Danaher and Lowe's no more Kobalt
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Nosferatu
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And this is how rumors with no factual basis get started....
GeorgiaHybrid
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The vendor wouldn't happen to be your wife's cousin's oldest boy's best friend's mother in law who's middle kid by her second husband who ran off to join the circus and heard this at a poker game last night from the son of the guy who heard this first hand from the lover of the plant worker would it?
Or like this:
March 09, 2011 Mooresville, NC: Lowe's announces it is replacing its Kobalt line of mechanics hand tools with S-K brand tools. The move is part of a strategy to bring more Made in USA products to the shelves of Lowe's stores across the nation. S-K Hand Tools recently emurged from bankruptcy and opened a brand new factory in Sycamore, Illinois.
Note: for those who don't get it - this is a joke!
creativecars
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Stir the pot. Stir the pot.
Stir the pot. mrholeshot
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Or like this:
March 09, 2011 Mooresville, NC: Lowe's announces it is replacing its Kobalt line of mechanics hand tools with S-K brand tools. The move is part of a strategy to bring more Made in USA products to the shelves of Lowe's stores across the nation. S-K Hand Tools recently emurged from bankruptcy and opened a brand new factory in Sycamore, Illinois.
Note: for those who don't get it - this is a joke!
Thats my vision, lol
ishiboo
Well-known member
Lots of Danaher/Allen brand tools are made in China already.
Store personel are the very last to know of any changes being made by corporate.
They often don't even know until well after the merchandising changes have taken place in the stores!!
Lowes would likely never give up the Kobalt brand name either.
justin85
Well-known member
OP did not say Lowe's is discontinuing the Kobalt brand... they said Danaher is no longer in the mix. Kobalt tools are not exclusively made by Danaher, I have some made by great-neck/sheffield and komelon, and it seems like I have seen others.
Last edited:
This is my first post here and wanted to pass on some information that I aware of. The S-K brand along with the assets where purchased by Ideal Industries in August of 2010. Ideal has been around a while and is based in Sycamore, IL just west of Chicago. I do not know if the S-K brand will replace the Kobalt product in Lowes stores but I would not be surprised to see a stronger presence of the product on the shelves.
Get site BTW, lots of good info. I have gleaned quite a few ideas throughout my project and will contribute when I can.
Dave
Get site BTW, lots of good info. I have gleaned quite a few ideas throughout my project and will contribute when I can.
Dave
Theloniousmonk
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omfgjcgtfogdmft!
BQuicksilver
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I went through there this week and almost all their hardline tools were clearly stamped USA??
mrholeshot
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It wouldn't surprise me at all to see Danaher and Kobalt split. The only thing they build for Kobalt are sockets,Ratchets and wrenches. The ratchets are crappy craftsman raised panel rebadges as are the sockets and the wrenches look like **** and have no flank type drive. It's basicly basic Craftsman at 3X the price. I'm sure you will see Taiwan Kobalt ratchets in the near future (well the roto heads already are) and what so sad it they will probably be better tools.
Or like this:
March 09, 2011 Mooresville, NC: Lowe's announces it is replacing its Kobalt line of mechanics hand tools with S-K brand tools. The move is part of a strategy to bring more Made in USA products to the shelves of Lowe's stores across the nation. S-K Hand Tools recently emurged from bankruptcy and opened a brand new factory in Sycamore, Illinois.
Note: for those who don't get it - this is a joke!
I like this one.
judging from all the posts, you all think I dont know anything. OK maybe the guy wasn't a vendor but he was well dressed and typing on his blackberry and talked like he knew what was going on. I went back to the store to find that sales person to ask him who that guy was, but the sales person wasn't there.
Daddy_Rabbit
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Oh man.....that was Danny Danaher texting Lowes to kiss his Forged In USA ***........!!
Danaher has plenty of overseas production as well. They dont need to split from them just to source from overseas. I really dont think this makes much sense unless Kobalt is going to buy from China directly, otherwise they'd have to contract production with someone and honestly i cant see anyone beating Apex when it comes to mass production pricing.
I chalk this up to a load of BS myself. Sorry OP.
Maybe if there is enough buzz on the internet, Lowes will hear it and think it's a good idea.Or like this:
March 09, 2011 Mooresville, NC: Lowe's announces it is replacing its Kobalt line of mechanics hand tools with S-K brand tools. The move is part of a strategy to bring more Made in USA products to the shelves of Lowe's stores across the nation. S-K Hand Tools recently emurged from bankruptcy and opened a brand new factory in Sycamore, Illinois.
