Craftsman Professional screwdriver fail!!!

[SMKS]

I cannot believe people are stubbornly defending the garbage that Craftsman has become. A screwdriver should not snap with a little bare-handed leverage on both ends.

You seem to have missed some of the details. The screwdriver appears to have been damaged in transit. The OP received a bent screwdriver and broke it as he was attempting to bend it back into shape. It's possible the blade had already cracked from the initial damage, so it didn't take much to snap it off.

Try taking any screwdriver with a hardened blade, bend the blade and then try to bend it back into shape. I think you'd get the same result as the OP with many brands of drivers.

It's not great it arrived damaged, but get it replaced and move on.

As part of the warranty, if the store doesn't have the screwdriver in stock, they can order it for you, and I believe ship it to your house free of charge.

This. The OP could remedy this by calling Sears or having his local store order a replacement to be shipped to his house.

 

[Loscaldazar]

^^^

In addition to what SMKS said, it also is a very long screwdriver so he had a lot of leverage on a not very big shaft when bending it back.

Full disclosure: I refuse to buy either the SK or CMAN versions of these screwdrivers because I hate the handles, so I'm far from a fanboy of them.

 

[killerb87]

You seem to have missed some of the details. The screwdriver appears to have been damaged in transit. The OP received a bent screwdriver and broke it as he was attempting to bend it back into shape. It's possible the blade had already cracked from the initial damage, so it didn't take much to snap it off.

Try taking any screwdriver with a hardened blade, bend the blade and then try to bend it back into shape. I think you'd get the same result as the OP with many brands of drivers.

It's not great it arrived damaged, but get it replaced and move on.



This. The OP could remedy this by calling Sears or having his local store order a replacement to be shipped to his house.

I tried that at the store and they said they couldn't order one for me. That was the first thing I thought of. They want me to return it. It would be much easier if they would just order one for me.

 

[kythri]

Have them bring the manager over, then. The SKU/part number is in the links above for the two different versions of them (Philips/SAE).

They can totally do this, and if they say they can't, they're lazy/lying/stupid.

It shouldn't be a hassle and shouldn't require doing this, but you may have to put in a couple minutes extra effort.

 

[BikerDad]

Perhaps someone else has already said this (I've only read the first half of the first page) but it looks like you've experience the joys of shipping damage. Perhaps a reflection on Sears choosing an envelope to ship it, rather than a reflection on the tool itself. Should be a simple return.

 

[Alexbn921]

I abuse the **** out of my craftsman pro and regular screw drivers and they are bullet proof. The only ones I've ever returned I got for 50 cents at a flea market and they took them back no questions asked. One bad apple does not mean that the whole line is bad.

 

[SMKS]

They can order a replacement. I've had them do it for me several times in the past for items that weren't in stock. That is, unless they changed the policy in the last year, which I doubt. More than likely the person you talked to didn't know what they were talking about.

What did Sears say when you called them? Will they just ship a replacement or pay return shipping?

 

[killerb87]

I called for a RMA yesterday and shipping label yesterday and still have not received it. I going to call the store and speak to a manager so they can order one for me. Wish me luck.

 

[espyking83]

Didn't realize people still bought Chinaman.

 

[killerb87]

Well I just called Sears and they said they can't order another screwdriver for me unless I pay for it. I thought I already paid for it didn't I? I also called about the RMA and was told that it takes 5 days to get one even though I was told 24 hours yesterday. I informed them that return labels are available instantly on Amazon and many other websites. What a bunch of ****. There customer service ***** now. I miss the good old days of Sears SERVICE.

 

[bob15]

How was the tool abused?

Look at the end of the screwdriver shank....it looks mushroomed. How does mushrooming occur? Just my 34 cent opinion.

 

[kythri]

Didn't realize people still bought Chinaman.

Troll elsewhere.

Well I just called Sears and they said they can't order another screwdriver for me unless I pay for it. I thought I already paid for it didn't I? I also called about the RMA and was told that it takes 5 days to get one even though I was told 24 hours yesterday. I informed them that return labels are available instantly on Amazon and many other websites. What a bunch of ****. There customer service ***** now. I miss the good old days of Sears SERVICE.

