Craftsman Tools

[maxdustington]

Originally Posted by Trav
Originally Posted by Blkstanger
I own some old Made in the USA Craftsman tools. If they ever break I wont be replacing them with cheap Chinese junk.


At one time a mechanic just starting out (me included) could go to sears and buy some decent tools that would last but they were not cheap, they were mid priced tools.
A 200 piece set which didn't have the usual fillers just sockets ratchets, swivels, extensions, wrenches, etc was $199,99 in 1973 which today is $1,155 which is far from cheap, it is still $200 so they did reduce the price along with the quality.

The trash they peddle today I wouldn't put in my box, it is not worth the scrap metal its made from. I still have my Craftsman sockets and the deep have a feature that today not common which is a very deep broach, deep enough to grab long engine sensors, try that with new anything inc the new Craftsman, they will not go on. I used the 19mm just yesterday on a temp sensor.
The amazing thing is none have broken and for the first 8 or 9 years I used them every day. The new Chicom stuff is not holding up like that today.

For the DIY I would go with Taiwan stuff if I didn't want to give out a bit more for US or Euro made, the quality is good enough and the price is right.
Craftsman made in USA = prosumer tools before the term was coined. I've heard countless stories of mechanics starting out with Craftsman sets and sometimes never upgrading. They rebranded a lot of quality tools which makes them a great value used if you know what to look for. They were even rebranding Knipex Cobras at the beginning of this decade!

 

[Trav]

They sure did rebrand some quality tools. I have a set of Craftsman full polish metric wrenches that have a small "k" stamped in them = they were made by SK, those are some good wrenches.
I upgraded with Hazet and later short pattern Stahlwille because they have their version of "flank drive". The ratchets went in "the tools to be beaten on" bin within the first month they were so uncomfortable and I bought SnapOn ones from the rape truck.

My box has all sorts of makes inc some SO all great quality and I didn't have to go into debt for them.

 

[AC1DD]

Originally Posted by Trav
They sure did rebrand some quality tools. I have a set of Craftsman full polish metric wrenches that have a small "k" stamped in them = they were made by SK, those are some good wrenches.
I upgraded with Hazet and later short pattern Stahlwille because they have their version of "flank drive". The ratchets went in "the tools to be beaten on" bin within the first month they were so uncomfortable and I bought SnapOn ones from the rape truck.

My box has all sorts of makes inc some SO all great quality and I didn't have to go into debt for them.


Yes I knew this little secret about Craftsman as well SK / Facom are really great hand tools!

Oh and yep that "endearing" term for the SnapOn trucks goes way back. I remember hearing that term all the way back around 1984-85.

I remember even back then when the trucks would show up at the dealerships, all the techs would joke about it and make fun of the guy operating them sometimes as well. Techs would grumble a lot, step into the trucks come back out in 20 minutes and be b!tching up a storm about the prices.

Big names that would visit the dealerships at the time were Matco, Snap On, Vulcan, Mac,...Vulcan actually had decent prices and the quality was decent for the money.

 

[RDY4WAR]

I have two torque wrenches that I use regularly. One is a Matco Tools digital and the other a 36 year old Craftsman wrench handed down from my father. As of last year, the Craftsman was still calibrated within 1 ft-lb of the Matco wrench.

 

[Eddie]

I have a really complete set of Craftsman tools in a 3 drawer chest that I bought in ~1958. Still use them and have only broke one 1" socket using a 3 foot pipe on it. Replaced free of charge. Great tools and glad they are back. The Chinese ones are NOT junk but, pretty nice. I do hope Stanly does bring back the manufacturing ASAP. Ed

 

[Snagglefoot]

Originally Posted by 007
Funny how most Craftsman hand tools went to being made in China but the price never went down!


I bought a "made in USA" Craftsman set in 1981 for $200. The "same"set is less than $100, nearly 40 years later. Adjusted for inflation that $200 set would be $560. The price did not go down?

 

[GoldDot40]

All of the Craftsman tools I have were made in the USA. IF I were to buy anything today that was made overseas, I'd buy Kobalt over Craftsman. I don't see needing to buy anything anytime soon though. I have specific tools for specific tasks, which results in breaking less.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted by Snagglefoot
Originally Posted by 007
Funny how most Craftsman hand tools went to being made in China but the price never went down!


