Cracked Craftsman

[MackMan]

So the other night I was polishing my sockets (ok ok I was actually using some of them, I know that's frowned upon) and noticed my 18mm shallow Craftsman had a crack near the edge, coinciding with an off-center broaching (oddly I had the same thing on a snap-on deep, so even the best screw up every now and then)

Of course with all the horror stories of Craftsman going to made in China now I'm nervous of getting a Chinese replacement when I go in to get a warranty replacement.

I have a "hometown" store and a mall-based Dept store both reasonably convenient... which is the better bet for warranty replacement (I've actually never had to deal with Sears for warranty!)? I guess if I get a chinese one it's still better than a cracked one but I'd sure rather keep it USA.

Any thoughts? Or just try both and see what I can get away with.

Or just keep expanding my Snap-On collection LOL.

 

[BK13]

Me, I'd just check out the closest and make sure they had USA stuff (most of the loose stock around PDX is still US) and swap 'er out. Shouldn't be and flak from the store.

 

[MackMan]

last time I was in the Dept store it was almost all China... haven't been to the hometown store for a while even though ironically it's closer. Guess I will try hometown first and see what I find.

 

[bimmerZ5]

take your cracked socket in your pocket. check out the store and go look for the replacement yourself. if you find a USA socket, then take that to the counter and show them your cracked one and get it replaced. if you don't find a replacement to your liking, you can just leave and try another store. or, just accept a non-usa replacement.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

Throw it in your car and the next time you have to go to sears replace it...If they give you a Chinese one then Hit Ebay.....You can probably find one for a buck or two, that was US made...

 

[SlappyWhite]

A made in China one is still better than a cracked made in USA one. Sure, try to get it replaced with a USA one but I do not see the point of holding on to a cracked one because of where it was made, specially since you use them.

 

[MackMan]

A made in China one is still better than a cracked made in USA one. Sure, try to get it replaced with a USA one but I do not see the point of holding on to a cracked one because of where it was made, specially since you use them.

absolutely I'm not planning to hold on to the cracked one. Just trying to figure out where the higher probability of getting a USA replacement was.

I'm generally "upgrading" to Snap-On where $ allow, so if I have to pay for a USA replacement I'll just get the S-O, but a china Cman will still be handy for my 2nd tool set as my "collection" grows.

 

[chris142]

I thought the sets were imported and the singles usa.that's how it looks here.

 

[RM209]

Try Ace Hardware; within the last two months I've been in two of them that got all new Craftsman inventory, and all of the individual sockets I looked at were U.S. made. Not sure about the sets. Good Luck.

RM209

 

[kts]

take your cracked socket in your pocket. check out the store and go look for the replacement yourself. if you find a USA socket, then take that to the counter and show them your cracked one and get it replaced. if you don't find a replacement to your liking, you can just leave and try another store. or, just accept a non-usa replacement.

^ this.

the few stores i've been to in my area lately are as many others have said, sets are Made in China but the open stock are still Made in USA.

 

[MackMan]

I don't know that I've ever seen individual sockets at all in the hometown store, and in the dept store I thought they were only in the larger sizes, but thanks for the tip!

 

[jjjrmx5]

Mackman check your open stock at your local Sears and Ace.

3/8" or 1/2" drive? 6 point or 12 point?

I picked a 3/8 drive 6 point short -G- chrome up at the flea last weekend if things don;t work out if that fits the bill.
I paid 50 cents or so (was part of a bigger buy).

I bought it to fill in a set I have , and I'll check to see if my local Sears has a USA 18mm as I head there tomorrow.

Exhaust your local sources and then I;m sure GJ can help.

 

[MackMan]

It's 18mm 3/8, 6 point shallow.

No Ace here just True Value and Sears Hometown, Sears Dept in Winston Salem about 15-20min away. Will check tomorrow and see if the Hometown has any single sockets. 6 point is often a challenge to locate as well.

 

[nanofrog]

The Hometown store near me has more USA stock than the regular Sears store in the mall FWIW.

 

[MJB24]

Is it by chance 12 point - 3/8 drive?

I either have two in 19mm or 18mm that are both new I just noticed the other day. They are Craftsman Industrial so I know they are US made.

