Why the heartburn with Craftsman?

[m.d.hunter63@hotmail.]

Looking to get larger size combination wrenches 22-35 mm. Won't use them often, couple of times a year. I'm a big fan of Proto and MAC. priced a set.. holy ****. Looking at Craftsman, 1/3 the price.... What is wrong with Craftsman?

 

[Beerhippie]

For use a couple of times a year, likely nothing.

 

[Ohio Andy]

I prefer the overdrive versions of them... Ok, I really like the overdrive. Never had a problem with the standard versions but I prefer the overdrive or Wright tools with Wright Grip 2.0

I think you will be fine with them.

 

[woody 73]

When you know you know, boo Hoo Hoo...

Craftsman Max Axess New Rare Huge Set 113 pcs - tools - by owner - sale - craigslist

Never opened, never used. Rarer than rare. If you know, you know. If you don't, you don't.

www.craigslist.org

 

[KnurledNut]

Do you have SAE wrenches?
If not, they may be cheaper and easier to acquire.
If so, consider skipping close enough sizes in metric like 22 (7/8), 24 (15/16), 27 (1-1/16), 30 (1-3/16), 32 (1-1/4), 35 (1-3/8).

 

[Fedwrench]

Bebop over to Cripe Distributing either at their Ebay store or at their website. They used to have a bunch of larger US Made KD and Armstrong combination wrenches reasonably priced.

 

[mikey03]

Looking to get larger size combination wrenches 22-35 mm. Won't use them often, couple of times a year. I'm a big fan of Proto and MAC. priced a set.. holy ****. Looking at Craftsman, 1/3 the price.... What is wrong with Craftsman?

How does the price of Tekton compare? Honestly I’d go tekton over craftsman anyday every day

 

[Ohio Andy]

How does the price of Tekton compare? Honestly I’d go tekton over craftsman anyday every day

If you can get overdrive, no. Otherwise... Well, I have not tried Tekton wrenches or modern Craftsman regular wrenches. I do like my Tekton ratchets and I liked their discontinued screwdrivers...

 

[finn]

I’ve used them since the late sixties, plus many other brands including Proto, Wright, SnapOn, SK, and a dozen more. Most recently bought the Overdrive and V series tools to stock the Az garage.

No complaints.

 

[pcmeiners]

What is wrong with Craftsman?

No Bragging rights as you have with Snap-on and you won't be paying off a large bill for years.

 

[Wamsutta]

I don't know how you guys can stand those open ends with all the teeth in them. Sure they're great for rounded off nuts, but if you ever use them on brand new nuts that aren't stripped out, those gimmicky open ends with the teeth get caught on the corners of the nut as you're trying to pull the wrench away.

 

[JradM]

I don't know how you guys can stand those open ends with all the teeth in them. Sure they're great for rounded off nuts, but if you ever use them on brand new nuts that aren't stripped out, those gimmicky open ends with the teeth get caught on the corners of the nut as you're trying to pull the wrench away.

Try an ASD Proto wrench perhaps? Similar benefits, less extreme design.


For the OP, there's nothing wrong with Craftsman wrenches. The brand attracts a lot of criticism for not being the same tool people remember from their rose-colored past, but it's a competitive offering in the modern market.

However, when buying large size wrenches of any brand, make sure you compare their physical dimensions. I don't mean the openings (a 35mm wrench is a 35mm wrench, with slightly different tolerance levels perhaps - but rarely enough to matter). I mean that some brands make shorter, skinnier wrenches in the larger sizes, presumably to save materials. A full-sized 35mm wrench is quite a bit of steel.

If you only shop based on price, especially online, you might not realize that the cheap sets aren't as long or robust as the more reputable brands. If they make a wrench a couple inches shorter and 30% thinner, it might work for you or might not - but it's certainly different from the full-sized version.

That has nothing to do with Craftsman specifically, but this is Garagejournal; while you asked about Craftsman specifically, you're going to get at least a dozen different recommendations. Make sure you're comparing apples to apples.

 

[Zewnten]

Sellers expecting nostalgia to carry the brand.

 

[ecotec]

I don't know how you guys can stand those open ends with all the teeth in them. Sure they're great for rounded off nuts, but if you ever use them on brand new nuts that aren't stripped out, those gimmicky open ends with the teeth get caught on the corners of the nut as you're trying to pull the wrench away.

Even when they don’t stick, they can beat the **** out of hardware that you often don’t have on hand.

They are, definitely, not always ideal.

 

[RalphInCA]

Sellers expecting nostalgia to carry the brand.

Yep, but they may have waited too long for a major comeback.

They definitely lost me.

20 years ago I was “nothing but Craftsman”

Now I am a Harbor Freight fanboy.

