Is the Craftsman name just about done?

[Lookin4_67GalaxieConv]

I was at Lowe's today for some fasteners and stopped to check out the Craftsman toolboxes.  I knew they weren't the best quality but was surprised to see how cheap they are now.  I don't care for the styling and the sheet metal feels incredibly thin.  I know this is a recurring theme, but it's just sad to see how far the Craftsman name has fallen.  The US General boxes are so much more superior it's not funny.

[goodfellow]

Been like that for a while I'm afraid. Craftsman homeowner grade boxes have been very low quality for well over a decade (if not several decades). The days of quality Waterloo and King-Seeley boxes with Craftsman labels on them are long gone. That said, some basic Craftsman hand tools and blow molded job boxes are now back in US production -- South Carolina plant, and larger professional grade boxes are made in Missouri (among others).

I recently read that Stanley B&D is bringing a large portion of their hand tool production back to the US. The pandemic, as well as labor and shipping costs have made overseas Chinese production not so lucrative anymore. American labor can now effectively compete again. Let's hope it's an industry-wide trend. 

[fatfillup]

Craftsman name will live on for a while no matter what they do.  too great a legacy to die overnight.  If it dies, it will be slow death over time I would think.

Or it could be revived and thrive again if the marketers get it right and some quality can be put back in

[hickory n Steel]

The plant in Texas now has 200 something employees with expectancy to go up to 300 something ,  and they say American made wrenches and socket sets are supposed to roll out of that plant by the end of the year.

I can't stand the angular modern aesthetic of the current Taiwanese Craftsman ratchets so I really hope they don't continue this aesthetic into the domestic stuff, if they don't then a 1/4" ratchet will definitely be on my list.
If they do then theres just no reason whatsoever for me to care, regardless of the fact that it will be American made.

And those diagonal hash marks on the wrenches , I hate that too.
They don't gotta bring back the Danahar era raised pannel stuff, but the classic 2 line Craftsman stamp would be great
 Give themselves a real connection to the reputation they need to live up to by using a stamp / logo similar to that or the brands golden era.

[hickory n Steel]

The Craftsman plant in texas is getting ready to release tools here in the next few months.

The wrenches and sockets are forged here of American steel which is great.

The ratchets, they're identical to the current Taiwanese Craftsman ratchets but the ratchet bodies are forged here in the US.
The mechanisms are standard Taiwanese, so the face plates have " made in USA of global materials ) printed on them but you will not see USA forged into them.

This is not the design I wanted to see them go with in the first place, let alone with a Taiwanese mechanism in it so I will have to wait till they start producing the mechanism here as well before I add a new Craftsman to my 1/4" ratchet collection
As long as it's completely made here I'm willing to check one out but not with an imported mechanism even if it is better than the last raised panels with plastic parts.

[bonneyman]

With all the good used Craftsman stuff out there I see no reason to buy any of the new stuff, USA made or not. I have all I need in sockets and ratchets, but if I found some nice condition old stock metric sockets I'd grab 'em.

[goodfellow]

Saw that some of the new Craftsman stuff was made in India. Guess the Chinese supply chains are getting less reliable due to constant COVID lockdowns, or the cost of doing business in China is so high that a lot of manufacturing is heading for the exits.

[highland512]

Saw that some of the new Craftsman stuff was made in India. Guess the Chinese supply chains are getting less reliable due to constant COVID lockdowns, or the cost of doing business in China is so high that a lot of manufacturing is heading for the exits.

I have been seeing more and more of this. We bought 5 new cheep dewalt grinders at work the other day, made in India. Walking through hobo freight and noticed a lot of stuff now made in India and Taiwan that use to be made in China. 

[hickory n Steel]

Apparently Milwaukee has opened a hand tool plant here in the US, and they are currently rolling 100% American made screwdrivers off the line.

Their futuristic design aesthetic is a deal breaker for me, call me overly picky or whatever but I like what I like and modern design aesthetic isn't it.

Still I'm glad they're making this move, and I can see some good design here with the knurling on the shanks even if it is only on the torx for some reason.




With companies like S-K and Shopvac being Chinese owned now , WF & P-R gone, and Klein seemingly releasing more imported gimmick screwdrivers than anything,  it's great to see somebody bringing production back to the US.
I wish they didn't think their tools had to look like crap to sell, but I can still get behind the effort.

I never thought their ratchets looked terrible,  and if they start making those in the US I won't hesitate to add one to my 1/4"dr collection.

