That just makes me sick but thanks for the info.
Craftsman slim handle ratchets china.
- Thread starter wrenchr
- Start date
That just makes me sick but thanks for the info.
gatewaysysop
Well-known member
GoBlue
Well-known member
I was at two different Sears today and found the RP ratchets to all be U.S made. Do you live in Canada by any chance? Their RP stuff has been chicom for years.
diesel research
Well-known member
No I do not I hail from Canada, I hail from the good ole USA.
Chnese RP wouldn't make me no never mind, and it would actually make more sense.
I saw a new Taiwan-made Slim Profile 1/2" today. I'd wager they are made by the same joint that makes the Kobalt/Pittsburgh Pro/etc. It felt a bit lighter in my hand compared to my USA-made variant, but that's hard to judge. The action wasn't quite as nice.
I found a single socket on the wall I have no use for but it had PERFECT chrome inside and out, and I almost bought it for that reason.
Grab the US stuff while you still can, as it looks like everything else is going away. The only stuff left that I saw was RP stuff and sockets/extensions. I wouldn't expect them to last long, either.
I found a single socket on the wall I have no use for but it had PERFECT chrome inside and out, and I almost bought it for that reason.
Grab the US stuff while you still can, as it looks like everything else is going away. The only stuff left that I saw was RP stuff and sockets/extensions. I wouldn't expect them to last long, either.
gatewaysysop
Well-known member
ajchien
Well-known member
My sears had the USA RP, thin profile, and premium ratchets today. Taiwan ratchets under te craftsman name were the black/chrome designed ones.
kythri
Well-known member
Any pics yet?
byoungblood
Well-known member
I'd suspect as long as it takes them to cycle their inventory in the store and local DC. I've gotten the impression that Sears isn't one of those places that will re-distribute inventory from a low traffic store to a high traffic one, so you'll go into some stores and find USA made tools whose production was long since moved to China, while others will have nothing but the Chicom stuff.
There is one store local to me that still had several sets, both SAE and metric, of the old Craftsman Professional combination wrenches. But it is one of those stores that hardly has any cars in the lot during the day, and most people are probably afraid to leave their cars in the lot at night. Frankly, it is a perfect example of why Sears is in such bad shape to begin with, they keep stores open LONG after every one else has moved away, and are often the last tenants in many dead/dying shopping centers.
Craftsman 3 pc. Thin Profile Ratchet Set
Sears Item# 00944992000 | Model# 44992
Rating 5 | 11 Reviews | Create a Review
$99.99
Now $94.99
In Store Pickup Available
--------------------
Craftsman 3 pc. Thin Profile Ratchet Set
Sears Item# 00933442000 | Model# 33442
Rating 4.5 | 17 Reviews | Create a Review
Reg Price: $99.99
$69.99
No In store Pickup
----
No idea why theres two different prices. Perhaps the shipped ones are to be the Asian ones?
Man, this pisses me off. I really like these ratchets.
Sears Item# 00944992000 | Model# 44992
Rating 5 | 11 Reviews | Create a Review
$99.99
Now $94.99
In Store Pickup Available
--------------------
Craftsman 3 pc. Thin Profile Ratchet Set
Sears Item# 00933442000 | Model# 33442
Rating 4.5 | 17 Reviews | Create a Review
Reg Price: $99.99
$69.99
No In store Pickup
----
No idea why theres two different prices. Perhaps the shipped ones are to be the Asian ones?
Man, this pisses me off. I really like these ratchets.
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jjjrmx5
Well-known member
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Yep.
I was in a smaller local Sears store and they still had stock of metric and stndard polished C'Man Pro combination wrench sets that are still USA made, but move 4 feet to the left for the open stock rack and all the open stock polished combo are the non-stamped Chinese made C'man Pro ones now found in the more current sets.
Go figgure.
I;m also sad about the thin profile ratchets. Everything for the tp's I saw Friday was all USA stamped for both the 3 piece sets and the single ratchets. I was hoping and praying that they kept a core group of tools back here in the states like ratchets, sockets and screwdrivers. Damn.
Don 18
Well-known member
This is disappointing to say the least. For the record, probably 70% of the tools I have in my box are Craftsman. I have been purchasing their line of tools for over 25 years. My dad had them and my Grandpa had them. I really liked that the tools were made in the USA and they would stand behind them with a lifetime warantee.
Now it just looks like a money grab. If I want an offshore product I will go to a store that has the offshore price.
FWIW I went to a Sears Hardware yesterday on the way to work and picked up the 1/2" Drive metric deep impact socket set (USA).
Now it just looks like a money grab. If I want an offshore product I will go to a store that has the offshore price.
FWIW I went to a Sears Hardware yesterday on the way to work and picked up the 1/2" Drive metric deep impact socket set (USA).
