any tools no matter what, but if you are mechanically minded you already know this. Ladies this is a perfect gift for the man in your life.

I received this as a Christmas gift and at the time I was working at a machine shop. The open-ended wrenches in it are decent and have a nice finish. Many of them were smaller than I could use at my job at the time. The screw drivers and pliers that came with the set were also decent and served well. Where the set shines is the ratchets and sockets. I used and abused them on the job and they've held up very well. There is a good selection of sockets and the ratchets are beefy and easy to use. I am a full time electrician now and don't really have much of a need for this set on the job but I have used it many times to perform minor maintenance on our cars and at that it has also proved it's worth.
This set is also nice for a shop environment because tools tend to walk away in a shop so for the cost they are a good alternative to having more expensive tools disappear. If you are a serious or pro mechanic with a nice locking tool chest I would probably recommend Snap-on or even Craftsman wrenches which are both very good. As I said before the ratchets that are included in this set worked just as well for me than a more expensive model. For the home mechanic this is closer to a 5 star kit. For a pro or serious level it's about a 4 star set.

Pros:
This tool set are high quality, have a nice variety, includes several adapters, and is neatly laid out. The ratcheting mechanism feels good and the socket-lock holds onto the socket very well. The adjustable wrench, screw drivers, long nose and tongue and groove pliers are not simply an afterthought (they are well made).

Cons:
As mentioned by others, the blow mold carry-case is not the best quality. The door clips are weak and will most certainly wear out with age. The sockets are held in very well, but my case arrived with one of the plastic teeth that grips onto the socket already broken. There is actually a hole punched in the case by the manufacturer because because of the tight fit. I imagine when they were putting in the sockets they were too forceful and caused the puncture. I have fixed it with epoxy but I am not sure how long it will hold up.

Summary:
This is a great comprehensive set, good value, and must-have for any home tool set. I rated it a rounded up four and a half stars (****1/2) because of the poor case quality alone. One of the selling points for this 170-piece set is that it is convenient and should accommodate most jobs. Receiving a broken case only hints to the pains I will have as I repair the case over time in order to keep these great tools convenient.

============================== 170 Piece Set Contents ==============================
--------------- 1/2'' Drive -----
Ratchet Handle
5'' Extension Bar
6-pt Sockets:
.. [1/2,9/16,5/8,3/4,7/8]''
.. [15,17,18,19,21]mm

--------------- 3/8'' Drive -----
Ratchet Handle
3'' Extension Bar
6'' Extension Bar
Female to 1/4'' Male Adapter
Spark Plug: [5/8,13/16]''
12-pt Sockets:
.. [3/16,1/4,5/16,3/8,7/16,1/2,9/16,5/8,11/16,3/4,7/8]''
.. [6-10,12-20]mm
6-pt Deep Sockets:
.. [3/8,7/16,1/2,9/16,5/8,11/16,3/4]''
.. [12-14,16,17]mm

--------------- 1/4'' Drive -----
Ratchet Handle
3'' Extension Bar
6-pt Sockets:
.. [5/32,3/16,7/32,1/4,9/32,5/16,11/32,3/8,7/16,1/2,9/16]''
.. [4,5,5.5,6-13]mm

--------------- Combination Wrench -----
12-pt Sizes:
.. [5/16,3/8,7/16,1/2,9/16,5/8]''
.. [8,10,12-15]mm

--------------- Screwdrivers -----
Phillips Magnetic tipped: #1@3'' long and #2@4'' long
Slotted Magnetic tipped: 1/4''@3'' long and 3/16''@3'' long
Magnetic Bit Driver: 44-piece Bit Set
.. Adapter: Bit to Male 1/4''
.. Torx: T[5,7,8,10,15,20,25,27,30,40]
.. Phillips: #[1,2,3]
.. Pozidrive: #[0,1,2,3]
.. Square: S[1,2,3]
.. Hex: [5/32,3/16,7/32]'' and #[3-7]
.. Slotted (Flat-head): [3/32,1/8,5/32,3/16,7/32,1/4]'' and #[3-7]

--------------- Pliers -----
Long Nose 8''
Tongue and Groove 10''

--------------- Wrenches -----
Adjustable 8''
13-pc Hex Key Set SAE
13-pc Hex Key Set Metric

I love craftsman tools but craftsman plastic tool cases SUCK. This tool set from Crescent has a nice plastic case that actually holds the tools in place!

The tools seem to be decent quality out of the box, although I won't really know until i put them to hard use. They look nice with the polished finish and feel nice with the rounded edges. I'm 100% satisfied. They look great, feel great, and work great so far. Great value!

Crescent has been a good name in tools. This set is mostly made in China and is of good quality. I was surprised to find the needle nose pliers are spring loaded. I intend to order another so I will have one in the house and one in the truck.

With often opening of the box I am concerned that the clips used to lock it closed may give out or break prematurely, but I could probably come up with a latch of some sort.

Its a good cheap set that covers the 90/90 rule, 90% of what you need for 90% of the people. Add a hammer, some hand saws and cordless drill and you can work on just about anything.

This is by far the best general purpose tool kit for the money I've seen yet (I'm over a half century old). I bought one of these kits 2 years ago (at a much higher price) to carry on a work boat with not much room to store tools. It has held up very well and takes care of nearly all my onboard tool needs. I have owned several other kits but none as complete and versatile and compact (for the amount of tools) as this one. The tools are easily removed and replaced but stay put when the case is open or closed After two years occasionally a couple of the bit holders will fall out when I open the case but mine are subjected to a rough marine environment. I'd rather have them like that than have to struggle to get them out. I have a Channel Loc set that I use at home but it has no pliers, screwdrivers, or adjustable wrench. I have to get a tool to pry the tools out of the case and it cost more. This set is much better. As others said, the quality is good, way above average for Chinese made hand tools IMO. Another thing I like is the 12 point sockets. Most inexpensive kits of this type are six point only. The trick to making the latches last for years is to not bend them any more than needed to open the case. With a little care these tools will last a lifetime and more.

I carry this tool set in my truck - it has yet to fail me. It has a good selection of the basic tools and then some. The case is convenient. The tools themselves seem to be of good quality - I've used them in some pretty brutal situations that would have resulted in lesser tools failing. One oddity - the crescent wrench doesn't say "Crescent" on it - when all the other tools do.

Crescent is a good, old company. The pieces are all made in China or Taiwan, but they're all nice and heavy and seem well-made. No complaints.