[slip knot]

I don’t know about futuristic but more ergonomic is sure appreciated when you use these tools all day every day. I’ve used the old stuff long enough that I welcome this newer ergonomic style.

[hickory n Steel]

I don’t know about futuristic but more ergonomic is sure appreciated when you use these tools all day every day. I’ve used the old stuff long enough that I welcome this newer ergonomic style.

There are comfortable more ergonomic handles for tools that aren't needlessly angular and robotic looking.
Milwaukee just wants an aggressive style for some reason.

The old PROTO yellow handles,  the Tekton hard handles.
I absolutely love the handles on those cheap US made Stanley screwdrivers that were exclusive to Ace hardware a couple years ago, the tips were terrible but the handles are great.


You can have cushy grips on a pair of pliers that don't look like crap too, plenty of options without going beyond ergonomics just to have an aggressive style.

[wantedabiggergarage]

I certainly don't know all the details, but I know due to shortages/supply chain issues, and national defense considerations, a tax law was signed that is part of the reasons people are moving stuff back.

[walrus]

I'd buy a set of US made milwaukee drivers. Handles look good to me. I have Milwaukee wire strippers that aren't worth 20 cents though, I can't imagine they are US made. Knipex ruined me. 

[fatfillup]

Knipex ruined me. 

You ain't the only one

[hickory n Steel]

Knipex ruined me. 

You ain't the only one

With everything I've heard I fear that possibility as well so I've chosen to stick to Channellock.

[softailgarage]

I grew up on Craftsman Tools and it's sad to see what they've become. I also dislike the way they're obviously copying Milwaukee Tools.

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[highland512]

I grew up on Craftsman Tools and it's sad to see what they've become. I also dislike the way they're obviously copying Milwaukee Tools.

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Seeing how stanley black and decker bought craftsman and already owns DeWalt I doubt they are copying milwaukee tools. 

[goodfellow]

I grew up on Craftsman Tools and it's sad to see what they've become. I also dislike the way they're obviously copying Milwaukee Tools.

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Seeing how stanley black and decker bought craftsman and already owns DeWalt I doubt they are copying milwaukee tools. 

I've heard that the new Craftsman battery powered LI tools are actually quite good, but like anything in the line, within a few short years you'd be hard pressed to find a replacement battery pack for that particular series of tools. Frustrating as heck. I applaud companies like Ryobi that maintain battery consistency across their lines.

[muddy]

I grew up on Craftsman Tools and it's sad to see what they've become. I also dislike the way they're obviously copying Milwaukee Tools.

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Seeing how stanley black and decker bought craftsman and already owns DeWalt I doubt they are copying milwaukee tools. 

I've heard that the new Craftsman battery powered LI tools are actually quite good, but like anything in the line, within a few short years you'd be hard pressed to find a replacement battery pack for that particular series of tools. Frustrating as heck. I applaud companies like Ryobi that maintain battery consistency across their lines.

I have Craftsman 1/2 impact, angle grinder and circular saw. They are all brushed versions. Im happy with em, the circular saw could use some more power.  I've paid around or less then $100 each for them new. I just picked up a 2 pack of the lower AH batteries for $80. So for a guy on a budget/not every day use, id definitely recommend them.


As compared to the Craftsman of the past, there leaps and bounds.

Compared to the DeWalt XR or Milwaukee Fuel, the Craftsman is definitely diy/homeowner grade as it has been for decades.

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[hickory n Steel]

Looks like the Craftsman name is dead, and the new huge plant in Ft Worth Texas will be closed by 2024.
S-B&D basically gave up before any of the tools even hit the market.
I guess they're going to finish and sell what they can then that's it.
Apparently they were trying to imminent some kind of cost effective warm forging process or some other nonsense that all the Taiwanese manufacturers use, but didn't have enough understanding of the process to make it work and the world's largest tool company isn't willing to just stick it out.

They claim to be committed to American manufacturing,  but not enough to put up with some hiccups in a new tool plant.
If they really cared they could afford to stick it out, make things work,  and eventually have a successful lind of American made Craftsman tools again, but they're just not as committed as they claim to be.

[pep]

I have Craftsman hand tools and have always replaced any lost (few) & none broken. With Craftsman to bad they are throwing in the towel, not unexpected really.

[skfarmer]

Looks like the Craftsman name is dead, and the new huge plant in Ft Worth Texas will be closed by 2024.
S-B&D basically gave up before any of the tools even hit the market.
I guess they're going to finish and sell what they can then that's it.
Apparently they were trying to imminent some kind of cost effective warm forging process or some other nonsense that all the Taiwanese manufacturers use, but didn't have enough understanding of the process to make it work and the world's largest tool company isn't willing to just stick it out.

