http://money.cnn.com/2008/01/19/news...ex.htm?cnn=yes

Discuss.

 

I have owned a lot of Craftsman tools and have always found them to be well made (in the USA) and reliable. I have rebuilt a couple of old ratchets under their warranty and was treated with good service and courtesy. I was very disappointed when I purchased a set of Craftsman pliers and cutters and found them marked "Made in China". There is no place in my tool box for "Made in China".

 

dono, everyone else does that too....I dunno what happened with Kobalt, I know they used to make a big deal about being made in the USA, now everything but their ratchets, sockets, and wrenches is made in China from what I've seen.

Anyway- I have a guess as to why they're doing this. Sears Holdings' stock has majorly tanked in the last few months, but the Craftsman and Die Hard brand names are worth some big bucks. What I REALLY suspect is that this way, it'll be easier to sell off these brand names if they end up really hard up for money at some point.

 

Everything is made in China. I even saw a beautiful set of Crescent brand crescent adjustable wrenches and they were made in China. Is nothing sacred.

My company used to buy a bunch of those automatic pliers from Sears since they did what we needed and they had a lifetime guarantee. They were actually a rebranded product from Robo Wrench in Colorado and we got good service even though we did wear them out in use, but Sears never flinched. Some time in the last few years they started making them in China and we had to start taking them in much sooner for replacement. Eventually I guess Sears go tired of it and it appears they cut off that re-branding. Now they sell them branded as Robo Wrench and if you want warranty coverage you have to call Robo and now the warranty doesn't accept normal wear. The Sears warranty used to be unconditional.

Anyway I whine too much about China specials. But in my experience so far, anything with complex machine work or fine tolerances is a bad bet if made in China. They haven't got the knack, yet.

I can hardly wait to see how well the China cars will hold up when they start selling them here this year. Should be interesting the first few years.

Jim Henderson

 

OK....Dono.....Expand on this, please......Is it just SOME (like the pliers) Craftsman tools that are made in China, or is it now ALL.......

I'm reorganizing and building an entirely new took kit for home and auto and am interested in this, so PLEASE point to where I'm not going to buy crap!....

Thanks.

 

So does this mean thet the will pull out of Sears & K-Mart or will they stay in store? I can see it now..........we have a MAC, Snap-On, Matco, and now Craftsman trucks that deliver tools. lol

 

They couldn't even pass crash test standards for here OR europe because their cars folded up like cardboard boxes, so yeah I'm wondering what will happen there also.

 

Well they will have to redesign them wont they? So that they will be able to pass our crash standards. I mean hopefully they will have to redesign them, i have seen crash test videos of them and they remind me of an accordion.

 

I have always believed that most tools should be a 1-time lifetime purchase. Most of my hand tools (I have a bunch of them) are decades old and still look like new. For many years I relied on Craftsman for reasonably priced reliable tools, but that time has passed. My neighbor (a motorhead like myself) bought himself a nice toolbox set at a pawnshop and has filled it over time with Snap-On tools on a steady basis as his budget allowed. If I were starting again, that's probably what I would do.


"December 8, 2004
A class action lawsuit against Sears, Roebuck and Co alleges that Sears conducted false advertising and consumer fraud by advertising that its Craftsman tool line is "Made in the USA."

The suit alleges that promotions in ads, the website, on signs and labels claiming that Craftsman is "Made in the USA" led consumers to purchase the tools out of a sense of patriotism. Consumers were also led to believe that Craftsman is of high quality because it is "Made in the USA."

Pictures attached to the complaint show metal parts from Austria, Denmark, China, India and Mexico on Craftsman tools labeled as "Made in the USA."

"Sears has falsely touted Craftsman tools as 'Made in the USA' when the Federal Trade Commission has issued guidelines stating that such a claim is proper only where all or substantially all of the product is U.S.A. made. Sears Craftsman is misleading consumers by invoking that claim," said Barbara J. Hart, attorney for the tool buyers.

 

OK.....So.......'old' Craftsman tools---good..........'new' Craftsman tools---crap.......

So if I can get older ones, good......and do my best to fill my box with 'Snap-on' tools?......

Just looking for a recommendation here.....I'm mostly starting from scratch.

 

You might go into the Garage forum and see what I think, but...

I would not hesitate to buy Craftsman sockets and wrenches. I own Craftsman ratchets, and use them at work to make a living. However, I also own Snap On ratchets. Night and day difference. Even my 1/2" drive Snap On I got from my grandpa isn't as sloppy as my 2 year old Craftsman, both with the original guts still. Well, original to me anyway, as I had my grandpa's ratchet since 1985.

But, I have quite the assortment of tools. Husky, Craftsman, Snap On, Mac, Westward. IR, CP, Blue Point, Snap On and Mac air tools. Snap On 40" wide top and bottom. I get a lot of flack for it in the Garage forum, but IDGAF. I got a great deal on it.

 

I keep hearing 'snap-on'......

OK.....I'll redirect my attention to them unless someone says or advises anything different........

We've got Home Depots and Lowes stores all over the place here.....Best I can see, they predominate with Husky and Kobalt and Crescent.......

 

Snap-on's a bit rich for my blood. After watching my brother blow THOUSANDS of dollars on Snap-on tools, and I don't see the difference in quality (he got an electric impact wrench from them, paid 3x what any other one would cost, and it broke 2 months after he got it), I don't get the appeal. Bragging rights I guess.

And like I said above- 90% of the "Kobalt" branded stuff at Lowe's is Chinese too. All the air tools are, as are the tape measures, and probably the pliers too.

 

I'm not saying go out and buy brand new Snap On right from the get go, Craftsman will work for you. It works for me too. Truth be told, I actually started out with a 500 piece Husky tool set. I still use them. They still have a lifetime warranty. I still use Craftsman tools, and they have a lifetime warranty. But after breaking how many ratchets, and buying "spares" just in case, I've gone through 8 Craftsman or Husky ratchets warranty wise compared to none for Snap On.

I'd say spend your money wisely. Get your Craftsman wrenches and sockets and ratchets. Get Channel Lock pliers and side cutters. Get Snap On screwdrivers. Get an assortment of Vise Grip brand locking pliers. If you want the name, you can get Snap On tools from a pawn shop. I did. I do buy off the truck, and sometimes I will put off a purchase until the tool comes on sale.

The thing that bothers me is when someone tells me I'm wasting my money on Snap On tools. "Why spend 3 - 4 times the price on something you can get from Craftsman or Husky?" Show me where I can get the same tool from Craftsman or Husky, and I will spend my money there.

 

MOSTLY what I'm looking for here are hand tools. Socket sets (standard and metric)...Screwdriver sets....Wrench sets......Adjustable wrenches....Etc., Etc......

Looking at a simple table-top, maybe 3-drawer tool box to fill up. A set that will pretty much cover home and auto needs for the 'yeoman' handyman......Not a master mechanic like some of you guys.......So I'm not too interested in tap/die sets, micrometers, mandrels....blah, blah, blah......

I'll get into power tools later. Right now my Ryobi recharge/battery drill works fine. I've got access to other power tools when needed right now also.