Here’s some tool-related news and developments to discuss.
Bosch’s New Slogan?
I included this image, of a Bosch cordless power tools display, in my recent post about Lowe’s remnant holiday tool deals.
There’s something that I missed when I was at the store – let’s take a closer look.
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“The More You Bosch, The More You Feel Like a Bosch.”
I don’t know what to say.
Home Depot is Also Experimenting with AI
Home Depot included this image of a Ryobi cordless drill in a recent email newsletter.
A reader (thanks, KevinB!) brought this up, and sure enough I found the image in my inbox.
Great.
Lowe’s in-Store Sawhorse Selection
This is what the sawhorse selection looked like at my Lowe’s store in February 2024.
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Here’s what it looked like in April 2024.
And here’s what it looked like this week, featuring Kobalt, Klein, Bora, Craftsman, and Pony.
They added a greater selection, nixed the shop stools, and added a Kobalt utility cart.
I’m Worried About ToughBuilt
ToughBuilt was not featured in Lowe’s holiday deals section; there was not a single ToughBuilt deal at any of the stores I checked, or online.
We talked about the utility knife clearance in June – My Lowe’s Store has All ToughBuilt Utility Knives on Clearance. 6 months later, I couldn’t find a single ToughBuilt utility knife at any of my Lowe’s stores.
One of the Lowe’s stores I visited this season is larger than the others in my area, and in the past they’ve carried ToughBuilt tools I never saw at other stores. Many ToughBuilt tools are gone from there as well, but they still have a couple – mostly hand saws.
Lowe’s recently moved Klein ModBox from an alcove in the “PRO” tool department, to the seasonal wall, along with other tool boxes and holiday deals.
Dewalt special buys are currently occupying the PRO section at all of the Lowe’s stores I checked.
ToughBuilt StackTech tool boxes and accessories are the only ToughBuilt products I can find at my closest Lowe’s store.
Klein occupied Lowe’s Pro tools section from approximately October 2023 until Dewalt took their place in October 2024 (or just before). At that time, Klein ModBox was moved to the seasonal wall with many holiday tool deals.
Lowe’s is likely going to reset their seasonal department in early 2025. At that time, where will Klein ModBox go? Will Klein unseat Dewalt from the Pro tools alcove, or did Lowe’s and Dewalt work out a long-term contract? In case of the latter, if I were Lowe’s, I’d move ModBox to the tool box aisle.
The lack of any ToughBuilt holiday deals at Lowe’s is a signal. I can’t tell you exactly what it means, but I know it’s never a good sign. There are pieces moving around Lowe’s stores – quite literally – and it gives rise to a tough question: When does ToughBuilt’s contracted placement in the tool storage aisle end, and what happens if Lowe’s doesn’t renew?
What I can tell you is that I am sure there are multiple brands vying for that shelf space, assuming Lowe’s hasn’t already promised it to Klein.
Tool Forum Shutdown
It’s been a difficult decision, but I’ll be shutting down the “ToolTalk” tool forum this year.
If any members want their reviews or other contributions archived or republished here, we can find a way to do that.
Open Discussion Topics
The comments section is also open to misc tool news or topics you’d like to bring up.
Last Thing…
Remember: The More You Bosch, The More You Feel LIKE A BOSCH.
Can someone explain this to me, because I’m really not getting it.
MFC
It’s all a part of the comedic genre they have adopted over the years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2EMy0khjyg
Stuart
Thanks. There’s more! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPZfxEf-p18
Wow, I missed a lot.
Ken
Wow. After reading Stuart’s post I assumed this was part 2 of cringy marketing reserved exclusively for the American market (following up from their “Megawatt Crew” campaign). I’m surprised that the “Like a Bosch” advertising actually originated with the sophisticated folks overseas. Now I don’t know what to think.
With that said, I’m guessing Macho Man is for America only.
