Make Craftsman Good Again

[AZRedhawk44]

https://www.americanmanufacturing.org/blog/entry/stanley-black-decker-makes-good-on-its-promise-to-reshore-more-craftsman-pr

To my recollection, Craftsman sockets and wrenches are made in a Taiwanese factory, rather than mainland China.  The company that owns the factory has their own line, GearWrench, which is pretty decent stuff.

But, it's good to see Craftsman effort to produce a quality tool again.  It's been a declining marketplace for a quite a while.

I was wrenching on my motorcycle a couple months back, using a Husky ratchet set and the damn thing wouldn't ratchet to save its life, with a oil-soaked bolt.  I tried adding friction to the socket with my fingers but the oily environment was too slick, and the Husky ratchet had way too much internal friction or tension.  I tried a couple other ratchets I had floating around.  All the cheapo ones I had exhibited the same problem.  I only had two ratchets that worked properly in such an environment, both were "Master Mechanic" brand and made in the late 80's or early 90's and I got them when I was a teenager.  True Value's house brand, they used to be made in the US back around that time but have since been offshored like everything else.

I try to do all my moto wrenching with the tools I carry on the bike.  Even valve clearancing and similar non-roadside stuff.  Just so I know what I have available to me, and to ensure the roadside tools aren't garbage.  But in the event of theft, I don't want to lose a nice set of tools to a saddlebag thief.  So the ratchet sets are craptastic HF tier stuff, as well as the limited set of metric long wrenches and pliers and screwdrivers.

In light of the troubles I was having working on my bike, I decided to get a new trifecta of ratchets.  I had wanted flex head ratchets for a while anyways, and I opted to get higher quality fine tooth ratchets for tight spaces and oily environments.  I ended up getting the GearWrench 120 tooth flex head ratchets in 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 sizes after a lot of research, trying to find something not made in PRC and with good reviews.  That's how I came across the info that Craftsman is made in the same Taiwanese factory.

I still want to get a set of fixed size ratcheting wrenches with flex heads.  The $200+ price tag for a non-PRC set stalled my recent tool upgrade binge for now.  I may give Craftsman a year or two to get their factory set up, and see what they have.  That should align with my next major service event on my motorcycle.

[Ben]

It would be nice to see the rise of Craftsman again. When I first started tool collecting as a teenager (the 1970s), that was what you shot for, and those were the tools and tool sets dad put under the Christmas tree for you. I still have some of those, as well as Craftsman circa 2010. There is a significant difference in quality and build. My old wrenches have that sleek Proto tool look, while the newer ones look like whatever bargain basement wrenches come in those little plastic "homeowner" tool boxes department stores sell.

I'd like to see Craftsman get back to producing good non-professional tools again. I'm seeing the brand pop up everywhere. They are prominently displayed at my local Home Despot. I haven't examined any of the current tools though.

[Nick1911]

My sockets range the whole spectrum.  Harbor freight cheapies for 1/2 in drive impacts, right through to a made in the US SK 1/4 in drive set.  Lots of craftsman in there, some proto, some husky, you name it.

I love my SK set, but it was an order of magnitude more expensive then a home-improvement-store quality set.  Hard to justify for non-professional work paying for it out of my pocket.

[Hawkmoon]

I'm 75 years old. I bought a fairly complete set of Craftsman sockets, combo wrenches, and ratchets when I was in my late teens or early twenties. I still have those. They have been used quite a bit -- I used to race autocross, time trials, and hill climbs, and then I got into Jeeps and off-roading. Those original Craftsman ratchets are still as good as new.

A few years ago I bought a Craftsman 3/8" flex-head ratchet. It's junk. I have already exchanged it once. In the old days, if a Craftsman ratchet broke, they gave you a new one. More recently, Sears was replacing them with rebuilts, which were hardly worth the trip to the store. Since Sears unloaded Craftsman and the brand is being sold at Lowe's and Home Despot, I have no idea what the replacement policy is, and the hardware guys at my loacl Lowe's don't know, either.

