Anybody still supporting Craftsman

[GreaseMonkey45170]

I was in sears yesterday picking up a few items and talked to a man probably in his early 80's. He told me that he would still buy the china made import tools. He said he had used them his whole life as a mechanic and was a brand he held near and dear. He didnt care where it was made as long as it said craftsman and carried a no questions asked return policy. Is anybody else still buying their tools?

 

[mayday0017]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

I will still buy craftsman sockets mostly because all of my sockets currently are craftsman and matched sets are important to me. That being said there arn't many sockets I see myself needing over the rest of my lifetime so most of mine will always be USA. That being said the rest of the craftsman line has been lower quality for years.

 

[carterbeauford]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

I used to think old people were wise, the older I got I realized they're just idiots that got older.

old people seem to put more stock in a name than people in their 30s like me. I personally will never buy another Craftsman hand tool again, only thing with the Craftsman name on it I will consider is something like a shop vac.

 

[dodge610]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

I still buy from them when I can I grew up with a father that bought only craftsman. A lot of the good tool suppliers have dropped in quality. So I still buy some of my selected tools from them others I usually look Matco or husky way. I am a DIY that graduated from mechanics school but got tired of the rat race and went to my second choice truck driver.

 

[RedneckWelder]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

I stopped buying from Craftsman when their quality went to hell...

 

[Glenn M.]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

I used to think old people were wise, the older I got I realized they're just idiots that got older.

Thank you. I appreciate your insult.

 

[Zeke]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

I used to think old people were wise, the older I got I realized they're just idiots that got older.

old people seem to put more stock in a name than people in their 30s like me. I personally will never buy another Craftsman hand tool again, only thing with the Craftsman name on it I will consider is something like a shop vac.

Brilliant.

 

[GreaseMonkey45170]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

Come on guys, lets show some respect

 

[carterbeauford]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

Thank you. I appreciate your insult.

simple logic, we live in a world of idiots in 2013, 50 years from now those idiots that managed to live will be old idiots, they just disguise with with whimsical charm. we are on the right side of the bell curve of evolution.

 

[Brownsfan]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

The only time I buy craftsman is if I find a USA made and have the extra $ to buy it. I still want to buy the long ball end hex bit socket sets and the giant hex not set. That's it and I'm done. I have a VERY complete USA craftsman socket set and even some back ups. Also have a large craftsman pro screwdriver set including the torx. Also need a few larger wrenches as well. I don't care what people here say. The USA craftsman sockets have been rock solid for me since 1996. Have not broke ONE in all those years. Losing them on he other hand is a different story. In comparison I broke 2 Taiwan Kobalt sockets in my road socket set installing a hitch in a dealership parking lot. Had to go back to the shop and pick up the craftsman to finish the job.

 

[monomach]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

I supported them strongly until recently. Then, they gave me lobster open end wrenches. Now I consider them to be the equal of Harbor Freight or Lowe's. I have to research and look over each individual tool to sort the **** from the gems...and there are gems.

 

[NWphotog]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

Lots of people will continue to buy Craftsman. Every brand has to make decisions and they can never keep everyone happy. GJ posters are just a small subset of Sears customers.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

99% of the tools in my box are Craftsman. Thankfully I probably won't be buying much of anything else and at my age I doubt I will be breaking much either !

Well, maybe a set of fully polished SAE and Metric 6 point combination wrenches !

 

[otis66]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

I will not buy any Craftsman hand tool not made in the USA.

 

[dodge610]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

I just have 1 thing to say If I am an old idiot that is fine. I did learn 1 thing along the way That everyone gets old. No one gets younger so I have learned to let the young bucks go along till they get into a jam they cant get out of then along comes that idiot to get them out.

 

[Csp203]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

I do not need many tools. If I was younger and starting out I do not think I would by many craftsman tools. They now are just over priced when you consider the imported tools sold elsewhere.

I think we should be thankful that we, at one time, could walk down to the corner sears and buy decent mid grade USA tools with a life time warranty. 20 years from now if I am blessed with grandchildren I will tell them all about the good old days. They of course will think I am nuts.

 

[Tsquare]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

I used to think old people were wise, the older I got I realized they're just idiots that got older.

old people seem to put more stock in a name than people in their 30s like me. I personally will never buy another Craftsman hand tool again, only thing with the Craftsman name on it I will consider is something like a shop vac.

Your in you 30's and you think you know it all in life and that you are wiser then a man in his 80's - I rest my case

 

[Glenn M.]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

simple logic, we live in a world of idiots in 2013, 50 years from now those idiots that managed to live will be old idiots, they just disguise with with whimsical charm. we are on the right side of the bell curve of evolution.