Just seen you already said its 6 point. Well I will check when I get home next and if it is 18mm you can have it and I would mail it to you for free

 

[Csp203]

Just take the thing and get it replaced. The money in gas you will waste driving around will not make it worth it to find the last made in USA 18mm socket in town. I know this *****, but there is nothing you can do to change it. Craftsman is gone my friends, dead to me. Harbor freight that sells washing machines and pants with expensive imported tools.

 

[Hootbro]

Plenty of sellers on Ebay selling that socket for under $4 shipped and made in the USA. Factor in the cost of gas and potential disappointment at the local level, might just be cheaper getting the replacement off Ebay.

 

[monster1]

Plenty of sellers on Ebay selling that socket for under $4 shipped and made in the USA. Factor in the cost of gas and potential disappointment at the local level, might just be cheaper getting the replacement off Ebay.

This.

 

[MJB24]

Turns out I have 2 19mm and no 18mm. Little mistake by craftsman

 

[NorthCountry]

So the other night I was polishing my sockets (ok ok I was actually using some of them, I know that's frowned upon) and noticed my 18mm shallow Craftsman had a crack near the edge, coinciding with an off-center broaching (oddly I had the same thing on a snap-on deep, so even the best screw up every now and then)

Of course with all the horror stories of Craftsman going to made in China now I'm nervous of getting a Chinese replacement when I go in to get a warranty replacement.

I have a "hometown" store and a mall-based Dept store both reasonably convenient... which is the better bet for warranty replacement (I've actually never had to deal with Sears for warranty!)? I guess if I get a chinese one it's still better than a cracked one but I'd sure rather keep it USA.

Any thoughts? Or just try both and see what I can get away with.

Or just keep expanding my Snap-On collection LOL.

I have one in stock USA Made pm me your address I send it out to you no charge


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[NorthCountry]

It's 18mm 3/8, 6 point shallow.

No Ace here just True Value and Sears Hometown, Sears Dept in Winston Salem about 15-20min away. Will check tomorrow and see if the Hometown has any single sockets. 6 point is often a challenge to locate as well.

Look no more your socket shipped yesterday sorry for the delay!


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[pipsters]

Singles are still USA at my store and all the sets are imported.

 

[NHBandit]

Plenty of sellers on Ebay selling that socket for under $4 shipped and made in the USA. Factor in the cost of gas and potential disappointment at the local level, might just be cheaper getting the replacement off Ebay.

Or a flea market if there are any decent ones local. Here I have 3 to choose from close to home and all of them have regular tool vendors who set up every week. Craftsman sockets generally sell for 50 cents-$1 each. There is one guy with totes full of truck brand sockets for $3 each. I have filled in quite a few blank spots in sets using that guy.

 

[MackMan]

Look no more your socket shipped yesterday sorry for the delay!


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Thanks!

 

[Loscaldazar]

In general what I plan to do if I ever break any of my Craftsman USA stuff and have no option but to get a chinese replacement, I'll take the chinese replacement sell it, and put the dollar or two I get towards an SK replacement. I want to upgrade everything to SK anyway...

 

[MackMan]

In general what I plan to do if I ever break any of my Craftsman USA stuff and have no option but to get a chinese replacement, I'll take the chinese replacement sell it, and put the dollar or two I get towards an SK replacement. I want to upgrade everything to SK anyway...

Interesting thought.. not dissimilar to what I am doing, slowly getting my tools switched over to Snap-On as I can get the right deal, however I'm in the process of buying an off-site garage, and intend to keep a "basic" tool set at the house that will likely be Craftsman or similar, with the premium stuff at the garage.

 

[Higgins]

Try Ace Hardware; within the last two months I've been in two of them that got all new Craftsman inventory, and all of the individual sockets I looked at were U.S. made. Not sure about the sets. Good Luck.

RM209

From my observations here in IL, it looks as if all the Ace stores are all China products. Although many of the Sears store have moved on to China, most of the single purchase sockets are still old stock and made in USA

AL

 

[MackMan]

Look no more your socket shipped yesterday sorry for the delay!


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Got it today, many thanks!

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[NorthCountry]

Got it today, many thanks!

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No problem! I always have tons of tools for sale!


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