Craftsman professional set, I got lucky (US made)

[Swan]

I did some research on this forum and it seems Craftsman's professional full polish wrench sets are now called simply "full polish" sets and no longer made in the US. I see the last US made professional sets on E-bay for much higher than original prices. I am happy to report I took a chance, ordered online from Sears, got lucky and just received a Craftsman 26 pieces SAE and Metric professional set MADE IN USA. Sears item # 34951 $161.98 http://www.sears.com/craftsman-26-p...p-00934951000P?prdNo=8&blockNo=8&blockType=G8

So far I am happy with the look, feel, quality of these wrenches and am happy to grab these while I could. I am visiting a regional Sears store today and may buy the larger sized metric and SAE sets to complete my collection of US made professional wrenches.

Get 'em while you can!

 

[RedFordTruck]

My Sears has a REALLY old stock set of USA made Full Polish Long pattern SAE Wrenches. If I needed a set I would haggle down from the $99 price given one wrench is missing, but it would still be a nice set of USA made Full polish Long pattern Wrenches for under $100!

 

[pipsters]

The open end of some of my USA Pro wrenches were ridiculously oversized making the wrench spread when any sort of force was applied. In the end I had 3 sets sent to me and I still went to 2 local Sears stores and swapped out about half the wrenches. I hope your experience is better than mine. For the $55 I paid for the set, 1/4"-3/4" and 7mm-18mm the hassle was worth it but I sure as heck would be pissed if I paid anything close to retail for it.

 

[Swan]

pipsters, I read about that problem as well. I did a random sampling of four of my wrenches and measured them with a Starrett micrometer and they are good. I will go back and measure all of them and post my results.

 

[CORTEZSS69]

Just last week picked up the same set of wrenches 26 pieces, made in the USA off of CL brand new in the packages. The guy bought them new 10 years ago, put them on a shelf in his garage and forgot about them. He found them and decided to sell them. They were covered in about inch of dust and dirt. They cleaned up great and I have used them a couple times already no complaints yet. I retired my Craftsman R/P that my dad bought new for me in 1987. I called him and told him about having to retire them he was OK with it. Thanks Dad.

 

[nine4gmc]

thos look great, I wish someone would do a good side by side comparision of $150 wrench sets.

 

[Link-Belt]

Funny you mention the large set. I bought the 18pc. wrench moduel and the large 10pc. module about a month or so ago and that's 28 wrenches so I think you are only missing 2. I could be wrong but I think Craftsman only made 14 Wrenches in each set?

sent from my Go F@!k Yourself using tapatalk 2

 

[shoturtle]

My Sears has a REALLY old stock set of USA made Full Polish Long pattern SAE Wrenches. If I needed a set I would haggle down from the $99 price given one wrench is missing, but it would still be a nice set of USA made Full polish Long pattern Wrenches for under $100!

They are on sale not for 80 dollars.

 

[shoturtle]

I did some research on this forum and it seems Craftsman's professional full polish wrench sets are now called simply "full polish" sets and no longer made in the US. I see the last US made professional sets on E-bay for much higher than original prices. I am happy to report I took a chance, ordered online from Sears, got lucky and just received a Craftsman 26 pieces SAE and Metric professional set MADE IN USA. Sears item # 34951 $161.98 http://www.sears.com/craftsman-26-p...p-00934951000P?prdNo=8&blockNo=8&blockType=G8

So far I am happy with the look, feel, quality of these wrenches and am happy to grab these while I could. I am visiting a regional Sears store today and may buy the larger sized metric and SAE sets to complete my collection of US made professional wrenches.

Get 'em while you can!

Congrats, they are pretty nice wrenches. I have a set of 13 metric craftsman pros, and they are very good wrenches. Almost as good as my proto's.

 

[osborn.ozzy]

if anyone has the , 13/16, 7/8, 15/16, and 1" for sale let me know

 

[MR_T]

They look real nice. Sorry if I am hijacking your thread but is there any difference in function between these and the $30-40 non pro models ? I have the cheap ones and have been happy with them so far but I use them just a few times a year. Are these stronger, fit better etc or is the difference just cosmetic ?

 

[franzdom]

My take is they are longer and the feel is much improved, but RP are very similar in quality like tolerances and tool steel. You can't go wrong with either.

 

[osborn.ozzy]

They are longer and smoother and just feel better your hands.

 

[USA-Engineer]

I work at the plant that makes the Cman Professional wrenches and keep seeing they are "Made in China" all over this board. Where are you guys coming up with this information?