I'm 68, not whimsically charming, and not charmed by flawed logic. Your original post said nothing about living in a world of idiots in 2013, nor anything about 50 years from now.
OP - I'm lucky enough to have bought Craftsman tools when they were USA made 50 + years ago, and even luckier to still have most of them. If I break a socket or something, I'll head for a particular pawn shop I know that has a couple of boxes of single sockets and see if I can buy a USA-made replacement there. I don't shop in Sears anymore, Craftsman or not. Their mall store shut down some time ago in my town, a new, small store has opened since then. I visited there once; comparatively, it was a joke.

 

[m.b.0331]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

I'll still buy the American made Craftsman stuff. My dad was nice enough to start me off with their screwdrivers, 3/8" drive ratchet and socket set, and wrenches a few years ago. And a nice USA-made toolbox, too. I'm in the market for a 1/2" drive socket set but will only buy the American made ones.

I bought their impact driver a few months ago; of course it's Chinese made but every other new power tool is too. I had a few old nicad batteries and the fit that tool and work just fine. It's bulkier and slower than the Dewalt drivers my company supplies, but it does the job and i like it.

 

[oldldh]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

Remember, if you're lucky, you will eventually reach old age...

Us Senior citizens are a tough old bunch...

We will give you a serious pummel with our canes and walkers, if necessary...

RESPECT THE ELDERLY!!!

Or we'll steal your women...

 

[dodge610]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

I have the craftsman C3 system and I love it the attachments for it are great also. Out of all the cordless tools I have tried and tossed this has been the best system to meet my needs so far.

 

[Lexus]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

Your in you 30's and you think you know it all in life and that you are wiser then a man in his 80's - I rest my case

Thats not what I read... Looks like some of you read too much into this.

 

[woody 73]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

A large part of what I have learned in life was at the hands of older people. I am still learning new things every day, and some of the younger guys are teaching me.

With that being said, I still enjoy looking at craftsman tools and there are still some products that I would buy.

How long will Sears last is another question...

 

[m.b.0331]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

I have the craftsman C3 system and I love it the attachments for it are great also. Out of all the cordless tools I have tried and tossed this has been the best system to meet my needs so far.

They aren't as "high speed" as Dewalt or Milwaukee, but the things work, and thats all that matters. The service agreement and warranty are good, too. The man who sold me the impact driver, tool only, assured me that the service agreement would cover replacement for batteries I already owned. Sounds like a good deal!

 

[dodge610]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

Remember, if you're lucky, you will eventually reach old age...

Us Senior citizens are a tough old bunch...

We will give you a serious pummel with our canes and walkers, if necessary...

RESPECT THE ELDERLY!!!

Or we'll steal your women...

Could not agree more with you I am 56 and still learn daily from the guys that are older than me. Senior citizens are a wealth of info. The young guys at work are allways asking the best way to do a certain task. Work smart not hard.

 

[cptn_zippy]

Eh, I'm buying JH Williams from now on. But Sears will probably still sucker me in on occasion.

 

[PECVD2]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

simple logic, we live in a world of idiots in 2013, 50 years from now those idiots that managed to live will be old idiots, they just disguise with with whimsical charm. we are on the right side of the bell curve of evolution.

^^^Future Darwin Award Winner is what this old man would guess.

 

[NHBandit]

I have enough tools to put 5 guys to work but if I was just starting out I would have to think hard before buying current Craftsman stuff. The quality ain't what it used to be and if Sears is still around to get tools warranteed in 5 years it will be a miracle.

 

[DCarr]

. Is anybody else still buying their tools?

Yes. And I have yet to have a problem with them. I use them much more than an average home tinkerer but not nearly as much as a full time mechanic.

I have been buying the Home Depot ( Husky ) for about a year now because HD is much closer than Sears or our True Value Hardward store.

The Husky brand has been very good also.

 

[Jim C.]

I'll still occasionally buy a new Craftsman tool, but it MUST be made in the USA. I won't even consider a tool made in china, regardless if it's Craftsman branded or any other brand.

Jim C.

 

[nicksnothereman]

I was in sears yesterday picking up a few items and talked to a man probably in his early 80's. He told me that he would still buy the china made import tools. He said he had used them his whole life as a mechanic and was a brand he held near and dear. He didnt care where it was made as long as it said craftsman and carried a no questions asked return policy. Is anybody else still buying their tools?

One offs I'll buy. I don't really buy too many sets nowadays anyway. So the answer is: if I can't get it anywhere else or can't get it anywhere else cheaper (if made in china) I'll get it at sears. They still stock a lot of specialty tools you can't really find anywhere else except the internet or a truck.

