Anyone use Craftsman cold chisels?

[HomeTheaterMan]

I could use a good cold chisel. It's not something I use often, but something that would come in handy. I was in Sears today to warranty out a punch and I noticed that they had a chisel/punch set on sale. To my surprise these are still made in the USA.
This is the set I was looking at:
http://www.sears.com/craftsman-6-piece-chisel-set/p-00943121000P?prdNo=3&blockNo=3&blockType=G3

Being made in the US really drew my attention to them. Are they any good? If they are good I may go back and get a set. If they are the quality of their screwdrivers, I'll probably keep looking for something else.

 

[JKady]

I have a few mixed in with my chinese chisels, they work as good as anything else I've used. Then again, I've never put much money into a tool designed to be bashed with a hammer either. I just buy one of the big sets of off-shore punches/chisels when I run low.

My dad's had the same drawer of Craftsman punches and chisels for the last 30+ years though, and other than me occasionally breaking them as a teenager has had no trouble.

 

[md21722]

Maybe its just me, but I often find that Craftsman tools are often cheap which gets interest going, but have an issue for one reason or another. In the case of chisels and punches, I've found that sometimes they are just too short for the automotive work I wanted them for. Snap On may cost more but they are more often than not helpful for the job you intended because they are intended with automotive in mind. If the Craftsman work for your application then they are a bargain. Recently I was trying to drive out a roll pin out of a differential and the Craftsman pin punches I bought 15 years ago were not long enough. That's probably why they still look almost new.

 

[MDK22]

They are **** in my opinion. I have even sharpened soaking them in water and even sharp they just peen over. I only have a couple good chisels but, they are from the 1970s and I have no clue who made them (kinda wish I did). I have the same problems with craftsman round punches as well.

Mayhew pro are supposed to be good but, make sure they are pro and not select or some other bs. I got pro round punches and they are great but, the Mayhew select punches i have dull whenever i hit anything its really disheartening.

 

[rsanter]

They are ok for occasional use but the newer ones don't hold that goof OD an edge.
If you can find older ones at a swap meet they are better.
My between ones are mayhew and snap on. I also have some good old Proto ones

Bob

 

[L.Cheapo]

I bought two USA made sets in the 90s. (don't ask) They're fine for a DIY person. As another poster mentioned, they are short on length, which is sometimes an issue. I've broken a couple of the punches, and they were, amazingly, lifetime warranty. I just used them last week.

 

[theoldwizard1]

The few I have are from the 70s/80s and get used very little.

If you are referring to the striking end peening over, a certain amount of that is to be expected.


Which brings me to this. A friend of a friend was doing "therapy" after his wife died. He was using an old, well used (and not maintained) steel wedge and about a 4 lb hand sledge to split wood. The top of the wedge was HEAVILY peened over ! A shard came off, shot into his arm and SEVERED AN ARTERY.

Yes, spurting blood everywhere. The only thing that saved him was a lot of pressure on the would and a fast trip to the emergency room.


Moral of the story is, keep the tops/side of your chisels and wedges dressed square !

 

[anndel]

Made in USA Dasco

 

[TheGrooveking]

I have multiple vintages of Craftsman chisels and punches and they have been inconsistent throughout the last 35 years, half of the pin punches and chisels I swore were made of butter, they literally bent or deformed with only minor ise / amount of force. Dasco have never impressed me, I perfer Enderes, and Mayhew.

TheGrooveking

 

[dirtydogintex]

CM chisels work as chisels, wedges, pry bars, spacers
if they get fouled up they can be warranted out w/usually no hassles except for the occasional smirk

most punches and chisels are too short unless one pays extra $$ for 'long', 'xtra long' or similar regardless of the mfg from what I've seen

 

[gdocktor3]

I believe Dasco makes them. Excellent quality stuff. Can't go wrong with any USA made craftsman these days because they're all rebadged, quality stuff.

 

[Mohawk Dave]

They are **** in my opinion. ..SNIP

I agree. Pure ****. Break, bend, and chip. I have Snap on and OLD stuff, Whale Bone or some weird name like that, and old Proto. All good stuff. IDK if I have any real old Craftsman to compare. I think I sold them all.