They claim to be committed to American manufacturing,  but not enough to put up with some hiccups in a new tool plant.
If they really cared they could afford to stick it out, make things work,  and eventually have a successful lind of American made Craftsman tools again, but they're just not as committed as they claim to be.

i think you are wrong on this. the cman name is not dead. i will go out on a limb and say it is far from dead and will probably outlive most of us in some way, shape or form.

we can argue all day about whether it should be us made or any place that it is made but for the vast majority of people it just does not matter. about 3 years ago now, i picked up one of their larger boxed sets with a few wrenches and large assortment of sockets in all three drive sizes. not even close to top notch stuff but quite usable and actually pretty good. the box fits with t stak boxes. the tools have pretty good fit and finish, the ratchets are a little clunky and bulky but work fine. i searched all of the brands and gave the most in the bang for buck ratio. i know people bitch about piece counts but all of the pieces serve a purpose and add capability. matter of fact it has completed a couple projects because it had those extra bobbles and bits.

these tools stay at a remote location about 50 miles from my home where i keep my camper. my neighbors have no problem searching me out when they need to complete a project on a saturday night and their tools are 100 miles away or 20 miles away at the nearest hardware store that is closed. so far, no lost or broken pieces and maybe more importantly no fears of them breaking in use.

do i wish they were us made? sure do. do they give me warm fuzzies and feeling of nostalgia? nope, not  much of that either.


what does it give me? the ability to get a project done whether it is maintaining my camper, shed or deck. helping the owner of the campground or my neighbors maintain their boat, pontoon, dock, lift or trailer. that ensures me that i have more time to enjoy a cold beverage, an outdoor cooked meal and time around the campfire with my family and friends.

when looked at in that light. my box of plain unassuming average tools are at some times priceless. not because of how great they are but because they allow me to get er done and move on to what is really important.

[goodfellow]

I agree with SK on this issue. I also think that most DIY folks these days don't care much about country of manufacture. It's usually just us older guys (there are always exceptions though) who fondly remember Sears' heyday when we were growing up and were able to afford decent US made Craftsman tools at the time. With few exceptions those days and times are gone and many folks simply buy the HF, Lowes, HD, or store brand tools based on price and availability. Asian manufactured Craftsman tools compete in this market and should do quite well I think.

[hickory n Steel]

The Craftsman name is still just a zombie brand that's not truly alive.
Sure tools with the Craftsman name on them will continue to be made , but the brand will never truly be alive unless the tools are made here like they were for 70+ years.
That doesn't mean the tools don't function or have a place, just that this isn't the same Craftsman tools.
It's simply another company owning the name, the tools aren't the same, not made where they were, and the logo isn't even the same.

I don't think it's wrong to have this stance about Craftsman just because some people don't care where they're made, it doesn't change the fact that it's just not the same.

[bonneyman]

It's a shame that they can't/won't make a go of it. But economic conditions are not good at all right now. I'll just keep grabbing any old Craftsman I find and store 'em. Might be good for trading fodder, serve as spare parts for other ratchets in the rotation, and replace the 10mm sockets that tend to disappear.

[Der Bugmeister]

I find it hard lamenting the passing of a brand name which is already nothing like it was when we valued them.  Craftsman hasn't been a relevant brand in my tool box for a long time now.

But I have to wonder...is S/B&D working on bringing out USA/North American made (as a Canuck, NA is important to me!) products in one of their other tool lines?  If so, it makes sense to concentrate efforts to make one good product instead of a couple mediocre ones.

I stopped buying Craftsman years ago when locations for warranty exchanges were less convenient for me to access, but I still have a lot of them in my regular use boxes.  Most of my wrenches and sockets now are Mastercraft (Canadian Tire house brand, not sure who makes them) which get the job done and the store is just down the road from me. 

[highland512]

I was actually kinda excited for the new cman stuff made in the USA…….. I’m done with caring about now. Any new purchases will be Wright. But most likely new additions will come from the used sources. I just can’t convince myself to made in Asia. 


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[slip knot]

I cant recall the last Craftsman tool that I bought new. Probably a present for someone. Over the past few years my priorities have changed a lot. Its no longer important to me what tools I use to get the job done as long as it gets done. Most of my tool buys now are specialty stuff from Amazon. The last tool I got was a wire lugger for crimping lugs on electrical cables. Doubt Craftsman ever made one of those.

