Craftsman all-in-1 Dog Bone

[Stuey]

Craftsman's coming out with a new all-in-1 dog bone wrench. I handled a prototype a few months ago, and it actually felt pretty good - I really liked the finish.

But, I can't see myself ever using one.

I tried one of the Kobalt ones last winter and couldn't believe how sloppy the sockets actually were. (Hex fastener test fit)

Brief Tool Preview via TG

(thanks to DanKicksAss for the heads-up)

 

[smallcarguy]

I cant see myself every using one of these either, but I should prolly just buy one to throw in my daughters car, just so I know its there...

 

[Borrego]

Are these not a reintroduction of something they made during the 60s & 70s? I have an older one and have never used it in 10 years.

 

[Shipfittin]

Nice review you did on that Kobalt Dog Bone last Christmas. I could never see myself using that, rather just grab a real wrench or ratchet/socket.

I read the comments on your page, now that was pure entertainment. I love some of the responses, like you are personally selling these tools

 

[fourtythree]

Seems like a "fathers day tool". They're all over the place now for some reason. Black and Decker makes one too.

 

[Stuey]

Are these not a reintroduction of something they made during the 60s & 70s? I have an older one and have never used it in 10 years.

Not quite. These have all-in-one spline sockets that can supposedly be used on any fastener type. There are no individual metric or inch sockets - e.g. one socket will be sized for both 1/2" and 13mm fasteners.

Nice review you did on that Kobalt Dog Bone last Christmas. I could never see myself using that, rather just grab a real wrench or ratchet/socket.

I read the comments on your page, now that was pure entertainment. I love some of the responses, like you are personally selling these tools

Thanks! I was working on an in-depth review of the Kobalt wrench, but within the first minute I realized it doesn't fit hex fasteners all that well. So that's why there's a separate hex-fastener-test and review.

Regarding the amusing comments - you'd laugh your pants off if you saw some of the emails I get. Every so often I get an email as if I were customer service for Home Depot, Lowes, Sears, Craftsman Club. A lot of foreign companies also pepper me with offers to manufacture safety gloves and wholesale hand tools for me.

 

[Jim C.]

These things were around many years ago, and eventually became extinct for a reason. They're really impractical. They're big, clunky, and nearly worthless. Mechanics of the past figured out pretty fast that they're a bad idea. They did the OTJ research for us. Why bring them back? Bad idea then, still a bad idea now. Don't buy this junk, and send them back to extinction!!!

Jim C.

 

[Stuey]

They're around, growing in numbers, and being redesigned every year by several major brands (B&D/Craftsman/Kobalt/Husky) for one simple reason - consumers keep snatching them up.

 

[Honda 1]

Another gimmick tool that will probably collect dust in the toolbox!

 

[jhelrey]

I'll be honest... They are great in a pinch! VIA breaking down on the side of the road.

 

[slowz32]

For popping off drain plugs they do alright

 

[RLRRLRLL]

I'll just keep my road box in my trunk....

 

[fitz11]

I have both sae and metric craftsman versions and have yet to use either. Good for the truck box tho I guess?

 

[dankicksass]

I ran across that on Sears.com looking for E-torx wrenches this weekend. I do like industrial finish tools, and I have a ratcheting Ready Wrench that I don't use, but it wasn't what I was looking for.

 

[fourtythree]

Like I said, fathers day gift.

 

[Coolabah]

Craftsman's coming out with a new all-in-1 dog bone wrench. I handled a prototype a few months ago, and it actually felt pretty good - I really liked the finish.

But, I can't see myself ever using one.


(thanks to DanKicksAss for the heads-up)

I have a similar item in each of my vehicles- and I truly hope to never need to use one too. We are not allowed to keep Uzis, Shotguns, pistols, pocket knives, metal bars, baseball bats etc in our possession without just cause eg " I'm on my way to a baseball game , that is why I have those 7 bats, the 4 Uzis and the Claymores in my trunk, officer" ...errr... bad example...

Reason being- if you are pulled over in Australia and they search your vehicle, may the Good Lord/Allah/Buddah/Al Gore help you if you have anything at all in your possession resembling blade/baseball bat/crow bar.... but, hey officer I carry this to enable me to fix my car.... (you are rooted if said officer has any mechanical aptitude...) ... but, as a legitimate self defense item, I swear by these. Just my 2 cents !

 

[earlthegoat2]

Im glad my significant other asks me exactly what I want when she wants to buy me tools. She must have caught on to my rants nearly everytime I go to stores that sell tools. I am known to say things like "gimmicky ****" and "how much money did they have to spend in marketing to convince people to buy these".

I have been known to be a crotchety old man at my young age.....