Who did you call? The local store? The local store isn't going to do anything for you over the phone.

 

[killerb87]

Look at the end of the screwdriver shank....it looks mushroomed. How does mushrooming occur? Just my 34 cent opinion.

The screwdriver isn't mushroomed. Look at the pics, it broke clean in half like glass. How would a screwdriver get mushroomed anyway?

 

[bob15]

The screwdriver isn't mushroomed. Look at the pics, it broke clean in half like glass. How would a screwdriver get mushroomed anyway?

Your first pictures look like it's mushroomed. It doesn't look like a smooth break. The very top looks wider than the shank. Your second picture ism't much better for clarity.

How would that end get mushroomed? Same way a chisel or punch would.....

 

[Wakefield]

Would most screwdrivers be heat treated to a higher degree of hardness at the tip than further up near where the shank goes into the handle?
I think that thing must have been cracked already when received.
Curious as to what the Country of Origin really is?

 

[SMKS]

Curious as to what the Country of Origin really is?

They're made in the USA. They're still made by Western Forge, at least for now.

 

[340wedge]

Why are people beating up the victim in this Sears purchase. You pay good money and receive a damaged item. Most people here are fixers, so he decided maybe it will bend back, it certainly is easier than trying to return it obviously as you hear how much Sears *****. I am no Sears hater, most of my tools are early 80s Craftsman when I first began purchasing tools and my whole garage is Sears Craftsman cabinets. Now it is easy to say, that's what you get why don't you buy from a truck like Snap On. That may be great if your a full time mechanic who buys thousands of tools on credit but for the homeowner/hobbyist that is not practical. The bottom line Sears and Gearwrench is not the best by far, but you would expect a tool to work as advertised. You would not buy a car and say well it doesn't run, you should have bought a Mercedes or Cadillac. The bottom line is Sears has fallen far, their return policy is non existent at best. And the consumer appears never right at Sears. It is not his job to pay for a tool they sent or arrived damaged. It was not my problem Sears sells Gearwrench who failed to put snap rings in and the tool fell apart, and they would not exchange it with a receipt for one they had hanging right on wall. Sears is going out of business for a reason. Rant over.

 

[kythri]

The bottom line Sears and Gearwrench is not the best by far, but you would expect a tool to work as advertised. You would not buy a car and say well it doesn't run, you should have bought a Mercedes or Cadillac.

Yes, we would expect a tool to work as advertised, but, we also realize that, sometimes, a defective piece slips through the cracks.

In the case of these screwdrivers, this is NOT a common thing, and it is NOT indicative of the whole line of these screwdrivers being ****.

The bottom line is Sears has fallen far, their return policy is non existent at best. And the consumer appears never right at Sears.

This is demonstrably false at virtually every Sears I have been to.

It is not his job to pay for a tool they sent or arrived damaged.

Nobody said it was. People HAVE asked questions about the experience that have not been answered, for whatever reason.

It was not my problem Sears sells Gearwrench who failed to put snap rings in and the tool fell apart, and they would not exchange it with a receipt for one they had hanging right on wall.

And again, while you shouldn't have to do so, have you followed up with the store general manager, or Sears corporate?

If the higher-ups don't know that their employees are violating company policy/warranties, then they can't fix the issue.

The rank-and-file tool department clerk isn't the arbiter of the warranty, and if the GM at the store refuses to honor the warranty, Sears Corporate needs to know, and they'll fix it.

https://twitter.com/searscares
[email protected]
[email protected]

Note: These aren't contacts to ***** about overseas production, so don't waste your time.

Sears is going out of business for a reason. Rant over.

YAWN.

 

[1950mercury]

Right by were the gusset is to turn it with a wrench it will, and he had at least 15 inches of leverage...

No way should it have broken by his hands

New craftsman tools are JUNK. and i own a lot of older craftsman tools. I dont bother to shop there at all

 

[ihateminimumwage]

No way should it have broken by his hands

New craftsman tools are JUNK. and i own a lot of older craftsman tools. I dont bother to shop there at all

Craftsman doesn't make the Pro screwdrivers (as well as pry bars and the few USA made tools remaining, as well as the Knipex made pliers). The Pro screwdrivers are made by Western Forge (owned by Ideal) and are also sold as SK and Armstrong.