I bought a "made in USA" Craftsman set in 1981 for $200. The "same"set is less than $100, nearly 40 years later. Adjusted for inflation that $200 set would be $560. The price did not go down?


I have bought a few of their sets in that era, they were the best deal over singles. The first one in the 70's was mostly SAE the one in the early 80's had plenty of metric sizes. The price dropped for sure along with the quality.
That was a screwy time for mechanics, US manufacturers were mixing metric and SAE fasteners on the cars, on GM the metrics were usually colored blue or green when new, old and rusted who knows just guess.

 

[HangFire]

Keep in mind the Sears Chinese Craftsman tools are different than the Lowes Chinese Craftsman tools. This includes battery cordless systems.

My local Lowes told me they are only exchanging sets- THEIR sets. Since they, after months, still have no Craftsman open stock, I assume it is staying that way for a while.

The quality may be OK for beginners, don't know... don't care.

 

[Kruse]

Originally Posted by HangFire

My local Lowes told me they are only exchanging sets- THEIR sets.


Now let's just say that Lowes goes out of business. Who will warranty the tools that were purchased at Lowe's?
I think I'll pass.

 

[Trav]

I looked at their offerings at Lowes, some real garbage carrying the Craftsman name.

 

[ms21043]

Originally Posted by Kruse
Originally Posted by HangFire

My local Lowes told me they are only exchanging sets- THEIR sets.


Now let's just say that Lowes goes out of business. Who will warranty the tools that were purchased at Lowe's?
I think I'll pass.


Exactly. These companies buy the Craftsman name, they still advertise lifetime garantees on the tools and act as if they'll stand behind it. BS. I went to Ace Hardware with a broken screwdriver and they asked where I bought it, told them Sears. The broken screwdriver has the same part number as the new one but they told me they don't honor the guaranty on Sears bought tools. Standing at the register I said oh, ok, I bought this at Ace then. The manager, who had come to the register to try and turn me away, didn't know what to say, she told the cashier to exchange it and walked off.

The lifetime guaranty on cheap tools is a thing of the past. Lol, dream on if you think you're gonna buy some Chinese junk from HF with a 'lifetime guaranty' and replace it 20 years from now. They'll change the style of that tool, the part number, discontinue it or some other excuse and tell you sorry.

 

[Hall]

Originally Posted by ms21043
Exactly. These companies buy the Craftsman name, they still advertise lifetime garantees on the tools and act as if they'll stand behind it. BS. I went to Ace Hardware with a broken screwdriver and they asked where I bought it, told them Sears. The broken screwdriver has the same part number as the new one but they told me they don't honor the guaranty on Sears bought tools. Standing at the register I said oh, ok, I bought this at Ace then. The manager, who had come to the register to try and turn me away, didn't know what to say, she told the cashier to exchange it and walked off.

Craftsman needs to step up and have a "talk" with their retailers. They state that the warranty is to be honored at any "stocking retail partner", i.e. if company "x" agrees to sell Craftsman tools, they also agree to process warranty replacement for customers. Today that's Lowes, Ace Hardware, and others.

 

[Saabist]

I've read that if the retailer won't exchange a failed Craftsman tool Stanley will do so through the mail. Probably not worth the effort for something cheap.

 

[Donald]

I worked at Sears in the tool area several years ago to earn some hobby money and discounts on tools.

We exchanged ratchets for rebuilt ones our maint guy would rebuild in the in the back. Some people would come in with a nice made in USA ratchet and we would exchange with a rebuilt Chinese ratchet. If we were out of rebuilt ones we told them to come back. I was more customer focused and would give them a new one if we did not have a rebuilt ones.

Then there were people who would come with a bucket of rusty and broken tools looking for new replacements. I would give them new replacements.

And I seldom sold a service contract on a mower or lawn tractor.

The best part of working there was getting first dibs on stuff they brought out from the storeroom to sell at a closeout.

Good thing I had a real day job.