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I am so very disappointed in the quality of Craftsman Tools in the last decade. 25 years ago I use to think they were pretty decent. A friend of mine at work says that they are just "home grade". I believe he is correct in this thinking (we are both mechanics). I am just amazed at the superior quality of Snap-On Tools. The "craftsmanship" that goes into those tools is incredible. The old saying of "you get what you pay for" is so true. If you want/need quality you are going to have to pay for it. Food for thought.

Cheers,
Gary

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http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=103099

I agree. Many of the Craftsman tools are now made in China and they are of inferior quality as compared to the Craftsman tools made years ago. Also, as I recall, the Craftsman tools were made by Snap-On several decades ago.

In the old days, if your Craftsman tool broke you just had to take it back to Sears and they would give you a new one - for the Craftsman brand only, not the cheaper model they also sold. I think they stopped doing that several years ago. I think some people were gathering broken Craftsman tools at swap meets, etc., and taking them in for replacement and Sears got wise to that. This is what I was told by a Sears employee who was a good friend of mine. There was a time that all of my appliances were Kenmore (Sears) but after my experience with my current refrigerator (it took 3 deliveries before I got a keeper), I purchased other brand appliances when remodeling my kitchen. The referigerator was only a year old at the time so I kept it but once it goes, no more Sears appliances! I have enough tools to last a lifetime though so I don't think I will need any more of those so that is not a problem. Beamer

I have found the same thing to be true in my area on some of the Craftsman tools.

The Craftsman tool quality changed when K Mart and Sears combined several years ago. I bought one of the Black Craftsman rollaway cabinets a few years ago and it is junk. If you plan to buy a Craftsman rollaway cabinet stay with the red cabinets.

I have one of the red cabinets that's about three years old and it's no where near the quality of my 40 year old one. It is much nicer than the Harbor Freight ones but there are a lot better on the market. As in most things the price dictates the quality- if you want the best (Snap-on etc) be prepared to shell out some big bucks.

I have a Craftsman red "triple stacker" tool cabinet that came with the complete tool set. I bought the tool set and cabinet as a unit over 30 years ago. The tool cabinet is of high quality and all of the tools were made in the USA and are of high quality as well.

I purchased a set of Montgomery Ward Power Craft tools in 1974 and I am still using every one today, even the screwdrivers

m006840, I also have a three piece Craftsman roll around tool box (base on wheels, center drawer section, and top section with lid that opens up) that is at least 40 years old and another one with the same pieces that is less than 10 and the quality difference between the two is like night and day. Beamer

Back in 1969 the Craftsman wrenches were made by Western Forge in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. I worked for a national accounting firm then and got to tour the plant as a preliminary to doing an audit there.

That is why I started calling them "Crapsman".

I broke down and bought a set of Craftsman...Sockets, wrenchs, etc...The set you can carry around in the black and red plastic box...I like to have most every thing I'd need and be able to take it with me when I'm "on the run"...My biggest complaint is that a feral cat "sprayed" on some of my sockets and it took the chrome right off...!

Kevin, you should trap that feral cat. You could hire it out as a rust remover.

Regarding Craftman tools, my socket driver is starting to slip, and I hesitate to return it for an exchange because it's close to 30 years old. I'm not excited about what I might get back in exchange.

Paul, go ahead and take back. What you'll get is a used, repaired wrench. But, that'll be better than one that slips.

The days of getting a new one back are gone forever! Can you say "bean counters"?

Most of my tools are Craftsman but, the majority of 'em were bought in the '70's. I have enjoyed 'em.

Kevin, you gotta quite leaving your tools out at night!

When I bought my set of Craftsman the 1/2 socket driver didn't even work...! It was already slipping...So much for quality control ( I mean quality assurance...)

I've tried trapping that feral, by the way...But, he's too "wily"...He's hip to the trap thingy...I've watched him...He keeps one leg outside the trap, so when the door springs shut, it doesn't close all the way and he can still back out...I now leave the tool box up on a plastic bucket so he can't pee in thru the space between the drawers...Another problem is he likes to pee on my white walls...So, I have to keep covers on them...It was wrecking my hub caps, too...!

from 1961, when as a 16 year old i purchased my first set of craftsman tools. in about 1980, i was removing a rusted brake line fitting with my 3/8" craftsman line wrench. the wrench broke in two and my hand slammed into the frame. i went to the local sears store and got a new replacement. came home and damned if the new one didn't break also. and my hand took another hit. last craftsman tool i ever bought. have never broke a snap-on line wrench. snap on definitely more expensive than the craftsman but hand surgery way more costly. mike

When my socket ratchet started slipping I took it in to Sears and they checked it and gave me a new replacement center assy. to repair the ratchet. That was tens years ago so they may have changed their policy. I don't use it that much as I have an S&K that I like much better.

Kevin,

That cat must have a personal grudge against you

It appears Kevin deserves the "grudge". Just imagine preventing the cat the pleasure of spraying his hubcaps! But the cat is obviously winning the battle.

Just yesterday I attempted to use my Craftsman 1/2" breaker bar with a Mac socket to drain the oil on a Crane Carrier truck. The breaker bar could not loosen the drain plug no matter how much I pushed on it. It appears to have flexed at the joint. I got out a Snap-On ratchet of equal length with the same socket and with less pressure it loosened the drain plug! The fine tooth gearing in that ratchet makes it a pleasure to use. Enough said.

Cheers,
Gary

Moved the '47 to it's "new" home, 85 miles away...Still have to catch that cat...

What is the hiearchy of tools anyway. Thy my guess: (best at no 1)

1. Snap-on

2. MAC

3. MAC-something

4. (Lowes main brand) I forgot what it's called.

5. Craftsmam

6. S-K

7. Chinese made (I think these have improved over time.

8. Tiawan made (Ditto)

9. Stanley

Charlie

BTW: I may have skipped some that make those impact sockets and special use items.

cobalt lowe's brand name? mike