Yes, it would be very nice to see the Craftsman brand return to a semblance of its former quality. It's sad that Sears didn't have the sense to do that. Instead, they were so focused on reducing the cost of manufacture that they forgot why customers used to buy Craftsman tools.

[makattak]

I'm 75 years old. I bought a fairly complete set of Craftsman sockets, combo wrenches, and ratchets when I was in my late teens or early twenties. I still have those. They have been used quite a bit -- I used to race autocross, time trials, and hill climbs, and then I got into Jeeps and off-roading. Those original Craftsman ratchets are still as good as new.

A few years ago I bought a Craftsman 3/8" flex-head ratchet. It's junk. I have already exchanged it once. In the old days, if a Craftsman ratchet broke, they gave you a new one. More recently, Sears was replacing them with rebuilts, which were hardly worth the trip to the store. Since Sears unloaded Craftsman and the brand is being sold at Lowe's and Home Despot, I have no idea what the replacement policy is, and the hardware guys at my loacl Lowe's don't know, either.

Yes, it would be very nice to see the Craftsman brand return to a semblance of its former quality. It's sad that Sears didn't have the sense to do that. Instead, they were so focused on reducing the cost of manufacture that they forgot why customers used to buy Craftsman tools.

The vast majority of  US companies have been infected with short term thinking, likely because the people running them don't plan to stay there for a career.

[MikeB]

The vast majority of  US companies have been infected with short term thinking, likely because the people running them don't plan to stay there for a career.

That and the techniques taught in MBA programs and such things as the Toyota Buisness Model where reducing costs is the primary driver for increasing revenue. A whole generation of MBAs talk quality, but always go for lowest cost to drive profit instead of innovation. Customers that are being taught to by cheap disposable products are of course part of the problem as well. I know I can be guilty sometimes.

[MillCreek]

And of course the shareholders, to whom company management is beholden to, often want the short-term profits, and you are only as good as your last quarterly earnings.

[Hawkmoon]

My sockets range the whole spectrum.  Harbor freight cheapies for 1/2 in drive impacts, right through to a made in the US SK 1/4 in drive set.

Got a story to tell about HF "impact" sockets, too.

Some years ago I bought a used car that had a locking lug nut on each wheel. The locks were the ones that needed a sort of cloverleaf-shaped dongle insrted into a matching recess in the face of the lug nut or you couldn't unscrew it. Naturally, the required dongle was AWOL. I had read that those locks are soft enough that they could be removed by hammering a socket onto it, so I dragged out a HF impact socket set, found the size that fit, and started tapping with a ball pein hammer.

The socket shattered. Remember, this was an IMPACT socket. There is now a HF store about 20 minutes from me but, at that time, the only one in the state was almost an hour away, and I needed to get those locks off. So I winced a bit and pulled out the same size socket from my set of good, Craftsman, non-impact sockets and started tapping. It went right on, the lock came off, and the Craftsman socket was none the worse for the experience.

It's possible that HF sockets have become a bit better since that incident, but I doubt they're very much better.

[Brad Johnson]

Good on SB&D. The Lampert-era move to offshore sourcing was part of Sears' downfall. Nice to see that they are trying to keep the brand alive, and to get some jobs back in the U.S..

It's possible that HF sockets have become a bit better since that incident...

They haven't.

Brad

[bedlamite]

They haven't.

Yep. The Chinese still haven't figured out heat treating. Including knives, some are too soft, some are brittle.

[Nick1911]

Got a story to tell about HF "impact" sockets, too.

Some years ago I bought a used car that had a locking lug nut on each wheel. The locks were the ones that needed a sort of cloverleaf-shaped dongle insrted into a matching recess in the face of the lug nut or you couldn't unscrew it. Naturally, the required dongle was AWOL. I had read that those locks are soft enough that they could be removed by hammering a socket onto it, so I dragged out a HF impact socket set, found the size that fit, and started tapping with a ball pein hammer.

The socket shattered. Remember, this was an IMPACT socket. There is now a HF store about 20 minutes from me but, at that time, the only one in the state was almost an hour away, and I needed to get those locks off. So I winced a bit and pulled out the same size socket from my set of good, Craftsman, non-impact sockets and started tapping. It went right on, the lock came off, and the Craftsman socket was none the worse for the experience.