Dennis
There are considerably more videos featuring this concept/sentiment/hashtag… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr5xhWZLzVY&list=PLToTXrdo6ZYHGyGmbHNcEWU-6jPgachxd
It seems in the rest of the world Bosch is using a (clever ?) play on words of Bosch sounding like boss. I didn’t get what there were trying to do until I heard their song on the video. I find it more amusing that it snuck into their US print advertising where most if not all of the consumers have no idea what this campaign is. And as a side note I am in love with how the Macho Man character holds drill/drivers. It also made me curious if Bosch actually licensed his likeness or some AI just ripped him off…
Juxtapose
The song is a riff on Lonely Island’s “like a boss” song. I think it’s pretty clever:)
Frank D
Macho Man? … really?
Mike
Ooooooooooh Yeaaaaaaa!
Spearhead91
Yes, Really. That’s “Macho Man” Randy Savage.
Jared
Is there more to that Bosch advertising campaign? TV or social medial ads or something? That’s a weird one.
Ryobi’s use of AI is kind of a let-down. I suppose it was inevitable since it’s got to be much cheaper than hiring a model, photographer and staging the shot – but you can’t even be bothered to check it? Embarrassing.
S
Look at the Milwaukee tool pouch in that same ad. The harder you look, the weirder it gets.
OldDominionDIYer
Not sure Lowes has a brand sales strategy at all. They seem like a hot mess to be honest. Very disappointing since I sure wish they were actually competing with HD. Competition is almost always good for the consumer, but at the moment Lowes is far behind and falling further all the time without a concrete long-term brand and sales strategy. They have some solid products but they’re not highlighting the right product and featuring them which seems baffling to me. It would appear the folks in charge no nothing about tools and hardware in general! I sure hope they right the ship!
S
And even worse, Stuart indicated in the previous “Lowe’s shelves” article that many of the specials were in different physical locations from before.
It’s hard enough to build an identity as a competitive tool store, but if every time I need something, it turns into a scavenger hunt, I’m going somewhere else.
Lowes problems aren’t in the brands they carry, but the marketing and aisle organization decisions they make
MM
One of my big pet peeves with Lowes is not only their constant shuffling of merchandise in the store, but more specifically how they do it. Instead of having their normal employees reset displays they have their “MSI” team do it instead. This creates two problems:
-There are bunch of employees in the store who aren’t actually helpful to the customer
-The normal employees don’t learn where things got moved to because they weren’t part of the reset process.
fred
I recall that “le bosch” was a term of derision used by the French to apply to German soldiers starting in WWI. I’m not sure that the new slogan is or can be divorced from that – but thank that the makers of some good to excellent products with a worldwide presence could come up with a better slogan and imagery.
Re Toughbuilt – news over the last several months sure doesn’t sound good. Being delisted (9/20/24) from Nasdaq – no matter how they tried to spin it – was a sure sign of trouble. They certainly seemed like they were trying to innovate and expand – but perhaps were undercapitalized to undertake such moves. Maybe they can find someone to buy them out.
A W
That’s sad about ToughBuilt.
Their sawhorses are fantastic, and I’ve had a great experience with their work platform too.
S
I’m definitely disappointed in the news as well. Not shocked, the signs have been there for a while. Poor inventory in stores, and then going radio silent, and being delisted are all not turns for the better.
Frankly, they were always going to have a tough time specifically because of how late they entered the storage solution market. Their product road map was a great sign of their ambition to succeed. But I don’t believe they ever officially got off the ground with anything that came after the initial product release batch.
And then to only be partnered with Lowe’s as the singular hands-on location, who had just signed on Klein as a core brand/core retail space vendor, it just didn’t leave much aisle space for toughbuilt to even have a chance.
My local Lowe’s kept most toughbuilt inventory in the lawn and garden section, and usually on the 3rd or 4th shelf up, with one or two ‘example pieces’ shoehorned into random places in the tool aisle. While Klein got special main-row aisle treatment for their modbox line.
