# Stanley fat max



## illbuildit.dd (Jan 7, 2015)

I like some of their stuff like tapes, box levels, wrecking bars, etc. But DO NOT BUY THEIR TIN SNIPS. Biggest POS ever. I think task force is better. My favorites are made by Midwest


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## thehockeydman (Dec 19, 2012)

Thanks for the heads up. Probably 60% of my hand tools are FatMax, and I need new tin snips. So I probably would have just bought them.


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## illbuildit.dd (Jan 7, 2015)

thehockeydman said:


> Thanks for the heads up. Probably 60% of my hand tools are FatMax, and I need new tin snips. So I probably would have just bought them.


I thought it was a good move. I even threw away the package or I'd take them back. And, it was the ONLY brand Lowe's had in there


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## Mort (Jul 18, 2012)

Stanley is usually the exception to my rule of "never buy any tool that is sold at Wal Mart," but I'll steer clear of those.


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## asgoodasdead (Aug 30, 2013)

Weiss snips are the only snips.


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## Mr Latone (Jan 8, 2011)

illbuildit.dd said:


> I thought it was a good move. I even threw away the package or I'd take them back. And, it was the ONLY brand Lowe's had in there


Take them back anyway.

I bought that set and returned them.


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## illbuildit.dd (Jan 7, 2015)

Mr Latone said:


> Take them back anyway.
> 
> I bought that set and returned them.


Hm, I just might. Hanging in a harness on metal with a 10 pitch fiddling with that crap really pissed me off.


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## illbuildit.dd (Jan 7, 2015)

asgoodasdead said:


> Weiss snips are the only snips.


I agree but have to add Midwest to that. I've had Midwest for several years left and right and they are the smoothest I've used. Lost the right cutters in a sea of insulation a while back and stanley was all Lowe's had in a pinch


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## Designed2Fail (Apr 10, 2013)

I do a lot of trim work with metal and these make midwest or wiss look second class.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002H49TE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002H49T4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I only own the midwes bullnose snips for cutting through 2 or 3 layer crimps.


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## Designed2Fail (Apr 10, 2013)

I hate the "ripple" effect alot of snips leave on the work piece and they do not leave it.


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## illbuildit.dd (Jan 7, 2015)

I think I will try to find some of those local and try them out.


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## Donohue Const (Dec 31, 2011)

I agree that midwest makes a great pair of snips!


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

Stortz has a great selection of snips that won't disappoint.

https://www.stortz.com/OnlineStore/categoryid/1834/compound_action_snips/Page/Num/1.aspx


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## Yianno (Dec 11, 2014)

Personally I find Wiss to be the only good company of tiny snips. Anything else here is just junk


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

asgoodasdead said:


> Weiss snips are the only snips.


Lenox snips are pretty nice.


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## BradingCon (Dec 17, 2010)

Yianno said:


> Personally I find Wiss to be the only good company of tiny snips. Anything else here is just junk



I'll second this. Wiss snips are the best I have personally used.


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## Home wood (Mar 8, 2014)

Yup only wiss in my box.
I do like fat max tapes, levels, chalk line, wrecking bars.
Don't like their hammers either.


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## Builders Inc. (Feb 24, 2015)

Weiss snips round here. hard to find Midwest, but they are good also.


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## Designed2Fail (Apr 10, 2013)

superseal said:


> Stortz has a great selection of snips that won't disappoint.
> 
> https://www.stortz.com/OnlineStore/categoryid/1834/compound_action_snips/Page/Num/1.aspx


I took a look at the site and see they sell the Erdi/bessey snips I use. Why are they charging $160 for the same snips I get them from amazon for $30?


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## Designed2Fail (Apr 10, 2013)

Sure they say made in Germany but it should not be that big of a difference.


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## Designed2Fail (Apr 10, 2013)

TNTSERVICES said:


> Lenox snips are pretty nice.


I seen those the other day, do they leave a ripple effect in the work piece though?


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

Designed2Fail said:


> Sure they say made in Germany but it should not be that big of a difference.


I see some premium Besseys on Amazon but not the Erdi premium.
They are pricey...


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## SamM (Dec 13, 2009)

I've got the fat max snips and a pair of Milwaukee snips. I prefer the Milwaukee.

I like the fat max tapes (not the extreme), and the Stanley flatbars. Don't like their chalk lines though. Had one go on me in a matter of a couple weeks. Too bulky too.