BTW in the last 3 years I've had 3 Horrible freights open within 30 miles of my house. I'm willing to bet they've employed more Americans in the past 10 years than Craftsman tools did.

[bonneyman]

A pair of worthy ratchets I snagged a couple of months ago. They're not my favorites ratchets by any means but if the nuclear war hit and all I had was these two with a set of sockets I'd be able to survive.

[skfarmer]

A pair of worthy ratchets I snagged a couple of months ago. They're not my favorites ratchets by any means but if the nuclear war hit and all I had was these two with a set of sockets I'd be able to survive.

ha! excellent point. when the cockroaches take over some day there will probably still be some cman tools around someplace for them to use.

[hickory n Steel]

A pair of worthy ratchets I snagged a couple of months ago. They're not my favorites ratchets by any means but if the nuclear war hit and all I had was these two with a set of sockets I'd be able to survive.

Now that's the good stuff.
A 50's pearhead, and a 70's-80's Easco made before they were absorbed into Danahar and plastic parts were introduced.

I find it funny that a lot of people complain about the plastic selector and QR button on the 90's+ Craftsmans but nobody complains about the plastic on many Wera ratchets and even premium Stahlwille ratchets.
I don't care where it's made the only thing on a ratchet that should ever be plastic is a grip.

[skfarmer]

you are a little too worked up about this hickory.


i agree, the later cman ratchets are crappy. not much to argue about there. that plastic lever is junk because it is used in a place it should not be used and is a "poor" quality plastic. it is easily broken, even the cast levers preceding it had issues.

i have some proto big dawgs with plastic handles you could not tear away from me. almost every mfg has used a plastic handle at some point with good results. plastic parts can be and are great features that sometimes make a good tool better or at least better suited for certain uses.


at the end of the day cman has always been contracted out to the lowest cost volume bidder, the sheer nunber of date codes, and mfg numbers over the years proves it. there never has been one mfg (some better, some worse) and the only sure thing about cman is that it will change. not really much different thatn right now.

i have not seen or used any of it but rumor has it that some of the special order usag/facom clones are damn good if not great. another example of cman offering good, better, best models. how quickly everyone forgets the cman pro stuff made by sk and armstrong.

as a side note, i have one of those us made pearhead flex head 1/4  ratchets. it is made very similar to the crappy ones but they are not the same. they will not interchange. it is a great ratchet and a joy to use.

i also have an sk pearhead ratchet that parts will swap with a cman. the sk is a nice ratchet and far bettter than the cman. why? it was made to a better standard. every part from the handle to the smallest part was made better to a better standard. it is smoother and crisper. napa also had that same ratchet as well as others.

[pep]

 You're going to realize one day that after 50 years absolutely nothing is the same. Have not purchased a Craftsman tool for a while, but if they have the replacement option as before that's about all I need. .............. but you better have the receipt these days... and I like that.

The clowns (thieves) that went to garage sales scooped up worn or broken  Craftsman tools. Then run to sears to have the warranty honored, not even to use but to resale same.


GJ people brag about that shit all the time, worthless scumbag., I enjoy the thought that Karma will reward them for many years to come. Cause that is the way the live their miserable lives.

The Craftsman name is still just a zombie brand that's not truly alive.
Sure tools with the Craftsman name on them will continue to be made , but the brand will never truly be alive unless the tools are made here like they were for 70+ years.
That doesn't mean the tools don't function or have a place, just that this isn't the same Craftsman tools.
It's simply another company owning the name, the tools aren't the same, not made where they were, and the logo isn't even the same.

I don't think it's wrong to have this stance about Craftsman just because some people don't care where they're made, it doesn't change the fact that it's just not the same.

He is another people would buy lawnmowers and use them all summer. Fall comes they would return it ............... 

[bonneyman]

A pair of worthy ratchets I snagged a couple of months ago. They're not my favorites ratchets by any means but if the nuclear war hit and all I had was these two with a set of sockets I'd be able to survive.

ha! excellent point. when the cockroaches take over some day there will probably still be some cman tools around someplace for them to use.

That's only if they've taken their doses of potassium iodide! 

[goodfellow]

You're going to realize one day that after 50 years absolutely nothing is the same. Have not purchased a Craftsman tool for a while, but if they have the replacement option as before that's about all I need. .............. but you better have the receipt these days... and I like that.

The clowns (thieves) that went to garage sales scooped up worn or broken  Craftsman tools. Then run to sears to have the warranty honored, not even to use but to resale same.


GJ people brag about that shit all the time, worthless scumbag., I enjoy the thought that Karma will reward them for many years to come. Cause that is the way the live their miserable lives.

