WTF happened to Craftsman tools!?!?!

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I busted a 1/2 to 3/8 adapter that i've had for a long time, I go into Sears and the first thing I noticed is a set of regular combination wrenches that just look different, the open end was forged differently than the ones I have, I turn it around and WTF! "Made in China"

I haven't needed to buy any hand tools for a long time, and this was a shock. Some of the stuff was made in USA but most seemed to be from either China or Taiwan, in fact I couldn't find a new American made adapter, I had to settle for Taiwan made.

I also hear they give you "ratchet rebuild kits" now instead of handing you a new ratchet. Is there any truth to that? I also noticed many tools had "limited" warranties now. If i wanted Chinese junk i'd just go to Harbor Freight.

When and why did Sears decide to do this? I would gladly pay a little more if they kept the same quality as their old tools and kept all the manufacturing in this country.
 
I actually try not to buy Craftsman anything these days. Power tools are Dewalt followed by Milwaukee. Hand tools I try to use SK which makes good cheap tools in my opinion. For air tools I try to stick to Ingersoll Rand. I'm not sure anything is made here anymore...
 
Crapsman tools... yes they have gone waaaaaay down in quality.

S-K went bankrupt a couple of years ago and the new companies stuff isn't all that great.

I cringed when I walked through the tool section at Sears recently.

I still have the tools my parents gave me for Christmas in 1972, real Craftsman stuff, not this K Mart Holdings Crapsman schit.

Luckily I bought a lifetime of tools in the early 1980's.... Snap-On, MAC, Cornwell, MATCO, S-K, and I still have all of it and I rarely need a warranty replacement. Cripes my 1/2 inch impact gun is a Snap-On Blue Point that is close to 30 years old, runs like a watch, a few drops of oil in it every time I use it keeps it running.
 
Craftman tools have sucked since the Sears/ K Mart merger.They are just trying to squeeze the most profit out out of each item. Most people just look at the price not where it is made.
 
P.S. there are only a couple of moving parts in a ratchet, if you can't replace them you probably shouldn't own tools.

Snap On used to exchange them and the exchanged one would have an E stamped on the handle, MAC would just give you a set of internals and send you on your way.
 
I heard about the ratchet rebuild kits but I broke the internals of 3 1/2" ratchets recently (long story) and they replaced them, no rebuild kits.
 
Craftman tools have sucked since the Sears/ K Mart merger.They are just trying to squeeze the most profit out out of each item. Most people just look at the price not where it is made.


That blows. Thankfully all my other tools are pre merger good quality. I can't imagine it will be long before all the hand tools are made in China. Looks like i'll be chasing down the tool truck when I need something new now. I won't be buying any of that crap again.

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I heard about the ratchet rebuild kits but I broke the internals of 3 1/2" ratchets recently (long story) and they replaced them, no rebuild kits.


I'm sure those kits went over like a fart in church, I hope that means the scrapped that half baked idea.
 
I actually try not to buy Craftsman anything these days. Power tools are Dewalt followed by Milwaukee. Hand tools I try to use SK which makes good cheap tools in my opinion. For air tools I try to stick to Ingersoll Rand. I'm not sure anything is made here anymore...

This.

I love my DeWalt power tools and they have served me well. They are build like a brick s***house and when they have a job to do, they do it no questions asked. It's sad you have to hunt all over for durable American made tools these days...
 
I was unaware of this. I've had mine a while so I've never looked at the new ones. I'm saddened to hear this though...

Not only did they go bankrupt, the new company is not honoring the prior ownerships warranty, and the new warranty is hard to cash in on. One of my tool guys was showing me the warranty policy book complete with pictures of what they will not stand behind. Put a hammer to a screwdriver or use it as a pry bar warranty void
 
Snap-On is also mostly made in China now. Mac is part of Stanly tools which were always middle of the road at best. There are still some very good tool companies. One is Cornwell, high quality, made is USA last time I checked, good replacement policy.
I used to really like Matco tools but cant justify the price. For air tools IR cant be beat, they last for ever and parts are readily available if you need them.
Ratchet kits have been around for years. This is the way Snap-On and all the other tool truck guys did replacement. Some would give you the kit, others would give you a replacement ratchet they had put a kit in.
 
Got a lot of Snap-on tools from when I worked in a garage in High School. They're expensive though & buy them from the truck that drives around.

Also hear good things about MAC Tools. same deal - buy them from the truck.

Have a bunch of Craftsman that people have given me.
I'd tell them the warranty on the tool that you bought is for LIFE, not what they changed it to after the fact. Never heard of rebuild kits, bu wouldn't surprise me. Everyone is trying to keep costs down.
 
A couple of years ago I had a Sears Craftsman ratchet break on me. I had owned this ratchet since I was 16 years old (yikes 1966) and I took it back to Sears. They didn't have a rebuild kit for my old ratchet but they had a box of rebuilt ratchets under the counter for me to choose from. I picked an older ratchet to replace my old friend. [crying]

I mostly buy Mac tools and Snap On now. You can get some decent deals on Ebay.
 
Last rachet I broke it was replaced no rebuild kits. Had a 1/4 rachet that was made by Sears that looked like it came over with Columbus,chroe plating gone a nd a little rusty. It finally broke so back to Sears for a replacement. Guy at the counter give me the " you should be ashamed to bring this back" as it was probably 30 or 40 years old. I reminded him that the tool has a LIFETIME warrantee,nothing about whose lifetime it covers. Got a new ratchet and was on my merry way.
 
Crapsman stuff is so cheap now I'll bet there are more tools on the bottom of the Pacific than have been bought since the Kmart merger.
 
Similar story.......I bought a very complete set of wrenches and sockets in 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 in the 70's. I've had to exchange several sockets over the years and each time I go into Sears to replace something the quality has declined. It's heartbreaking to see the lightweight junk that replaces good ol American made quality stuff. It just never ends does it?
 
Yes these company's think junk is the future. Sorry some of us won't go that way. Quarterly statements are short of the real picture.
 
Giving you a rebuild kit rather than a new ratchet is nothing new.

They've been doing it that way for at least 20 years now or longer.
 
I took back a broken 1/4" ratchet and he handed me a rebuilt, not a new one. He said that's all they do now. When I got home and took it out of the bag I notice it has somebody's initials engraved in it. Cheap ****'s. Those ratchets used to be made in Springfield MA.
 
For my automotive work I have mostly Wright Tools and Armstrong Tools for primary hand tools,most of my specialty automotive are various makers Snap-On,Mac and Cornwell.
 
I'm guilty of also having purchased Chinajunk from Sears and elsewhere...that's ok if you only plan on using it once a year but if you want tools that last....it will cost you a few extra bucks.
Sears/Craftsman is like any other major company...trying to squeeze every penny out of every dollar and if that means sending jobs overseas and screw the American worker....that's what they will do.
 
like every other damn commodity coming into this country, it is made in China.Its time this congress of ours wakes up and bring our American quality products and jobs back home.
 
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