[61-63]

Well I wish I hadn't started this thread now. I posted it because I had just ordered a set of new Craftsman ratchet ended metric wrenches from Amazon and in going to the Craftsman website before I ordered noticed that their stuff is now US made. And I further read that they had opened that new 450,000 sq. ft. tool manufacturing plant in Ft. Worth in 2019. My new wrenches got here yesterday and while they are not junk they are not the quality of the old Craftsman tools I have, almost all of which are forty or fifty years old. There is no indication on these new wrenches where they were made so I suspect they are older stock the vendor had and not brand new items out of the Ft. Worth plant? These new wrenches will serve for me but are now the quality I expected cosmetically. I almost never buy hand tools anymore but am going to start looking at what other brands look like when I am in hardware stores.

[GT182]

Originally Posted by 4dblnkldude

I have a broken one 15 years old. Where do you send them?

Lowes will replace them at no charge. I had a 1/4" ratchet that's been broke for God knows how long. On a whim I went my local Lowes, and they exchanged it with a $30.00 1/4" ratchet with no questions asked and no cost to me. That should go for wrenches too.

The only thing I'd never buy is one of their flimsy Craftsman tool cabinets. To me they nothing but junk and told them so at Lowes. The Kobalt tool chests they used to have were top of the line. Far better than the Crapsman junk in every way.

[poncho-mike]

Most of my tools are Craftsman tools bought in the late 1970s and early 1980s. I don't think I've ever had a wrench fail, but I have broken a few sockets and had to rebuild the rachets a couple of times.

My dad passed away a couple of years ago, and I inherited some of his tools. He had a mixture of Williams, S-K Wayne, Snap-On, Mac, and Craftsman. I've got a huge Snap-On 3/4" drive ratchet and socket set for 1" - 2" or so, probably from the 1960s that still works fine.

When did S-K Wayne become S-K?

[dataway]

Originally Posted by 61-63

Well I wish I hadn't started this thread now. .

Hey, give them a chance, and going forward let's hope Craftsman (who seem to have realized their error) shifts most production to the US. Great brand, I'd love to see them make a comeback.

And a great thread anyway.

[61-63]

Originally Posted by dataway

Hey, give them a chance, and going forward let's hope Craftsman (who seem to have realized their error) shifts most production to the US. Great brand, I'd love to see them make a comeback.

And a great thread anyway.

Me too!

[72projectbird]

Originally Posted by dataway

Hey, give them a chance, and going forward let's hope Craftsman (who seem to have realized their error) shifts most production to the US. Great brand, I'd love to see them make a comeback.

And a great thread anyway.

Give them a chance, right up until they start slipping a tooth under load and break your knuckles/fingers.

After that, throw them in the woods.

['ol Pinion head]

Originally Posted by 72projectbird

Give them a chance, right up until they start slipping a tooth under load and break your knuckles/fingers.

After that, throw them in the woods.

The woods near my shop would be littered w a bunch of Craftsman ratchets, if I hadn't started hitting PawnShops years ago, when I was on the road, & buying better. Craftsman ratchets were nothing but a bunch of poor feel junk for decades.

Only Craftsman ratchets I've consistently had great experience w day in & day out were:

- a small 1/4" drive extra fine tooth (from the 70's). Was GREAT for under dashes. Eventually, after rebuilding a few times, the repair kit was disco'ed, that was over 20 years ago. Flake mngr @ Sears wanted me trade that litle jewel in for a poor feel new coarse tooth ratchet. No thanks, was finally able to find a kit, that little ratchet has been retired.

- 1/2" drive early V series 44816 flex head, a $24-28 ratchet new. Often, now, sell on eBay for $80 plus. My go to 1/2" boneyard & partcar processing ratchet. The action always sucked, but w the flex head & long handle, too handy. Quit counting at over 30 returns to local Sears for repair kit/installs. Have several of this model today, only due to the years of having to have two in working order while waiting on a trip to whatever Sears for repair on the 3rd

[77 TRASHCAN]

Originally Posted by poncho-mike

Most of my tools are Craftsman tools bought in the late 1970s and early 1980s. I don't think I've ever had a wrench fail, but I have broken a few sockets and had to rebuild the rachets a couple of times.

My dad passed away a couple of years ago, and I inherited some of his tools. He had a mixture of Williams, S-K Wayne, Snap-On, Mac, and Craftsman. I've got a huge Snap-On 3/4" drive ratchet and socket set for 1" - 2" or so, probably from the 1960s that still works fine.

When did S-K Wayne become S-K?

Williams Tools. That's some heavy duty stuff. Proto was/is the same.

My Snap On dealer is an old friend. He takes trade ins, when needed. I have bought a bunch of used Snap On ratchets over the years. If I buy a used teacher, and the mechanism doesn't feel just right, he will put a kit in it, before I take it off the truck!!!