The Craftsman name is still just a zombie brand that's not truly alive.
Sure tools with the Craftsman name on them will continue to be made , but the brand will never truly be alive unless the tools are made here like they were for 70+ years.
That doesn't mean the tools don't function or have a place, just that this isn't the same Craftsman tools.
It's simply another company owning the name, the tools aren't the same, not made where they were, and the logo isn't even the same.

I don't think it's wrong to have this stance about Craftsman just because some people don't care where they're made, it doesn't change the fact that it's just not the same.

He is another people would buy lawnmowers and use them all summer. Fall comes they would return it ............... 

I've observed the same behavior over the years Pep. The Sears warranty brought out the worst in people. I guess the warranty was born at a time when these things mattered to honest folks. By the late 20th century it was abused to the max by very sorry individuals. HF is going through the same thing right now. People buying equipment, using it for the weekend and then returning it by claiming a defect. Ask most HF store manager and they'll tell the same story

[fatfillup]

(as a Canuck, NA is important to me!)

didn't know or didn't remember you were Canadian

Likely didn't remember

[hickory n Steel]

I remember one day when I was a kid my dad found a pair of Craftsman locking pliers on the side of the road that were broken and took them in to Sears for warranty.
I believe he may have told the guy that he found them, but I couldn't really say for sure.
I personally wouldn't do that, but will say that I don't think one should need to be the original owner.

A lot of people abuse the Forever warranty that Buck knives has and I hate that, they're hurting a good company and could ruin the warranty for everybody.

[bonneyman]

I might be in the minority here on this, but I didn't have a problem with people returning Craftsman tools that they didn't buy. I don't recall the warranty being extended only to the original purchaser. Was it? Correct me if I'm wrong.

Craftsman tools had a lifetime warranty on the tool - not the user. So if I found a ratchet in the street (which I did once) I could return it. The tool carried the warranty - not the dodo who dropped it off his truck. And what about gifted tools to your kids - or Craftsman tools you bought at a garage sale? That's one of the main reasons why people would buy used Craftsman tools - because they could get the warranty. It was one of Sears selling points. How can we nuke people for doing with a tool what the manufacturer sold it with?
I recall when Ideal bought S-K they held off on warranty claims at first (like 2 years as I recall), and that caused some headaches and complaints. And I personally had a dealer tell me S-K would not honor a warranty on any WAYNE tool. What? Tools from between 1962 and 1969 were out of luck, but back to the 1940's was fine? Offer a warranty or don't - don't dink around with people AFTER the tool has been bought. Perhaps the company's fickleness caused some of their sales problems.

I grab any decent Craftsman tools now even though the warranty is in question. I now don't buy the tools for the warranty - I buy them because they're reasonably priced and decent enough for use.

Anyway, rant over.

[Uncle Buck]

Sears and Craftsman died years ago to me. Once the store disappeared some years ago everything related to either name is and was dead as far as I am/was concerned.  The warranty no longer means anything. To me that is a dead brand. All the stuff sold wearing that name is crap and I would not give it second glance.  I doubt I could get warranty for any of my old Cman brand tools and consider them the same as every other defunct tool brand that is dead that I own. These days there are many other brands of tools I would consider if buying tools but Craftsman certainly would not be on my list. Sadly, I would probably even consider HF before I would buy Cman. At least I know right up front I am getting crap with HF! If I needed to buy many new tools today I would be looking at Wright and Proto, first. Otherwise it is used or NOS USA stuff all the way for me.

[Uncle Buck]

I still value my old USA made Cman tools and in fact they comprise the core of my tools.

 But for me the brand was done once it went off shore.

[Lookin4_67GalaxieConv]

Back in the mid 1990s I bought a lot of Craftsman sockets and some ratchets at a local flea market.  I rarely warrantied anything I got unless it didn't function or was visibly damaged.  Mainly because I'd rather have kept the older Craftsman tools than trade it in for the newer stuff.

Bought a bunch of sockets and ratchets last year and warrantied a HF Pittsburgh ratchet that wasn't operable.  It was old and beat up but I would've kept it if it worked.

[pep]

Living in Miami there was a Sears in Coral Gables. Every Saturday they would set up a grill and load it with charcoal. Cook stuff at the front door. Never knew who got to eat that food, but it did SMELL great

Imagine if you will that happing today?

Anyway back to tools I can say I have what I need to do what I do. The last real tool I picked up was the monster drum&rotor puller last week. Everything else at this point is cumsumial-related

Do have a HF porta power fantastic little beast.