 

[PinkLinc]

I work at the plant that makes the Cman Professional wrenches and keep seeing they are "Made in China" all over this board. Where are you guys coming up with this information?

Really? It seems like all Sears has anymore is Chinese made "Full Polish." US made Pros are almost impossible to find.

 

[jzt]

They are longer and smoother and just feel better your hands.

I feel dirty reading this.

 

[USA-Engineer]

Indeed Sears is stocking the shelves with more and more China wrenches, I still have not found any solid evidence that the full polish pro line has origins in China. Are you guys finding some that doesn't have the USA stamp?

 

[shoturtle]

It is on the packaging that the polish long pattern are made in asian, China.

 

[USA-Engineer]

Interesting. I have to go there tonight anyways, I'm going to do some investigating.

 

[osborn.ozzy]

Both sears near me only have china ones

 

[monster1]

YOU ****!!! nice find btw.

 

[pipsters]

Indeed Sears is stocking the shelves with more and more China wrenches, I still have not found any solid evidence that the full polish pro line has origins in China. Are you guys finding some that doesn't have the USA stamp?

All the ones at my local Sears are Chinese

Are you guys still producing made in USA polished/pro wrenches there? If so I might order another set.

 

[shoturtle]

Nope all the new ones are chinese, what is left are NOS. The big sets are more likely to be US then china. I know of couple of stores that have a couple set of metric and sae still in stock. They are pricer wrenches and do not sell as well as the RP stuff.

 

[SMKS]

I still have not found any solid evidence that the full polish pro line has origins in China.

Than you must not have seen the many, many posts about it.

I realize you're a new member, but this is old news. My local store has not had the USA made fully polished wrenches for months.

If you're correct about your factory making wrenches for Sears, then they're probably being sold under the Craftsman Industrial line, which isn't sold in Sears stores. The Industrial line is still USA made. Or, the wrenches that you used to make for Sears are now being stamped "Armstrong," because basically the same wrench is sold under that brand.

Perform a search and you'll find lots of info on it.

There are pics in this thread.

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=133877

 

[franzdom]

Perhaps what you are making is for the industrial line

 

[LB-1911]

Craftsman Professional 26 pc, Standard and Metric Full Polish 12 pt. Combination Wrench Set


http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/cra...ish-12-pt-combination-wrench-set-p-18000.aspx

 

[Swan]

Yes, they are longer, feel great and are thinner than my 18 year old raised panel sets.

My local Sears in Winona, MN does not carry professional or full polish wrenches or sets. I visited a larger Sears in La Crosse, WI today and they stocked 13 piece "full polish" sets (SAE and Metric) without the USA stamp and in small print on the back is "made in China". Sad. Again, I feel lucky I took a chance, ordered from Sears online and got a made in the USA professional set. If they were made in China (unlike the image on the Sears website with wrenches stamped USA) I would have sent them back immediately. Perhaps other members can still get them while they can.

 

[kandziorskib]

I just got the same set of wrenches for $65 at a local flea market. I'm guessing that answers my question if i got a good deal or not. BTW I'm new to the site so this is my first comment lol.

 

[Rusty Musket]

I got a set of those last night. Both metric and SAE. I didn't know they were so coveted. I do like the longer length and agree that they feel good in the hand.

 

[USA-Engineer]

Interesting. I have to go there tonight anyways, I'm going to do some investigating.

Well sure enough, I couldnt find any pro USA wrenches. In fact even the RP ratchets are being made overseas which is news to me. I'm now wondering where all the stuff were making is going

Anyways below is a pic of the china RP ratchet, identical to the USA one in appearance.

Pretty sad where Sears/Craftsman is going, that was the last reasonably priced MUSA tool.

 

[SMKS]

In fact even the RP ratchets are being made overseas which is news to me. I'm now wondering where all the stuff were making is going

Yup, those have been made in China for a while. All the fully polished ratchets are made in Taiwan, except the 84 tooth Craftsman ratchet. That one is USA made.

Here's a thread I made comparing the Chinese and USA Craftsman ratchets.

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=126875

 

[NC-Fordguy]

According to Sears internal web site, The ratchets that come in the tool sets will continue to be USA Produced. This likely explains the continued domestic production


The Chinese produced ratchets are for loose stock/replacement

 

[jumbee3]

Hello,

I'm looking for the 1/4 inch wrench part number. Any help would be much appreciated
Thanks Again

Neil

 

[Paulkenosha]

Hello,

I'm looking for the 1/4 inch wrench part number. Any help would be much appreciated
Thanks Again

Neil

44921 that's the USA pro wrench number if that's what you're looking for