Lowe's to sell Craftsman tools

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JHZR2

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Wonder if these will be USA made Craftsman (count me in) or Chinesium tools. Judging by how little US made stuff is is in the Lowes tool department, Id guess the latter.

CNBC link
 
I don't like this...

For a brief time several years ago, while Craftsman was busy raiding their brand equity and consumers' goodwill by reducing quality and offshoring as many products as possible, Lowe's was busy upping their game and introducing high quality Taiwanese tools under the Kobalt brand that rivaled or exceeded Craftsman quality in many cases. Unfortunately, that was apparently not profitable enough for Lowe's; shortly thereafter - no sooner than Kobalt had built some brand equity - the quality of Kobalt tools began to decline. Now, Kobalt will have absolutely NO incentive to produce a better tool than Craftsman, and in fact if the Kobalt brand is to survive it will have to be a lower tier product than Craftsman. Kobalt and Craftsman cannot co-exist in the same store at the same price point. Goodbye Kobalt.
 
I havent bought a Kobalt tool in probably 15 years, since they offshored their tools. Couldnt really care less if it was to Taiwan or to the moon!
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
I havent bought a Kobalt tool in probably 15 years, since they offshored their tools. Couldnt really care less if it was to Taiwan or to the moon!


I'd totally buy some Kobalt tools if they were made on the moon!
 
Stopped buying Craftsman when they sent them to China. If I'm paying top dollar for hand tools they better be made in the USA. I can get same as or better quality with lifetime warranties from Harbor Freight for offshore tools.
 
For me it was the nut drivers. As soon has they fired Western Forge and moved production to China, the ship sank to the bottom of the ocean.
 
Yeah I agree JHZR2. Getting tired of stuff being sent overseas or over to Juan Pabloville to be made and brought back here to sell. We have lost enough jobs here to these types of actions. It started in the 1960s and has accelerated with time. Hollowing out the middle of this nation.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
For me it was the nut drivers. As soon has they fired Western Forge and moved production to China, the ship sank to the bottom of the ocean.


I have my XCELITE nutdrivers I bought when I was in high school. I will be collecting social security in less than a year.
 
Originally Posted By: itguy08
Stopped buying Craftsman when they sent them to China. If I'm paying top dollar for hand tools they better be made in the USA. I can get same as or better quality with lifetime warranties from Harbor Freight for offshore tools.


Yeah. I think they under estimated how many people would boycott them if they went to china. I still buy craftsman tools, but I buy them off the internet and make sure they're made in usa.
 
Kobalt has nicer tools than Craftsman. I am betting Craftsman tools sit on the shelf for more money and Kobalt sells Thiers. I bet Kobalt will outlive Craftsman. Can only go in that name for so long.
I used to like Craftsman but Sears made me mad on tool returns so I don't waste the money on them anymore.
I am sure I am not alone.
 
I'm a semi mechanic. I bought some Kobalt and Husky hand tools when they were American made for use at home. Despite's the German cars in my signature, 99% of my mechanics tools are made in the USA. The exception being triple square drivers.
 
Originally Posted By: skyactiv
I'm a semi mechanic. I bought some Kobalt and Husky hand tools when they were American made for use at home. Despite's the German cars in my signature, 99% of my mechanics tools are made in the USA. The exception being triple square drivers.


Had to Google "triple square". Never heard of them before.
 
Kobalt has the beefiest 1/2" drive breaker bar out there, much more metal around the flex joint.

Craftsman can sell their tools at Ace Hardware... and one isle at Kmart.....
 
When sears switched to china made tools, the American company that made them went looking for a new retailer. They ended up making the Kobalt brand tools for Lowes. I've never owned any Kobalts, I'm still using my Craftsmans.
grin2.gif


I believe
 
Originally Posted By: Oldmoparguy1
When sears switched to china made tools, the American company that made them went looking for a new retailer. They ended up making the Kobalt brand tools for Lowes. I've never owned any Kobalts, I'm still using my Craftsmans.
grin2.gif


I believe


I find that hard to believe, I don't think the timeline adds up to support that. My old USA made Kobalt sockets are nicer than my Craftsman sockets, but I think Kobalt went off shore first and I haven't seen any USA tools from them since.
 
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bought a few Kobalt tools + they were good, torque wrenches with a lifetime warranty, harbor freight has some OK stuff but a lot of very cheap junk!! got long needle nose pliers can't hold anything firmly without twisting, total junk. bigger heavier metaled tools are fine from wherever due to their bulk, but better made tools can be slimmer + stronger with better fitments!!
 
Originally Posted By: danthaman1980
I don't like this...

Kobalt and Craftsman cannot co-exist in the same store at the same price point. Goodbye Kobalt.


I sure hope you're wrong. I gave up on Craftsman tools some time ago and started replacing them with Kobalt. And I've had absolutely no regrets.

Craftsman tools have become a very big disappointment to me in recent years. It started with their power tools. Then their hand tools became gimmicky. Silly little wrenches and such that never really worked. They always end up in the clearance section. And they tend to be overpriced for what you can get other quality tools for.

Also, it used to be that when you needed a tool replaced on the lifetime warranty, the store clerks seemed happy to help you. Last time they made me feel like I was a real annoyance. Not any more. Except for the screwdrivers, I've boxed up all my Craftsman tools and will be giving them to one of my sons. They may have some sentimental value to them. But I don't miss them at all.

I guess they had to find someone to make up the volume lost each time another Kmart closes.
 
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Apparently, most are not aware that Sears has sold the Craftsman trademark to Stanley Black & Decker. SBD has stated that production will return to the USA, but their manufacturing facility will not be completed until 2020. Also, Sears will continue to sell products under the Craftsman trademark, so its going to be a little confusing. The Craftsman tools sold in Lowe's will be SBD Craftsman, not Sears. For a while SBD Craftsman tools will still be manufactured by the present suppliers, but eventually will be manufactured by SBD or whoever they elect to contract with. Warranty will definitely be confusing.
 
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