 

[Super Mech]

I got a HF one on sale for something like 14.99. I only use it for oil drain plugs and it works pretty damn good. Has a nice strong magnet built into the handle to hold drain plug or attach to metal oil drain can. Other than drain plugs I can't see too much practical use for it.

 

[Outlawmws]

Seems like a "fathers day tool". They're all over the place now for some reason. Black and Decker makes one too.

Exactly. I got a B&D version from my Mother in Law. She was SOO happy to find me a tools she just knew I would love...

 

[Outlawmws]

Are these not a reintroduction of something they made during the 60s & 70s? I have an older one and have never used it in 10 years.

Even older: From a 1954 Craftsman catalog:

 

[byoungblood]

Even older: From a 1954 Craftsman catalog:

Saw one of those old Craftsman ones at a yard sale recently. Thought about buying it just for the novelty factor and/or seeing if some idiot would pay big money for it on eBay.

 

[Jim C.]

Saw one of those old Craftsman ones at a yard sale recently. Thought about buying it just for the novelty factor and/or seeing if some idiot would pay big money for it on eBay.

The old ones do have some novelty, and may be collectable to some extent, but I don't think they're worth very much. I'm sure most Craftsman collectors probably have one or two of the originals from the 50s and 60s. That's fine. That's what collectors do. Even if it means collecting some tools that were not necessarily the best design, or the most functional. But to start re-making these things is really a crime. They didn't survive the first time around for a reason....... They're JUNK!!!!! Bad design, limited function, big, clunky, JUNK!!!!! Trust me, adding a magnet to them and giving them a high shine finish doesn't improve them one bit. They're JUNK!!!!!!!!! Not to mention, most I've seen are manufactured in china. Save your money for something you might actually use.

Jim C.

 

[dankicksass]

They're huge with oil change guys; anywhere I've been in the past couple years with dedicated oil guys, it's sticking out of their pockets.

 

[btbsandman]

The next gimmick will be open end ratcheting crowsfoot.

 

[Outlawmws]

They're huge with oil change guys; anywhere I've been in the past couple years with dedicated oil guys, it's sticking out of their pockets.

At least that makes some sense. They are only interested in a couple of drain plug sizes, and usually those are easy access. This is one place a magnetized version would be useful.

I just can't see me ever using mine...

 

[Jim C.]

They're huge with oil change guys; anywhere I've been in the past couple years with dedicated oil guys, it's sticking out of their pockets.

I believe you. But what were oil change guys using before these pieces of JUNK were re-introduced to the tool buying public??

Jim C.

 

[Outlawmws]

I believe you. But what were oil change guys using before these pieces of JUNK were re-introduced to the tool buying public??

Jim C.

Crescent wrenches and vise grips, what else?

 

[csmitty]

Having worked in some oil gigs before when I was younger you learn real quick what size you need and which oil filter. Course sometimes someone put the wrong one back in so that usually took some time to figure that out. Or having to deal with skid plates.

I could only see this in a road box. Mine is pretty damn heavy.

 

[Stuey]

They're huge with oil change guys; anywhere I've been in the past couple years with dedicated oil guys, it's sticking out of their pockets.

I've heard that quite a few times.

But e-torx and spline compatibility?

 

[Frank The Plumber]

A very tedious tool to use, thus the disappearance for 60 years. It's too large to get into 50% of the places you need it. And...because you have it..you will tend not to have what you really need.

 

[metaldad]

interesting.
i have a dog bone............ probably made in that 3rd world asian country.
i was going to throw it in the scrap metal bucket.

 

[Cranemonkey72]

Awesome that you found that! My opinion fifty years later they are still useless. The boss at work bought some for everyone they tend to round things off because the swivel won't stay square. Again useless

 

[Darrin88]

Can't work better than this mansfield Handy dogbone wrench!

 

[Jim C.]

A very tedious tool to use, thus the disappearance for 60 years. It's too large to get into 50% of the places you need it. And...because you have it..you will tend not to have what you really need.

Amen to all of this, but I think you're a little low on your percentage. I doubt it would fit into 80% of the places you'd need it. Complete waste of money. Buying this JUNK only encourages tool manufactures to keep putting out gimmicks like this. If you're going to buy a tool from china, at least buy one that you could use for more than a boat anchor.

Jim C.

 

[Jim C.]

interesting.
i have a dog bone............ probably made in that 3rd world asian country.
i was going to throw it in the scrap metal bucket.

That's all it's good for......scrap metal!!!!

 

[Jim C.]

Can't work better than this mansfield Handy dogbone wrench!

No, it doesn't work any better. They're both big pieces of JUNK!!!