It's possible that HF sockets have become a bit better since that incident, but I doubt they're very much better.

I've been happy with mine.  I haven't had one fail yet in impact duty.  I did have a situation where I needed a very thin wall socket for a particular automotive repair, and decided to sacrifice a HF impact socket.  I figured it would be pretty soft.  It wasn't.  Even with carbide, it was rough going turning it down.

Guess I got lucky with a decent set.

[Boomhauer]

I got a story about HF impact sockets too, I haven’t broken one in 5 years of daily service beyond anything an automotive mechanic could even think of. Excellent stuff

I’ve got no use for Craftsman. It was the ok cheap option in my dad’s time. The old style Ratchets are and always have been *expletive deleted*it. Stanley’s purchase of the brand was the best thing that could happen. For cheap tools I buy Gearwrench, Sunex, Grey Pneumatic. If you want US made buy SK or Proto.

[Ben]

For cheap tools I buy Gearwrench, Sunex, Grey Pneumatic. If you want US made buy SK or Proto.

I bought a set of Gearwrench wrenches (ironically at Sears) maybe ten years ago. They are much nicer than my Craftsman wrenches.

[WLJ]

So much for being made in America again
Factory has been shut down.

Craftsman's $90M plan to bring manufacturing back to Texas flopped because of faulty robots
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12326785/Craftsmans-90M-plan-bring-manufacturing-Texas-flopped-faulty-robots.html

[tokugawa]

The Taiwan hand tools are where craftsman was 50 years ago. We all bought craftsman because they were good enough and snap on was prohibitively expensive.  PRC stuff is still crap AFAIK. The Lowes Kobalt brad is mostly OK, but with most "brands"  the country of origin will vary, depending on the item.
 I was in HF a few days ago, the quality of some of the stuff was quite impressive- they seem to have multiple lines of tools at different price points.
 ( Plus I found the coolest vise- https://www.harborfreight.com/2-12-in-table-swivel-vise-59113.html
 This thing is cheap 'n weak-- but perfect for positioning parts in different locations, at odd angles, to weld.) I was making some M/C racks and positioning the non square bent parts was a mess of clamps and blocks and odd neck angles..

No idea what the market is for mechanics tools anymore- how many young people have any tools at all? how many cars or bikes can even be worked on by non pros?

[Kingcreek]

I bought USA craftsman tools in the early 70’s because they affordable and we had a Sears store in town then. They did no questions asked replacement of any broken or damaged hand tools. I still have them and also some of my grandpas snap on.
I have had very good experience with harbor fright impact sockets. As much as I hate supporting them their quality has improved esp if you step up to the icon label.

[bedlamite]

I recently picked up a small set of Tekton screwdrivers for the tool set in my Jeep. Price was reasonable and they are made in the USA. Handles are good similar to the 4 side Snap-On hard plastic handles, Philips is good but the flat blade reminds me of those old Stanley thrifty screwdrivers, it'll work but they gotta do better. Found out they make about a quarter of their tools in the US.

[Hawkmoon]

It would be nice to see the rise of Craftsman again. When I first started tool collecting as a teenager (the 1970s), that was what you shot for, and those were the tools and tool sets dad put under the Christmas tree for you. I still have some of those, as well as Craftsman circa 2010. There is a significant difference in quality and build. My old wrenches have that sleek Proto tool look, while the newer ones look like whatever bargain basement wrenches come in those little plastic "homeowner" tool boxes department stores sell.

I'd like to see Craftsman get back to producing good non-professional tools again. I'm seeing the brand pop up everywhere. They are prominently displayed at my local Home Despot. I haven't examined any of the current tools though.

Craftsman is also the brand on display at Lowe's. I thought Lowe's and Craftsman had some sort of partnership -- I'm actually surprised to learn that Craftsman is also on Home Despot.