 

[shadow images]

I still use a ton of Craftsman I have had for decades but I don't care for the stuff after sears went under. I search for vintage used or deal with Harbor Freight, Snap On, CAT or Matco if I need something specific.

 

[mikey03]

I don't know how you guys can stand those open ends with all the teeth in them. Sure they're great for rounded off nuts, but if you ever use them on brand new nuts that aren't stripped out, those gimmicky open ends with the teeth get caught on the corners of the nut as you're trying to pull the wrench away.

Honestly I can stand the teeth open end cause I never use the open ends. If I’m using the open end it’s because the closed end won’t work and that’s cause there’s limited access. So I want all the help I can get tbh. Give me all the teeth. Now maybe alignments I think might got open end needed to adjust even though you got full access it’s just how It’s build but I’m not sure, never did one. That’s a firestone job with an alignment machine.

Now maybe your talking hydraulics well for that it’s line wrenches.

So honestly I just about never hit a spot I need an open end wrench and when I do I need the teeth to help

 

[Lassen Forge]

When I was turning a wrench for a living, I was a C'man devotee, for 3 reasons.
(1) Sears was 5 minutes up the road. The SO truck drove by once a week. I need a tool NOW, not next week.
(2) Back then they had EVERYTHING. Whitworth? Sure. Metric? Easy Peasy. that 38 mm wrench I needed? On the wall.
(3) I liked the feel of their tools compared to SO. They fit my hand better.
The downside was their wrenches were thicker, so some got the "grinder" treratment, but hey, they weren't THAT expensive.

Nowdays, C'man lost their reputation for quality. Sears went in the toilet, and C'man became more like a "hardware store brand". The "Wall of Tools" I relied on was gone, the selection sparse, and no, I don't want a Max Axcess 113 piece took set - I HAVE a tool set, and if I need something it's usually an one off. So I converted to SO, got used to their "skinny grip", because C'man was no longer a viable option for doing mechanical work, and Sears go bye bye...

 

[Ohio Andy]

When I was turning a wrench for a living, I was a C'man devotee, for 3 reasons.
(1) Sears was 5 minutes up the road. The SO truck drove by once a week. I need a tool NOW, not next week.
(2) Back then they had EVERYTHING. Whitworth? Sure. Metric? Easy Peasy. that 38 mm wrench I needed? On the wall.
(3) I liked the feel of their tools compared to SO. They fit my hand better.
The downside was their wrenches were thicker, so some got the "grinder" treratment, but hey, they weren't THAT expensive.

Nowdays, C'man lost their reputation for quality. Sears went in the toilet, and C'man became more like a "hardware store brand". The "Wall of Tools" I relied on was gone, the selection sparse, and no, I don't want a Max Axcess 113 piece took set - I HAVE a tool set, and if I need something it's usually an one off. So I converted to SO, got used to their "skinny grip", because C'man was no longer a viable option for doing mechanical work, and Sears go bye bye...

Try wright tools, they are beefier compared to Craftsman. I don't have any snap-on wrenches to compare to

 

[OccupantRJ]

None of the machines I have repaired over the last 60 years ever complained about Craftsman tools. I use many different brands bought at yard sales and flea markets over the years. They all seem to twist fasteners well. The people who demand matched sets of every tool would melt like the wicked witch in my shop.

 

[Aaron_W]

Yep, but they may have waited too long for a major comeback.

They definitely lost me.

20 years ago I was “nothing but Craftsman”

Now I am a Harbor Freight fanboy.

Same. I've got nothing against Craftsman, but not particularly relevant to me anymore. I've still got a socket set I bought 25+ years ago, but much more likely to buy Husky, Pittsburgh, Quinn or Icon due to price / availability and similar perceived quality.

I did buy some Craftsman screwdrivers last year but that was a pure nostalgia buy when I saw a set of the clear, red and blue handle screw drivers at ACE.

 

[Gangly]

I don't know how you guys can stand those open ends with all the teeth in them. Sure they're great for rounded off nuts, but if you ever use them on brand new nuts that aren't stripped out, those gimmicky open ends with the teeth get caught on the corners of the nut as you're trying to pull the wrench away.

Maybe that’s brand specific, but my wrenches with teeth don’t do that.

 

[finn]

Maybe that’s brand specific, but my wrenches with teeth don’t do that.

I never really noticed it either, but like others here, I typically avoid open end wrenches whenever possible.

As to the other comment about Wright wrenches being beefier than Craftsman, that might be true, and I think they’re a little longer, but I rarely go out of my way to reach for a Wright wrench if a Craftsman, SK, Proto, or even a Snapon is closer.

I haven’t got my head around Pittsburgh yet, although I know mine probably aren’t of the current design/ quality level.

I’ll also admit that a lot of my Craftsman are 70’s- 80’s vintage, possibly prior to the legendary Lobster Claws, or later Overdrive, which are a more current offering.