Craftsman hope?

[GoFaster2]

Tonight I noticed that I was missing/never had some 1/4" dr sockets off my rail and decided to finish the set. They are Craftsman sockets so I went to Sears and while I was picking up the 4 sockets which are all US made ones, I noticed all the sets are now China made. I was there several weeks ago and they were all USA ones.where did the USA stuff go? When I was checking out I mentioned that I bought the last USA ones they had, the sales clerk mentioned that the China ones are still lifetime warranty. I replied that's fine but there still made in China and with tools I want USA and am willing to pay for quality. He agreed and said I wasnt the only one making that statement. He also said they have been told that Craftsman is in the process of building a factory of their own here in the states to make sockets and wrenchs. That really caught me off guard and I didnt ask anything else. Now I realize that salesman are not always told everything but having worked there 20 something yrs ago we were briefed on new items when they were coming out. Rumour? maybe but maybe Craftsman realized the move to china tools have hurt the brand name.
Now my one complaint was there 1/4" drive flex head is $35 dollars and MADE IN CHINA! China is fine but please drop the price to lower then the USA ones.

 

[devoncoolman]

here we go.

 

[Fedwrench]

The craftsman 1/4 drive at like $39.99 cost more than the 3/8 drive or the 1/2 drive versions when then were US made. I never understood that one.

I wouldn't get your hopes up for production coming back to the USA anytime soon. Just ask the people that worked at the Gastonia, NC plant where generations of craftsman sockets were made before the plant recently closed.

Besides, there has never been a craftsman tool factory, just other companies making the tools for sears.

 

[mrbreezeet1]

here we go.

don't read it if it bothers you.

 

[MechMyk]

Well kobalt and husky did it so I figured crapsman was next.

 

[TwoInch]

werent those 1/4 drive flex heads a totally different maker and mechanism than the regular ratchets? i thought i remember someone saying they were a mac design or something, and thats why they were so much more.

edit - its possibly an old matco design internally. non quick release, 34 tooth instead of the normal 36 tooth 1/4" ratchets. supposedly they are much smoother and better functioning ratchets. (USA version that is.)

 

[neophyte]

The craftsman 1/4 drive at like $39.99 cost more than the 3/8 drive or the 1/2 drive versions when then were US made. I never understood that one.

I wouldn't get your hopes up for production coming back to the USA anytime soon. Just ask the people that worked at the Gastonia, NC plant where generations of craftsman sockets were made before the plant recently closed.

Besides, there has never been a craftsman tool factory, just other companies making the tools for sears.

I don't know whether sears ever had their own production facilities for Craftsman, or any of their other brands or products they carried. Sears did have an in house design center where some of the products they carried were designed and/or engineered. I know it's not a manufacturing facility but Apple does mark their products with "Designed by Apple in California." This guy was one of the industrial designers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_"Chuck"_Harrison

 

[CWP1616L]

One thing nice about the Evolve sockets is they got real detents in them.

 

[TwoInch]

One thing nice about the Evolve sockets is they got real detents in them.

the evolve impact sockets are taiwan made, and look like real impact sockets with regular black oxide finish.

the craftman impact sockets are chinese and look to be painted black.

i thought that was funny, and interesting. i wonder if the evolve impacts are decent material? might be a hidden gem. the broaching look damn good.

 

[3baygarage]

I found an evolve socket in the street last year, it had that laser garbage stamp and could barely be read. That's what the manufacturers want so they can't be identified for warranty after it wears off.

 

[CWP1616L]

the evolve impact sockets are taiwan made, and look like real impact sockets with regular black oxide finish.

the craftman impact sockets are chinese and look to be painted black.

i thought that was funny, and interesting. i wonder if the evolve impacts are decent material? might be a hidden gem. the broaching look damn good.

Just to verify, I was actually referring to the Evolve 1/4'' drive chrome sockets. I checked those first because I figure if the 1/4'' drive sockets have detents, the larger drive sizes must too.

 

[softailgarage]

Evolve anything is all ****. Now to the OP, First you say,"that's fine but there still made in China and with tools I want USA and am willing to pay for quality." And then," China is fine but please drop the price to lower then the USA ones." So, which is it? US made or China made? BTW, China is NOT fine.

 

[CWP1616L]

^ ^ ^ I was trying to say something positive in a Craftsman thread.

 

[GoFaster2]

The craftsman 1/4 drive at like $39.99 cost more than the 3/8 drive or the 1/2 drive versions when then were US made. I never understood that one.

