Sn0wlink IT
2019-06-12 My King Dick
Today we’re going back and talking about proper tools. Great tools with history, a purpose and pride.
Many tool manufacturers have been and gone, some have been a icon for British engineering. Rolls Royce, Aston Martin, Barbour Jackets, all company’s that represent Great Britain. There is one tool company for me that has a place in the list of ‘Best of British’. King Dick Tools.
King Dick Tools has been around in the UK for a very very long time. It’s a staple of British Tools. Any old mechanic in England has heard of, and probably has, a set of King Dick Spanners.
They’re strong, robust and made in England. Made in a time, when men where men and boys were nervous.
This company has a place in my heart and also many classic car enthusiast’s. It’s partly because many tools (due to expenses) are now made abroad. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a sucker for a quality Japanese tool. The latest gear from Japan is some of the most accurate, and well finished tools on the market, but it’s not made in my home. Like Snap-On for the US, us Brit’s have our King Dick!
And what a Name, it has made!
What makes them stand out from the rest, is some of the unusual designs of their tools. They have always made something interesting or different to a real British rugged heft. like a all in one screwdriver, (not a multi-bit) One tip to fit them all!
WHAAAAT!
A single screwdriver bit that works for Phillips 1, 2, 3 and Pozi 1, 2, 3, It works by having a steeper angle to the head of the Phillips drive and wedging itself into the screw head. Technically it will also work for JIS 1, 2 and 3 as well. King Dick missed a trick there. They should have called it the 9 in 1.
- The Aluminium Ratchet? - That’s right! King Dick Tools, back in the day, made a aluminium ratchet in sizes ¼", 3/8" and ½". (I have them all). They are suprisly stout and a ratchet mechanism you can count the teeth with, on one hand. It clicks and it clacks, it wobbles and shakes but doesn’t feel loose. It feels, British.
THEY’RE SO GOOOOD! Their tools are so good, they are used by the Aston Martin factory, The Norton Bike factory among many others. If Britain had a Snap-On, this would be it.
A BIG salute and a Massive thankyou to Abbot Tools / King Dick for keeping the tool heritage alive. So a message to King Dick, YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU! And we thank you,
FOR ENGLAND HARRY AND SAINT GEORGE!
The Enginer’d