Note: for those who don't get it - this is a joke!
Hey, a guy can dream, can't he?
Someone should send the "press release" to Lowes, and maybe Andy in marketing will believe it and think Bob in procurement changed suppliers, and he'll tell Charlie in purchasing to start buying from SK! ;-)
contactme_11
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I did this today and I would say it's about 50/50
Oh my freaking girlfriend junked Chinese good tools for overpriced garbage Danaher made foreign tools!
HandyManny
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Or like this:
March 09, 2011 Mooresville, NC: Lowe's announces it is replacing its Kobalt line of mechanics hand tools with S-K brand tools. The move is part of a strategy to bring more Made in USA products to the shelves of Lowe's stores across the nation. S-K Hand Tools recently emurged from bankruptcy and opened a brand new factory in Sycamore, Illinois.
Note: for those who don't get it - this is a joke!
Damn, leave it up to someone to get my hopes up.
HandyManny
Well-known member
Given that Sears is going the Chinese route more and more latley I would not be surpirsed if eventually (real soon) Lowes sources all it's Kobalt combos wrenches and sockets to China too. They've been doing it little by little across the brand.
Even though some here may not be fans of the current USA Kobalt line, they'll one day recall the good old days when Kobalt offered decent quality USA made wrenches, sockets, extentions.
I've been happy with the newer Danaher made Kobalt combo wrenches I bought about 5 years ago. Though I mainly use my older PROTO combos, New Britain made NAPA combos, or my Craftsman Pro combo wrenches primarily when I need a wrench, but I do have a couple sets of Danaher made Kobalts. I only acquired a few bit's and pieces of the older Williams made Kobalt stuff back when it was available. I really wished I'd bought much more of that older Williams made stuff before they became extinct.
Even though some here may not be fans of the current USA Kobalt line, they'll one day recall the good old days when Kobalt offered decent quality USA made wrenches, sockets, extentions.
I've been happy with the newer Danaher made Kobalt combo wrenches I bought about 5 years ago. Though I mainly use my older PROTO combos, New Britain made NAPA combos, or my Craftsman Pro combo wrenches primarily when I need a wrench, but I do have a couple sets of Danaher made Kobalts. I only acquired a few bit's and pieces of the older Williams made Kobalt stuff back when it was available. I really wished I'd bought much more of that older Williams made stuff before they became extinct.
HandyManny
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It's true. A lot of Danahers brands have been outsourced to China and Taiwan lately including many of KD Tools.
Stuey
Well-known member
That's blatant misinformation! SK Tools did NOT emerge from banruptcy. Ideal bought what they needed and dumped the rest, creating the new SK Hand Tool daughter brand. Ideal opened the factory, not Sk. =) I think. This all twists my mind these days.Or like this:
March 09, 2011 Mooresville, NC: Lowe's announces it is replacing its Kobalt line of mechanics hand tools with S-K brand tools. The move is part of a strategy to bring more Made in USA products to the shelves of Lowe's stores across the nation. S-K Hand Tools recently emurged from bankruptcy and opened a brand new factory in Sycamore, Illinois.
Note: for those who don't get it - this is a joke!
Are you sure? It's just as likley that Danaher/Cooper decided to with China. I'd say all parties are equally responsible.
HandyManny
Well-known member
Yes, technically speaking you are correct. I make the mention of name brand and store name because that's the most visible aspect of the tool. You don't see wrenches commonly sold with Danaher stamped on them. I suppose that those new Chinese made Craftsman wrenches are made for Danaher in China to fill their contract with Sears. I think though we all have to keep in mind that Danaher only makes certain tools for the Cman and Kobalt lines, they don't produce tools for the entire line. In fact Danaher is only 1 of almost 100 contract producers of handtools for the Craftsman brand. I'm sure other contract makers produce other tools for the Kobalt line as well. I know Great Neck Saw Mfg is among them.
justin85
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curry1, The screwdrivers I got recently were labeled LG Sourcing, which is a Lowe's company, so who the hell knows.
mrholeshot
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read at the bottom of his post. It was a joke
mrholeshot
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Don't know who makes them other than they are chicom junk if they are less than a few years old.
Theloniousmonk
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omfg! ttiso? wtf!