Went to Sears this weekend to pick up a set of the Craftsman brand gear wrenches. Checked the label and MADE IN CHINA. I picked up a normal set of wrenches........MADE IN CHINA. Screwdriver pack..........MADE IN CHINA.


I haven't need to buy tools in several years, so this is quite a shock. Now I don't know where to buy tools.


I guess if they are made in china I will just save my money and buy the Pittsburgh brand at HF. The ones I have used feel better than the new crafstmans any how.


Absolutely Disgusted!

 

Ditto..
I have lots of craftsman tools but after trading in broken ratchets only to get worn out rebuilt replacents I gave up. Bought some HF ratchets and they work fine, haven't broken one yet.

 

Not many brands still made in the US, you can still find some Craftsman sets that are US made but you have to check the packaging closely. A few of my buddies are "Snap-On Snobs" who pride themselves on drawers full of shiny Snap-On tools...these guys are really upset that most of their brand is also being made in China.

Some years ago the wife and I were on a road trip and my front brake pads decided to fail. I went to a local parts store (chain store) and bought pads and rotors and the tools I needed to change out the front brakes. I bought a ratchet, extension, and a set of SAE and metric 6pt deep sockets...these tools cost a fraction of what I would have expected to pay at Sears or elsewhere yet they have given me great service and never have failed to perform. AND the sockets came in a nice case that also has continued to work just fine even after 15 years of being banged around.

As long as the US continues on its current path of demonizing manufacturing, we will be at the mercy of other countries to supply us with the tools we used to be so good at making here. If you really want to get a wake-up call, do some research on the building of the latest Bay Bridge in San Francisco...yes, it too is made in China.

 

I read somewhere that a lot of the craftsman power tools come out of the same factory as the Harbor freight brands. although the power tool line of craftsman was always low quality. So since the hand tools are now made in china they most likely are made by the same company who makes the HF hand tools.. I love old American tools and the quality is great, but I also love my Harbor freight tools. I still use my Sockets on a daily basis, the rachets don't really last but I abuse mine. My $9.99 angle grinder just died but I've had it for 5 years and cut a lot of metal, concrete, and wire wheeled 2 cars. I could go on and on but there are already other threads about HF and craftsman.. if you want good tools you'll have to hit the estate and yard sales and pick them up used.

 

I would still rather have Sears tools made in China than HF. Sears is a good corporate citizen, check the net. They hold jobs for active servicemen, many other programs. HF, not so much.

 

It is extremely disturbing to read the news articles about china growing larger than the US, our military experts being worried about us not being able to keep up with them technologically both through funding and scientifically, and yet we ship our jobs over there and continually support their economy.


I guess Toby will have to edit his "Made in America" Song.

 

Ok ask your self one question "How Who What & when" Its the gold rim
glass eyed green planet cops. Look at any plant back in the day what'ca see
smoke commin out of chimneys >that means- We Are Doing busnese!
So here we are, no jobs no more : On the news right now RI is having an other look about red tape starting businnes's Its just gotta go. RI is in the
tolet of jobs; why ya gotta get a license to mix cement. a license to cut a board, a license to build a dog house- god forbid build a barn all neighbors
build barn in a day. Now permits permits. The land of the free. Nope
Don't cut them weeds now, they are protected. Oh dont step on an ant.
dont pee on ya back tire ya paloothing the ground. This is why I dont vote
for these never played with toys bums. dont vote; then you stick a monkey wrench in the system > then the dopes go huggg no clue.

 

about 30 years ago, my Dad bought me a Craftsman combination wrench set 1/4"-1" and it was made in Taiwan. Over the years I had broken or lost a couple and now I only have a couple of the original "Taiwan" wrenches left. These were Craftsman labeled wrenches not the "sears" labeled wrenches.
Its the only set I have ever seen that were made in Taiwan

 

I took my 1/2" John Deere ratchet in for warranty and recieved a lovely new John Deere brand ratchet made in Taiwan. It is a frightening trend. I guess us mercans can't make anything anymore.

 

With few steel mills, how can you make wrenches? Yet I see Germany (which is very "green") has plenty of mills. A good part of it has to be just taking the easiest path and no gov't support for essential industries.

 

You can buy Williams tools on Amazon. Most are still American made. They make most of the Snap-On tools and sell the same thing under the Williams brand much cheaper.

 

Most of the tools I have were my fathers craftsman tools, they work good and feel decent quality,however I must say I bought 2 new ratchet drives and they felt cheesey and both failed, very sad what has happened to our country

 

Williams is owned by Snap-on and actually MOST of their stuff is made in Taiwan. Of the 6,277 Williams tools that Amazon sells, 64 are made in the US.

 

Corporate mentality. Maximising profits. Off shoring products. Selling it to people driven by price alone. You can't blame the Chinese, look at the greedy fat cats steering the corporate machines, satisfying the shareholder, at your cost, the gullible punter who keeps buying it!
Steering columns included!

 

I agree, Germany proves that the outsourcing of jobs and industry has nothing to do with 'regulation'. It has everything to do with corporate Greed.