But that said, I never did purchase any toughbuilt storage options. I’m already invested into Milwaukee packout, and can’t justify changing away from it. If some of their second-release products hit the market, many of those items were of interest to me, but depended a lot on the price point, considering I’d need to abandon another form factor to take it up.
Speaking of, any new word on the Makita system? It seems after the initial release news, Christmas deal fever struck and there’s been little to no new info or news of it being in any local stores.
That’s another one I’m curious about, but I need to put my hands on it before making a decision.
JR Ramos
I hope this isn’t out of line for Stuart’s site, but you shared a really interesting tidbit of history that I’d never heard before. I’m familiar with the history of “kraut” but it appears that both terms (among others) have their origins before the conflict of wars. If this bit on Wikipedia is accurate it seems that “cabbagehead” was applied by media printers in France to their German assistants (and had nothing to do with cabbage or sauerkraut). Also interesting…the surname Bosch seems to mean “forest” or thereabouts.
My first hunch was that it had something to do with their helmets which were more or less the same in both world wars.
I also just learned that Robert Bosch spent time at Fein in his early days. People don’t give Fein enough credit for what they brought to the industrial world and that we all enjoy today.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boche_(slur)
Andrew
The perjorative French term was ‘boche’, not Bosch.
And I don’t think it’s a play on ‘boss’ either, the two are pronounced quite differently.
Like a Bosch has been a global campaign running for a while, across the group, building their corporate identity. Some of it is very tongue in cheek and amusing, and seems to be very effective.
I like the pride they are building in the brand and among their employees. It’s good to see something that breaks with ‘bland corporate’, and the playfulness works because of their high quality products.
I do not work for Bosch 😉
fred
Thanks for the correction and for some added perspective on their corporate brand building and humor.
MT_Noob
I don’t know which is worse on the Ryobi image. The missing battery or the one-handed use of the drill. Even if you are Bosch strong you could still end up with a sprained wrist.
ken
what is wrong with the ryobi AI image? All I notice is the battery does not look correct. Is that the giveaway that it is AI?
Goodie
That’s a very good indicator that AI was used to generate an image from a text input. “ChatGPT, make me an image of a Ryobi drill being used on framing.”
Easy, low effort and takes about 2 minutes to perform. The problem is the generated image carriees the equivalent of AI text “hallucination” – spouting off an image or answer that has no basis in reality.
Goodie
Bosch makes such good tools. Why they have such stupid marketing is beyond me.
Ken
That’s my feeling also. And it appears that with their most recent releases they have gone to great lengths to not manufacture in China. Instead, I’m seeing Germany, Hungary, Taiwan, and Malaysia. This is not meant to be a political comment, but I’d prefer to see more things being made outside of a single country.
I have to wonder if proudly marketing some of their tools as made in Germany and Hungary (“Europe”) would be more impactful than the other nonsense marketing that they use.
Jim Felt
Sure. But only if they ever figure how to convey that to their intended buyers. Which in the U.S. at least has been a very lame effort. And I’ve a fair number of their tools. Mostly direct imported when I first heard about them. AKA never at Lowe’s and other truly lame retailers.
Stuart
Bosch has always had mixed manufacturing sourcing.
Despite the abundance of German pliers brands, it seems they went with Great Star (e.g., NWS, Knipex) – https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/bosch-pliers-wrench-sk-tools-similarities/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Scott F
Tool forum?
I like the glitches in AI images, the Internet is going to be even more confusing when they’re not there!
ToughBuilt is unfortunate to see, I looked more into their products after you posted about the sawhorses quite a while back and always wanted to get a set. Even if somebody comes in to save the day, it would probably come with meaningful operating changes, and globalization.
Stuart
What forum? Exactly. I moved it to read-only, and then before the holiday season I removed the link and switched to archive mode to do back-end maintenance and security updates.
I’m going to shut it down in 2025, but not without giving regulars a chance to point to anything they want archived. I can also transfer the data backup to keep it all alive somewhere else.