I have no complaints about mine (except that they're being discontinued by Sears). They have held up to daily use and abuse.

***** that the OP has to deal with this broken one, but without a ridiculous amount of detailed pics or seeing it in person (checking for cracks, beachmarks, etc), there's really no way to tell if it broke because of manufacturing, shipping damage, or it being bent back. **** happens.

 

[killerb87]

Why are people beating up the victim in this Sears purchase. You pay good money and receive a damaged item. Most people here are fixers, so he decided maybe it will bend back, it certainly is easier than trying to return it obviously as you hear how much Sears *****. I am no Sears hater, most of my tools are early 80s Craftsman when I first began purchasing tools and my whole garage is Sears Craftsman cabinets. Now it is easy to say, that's what you get why don't you buy from a truck like Snap On. That may be great if your a full time mechanic who buys thousands of tools on credit but for the homeowner/hobbyist that is not practical. The bottom line Sears and Gearwrench is not the best by far, but you would expect a tool to work as advertised. You would not buy a car and say well it doesn't run, you should have bought a Mercedes or Cadillac. The bottom line is Sears has fallen far, their return policy is non existent at best. And the consumer appears never right at Sears. It is not his job to pay for a tool they sent or arrived damaged. It was not my problem Sears sells Gearwrench who failed to put snap rings in and the tool fell apart, and they would not exchange it with a receipt for one they had hanging right on wall. Sears is going out of business for a reason. Rant over.

I agree. Based on customer service ALONE I am DONE with Sears.

 

[killerb87]

Well just to update. Out of the blue I got an email from sears informing me that they have issued me a refund and apologized for the bad customer service. They also told me to keep the screwdriver for my troubles. I'm going to pickup a new one at another sears since they just got some in yesterday.

 

[monomach]

Craftsman doesn't make the Pro screwdrivers (as well as pry bars and the few USA made tools remaining, as well as the Knipex made pliers). The Pro screwdrivers are made by Western Forge (owned by Ideal) and are also sold as SK and Armstrong.

I have no complaints about mine (except that they're being discontinued by Sears). They have held up to daily use and abuse.

***** that the OP has to deal with this broken one, but without a ridiculous amount of detailed pics or seeing it in person (checking for cracks, beachmarks, etc), there's really no way to tell if it broke because of manufacturing, shipping damage, or it being bent back. **** happens.

Well, of course not. Craftsman doesn't make anything.

 

[emeraldcoupe]

They also told me to keep the screwdriver for my troubles.

that's funny. nice of them to let you keep the broken one.

 

[justme-]

FWIW since it appears unknown - screwdriver shafts are case hardened, not through hardened. As metal is hardened it becomes more brittle, that is more easily broken from shock and torsional impacts. Case hardened items are coated in casenite then heated which (short simple answer) only hardens the outer layer of the steel while leaving the inside (core) soft (as soft as it was before the casenite treatment). This provides a hard wear resistant surface while preventing it from being too brittle. High school metals class we made screwdrivers and case hardened the shafts (well, everyone but me - my screwdriver 1/2" square stock 18" long with a turned 8" brass handle and only the bottom 6" of the blade fit in the forge so it made a useless screwdriver being too big and useless prybar being too soft... but I learned from those mistakes)

Looks like this driver was damaged in shipment fracturing it and the OP's efforts simply made the existing fracture fail completely.
I'm a rental/power equipment mechanic... analyzing failed parts is part of my daily job to determine if the renter is responsible for the damage (using a backhoe as a hammer to crack rocks), the tech/manufacturer (not using proper fasteners or applying proper torque), or simply age/wear failures.

 

[MagnumForce]

You seem to have missed some of the details. The screwdriver appears to have been damaged in transit. The OP received a bent screwdriver and broke it as he was attempting to bend it back into shape. It's possible the blade had already cracked from the initial damage, so it didn't take much to snap it off.

This

Just Because