[hickory n Steel]

Living in Miami there was a Sears in Coral Gables. Every Saturday they would set up a grill and load it with charcoal. Cook stuff at the front door. Never knew who got to eat that food, but it did SMELL great

Imagine if you will that happing today?

Anyway back to tools I can say I have what I need to do what I do. The last real tool I picked up was the monster drum&rotor puller last week. Everything else at this point is cumsumial-related

Do have a HF porta power fantastic little beast.

My local hardware store ( ACE affiliated) does a bbq every year as a customer appreciation thing.

[Uncle Buck]

Living in Miami there was a Sears in Coral Gables. Every Saturday they would set up a grill and load it with charcoal. Cook stuff at the front door. Never knew who got to eat that food, but it did SMELL great

Imagine if you will that happing today?

Anyway back to tools I can say I have what I need to do what I do. The last real tool I picked up was the monster drum&rotor puller last week. Everything else at this point is cumsumial-related

Do have a HF porta power fantastic little beast.

I took a chance and bought a really beat HF Porta power that was not working for like $5 and took it home and rebuilt it and like you said, it was/is a beast!

[wantedabiggergarage]

I might be in the minority here on this, but I didn't have a problem with people returning Craftsman tools that they didn't buy. I don't recall the warranty being extended only to the original purchaser. Was it? Correct me if I'm wrong.

Craftsman tools had a lifetime warranty on the tool - not the user. So if I found a ratchet in the street (which I did once) I could return it. The tool carried the warranty - not the dodo who dropped it off his truck. And what about gifted tools to your kids - or Craftsman tools you bought at a garage sale? That's one of the main reasons why people would buy used Craftsman tools - because they could get the warranty. It was one of Sears selling points. How can we nuke people for doing with a tool what the manufacturer sold it with?
I recall when Ideal bought S-K they held off on warranty claims at first (like 2 years as I recall), and that caused some headaches and complaints. And I personally had a dealer tell me S-K would not honor a warranty on any WAYNE tool. What? Tools from between 1962 and 1969 were out of luck, but back to the 1940's was fine? Offer a warranty or don't - don't dink around with people AFTER the tool has been bought. Perhaps the company's fickleness caused some of their sales problems.

I grab any decent Craftsman tools now even though the warranty is in question. I now don't buy the tools for the warranty - I buy them because they're reasonably priced and decent enough for use.

Anyway, rant over.

I had extended family that worked for Sears, in the late 70's to somewhere in the very early 80's.  I believe early 81, and then they I think received a buyout offer and opened a Westlake hardware store.
I didn't start buying Craftsman tools until the 90's, as when I was a kid, Sears was more a clothing store (Toughskins anyone?) or the Sears Warehouse.  We were more Montgomery Wards and also their warehouse people. 
In 1977 Sears moved out of the Square and into the new Independence Center, mall.  I started driving in the mid 80's and tried to buy some quality tools, and ended up with some import stuff that Monkey wards was selling as Powerkriaft was gone, however  they were better then the $4.99 socket sets that I was used to "us kids" having and I had to keep my tools in my trunk.
In the early to mid 80's Sears did an experiment where they started selling Craftsman tools that were made in Japan, then they rebranded as Sears and finally went away when they started pushing made in the USA again.  I think it was during that time frame, they dropped things that I would have grown up with such as replacement blades for your tape measures, replacement handles for your hammers, when you needed something.
In the 90's, I started wrenching and I needed some tools to get started, and Sears was a recommendation to keep me from doing the stupid truck thing, which I couldn't afford.  Truck tools were specialty tools. (and many of them came via Ebay. I also was looking for adult toughskins for work pants.
I had a few warranty things (misprinted socket, not broached socket, wobble socket missing half a pin) and tried to buy the better things (regular ratchets were a huge step over the ones in the $4.99 socket kits, but the RHFT were a huge step up again, then they came out with the smooth ones).  I remember once a person came in with a wheelbarrow full of rusty Craftsman tools and walked out with all new tools.  Evaporust would have been great, but a few tools would have needed replacing, however the tools weren't actually turned in under warranty (which I believe is still actually the same) but were turned in under the "satisfaction guarantee" that so many forget about!!!!!  The satisfaction guarantee was more the killer, IMHE.
It was around this time they started dropping the most returned tools, with the exception of the bent screwdrivers/paint stirrers that I tended to see and shake my head at.

