Socket sets - black chrome vs bright.

That's the only reason that I can think of for a 12-point socket. They seem to offer no other advantage, and I've suffered too many damaged heads to fully trust them now. But you try buying a 6-point socket set in the moderate price range! The black Stanley was one of the very few I found during my trawl of all the usual outlets. Here's a pic:



You can probably tell the case is shite, but it's serviceable, and the set itself is actually quite nice given the price.
 
That looks good Warren. Nice range of imperial sizes in 16 & 32 increments and some deep reach sockets which are always handy. I also prefer that style of ratchet with the lower profile head for reaching tight spaces.
 
To reply to earlier post
I have a Rolex bought at a car boot for £4.00p.
Obviously not a real one but a reasonably convincing fake,the same day I bought it I was offered fifty quid for it,I was tempted, but even my limited good looks wont be helped by a smack in the gob.
Despite the stories I doubt much knocked off gear sells at car boots,I tend to buy from the genuine booters. I have a compressor in the shed that cost me a fiver because the motor was dead,ten minutes with a soldering iron sorted it and my favourite timing light cost me a couple of quid from a lady who hadn't a clue what it was.
Last week I bought a dyson that had burnt out and a jack that has a bad (but probably fixable) leak but thats the chance you take. I'd rather buy second hand good condition stuff from a known quality maker than Chinese made tat even though it might h
have an English sounding name.
 
It's pretty hit and miss with those luxury brands. I bought a lovely bejewelled genuine authentic Rolex Oyster in Thailand in 2000 for about $20 and it still keeps perfect time.
 
Back to socket sets.
If you buy a decent quality set from a well established maker even secondhand it can represent better value for money than some of the cheap stuff that's about.
At car boot sales etc you can often buy sets of comparatively modern sockets with maybe one or two missing or worn.Its easy enough to buy single sockets to replace them and a lot of secondhand sets come in much better cases than the new cheap ones.
I bought a really large vice this week,a Record made in England. £5..00p.No wear on the jaws and new I dread to think how much it would cost to replace.
 
Years ago, I used to go to a few car boot sales in the Glasgow area. However, I soon got fed up. No matter how early I went, all the "traders" seemed to be able to get in before the public. I used to see the same guys walking out with arm loads of goodies while I was waiting for the sale to open. Don't really know but wondered if they had some financial arrangement with the organisers to get in before joe public to hoover up all the really tasty bargains?
 
That happens everywhere,human nature.
I go reasonably early if I'm doing a stall,then sometimes have a wander round. I used to get the dealers pulling stuff about,the new booters often have stuff knicked while they are setting up. I just ask the price and seldom haggle,some of the tight arses will knock people down even when the stuff is already at a give away price.
 
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