 

[Wakefield]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

Remember, if you're lucky, you will eventually reach old age...

Us Senior citizens are a tough old bunch...

We will give you a serious pummel with our canes and walkers, if necessary...

RESPECT THE ELDERLY!!!

Or we'll steal your women...

I am amazed at how many of my 1970 classmates are no longer living-including some of my best friends---
took it for granted at the time that people usually live to at least their 70's
NOT

 

[nicksnothereman]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

I supported them strongly until recently. Then, they gave me lobster open end wrenches. Now I consider them to be the equal of Harbor Freight or Lowe's. I have to research and look over each individual tool to sort the **** from the gems...and there are gems.

The kobalt and pittsburgh pro taiwanese stuff is actually better than craftsman. Just sayin'. Don't tell anyone it's a secret!

 

[Flivver250]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

I used to think old people were wise, the older I got I realized they're just idiots that got older.

old people seem to put more stock in a name than people in their 30s like me. I personally will never buy another Craftsman hand tool again, only thing with the Craftsman name on it I will consider is something like a shop vac.

No fool like an old fool. Age does not bring wisdom if there was none to begin with. IQs do not go up as we get older. I have a handful Craftsman tools and will not buy more. I am not fond of Sears as a whole anyway. Enough alternatives that are better. I do have imported items, drip pans, creepers and other miscellaneous items, but I do attempt to buy domestic when I can, and support companies that provide good products and services. I don’t care if every Chinese manufacturer goes bankrupt and out of business, I don’t care if Japan sinks into the ocean (figuratively). I do care that what little manufacturing we have left stays in business. I may be at the end of my career, but I have kids and grandkids that I’d like to see grow up in a prosperous economy. Not looking good from here, Sears isn’t helping by caving to demands for cheap junk. They have been assimilated by the Chinese Borg. Never knew cheap **** was so hard to find that Sears had break into that niche market.

 

[tedsters]

if i did need a certain tool i would not go to sears for it there are a couple stores closer then sears that has tools made in Taiwan that are better then the new craftsman i am not sure if i will go with craftsman any more new any ways they will have to step it up in quality for me to keep purchasing them

 

[D-fens]

Let's split it down the middle, and say SOME older folks are worthy of respect and have a lifetime of experience and knowledge to pass on to younger people, who in turn would do well to pay attention to what these folks have to say.

Others come off like grouchy old ******* douchebags because that's what they are.

And here's a cool story, bro, to tie the two themes in this thread together:

I dropped Craftsman like a bad habit more than ten years ago because this old Colonel Sanders - looking goat who worked at the local Sears store always gave me static about it whenever I tried to return a broken tool. His excuse was the Craftsman "warrantied forever" policy excluded professional mechanics. He kept singing his song even after a Sears corporate sales rep told me he was full of ****.

So I told Col Sanders to pack sand, and started taking my broken Craftsman **** to another store where they always replaced it without even looking at it. For a pretty good while after that I made a point to walk through that Sears store and heckle the guy whenever I went to the mall.

Hope Col Sanders is working at a Sears store in Hell these days. Where the black Friday crowds are really rough.

PS I started buying off the tool truck guys after that and still do, even if I have to call the local Snappy fifty times to get him to stop by the shop.

 

[PugetDude]

Re: Anybody still supporting craftsman

simple logic, we live in a world of idiots in 2013y

Why, yes. Yes we do.

 

[kenburkholz]

Everybody thinks that C.M. is giving in to demands for cheaper prices for the consumers. Not true! the prices are just the same, only the profits are higher for the corporate ASSHOLES! Ken.

 

[msportbiker6666]

The only Time ThaT I'll buy Crosman Tools are if I need to make/mageyver a special tool and don't want to spend the big bucks on the high end brands. 90 percent of my trips to Sears or tool warranty/replacement. my $0.02 towards the cordless tools debate: the little 12v pistol style drivers are fantastic for wrenching on most machines. plus it saves wear and tear on my compressor and you don't have to listen to the compressor going on all the time. I have a 28 volt Milwaukee system as well with a number of different tools including the impact gun. ThaT's where I draw The line Though definiTely use a compressor when I'm doing impacT work. plus the batteries for the system are about a hundred eighty dollars a piece and I just replaced 6 of them of which milwaukee only covered 2. they said i let they other 4 get overheated. apparently even our batteries (li-ion) history can be viewed by their techs. they did offer a discounted rate but it still hurts.

 

[monster1]

Nope. I'll buy Williams, kobalt and gearwrench. And yes, I DO know where those tools are made.