ToughBuilt is highly resilient. I think their only mistake was putting all of their eggs into a Lowe’s bucket.
Back in 2021, they had plans for massive growth. A lot of that seemed contingent on a Lowe’s partnership.https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/toughbuilt-tools-lowes-2021-expansion/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
I think they can still thrive independently, it’ll just take longer.
MM
The forum seems to have been already shut down for quite some time now. You removed the link and switched it to read-only months ago. It was never easy to find thanks to a link that blended in to the sidebar of the page so very well, but since the read-only switch it’s been nigh impossible to access unless someone had links from their previous browsing history.
I have no interest in archiving anything, though I did have some other reviews, etc, I was going to share including an article I wrote on Yari-kanna which was nearly finished.
Ken
Regarding ToughBuilt: over the last several months, I’ve noticed a few tools that appear to be ToughBuilt in different branding. For example, Knee Pads. Check out Toughbuilt’s TB-KP-3 and compare to Menards MasterForce 68675 and the Klein 60491. It looks to me like they all come from the same factory.
Another example is Menard’s Masterforce PROLOCK bags. These are clearly just ToughBuilt ClipTech bags in a different color and very slightly different designs.
Is ToughBuilt acting as an OEM for other major tool companies now?
S
Menards used to stock toughbuilt– it was really my first interaction with the brand. But around the same time the Lowe’s partnership was announced, Menards clearanced all of it.
I’ve noticed a few Menards branded/colored products look like toughbuilt, but unfortunately, the clip on tool belts and stackable storage are entirely unique items.
Stuart
I’ve also seen 2 brands of scraper utility knives – Komelon and a non-brand on Amazon.
I believe they’ve sold designs and IP before.
JR Ramos
Wow…Bosch. Just speechless although I guess it’s no worse than previous weird marketing in the US from them (who am I kidding…this is worse and just ridiculous). Great tools but a psycho at the helm of the marketing department.
At this point I’ve conceded to pretty much give up on Toughbuilt. They *finally* filed last years 10K and I’d say they’re all but hosed. I’m actually surprised they bothered to file it at all, but maybe they haven’t given up (or maybe it was to bolster themselves against a shareholder lawsuit, which is a real possibility). It’d be nice if they can bounce back but they need cash to get inventory and they need investors who are willing to take that large risk. Looks like they’re putting the most effort into expanding in some countries overseas…maybe if that can get off the ground and goes well then they can right the ship domestically as long as they can get distributors again and/or sales outlets like Amazon in a more meaningful way. They got themselves into a pickle and it wasn’t covid’s fault, but the end result is that they lost an awful lot of sales dollars by not having things for people to buy (new and existing users alike), and it can’t be blamed on Lowe’s either, I don’t think.
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1668370/000121390024111385/ea0200888-10k_toughbuilt.htm
It’ll be interesting to see what the 2024 quarterly filings may reveal if they actually file those in coming months.
S
I really don’t think any online retailers would be a great outlet for them.
Same as sk tools. While we can say lots of things about the brand and it’s current owners, personally, the biggest reason I didn’t buy had everything to do with not being able to see them in person and understand the locking mechanisms performance and overall build quality. It’s a lot of money to drop digitally, and I can’t do that without direct physical access to see what it’s really about.
JR Ramos
Well, they simply must, at this point (I mean everyone needs online sales in addition to brick and mortar but I think you meant online-only). They’re in deep water – for a long time now – but the fact that they are attempting to expand in other countries while their home base is in such terrible disarray (and both South America and UK business are also in really bad shape) just says desperation. Some of the 10K is just boilerplate language but they do share a lot that is very telling (more so than the now-repeated “of going concern” warning which is two or three years running). I just can’t see TB getting the capital to start digging and I can’t see the overseas market being enough to build up home base to the point of recovery. Heck, they may not even be able to afford the maintenance and protection of their intellectual property, which could really eat their lunch if copycats and/or ODM factories take aim at them (and in many countries they will not enjoy the same kinds of protection by law that they do here, even if they could afford the expenses to address issues). Sounds like they don’t even have suitable warehouse space to store inventory anymore either…those two lawsuits settled for far more than the past due rent that was owed and at least one of the two had them booted from the premises/lease. If they can get inventory again they’ll need someplace to put it…amazon FBA is just the (expensive) ticket for small companies and TB is now (kinda always was) a small company in need of that type of contract help.
