A review of Craftsman from a guy I read once-in-a-while:

The Fall of Sears and Craftsman

Sad......

Pop

 

That is a pretty much spot on article.

My local Sears is dismal. Tool shopping has become even more bare. Tools were about the only reason I went to Sears. A year ago my parents wanted a flatscreen TV for their new place. So, our first stop was Sears. "Oh, we don't sell TVs any more. We can order them in." No thanks.

The downfall started in 2002 when K-mart came out of Chapter 11 and needed liquidity. So then went looking for a company to buy out. Sears was setting good at the time. Within the next 18 months both stores will go the way of Montgomery Wards and Woolworths.

When looking at tools I don't even bother with Sears. Now, I can go to Ace Hardware and buy Craftsman tools. My local Ace is closer and easier. Or hop on Amazon and I don't even need to mess with pants.

Earlier this week I went to Lowes to buy a Porter Cable table saw, in the past I would have looked at Sears. I didn't even bother with Sears, on previous trips I didn't see anything I liked. Harbor Freight opened a store in my town a couple years ago. Honestly, seeing their products up close and personal, for most of what I do, I am impressed with it. I tend to think it is what Craftsman was 20 years ago.

I am relieved that Stanley Black and Decker bought Craftsman. I am thinking that will be a good thing. Will it be the same as it was to earn the reputation? I am doubtful. It would be nice to see them bring out a pro line like Sears had years ago. If Stanley were to do that, it would give the tool trucks a run for the money, mainly through retail and online.

The last Craftsman items I bought I got off of Amazon. One was a set of flare wrenches and the other was a Torx socket set.

I have set of Craftsman wrenches and sockets that I bought years ago. As time and moves and helping hands over the years did their thing I ended up losing tools. So, a couple years ago I bought a set of Kolbalt tools.

The old set of wrenches and sockets are on a pegboard at my workbench.

 

Sears was the original mail order company, they were the Amazon of their time. They even sold houses, in addition to anything else you can think of, pretty decent ones, as kits. Complete houses, everything. Based in Chicago they had access to the big rail yards and would ship all over the US.

What's strange is they never made the transition to the internet in any strategic sense. They had a website, but only as an afterthought. Oops. They could have pioneered internet delivery, but they didn't. They had it all in terms of distribution and real estate, their stores occupy some prime locations. It's a case study on how companies become big and then just don't keep up with changing market conditions. Eastman Kodak is another. They practically invented the digital camera.

Sears isn't entirely to blame. One thing they had going for them was things like refrigerators, stoves, washers and dryers. Maytag and the other lines were good quality items that would last. All of that stuff is just junk now. Years ago some of that stuff like refeigerators would last 50 years. Nobody wants outdated looking appliances, so they replaced them with something that now lasts 25. Today you're doing good if you get 5, and they cost an arm and a leg. Avoid fancy computerized control boards if you can, they are nothing but trouble around heat or moisture.

Sears had a good automotive shop. Batteries, tires, brakes, basic stuff. Reasonable prices. Drop the car off and go shopping. Or the other way around. Super convenient.

 

I have quite a few Craftsman tools. The last time I tried to use the lifetime warranty on a 1/4" ratchet that stopped ratcheting the associate at the local Sears told me they would have to ship the bad ratchet to corporate to be replaced. I was dumbfounded. I asked about swapping my ratchet for one of the ones sitting on the shelf. They said that wasn't allowed.


So, I am done with Sears and Craftsman. You can buy decent enough tools at Harbor Freight and they have a lifetime warranty too. I don't need expensive Snap On tools since I don't turn a wrench for a living. I guess the 10mm, 3/8" drive socket I have that is cracked will either stay that way or get replaced with a pawn shop cheapie because there's no way I'm going to even try to get Sears to honor their warranty.

 

If they play their quality control cards right, Harbor Freight will swipe all the marbles in the tool world, including (eventually) the tool trucks market.

I recently read an article on that same web site that discussed Harbor Freight's changing their direction on quality, with an eye toward up-scaling their lines (and thus probably prices, too). Seems to me with their distribution network and purchasing power, they could easily do that.

One thing they have strived for from the beginning was that of "perceived value", and I think they've done a good job at that. We already know where to go for "throw-away" tools, but how many have we actually broken and thrown away? No, they still get used, and are like the proverbial Timex (takes a lickin' and....).

If they can evolve into the perception of "quality", they've go it by the tail, and will make it difficult for even Home Depot and Lowes to keep well-stocked tool departments.

Right now, Eric Schmidt calls all the shots at Harbor Freight, but he'll eventually retire, and likely want to turn his stock into cash. That's when Wall Street will move in, the MBAs will take control of a business they don't understand, gut the assets, and parcel it out, thereby killing it off. Have we seen that before???

And so it goes.......

Pop

 

You're probably right.

 

Right now, I have a ball joint press, drill press and grinder from Harbor Freight. Also, some impact sockets and things like that. Also, a tool chest, cart and jacks. They haven’t let me down yet.

How harbor freight makes its money in product turnover. So, volume of movement. That’s the reason for coupons and sales. For now, it appears to be working.

 

I have a steering wheel puller, brake service kit and some ratcheting box end wrenches from HF that all work great. The only thing I bought from them that has been a bust is my chainsaw. It's never run correctly from day one.

 

I gave up on Sears/Craftsman years and years ago. Started with a broken 3/8 ratchet that locked up-they gave me a completely different model (round handle made in China) that didn't last one afternoon. The a flat blade screwdriver spun the shaft in the handle. They said I had abused it and would not warranty it. I bought a Pittsburgh screwdriver set from HF for about 10 bucks thinking if it lasts a week I'll be ahead. 6 years later still going strong. I haven't used their ratchets, and I shy away from anything electrical from them. I pretty much use Tekton exclusively now. Their prices are good and their warranty top notch. I chipped a cold chisel once. Took a picture, emailed it to them and 2 days later had a replacement. They didn't even want the broken tool back.

 

Tekton makes good tools. I have a small torque wrench from Tekton that works great and came in a sturdy plastic case for protection.

 

I know it's showing my age but in the late 60's Sears sold "truck" Die Hard batteries with a lifetime warranty. Were they on drugs when they thought that one up? I guess they figured they were big, so they'd last a long time. Bought one to mount in the trunk of my drag race car. Worked great since it weighed a ton and had no problem turning over a high compression 440.
Ten years and 4 free replacement batteries later Sears stopped honoring the lifetime warranty.
Ah...the good old days!

 

They sold lifetime mufflers too, the slick had the card in the glovebox when I bought it. Radio Shack sold lifetime warranty vacuum tubes, and jokers were still bringing in expensive or rare types like 7199 as of a couple years ago, the clerks don't even know what they are. LOL

 

I've had pretty good luck with Craftsman tools over the years. Only failures were torque wrenches and a 3/16 hex driver.

At least they're going to be available at Lowe's.

Sears' iconic Craftsman tools coming to rival Lowe's - Oct. 24, 2017

 

In the above article, Black and Decker says they're bringing Craftsman manufacturing back to The U.S.

If they can return the quality, and guarantee it, they might just pull off a save.

They'll have to charge a premium price, but it may be worth it.

However, if they cheat, and give us second-tier tools at a premium price, resting on their name alone, they're doomed.

I'll give them a chance, and see.

Pop

 

I had one craftsman 1/2 ratchet fail. I was doing brakes on a pickup when that happened. Sears replaced it, no questions asked. That was three years ago.