My late wife was from South America. Not long after we married (we married in 2003, so this would have been around 2005 or 2006) we were discussing Christmas, and what to give her relatives at home. Her older brother had somewhere, somehow gotten his hands on a genuine Sears Craftsman mechanics tool set, which was stolen when his pickup was broken into. She said all he wanted was another Craftsman tool set, and they were no longer available in that country.

Her brother had been very kind to me. Not only was he accepting of the fact that his little sister married a Gringo, he also hosted the wedding and reception. Being a gearhead myself, I sympathized with his desire to replace the tools he knew with the same brand. This was before all the Sears stores closed, so we went to Sears and bought a mid-size mechanics tool set. Not the largest one offered, but far from the smallest. It cost more than the price of the kit to ship it to South America, but it arrived safely and BIL was my buddy for life.

[Ben]

The Taiwan hand tools are where craftsman was 50 years ago.

Yep. I just got some Sunex sockets, and they are at least Craftsman of 50 years ago, if not Proto at half the price. Also whoever makes the Harbor Freight Icon stuff has old Craftsman, and maybe even the tool truck guys, beat for quality and value. That stuff is tight.

[BobR]

The days of Sears Craftsman brand has set. The brand is now owned by Stanley Black and Decker and most of their tools are made in China, probably the same factory that makes HF. Stanley was supposed to build a factory in Ft Worth to bring the manufacturing back to the US but I don't know if it happened.

My daughter works for the parent company of Snap On so I can get those at half price but that is still 25% more than what they are worth in most cases. At least I am not in hock to the truck driver.

bob

[Ben]

made in China, probably the same factory that makes HF.

I just looked it up, and Icon tools are made in Taiwan, as are Quinn tools, a brand HF recently started carrying. The Quinns seem to be a little less expensive than Icon, but certainly better quality than the Chinese Pittsburgh stuff. I do feel better about going to HF to buy Icon, thus not supporting the Chinese gov as much.

[Kingcreek]

My daughter works for the parent company of Snap On so I can get those at half price but that is still 25% more than what they are worth in most cases. At least I am not in hock to the truck driver.

bob

Reminds me of some true history (and thread drift).
Young man kind of a gear head but not much academically, majored in party while minoring in race cars and anything motor. He had some college credits. Dad is a very wealthy businessman by local standards and he had very few limitations in cars, truck, boars, snowmobiles ie loud toys. Son hates Dad's business and wouldn't be good at it.
Sooo.., Daddy cosigns and backs the young man in taking over a SnapOn truck franchise. After a few years of really bad P/L statements, Dad took over and liquidated taking a huge personal loss (or write off).
Turns out Junior made sure to visit his friends/customers in the afternoons. After a few beers and maybe a toot or 3, it seems tools get much easier to sell, but recordkeeping suffered and therefore collections

[Kingcreek]

Not a hand tool but I just used my vintage made in USA craftsman benchtop drill press. I paid $60 on an estate auction a few years ago. I see the old table saws pretty regularly on Craig’s facemarket place. Almost never see the floor or bench drills.

[Parker Dean]

A crummy 90 million.

They were never serious about on-shoring production. You'd almost wonder why they bothered at all until you read further and see all the financial shenanigans that they got caught for. Who knows what they didn't get caught for. It's also illuminating to see that group has had 4 CEO's in about 2 years.

[K Frame]

Like most of you, when I started assembling tools when I was in college, I went Craftsman. Just as my Father, Grandfather, and likely Great Grandfathers had done.

After Dad died I was doing some work on Mom's house and very stupidly left his one tool box sit on the back porch. That's the night that one of the finer "town scum" decided to make a midnight raid. The ahole got a LOT of my Dad's good 1/2" Craftsman stuff and other hand tools. That hurt. That REALLY hurt, because I remember my Dad using those tools when I was little.

Fortunately I assembled most of my hand tools before Craftsman, and Sears, took the big *expletive deleted*it. But these days, if I need a hand tool, as likely as not I'll get a Kobalt from Lowes. Kobalt is an American manufacturer (100 years old or so) and still makes many non-power tools in the US. Today Kobalt is apparently made by JS Products out of Nevada.