There was a thread here, concerning tools, years ago. One member, here, dealt with a new Snap On dealer in his area. This member had some old Snap tools, in need of warranty.
The newbie Snap On dealer told him. He couldn't warranty those tools, unless he had proof of purchase!!!
BULL!!! I asked my dealer about this. He said each dealer has some leeway in how they do business. Warranting a tool is one way to "hopefull" get repeat business, even IF the customer bought some bad Snap On tools in a yard sale!!! BEWARE!!!

PLEASE POST PICTURES OF YOUR OLDIE TOOLS, THAT TOU STILL USE. ESPECIALLY THE UNCOMMON BRANDS!!!

[burd]

Being a Union Tradesman, Craftsman tools have worked out good for me, I never had their ratchets, but the amount of tools I returned over the years as warranty’s, thanks Sears.
One day at Sears, a guy was by the sockets, dropping them in a large soda, stealing them. I’ll never forget that. Lol

[gokitty]

I worked for Sears 1966-1975. Part time during the school year and full time in the summers . Great company to work for back then. Customer satisfaction was a BIG deal to management. Even if the customer was taking advantage of Sears. What it came down to was the logo in gold leaf boldly displayed over the store entry doors..."Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back". They (Sears) meant it and lived it.

[dataway]

Keep in mind that starting in the 80's early 90's Sears was selling two lines of tools ... "Sears" tools, and "Craftsman" tools, there was a considerable difference in price. "Sears" tools did not have a lifetime warranty.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by dataway

Keep in mind that starting in the 80's early 90's Sears was selling two lines of tools ... "Sears" tools, and "Craftsman" tools, there was a considerable difference in price. "Sears" tools did not have a lifetime warranty.

The two different lines of tools had been in place for many years before that.

[77 Canamman]

I have some Craftsman tools from a deceased cousin that date back to the 70's. They have stood the test of time, and I like them. A majority of my other tools have been Snap-On, and for the most part, very pleased with the quality, but not the tariff.

[GT182]

The best I bought were S&K. I still have the original ratchet and socket set in the metal case I bought back in the early 70s. S&K has never failed me in all of these years. I just wish I could find them in parts and hardware stores again.

[Stuart]

SK Tools are still around: https://sktools.com They went through some changes in ownership in the last couple years plus construction of a new US manufacturing facility, so availability had been an issue, but it appears you can buy them direct from their website now. I believe they're also available from Grainger, and also Ace Hardware.

[justincampbell]

Originally Posted by dataway

Keep in mind that starting in the 80's early 90's Sears was selling two lines of tools ... "Sears" tools, and "Craftsman" tools, there was a considerable difference in price. "Sears" tools did not have a lifetime warranty.

As has been said before, hopefully the manufacturing change will mean some quality again. BUT, the Craftsman tools I have gotten in the last 10 or 15 years are not as good as the Sears tools I have from the '80s.

[grandam1979]

Craigslist and FB good place to buy tools used you can get some older nice stuff at great prices. We have a Snap On truck that comes to the plant every week and he has some awesome tools with crazy prices but he always has used trade ins at really good deals.

[Sirrotica]

As has been said before, hopefully the manufacturing change will mean some quality again. BUT, the Craftsman tools I have gotten in the last 10 or 15 years are not as good as the Sears tools I have from the '80s.

To be truthful, Harbor Freight has surpassed their tools, and likely for a cheaper price too. When you've sunk below HF, you're really doing something wrong. They've been doing it wrong for so many decades, that only new management is going to turn that ship.

Stanley Inc, that now owns them, may be that captain to turn the ship around, they do know how to manufacture a good quality tool, at a fair price. But that lends itself to, why would I buy a crapsman tool, that likely is the same as a Stanley tool, at a higher price because it wears the crapsman label?

I likely wouldn't.

[misterp266]

Looking to get a 3/8 drive for smaller fasteners. I don’t use my 1/2” Snap On for lower torque.
Saw a Craftsman on sale at Lowes today.
I can also get a Pittsburg at HF for about $15 but don’t think I’d trust it.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-3...-lb/1000772356

I no longer make a living with my tools so I don’t need the best of the best but I do want something that is at least accurate.

[Sirrotica]

I've always been gun shy of a $15 torque wrench too, but if someone has had a good experience with any of the HF torque wrenches I'd be willing to consider one.

My Craftsman torque wrench is really old, and I don't believe it's accurate any longer, so I need a new one at some point in the near future. I'll be inspecting the bottom end of a 455 probably within the next six months, so I'll need something accurate to reassemble it.

I just looked at the ratings on their site, and there are 222 one star ratings for the cheap torque wrenches. Most urged people reading those ratings to spend the extra money for something better, that was more accurate. I guess I'll look at something that will outlive me.....