Jody
Bosch North America has terrible marketing, no idea why they let it continue, its one bad campaign after another..
Menards bought truckloads of ToughBuilt and clearanced them out. Website still has some. Had some fantastic deals this year.
Does appear they making the Masterforce brand items now, have same tool clip system and several tool pouches.
Phil
Hey Stuart, I just wanted to let you know if you haven’t seen it already. I was surfing Klein’s website the other day and I think I was on a “sort by category” page and it had a category for “Automotive” and was marked as “Coming soon”. Thought that was interesting. I guess when they get done with their initial drop of plumbing tools, maybe they’ll hit us with some automotive stuff. That’ll be interesting.
Stuart
Thanks! I hadn’t seen that yet. Definitely interesting.
Phil
No problem. I went back and found it.
https://www.kleintools.com/products/industry
Zac
I hope everyone is wrong about toughbuilt – their stacktech stuff is quite good. I would argue it’s better than Milwaukee but I’m sure that will get some hate.
The DeWalt stuff is an absolute wobbly joke.
I'll do it later, Babe
Stuart thank you for all you do! I’ve been a follower for many years and this is actually my first post on here. I thought I should share something with you and you’re readers.
Strangely enough, Macho Man Randy Savage did a rap album some years ago. I’m not saying it’s good or bad, but it’s definitely worth a listen. You can all thank me later, LOL. Happy New Year like a Bosch!
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1VqjvzeqcHkl27EvfanmcuVkJYuXdooi&si=cvKEghn_cLzSZdLv
Irving
RE: Bosch humor.They missed an opportunity – have Titus Welliver in an ad using their tools.
Or, maybe, Milwaukee or DeWalt will do that as a “competitor dig.”
Jimmie
It seems odd that Bosch would use the likeness of someone who’s been dead for 15 years to endorse their products. I wonder if we’re going to start seeing other dead-celebrity endorsements thanks to AI. Imagine a shampoo or cosmetics company resurrecting a dead actress to sell their product…
Katie
Thank you Stuart!!!!!! For all you have done over the years.
I’m sorry that Toolguyd won’t be around next year to check the Black Friday specials. I bought most of my tools in large part after consulting your recommendations and sales. I don’t need very many new tools at this point, though I may lust after some, the ones I have are fine for my woodworking and DIY.
You also have stellar commenters, so thanks to them, too. It’s been a fun forum.
In a world of hype, outright deception, grift, etc. it’s a relief thing to find an honest, intelligent person whose opinion you can trust. When I was relatively new at this, you educated me about the quality of tools, where to buy them, sales, etc. That will stay with me, an important gift.
Again, thank you. I’m behind your doing the right thing for yourself and family. You deserve a good life, so best in your future ventures. I’ll continue to read until you close the site.
Stuart
Thank you for the kind words, and I’m sorry for giving you that impression! I’m shutting down the ToolTalk forum, https://discuss.toolguyd.com/ and NOT the main ToolGuyd site/blog here.
ToolGuyd will hopefully be around for a very long time.
Jim Felt
I thought it was sly humor “Katie” was posting. Oh well. Guess not.
Stuart
I thought so at first, in regard to the onslaught of AI “reviewers” and “content creators,” but then I realized that I should have clarified in the post that I was referring to ToolGuyd’s ToolTalk forum, and not ToolGuyd.
Katie
That Ryobi drill is hilarious. So now they are changing their battery form factor to ROUND batteries. Must be a first.