I still have some of my grandfathers tools that go back to when he had a garage in the 20's.  A Husky ratchet (long before Home Depot existed or bought the name) and an SK ratchet that doesn't even say SK on it. No idea where he acquired his stuff (died when I was six), but most are not around anymore.

[pep]

  Handy to have for sure, weighs a ton ....  LOL

Living in Miami there was a Sears in Coral Gables. Every Saturday they would set up a grill and load it with charcoal. Cook stuff at the front door. Never knew who got to eat that food, but it did SMELL great

Imagine if you will that happing today?

Anyway back to tools I can say I have what I need to do what I do. The last real tool I picked up was the monster drum&rotor puller last week. Everything else at this point is cumsumial-related

Do have a HF porta power fantastic little beast.

I took a chance and bought a really beat HF Porta power that was not working for like $5 and took it home and rebuilt it and like you said, it was/is a beast!

[highland512]

Stopped by my local Lowe’s today during lunch. Spotted this in the tool section which I found odd after all of the stories of the Texas plant closing. I guess some stuff was manufactured and distributed.     


The packaging is very nice. One of the best blow molded cases I have ever seen.



The tools…………. Only the sockets, reducer, and spark plug socket are stamped USA. The ratchet is made in usa from global parts.


The sockets seem made well. The finish is piss poor at best. I have seen junk sockets made in China in the 90’s with the same finish.





I wish SBD would have stuck it out but something smells of tax credit they received and quickly gave up.

This set was in a isle display marked at $69.98. It was more than what I wanted to spend but I figure this will be the last of craftsman usa made and will be fine under the back seat in my wife’s truck.

[hickory n Steel]

As I understand it the ratchet bodies were forged here of American steel, but could not be stamped USA because they used the existing Taiwanese mechanism.

It's too bad they couldn't stick it out, because $70 is a great price for an 80+PC American made socket set.
Those sockets look identical to the Taiwanese sockets in the Craftsman palm ratchet set I got on sale at the local hardware store last year.


The biggest flaw I see with this set is that they included a bit driver instead of a spinner handle, but at least a bit driver is better than a stupid ass worthless 1/4dr driver handle.
I swear there's few tools I hate more than driver handles, if you can make an actual useful versatile spinner handle that fits on a ratchet driver handles have absolutely no place.

[muddy]

Interesting I was just in Lowe's the other day but didn't look too hard. Maybe I'll go over tomorrow and take a look. My Lowe's never had anything good so I doubt I'll get lucky

Sent from my Twisted Mind Of The Mudman

[goodfellow]

Great find! For you younger guys who are pining for some US made Craftsman, this will probably be your last chance to stock up on a few goodies. Us older guys who had some ready cash for tools stocked up about 10-15 years ago when Sears was discounting the last US Craftsman and Craftsman Industrial lines and mechanic's tool sets through the Sears Outlet stores.

[highland512]

Interesting I was just in Lowe's the other day but didn't look too hard. Maybe I'll go over tomorrow and take a look. My Lowe's never had anything good so I doubt I'll get lucky

Sent from my Twisted Mind Of The Mudman

According to the scuttlebutt on channel 3 each Lowe’s only gets 15 sets. Take this with a grain of salt cause I counted 16 of this set today. Also if you buy a set watch what they ring up at, this one came up at $119. I showed the lady the display at $69 and it was No problem.

[highland512]

Great find! For you younger guys who a pining for some US made Craftsman, this will probably be your last chance to stock up on a few goodies. Us older guys who had some ready cash for tools stocked up about 10-15 years ago when Sears was discounting the last US Craftsman and Craftsman Industrial lines and mechanic's tool sets through the Sears Outlet stores.

Yea I missed that deal. The goal of getting out of college debt free was all I was thinking about in the late 2010’s.

[goodfellow]

Yea I missed that deal. The goal of getting out of college debt free was all I was thinking about in the late 2010’s.

You made a very wise decision highland. One that will pay dividends for the rest of your life. Good on you 

[highland512]

Different Lowe’s different set hmmmm. Doesn’t seem like as good of a deal compared to what I got for $10 more.



I saw pictures of usa impact sockets on the urinal, I would love to find a set of those.

[jeffmoss26]

saw this set at my local store yesterday

[bonneyman]

The sockets and accessories look fine but I can't say the ratchet does anything for me. The blow molded case would do fine for spare storage but I'm sure it wouldn't last long getting tossed around every day.

But heck, for USA-made, a doable set.

[hickory n Steel]

I'm going to lowes Tomorrow to pick up another small window AC unit and will see if they have any of the US made Craftsman in stock.
I'm just going to look and can't buy right now, but I'm betting they probably didn't have them anyways.