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I ordered the online set ($79.99 original price vs. $99.99 in store) 6 months ago, and received US ratchets. It's an online vs. in store price. No idea why they did that.
kxxr
Well-known member
It could be just a typo, but it is interesting that the lower priced set says 'guaranteed forever' in the Specifications and Dimensions section of the ad; the other does not.
bobcatdan
Well-known member
Went to sears today, RP are made in CHINA!. Full polish 36 tooth are made in TAWIAN! There was some USA in the mix, but it is obvious the whole ratchet line is switching. When you look at the packaging, this has been coming. The one still made in the USA, the package only says, "made in USA" in small print in the back. The china **** package is almost the same that same. Sears is dead to me.
mrbreezeet1
Banned
What is "PR"?
thin profile ratchets?
OMG it's RP, I called them PR's...........................LOL
thin profile ratchets?
OMG it's RP, I called them PR's...........................LOL
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mrbreezeet1
Banned
This is disappointing to say the least. For the record, probably 70% of the tools I have in my box are Craftsman. I have been purchasing their line of tools for over 25 years. My dad had them and my Grandpa had them. I really liked that the tools were made in the USA and they would stand behind them with a lifetime warantee.
Now it just looks like a money grab. If I want an offshore product I will go to a store that has the offshore price.
FWIW I went to a Sears Hardware yesterday on the way to work and picked up the 1/2" Drive metric deep impact socket set (USA).
That is all My Grandfather ever said,"Sears and Roebucks, Sears and Roebucks, Sears and Roebucks, Guaranteed forever, There the best."
bobcatdan
Well-known member
RP is rasied panel, when you think of a craftsman ratchet, those. The ones your grandpa and your dad had.
mrbreezeet1
Banned
Thanks. Im going to shoot them a COO question to see if anything changed.
thesilverone
Well-known member
The 100 dollar one was the in store price. The 70 dollar one was the catalog price.
mrbreezeet1
Banned
Now see, If there USA I might have to get a set too.
God knows I don't need any more ratchets.
The basic hard line tools is all they had going for them. Guess i'm done with a lot of Craftsman as well. I wont be surprised if the 84T follow the switch as well since GearWrench is getting their own version. Pathetic.
As cheap and as crummy as people deemed them its been right there with the raised panel wrenches made here for decades. The fact that they're switching to imported effectively means the entire line of USA Danaher supplied tools is done in my opinion.
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Update. Called Sears. Said both were made in the USA.
G_P
Well-known member
Those plastic selectors were the worst thing they could have done. I swapped a broken 3/8" RP and they gave me the POS plastic lever one. It broke off the first time I used it! I went back to swap it out and complained so they let me dig through the box of used rebuilt ratchets and I found a nice old one that was real smooth and had the metal lever!
GoBlue
Well-known member
I still dont believe the RP line has gone oriental. Maybe a Canadian one snuck in somehow?
kythri
Well-known member
Pics, man!
I suppose the metal selector is a small consolation to some (not that I ever had a problem with the plastic one)...
Well that sounds like a improvement.Come to think of it,can China make a worse raised panel ratchet?
kythri
Well-known member
wrenchr: Can you email them to my name here @gmail.com and I'll post them up?
GoBlue
Well-known member
same problem
kythri
Well-known member
Credit to wrenchr for the pics.
(Original full-size is here)
(Original full-size is here)
(Original full-size is here)
(Original full-size is here)
(Original full-size is here)
(Original full-size is here)
jjjrmx5
Well-known member
Dammit.
So thin profile are Taiwanese made and RP's are now PROC/mainland based.
I guess that's not raindrops I feel, but the tears of Baby Jesus crying.
Bummer.
So thin profile are Taiwanese made and RP's are now PROC/mainland based.
I guess that's not raindrops I feel, but the tears of Baby Jesus crying.
Bummer.
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Pro-Painter
Well-known member
That reminds me,
I was at two sears stores yesterday for black Friday and I looked for the premium ratchets (hoping they where on sale) and neither store had them in stock, although both stores DID have them a few months ago... I wonder if they are already getting rid of them? Or if they just took them down for black Friday?
EDIT: Just checked online stock and all 5 stores withing 100 miles of me show "Item Not Carried in This Location" for the premium ratchet singles. All of them had them in stock back around November.
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jjjrmx5
Well-known member
LOL.
I had to run down the basement to see what part no. 44994 was in ratchets.
Thin profile indeed.
kythri
Well-known member
I'm not going to go Chicken Little and scream about the end of the brand or the end of Sears, because, let's face it, neither is going to happen anytime soon, even if every last product was replaced with Chinese production tomorrow.
That said, truly a shame. I could hold out hope as long as the core raised panel lineup wasn't off-shored, but this truly *****.
I'll continue to buy quality tools, and if those quality tools are off-shored Craftsman, so be it, but I'm not going to pay a brand premium for non-US Craftsman over GearWrench or other brands that are on-par with them.
I suppose the upside is, I've got most of the stuff I want/need, and it's mostly US made.
That said, truly a shame. I could hold out hope as long as the core raised panel lineup wasn't off-shored, but this truly *****.
I'll continue to buy quality tools, and if those quality tools are off-shored Craftsman, so be it, but I'm not going to pay a brand premium for non-US Craftsman over GearWrench or other brands that are on-par with them.
I suppose the upside is, I've got most of the stuff I want/need, and it's mostly US made.
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I'm not happy at all and I agree with you about them sticking around.