I’m not too worried about AI taking over anytime soon, LOL.
If you look closely at printed ads, as well as ads on youtube, you will see people portrayed in impossible contortions or with odd or extra body parts. AI at work there, too.
PW
I noticed my local Lowe’s clearancing a bunch of misc ToughBuilt tools (hand saws, etc) over the last couple months. Tough break for them. Some of the designs seemed legitimately intersting (like a Japanese style hand saw with a folding handle that became a blade guard). I would be a little sad to seem them go from the market.
Steve
Bosch is done for in the US market. Apparently the entirety of their US-based engineering team has been laid off effective 12/31/25
Stuart
Source?
Steve
Sorry I meant 12/31/24
All engineering projects have been shifted to China or back in Germany. All product development and safety/testing has been eliminated in US.
Source: I’d forward the email to you but my company email access has been eliminated.
Stuart
I’m sorry to hear that. I haven’t found any WARN notices yet.
I didn’t think Bosch did any engineering or development in the USA, except for maybe the Dremel brand.
DRT42
Not tool related, but a friend used to work for Bosch Automotive in the Detroit area. They had some pretty significant layoffs a few months ago. My friend got the axe. It seems like Bosch is hurting across all of their divisions, globally.
Stuart
Bosch recently announced huge layoffs globally in the automotive parts sector, and also cut hours for another large number of worker, citing the need to remain competitive in the face of a “difficult economic environment and the ongoing transformation in the automotive industry.”
JR Ramos
Sounds like Steve knows much better than any of us but I know there were at least three Bosch product engineers working on cordless tools up in…shoot, Seattle area I think, or somewhere PNW. Now that you mention Dremel, I’ve always wondered what became of their staff after the sale. At any rate, it wouldn’t surprise me a bit if the employee number in US engineering was far below WARN reporting thresholds…which I think is fifty and/or a low percentage of total employees (not at all sure how that might apply to a multi-national that employs in multiple US states, though…and California is probably still different).
The layoffs announced last summer were large numbers across the board but still a very small percentage of the company overall. Automotive got the most press but they did mention tools and the parent branch as well.
On a side note, visiting a couple Lowe’s on New Year’s Day for a certain DeWalt model circ saw blade, it seems that they are making some big changes. Bosch products are even more anemic now than they had been and several accessories were marked as clearance (including a favorite recip blade of theirs). Toughbuilt is even worse, after what seemed like a slight buildup again of some products – now it’s six feet of StackTech and very little else except for the pocket level and four ClipTech pouches. Klein is all over the place, lots of it, including a new square-head framing hammer. I’m surprised how the Spyder products seem to be sticking around but they have even more of those now.
I hope Bosch isn’t on the chopping block with Lowe’s…much as I don’t like shopping there much, they remain the best source for killer promo deals on Bosch cordless. They had some main aisle kiosk stations where people could try out drills and impact drivers, and they didn’t even include any Bosch models there. Bosch cordless has an anemic 8′ of rack while Flex and Craftsman each have more than twice that.
Paul Hacker
Confused on the tool forum part of your website you are stopping next year?
DRT42
There used to be a Forum section. NOT this Comment section, something different. It seemed like nobody ever posted to the Forum, so Stuart is doing away with it. Basically, if you don’t know what the Forum is/was – then you won’t see any significant change to Toolguyd. At least, that’s how I understand it.
Mike McFalls
https://discuss.toolguyd.com/
Link to the forum. Sad to see it go. I liked the smaller community that was reliable
and not spam and useless comments taking threads off topic like many other forums.
Stewart, I copied all my reviews off of the site and reposted them elsewhere. If you think any are helpful to post here- you have my consent.
Stuart
I’m still thinking about how to handle that. I think that longer reviews or contributions might necessitate separate author accounts, and smaller posts could be republished as part of anthology-type posts.
I also toyed with the idea of sending it off into a new separate domain, but someone else would have to take ownership and responsibility.