[muddy]

I swear I didn't see anything like that. But then again chasing a 5 and 3 yr old around you end up missing things.

Sent from my Twisted Mind Of The Mudman

[highland512]

I swear I didn't see anything like that. But then again chasing a 5 and 3 yr old around you end up missing things.

Sent from my Twisted Mind Of The Mudman

I know the feeling.

[bonneyman]

I swear I didn't see anything like that. But then again chasing a 5 and 3 yr old around you end up missing things.

Sent from my Twisted Mind Of The Mudman

Get them looking for the tools! Say there's a bag of candy for the first one to find a red Craftsman case! 

[hickory n Steel]

They had plenty of red Craftsman cases at my nearest lowes yesterday,  but none of the Ft Worth TX tools

[muddy]

I swear I didn't see anything like that. But then again chasing a 5 and 3 yr old around you end up missing things.

Sent from my Twisted Mind Of The Mudman

Get them looking for the tools! Say there's a bag of candy for the first one to find a red Craftsman case! 

  problem is theyll all end up in my cart!

[stokester]

For me, yes.  I have a cabinet full of the US-made sockets and wrenches but anything made overseas - no.

Interesting article in today's Wall Street Journal about the plant in Texas.  Seems there is more to making a quality tool than automating most of the process.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/craftsman-america-wrench-stanley-black-decker-reshoring-factory-1125792f?st=jfo4drwldqcgybc&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

[hickory n Steel]

For me, yes.  I have a cabinet full of the US-made sockets and wrenches but anything made overseas - no.

Interesting article in today's Wall Street Journal about the plant in Texas.  Seems there is more to making a quality tool than automating most of the process.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/craftsman-america-wrench-stanley-black-decker-reshoring-factory-1125792f?st=jfo4drwldqcgybc&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

From what I understand they were trying to implement the same economic manufacturing process ( a cold forging process I think) used in Taiwan,  but they didn't have enough understanding of the process to make it work.

[goodfellow]

Short video on why the Craftsman Texas production plant effort failed. You'd think that being a long time tool company, SBD would have these issues figured out. The failure suggests that by embracing long term outsourcing, the parent company can't organize efficiently enough to actually produce a product that at one time was one of their core domestic lines of business. Over the last 30 years Japanese and Taiwanese industries learned from US manufacturers and organized their quality manufacturing just as efficiently, while offering a lower price point.

[highland512]

Like I said earlier this entire thing smells of a tax code that sbd took advantage of and has now run out. You can’t tell me that sbd doesn’t have a engineer in Taiwan that couldn’t get on a plane and help solve a manufacturing problem in Tx.

[J.A.F.E.]

Like I said earlier this entire thing smells of a tax code that sbd took advantage of and has now run out. You can’t tell me that sbd doesn’t have a engineer in Taiwan that couldn’t get on a plane and help solve a manufacturing problem in Tx.

SBD probably doesn't need to go that far. At least part of the Proto line is made in Dallas, TX and Proto is under the Stanley empire.

The whole Stanley/Craftsman deal brings two words to mind - monkey and football.

[hickory n Steel]

Like I said earlier this entire thing smells of a tax code that sbd took advantage of and has now run out. You can’t tell me that sbd doesn’t have a engineer in Taiwan that couldn’t get on a plane and help solve a manufacturing problem in Tx.

SBD probably doesn't need to go that far. At least part of the Proto line is made in Dallas, TX and Proto is under the Stanley empire.

The whole Stanley/Craftsman deal brings two words to mind - monkey and football.

The problem is they wanted to basically set up a Taiwanese tool factory here in the US, and well the PROTO factory doesn't use those cost effective cold forging processes ive heard about that play a big part in the low price for the Taiwanese tools.

I call BS that they just couldn't figure out the processes though.
Aside from the obvious of bringing in some Taiwanese engineers,  they could have started with screwdrivers or something easy to turn a profit while getting the ratchets and wrenches figured out.
The PROTO factory can't exactly handle big box volume or prices, but they could have reintroduced the Craftsman professional line of rebranded PROTO tools with a limited selection at ACE hardware or something.
I don't think Lowes would be the place to sell them, but I think they would sell.

[Barks]

From the WSJ article it appears they tried to eat the elephant whole rather than a bite at a time.  Not an iterative improvement of process but a wholesale implementation.  That, accompanied by constant management changes, a lack of focus as to the direction of the company and changing financial markets and supply chain, the project was doomed.  Probably a case study in "how not to do it".