I wouldn't get your hopes up for production coming back to the USA anytime soon. Just ask the people that worked at the Gastonia, NC plant where generations of craftsman sockets were made before the plant recently closed.

Besides, there has never been a craftsman tool factory, just other companies making the tools for sears.

Thats the odd thing I never really knew about craftsman until a few years ago, so It was odd that someone would say they are building there own plant to make there own tools instead of outsourcing them. Did craftsman ever make there own tools?

 

[Hootbro]

...............Did craftsman ever make there own tools?

No, it is all contract made for Sears.

 

[allinon72]

Just another know it all employee blowing smoke...

 

[GoFaster2]

No, it is all contract made for Sears.

That would explain how I have a set SAE wrenches that say made in Japan. There craftsman raised panel, and most of the open ends are deformed from the hex of a bolt denting them.

 

[firebox40dash5]

The answer to your question is no, there isn't hope. I haven't met an employee there in years who I believe could count past 10 with boots on, let alone intelligently discuss business, tools, or much of anything about their company.

Yeah, I'm sure after fairly recently dumping the companies who were making their sockets, ratchets, and wrenches in America for years and moving their production to China, they're all set to open up a new manufacturing center of their own, buy all that equipment, deal with the taxes and regulations, and staff it themselves, all while the company circles the drain. Sounds reasonable to me.

 

[CNGsaves]

That would explain how I have a set SAE wrenches that say made in Japan. There craftsman raised panel, and most of the open ends are deformed from the hex of a bolt denting them.

Pics or it did NOT happen. This is a goosechase . . .

Quick lesson:
. . . There . . . a place
. . . Their . . . possessive to indicate something belongs to someone
. . . They're . . contraction for the two words They Are

Post up comparative pictures if you think anyone will believe you. You say you've got recent Craftsman RP wrenches that are Made in Japan ?? Pics please and Update GJ Profile what country you are from.

 

[theoldwizard1]

He also said they have been told that Craftsman is in the process of building a factory of their own here in the states to make sockets and wrenchs.

First, everyone should know that Craftsman is no longer directly owned by Sears. From Wikipedia, "The brand is owned by KCD IP, LLC, a special purpose entity created by Sears Holdings for securitization purposes that also owns Sears house brands Kenmore and DieHard."

Second, there is no logical reason for KCD or Sear Holding to build a factory. They have never owned factories and I suspect never will. They might own the forging dies, but I doubt they would even do that.

Third, Craftsman Industrial tools are 100% made in the USA. That brand is only available from a limited number of suppliers.

 

[jmm]

Pics or it did NOT happen. This is a goosechase . . .

Quick lesson:
. . . There . . . a place
. . . Their . . . possessive to indicate something belongs to someone
. . . They're . . contraction for the two words They Are

Post up comparative pictures if you think anyone will believe you. You say you've got recent Craftsman RP wrenches that are Made in Japan ?? Pics please and Update GJ Profile what country you are from.

Sometime in the 80s, I think, Craftsman made some of their RP wrenches in Japan. I sold a set in the classifieds here about a year ago. They're pretty much identical to US-made wrenches of that era.

 

[CNGsaves]

Agree there was a time that some CMan RP's were Made in Japan. But kicker is OP says that virtually all of them are damaged?? Hard to believe.

Only abuse would destroy that many wrenches. Pics will tell the story.

 

[Tinner]

I had 2 sets (1/4-1") of the Craftsman Japan combo wrenches. Early on, the open ends broke on 8 of them the box ends on 2. Three of the replacements broke. They were brittle and broke with moderate force. This was early in the Craftsman Japan adventure, they seemed to get better later on. I still have one set, minus two wrenches in my box at work.

I've heard lots of similar stories over the years. It seems that the Japan wrenches could vary in quality from POS to excellent.

 

[CWP1616L]

Sometime in the 80s, I think, Craftsman made some of their RP wrenches in Japan.

They also had some adjustables during that time made in Japan but they say Sears on them instead of Craftsman.

 

[TwoInch]

Post up comparative pictures if you think anyone will believe you. You say you've got recent Craftsman RP wrenches that are Made in Japan ?? Pics please and Update GJ Profile what country you are from.

where did OP say recent?

 

[MN_Runner]

I just bought a new 9 pc spark plug socket set made by MAC Tools. In the process of resolving why I only got 8 pieces instead of 9 pieces. I was a bit surprised to find that the set was made in Taiwan. I find Craftsman tools to be practical and reasonably priced. I love the lifetime exchange program.