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## scottktmrider (Jun 24, 2012)

I like the Weiss, I've worked metal studs for 15+ years so I use them pretty much everyday. I've never used any other brand but I see other brand on the job and Weiss seem to be the best


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## chewy (May 23, 2010)

I use my bessey snips on sheet metal cable tray and they work great, I would buy them again.


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## Designed2Fail (Apr 10, 2013)

superseal said:


> I see some premium Besseys on Amazon but not the Erdi premium.
> They are pricey...


What is Erdi premium? If what I am using now is their second class I dont even want to guess what their 1st class model does. I thought what I was using was good they make a even better version?

This is the Erdi snips I got, left and right


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

I buy a lot from Stortz, but I don't own the Erdi premiums. The picture you show appears to be them according to the picture from the website. 

Did you say you only paid 30.00 on Amazon?...Stortz has the listed at $160.00

They do sell an Erdi mini for 30 or 35 bucks on the site but that's not the one's you showed.

Apparently you own one of the finest sets of shears in the world :thumbsup:

I'm in the market only because my Malco lever snips are finally starting to wear out after 30+ years of service.


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

Sorry forgot to include the Erdi Premium pic from Stortz - surely looks like yours...


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

I just checked Amazon and it appears those Erdi snips at Stortz are not the same as you show. I believe the cutting head on the premium model is HSS steel which comes at a heavy price.


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## META (Apr 9, 2015)

The only FatMax tool I use is the 35' tapes, had a few of them over the years.


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## thehockeydman (Dec 19, 2012)

Just yesterday I had to pick up a pair of tin snips. I go to the store and nothing is available except FatMax and Haussmann (a brand I wouldn't buy if it was the only tool left on earth). Picked up the FatMax.

They're nothing special, but work fine for me. Perhaps you lucked out and wound up with a crappy set. I was relieved, as I was expecting the snips to be next to useless.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Isn't Stanley in bed with Dewalt and Black & Decker?


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## Needles (May 18, 2012)

Californiadecks said:


> Isn't Stanley in bed with Dewalt and Black & Decker?


Yes. Not really in bed but a full on merger. They are no longer Stanley Works but Stanley Black and Decker.


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## illbuildit.dd (Jan 7, 2015)

thehockeydman said:


> Just yesterday I had to pick up a pair of tin snips. I go to the store and nothing is available except FatMax and Haussmann (a brand I wouldn't buy if it was the only tool left on earth). Picked up the FatMax.
> 
> They're nothing special, but work fine for me. Perhaps you lucked out and wound up with a crappy set. I was relieved, as I was expecting the snips to be next to useless.


Thats the problem I ran into, the only set available. There was no other brand period. Had to have them because I was short on time. I've gotten a little use to them, but will remain as a backup. They're hard to close for the tool belt when I'm relying on a harness for suspension. My other snips are simple to use and smooth. Also the Stanley wants to fold the metal as opposed to cut it way more often than the others.


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## jetdawg (Apr 9, 2015)

Wiss is garbage these days, not what they used to be. Midwest is where it's at.


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## cedarboarder (Mar 30, 2015)

besides tapes and crow bars. i dont much fat max. I didd like the framing hammer good price for a ok hammer. broke a couple handles but not many brands lasted.


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## illbuildit.dd (Jan 7, 2015)

jetdawg said:


> Wiss is garbage these days, not what they used to be. Midwest is where it's at.


Midwest is the best I've ever used.


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## illbuildit.dd (Jan 7, 2015)

cedarboarder said:


> besides tapes and crow bars. i dont much fat max. I didd like the framing hammer good price for a ok hammer. broke a couple handles but not many brands lasted.


I love my 35 fat max tape. Its pretty fun laughing at guys with flimsy tapes then pulling it out. Sometimes They'll show ip the next day with one


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## cedarboarder (Mar 30, 2015)

illbuildit.dd said:


> I love my 35 fat max tape. Its pretty fun laughing at guys with flimsy tapes then pulling it out. Sometimes They'll show ip the next day with one


It really is a standard now. Great for estimating.


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## RobertCDF (Aug 18, 2005)

illbuildit.dd said:


> cedarboarder said:
> 
> 
> > besides tapes and crow bars. i dont much fat max. I didd like the framing hammer good price for a ok hammer. broke a couple handles but not many brands lasted.
> ...


I'm shocked when people (in the trade) don't know about fatmax tapes.


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