 

[Mohawk Dave]

I believe Dasco makes them. Excellent quality stuff. Can't go wrong with any USA made craftsman these days because they're all rebadged, quality stuff.

gdocktor, I'm going to respectfully disagree with this blanket statement. Even the Dasco stuff I've got the last few years is ****. Breaks, chips, etc.

 

[B_Bimmer]

I hate dasco, they are utter garbage, so are modern craftsman, the old chrome colored square ones were among the best ever made though. They can take a heck of a beating, so can Mayhew, enders, snap on, proto, and virtually any old looking one you pick up in a box at an auction that says USA.

 

[rlitman]

I hate dasco, they are utter garbage, so are modern craftsman, the old chrome colored square ones were among the best ever made though. They can take a heck of a beating, so can Mayhew, enders, snap on, proto, and virtually any old looking one you pick up in a box at an auction that says USA.

The chrome square ones were indeed really good. The red hex ones now...
Well, I'd use them, so they're not like the Chinese ones which won't touch my hammers, so there is that. But they're far from great.
I've got Enderes chisels. They're pretty good (perhaps not as good as the old chrome square Craftsman), but I think they're worth their price.
I also have a Snap On set. They're AMAZING, but I wouldn't say they were worth the retail.

 

[gdocktor3]

gdocktor, I'm going to respectfully disagree with this blanket statement. Even the Dasco stuff I've got the last few years is ****. Breaks, chips, etc.

Ya I have a few Dasco chisels I bought 5 years ago that have held up pretty well. I just assumed they were still same quality. I mainly use a set of Snap On chisels and punches that are from the 80s and still work perfectly. I guess that explains how little I use them though...

 

[BD1]

I agree on the OLD craftsman ones. I have some that are at least 40 years old and are still good. Check garage sales for the oldies. I got some chisels and center punches for $.25 each. Never have too many.

 

[nh_yota]

I picked up a set last year when they were on sale. I think they're okay for occasional use like most Craftsman tools which is why I bought them.

 

[owenst7]

Every dasco punch I've ever used, the tip completely flattened after the first couple uses. I've used harbor freight punches that are harder than anything I've seen with a dasco label on it.

 

[davethorik]

No experiences with dasco punches or chisels, but their nails sets are ****.

Got a 5 pc set of Mayhew chisels and they're good.

I have one random chrome square Craftsman cold chisel, that's so old it has the C underline logo. That thing is made of adamantium or something.

 

[justanengineer]

I've got a few sets of 30+ year old Cman punches and chisels that are really good but dont recall who made them. I had once heard that they were made by the same company that made my identical (aside from price) vintage General and Starrett punch sets but never confirmed.

 

[Honda 1]

I have both the vintage Craftsman and Dasco punches and chisels from 25 years ago. They have worked fine! They are all USA made.

 

[Finky198]

both the dasco and Mayhew I have bought from sears within the past 5 years are

ABSOLUTE ****....

I have broken tips off at least half of them during light use... And was then given **** about warranting them...

I'd agree with above. I'd say Mayhew pro is the cheapest I would even look at.. Snap ons are like a work of art in comparison (edit "to the craftsmans")

 

[rlitman]

I'd agree with above. I'd say Mayhew pro is the cheapest I would even look at.. Snap ons are like a work of art in comparison

Lol, you do know who makes Snap On chisels and punches, right?

 

[B_Bimmer]

Lol, you do know who makes Snap On chisels and punches, right?

I have read that a dozen times and it seems to be generally accepted, but nothing I have from Mayhew looks quite like the snap on version... They are such a basic tool I really have a hard time believing snap on doesn't make their own. Is there a convincing comparison thread somewhere or some other reliable confirmation that anyone knows about?

 

[cliftonbros89]

I have several Craftsman chisels and punches. They're super terrible but they're also not my first pick. Yeah they're U.S.A. made. But the tops of mine have immediately started mushrooming. The chisel ends don't hold up the greatest. I also have several punches that have bent as well. I haven't broke any. But I'll still use them.

I still like some Mayhew and my Snap On ones I have better. Or the occasional homemade one from some scrap stuff.

 

[Finky198]

^^^ I meant in comparison to the craftsmans. I had no idea about Mayhew/ Snap on ... News to me has any one done side by side comparisons. Are they total identical or does snappy have slightly diff standards or finishes other than there logo?