 

[Hiball]

I just bought a new 9 pc spark plug socket set made by MAC Tools. In the process of resolving why I only got 8 pieces instead of 9 pieces. I was a bit surprised to find that the set was made in Taiwan. I find Craftsman tools to be practical and reasonably priced. I love the lifetime exchange program.

Did they count the case as 1 PC? Or is it this one and they shorted you?

 

[3baygarage]

Pics or it did NOT happen. This is a goosechase . . .

Quick lesson:
. . . There . . . a place
. . . Their . . . possessive to indicate something belongs to someone
. . . They're . . contraction for the two words They Are

Post up comparative pictures if you think anyone will believe you. You say you've got recent Craftsman RP wrenches that are Made in Japan ?? Pics please and Update GJ Profile what country you are from.

I think the Craftsman made in Japan were from the 1980's. I had a metric set that I ended up selling to a guy years back. They looked just like the USA raised panel but any good American tool user would recognize them as imposters, LOL.

 

[MN_Runner]

Did they count the case as 1 PC? Or is it this one and they shorted you?

I got shorted. The seller claims that the set was sent with the factory plastic wrapping. I wish it was true but someone is not telling the truth. If I were to ship it back and get a refund, I would be wasting $25 on shipping cost. This is the first and worst experience I had with an eBay purchase.

 

[tweedlestan]

Evolve anything is all ****. Now to the OP, First you say,"that's fine but there still made in China and with tools I want USA and am willing to pay for quality." And then," China is fine but please drop the price to lower then the USA ones." So, which is it? US made or China made? BTW, China is NOT fine.

So, I assume you have plenty of experience using the Evolv sockets?

Didn't think so.

 

[Hiball]

I got shorted. The seller claims that the set was sent with the factory plastic wrapping. I wish it was true but someone is not telling the truth. If I were to ship it back and get a refund, I would be wasting $25 on shipping cost. This is the first and worst experience I had with an eBay purchase.

Not to steal the thunder from these craftsman threads, but did the seller represent the set as complete and or show a picture of it being complete? If so and dependent on what you paid you might be worthwhile to file a "item not as described" case in which case Ebay will cover the shipping IRC.

 

[Farmall450]

the evolve impact sockets are taiwan made, and look like real impact sockets with regular black oxide finish.

the craftman impact sockets are chinese and look to be painted black.

i thought that was funny, and interesting. i wonder if the evolve impacts are decent material? might be a hidden gem. the broaching look damn good.

I bought metric and standard evolv deeps for $40 (both sets) and I love 'em. Actually probably just as nice/nicer than cman chinese...

 

[MN_Runner]

Not to steal the thunder from these craftsman threads, but did the seller represent the set as complete and or show a picture of it being complete? If so and dependent on what you paid you might be worthwhile to file a "item not as described" case in which case Ebay will cover the shipping IRC.

The seller represented as a complete and brand new in a sealed condition. It did not come with any plastic wrapping as shown in eBay advertisement. The tool set was brand new but it was missing one Extra Deep 9/16" socket. I do have a case opened with the eBay. He asked me to ship it back for a full refund sans shipping so I will be easily out $25 for shipping costs. At this point, if the seller refunds enough (some) so I can uee the refund to buy that missing piece I would be okay. The seller is selling another identical set. I think this guy sells a lot of new MAC tools and willing to give him the benefit of doubt - maybe he thinks the same way about me (i.e., how does he know that I am not lying and making up a story about the missing piece).

 

[CWP1616L]

Pics or it did NOT happen. This is a goosechase . . .

Quick lesson:
. . . There . . . a place
. . . Their . . . possessive to indicate something belongs to someone
. . . They're . . contraction for the two words They Are

Post up comparative pictures if you think anyone will believe you. You say you've got recent Craftsman RP wrenches that are Made in Japan ?? Pics please and Update GJ Profile what country you are from.

where did OP say recent?

CNGsaves, Your reading and comprehension
skills are under scrutiny by Mr. TwoInch.

 

[CNGsaves]

That's fine . . . the boondoggle and believability of OP is REALLY in question !!

OP claims now he's had Craftsman RP wrenches from 80's that are Made in Japan and have kept them DECADES when most all were supposedly damaged, and doesn't even bother to warranty them out . . . with Made In USA replacements!!! Yeah right . . . .

I'm still saying this is goosechase.