Craftsman socket plating quality

[brtsvg]

Was in at Sears today looking at open stock sockets, was thinking about buying a few. In looking closely the plating quality and the finish quality of the regular stock sockets is just plain sad - honestly they look used, not new, with a dull finish that is very pitted and uneven. The laser labeling looks terrible compared to ones I bought 3 years ago. They sure don't match the quality of some of the Craftsman sockets that I bought several years ago that still look great even with some wear and lots of use along the way

Its also interesting to compare the finish quality of the US made-Craftsman sockets with the new Chinese-made MAXACCESS sockets that are in the same display section. The MAXACCESS ones look simply brilliant, like the way the US-made ones used to look 10 years ago. And for about half the price.

Just plain sad. I haven't bought anything from Sears for several years now, and don't intend to in the future.

 

[KinzeMech]

I'm pretty sure the maxaxxess line is just gearwrench with craftsman name on it.

I've had gearwrenches gearratchet sets for years, and I've got to say, of all the socket sets I've had, they're the closest to shining like new, and have shown the least wear and tear, despite being used the most.

My only complaint with those gearratchet sets is the slop in the ratchet mechanism (not slop about the axis of rotation, but side to side looseness of the mechanism).

As for craftsman's sockets...I haven't bought any terribly recently, but those I've had for 10 years are not perfect either. They have an imperfect plating as well. I've had to buff rust off them a time or two due to this.

 

[sberry]

Sears has decided they will compete on price on the low end, the product has been getting cheaper, it hasnt been getting better but its as cheap as Walmart. Its a business blunder, they should have tried to keep some of the position they had instead of going to the low end.

 

[dsmnickk90]

Workers in the craftsman plants probably dont try putting out a quality product and cut coners knowing their jobs will be in China soon

 

[SMKS]

The OP seems to be forgetting how cheap the USA made Craftsman sockets are when you consider what they actually are. They're basic, low-priced tools that are made in the USA.

When you consider that they're the only USA made option in the price range, they're actually a pretty good deal.

I'm not trying to accuse anyone of being a tool polisher, but it gets to a point where you wonder if people are buying tools to use or look at. You really can't expect to find a tool that's USA made, flawlessly finished and super-low priced.

 

[dsmnickk90]

The OP seems to be forgetting how cheap the USA made Craftsman sockets are when you consider what they actually are. They're basic, low-priced tools that are made in the USA.

When you consider that they're the only USA made option in the price range, they're actually a pretty good deal.

I'm not trying to accuse anyone of being a tool polisher, but it gets to a point where you wonder if people are buying tools to use or look at. You really can't expect to find a tool that's USA made, flawlessly finished and super-low priced.

Open stock prices arnt much cheaper than Armstrong. The value with Craftsman is in thier sets

 

[bimmerZ5]

You really can't expect to find a tool that's USA made, flawlessly finished and super-low priced.

that last statement is rather sad... i mean, that's like throwing in the towel to me. why can't US factories produce high quality products so efficiently that they can also be low priced? ****, we were the country that beat the europeans in the auto industry by producing affordable automobiles. we brought computing technology to the masses by making them affordable for everyone. we did a lot of this before jobs started going overseas. ****, we invented the concept of an assembly line to efficiently build products... whatever happen to the innovative spirit? being able to produce a quality product doesn't always mean higher cost...

 

[dsmnickk90]

that last statement is rather sad... i mean, that's like throwing in the towel to me. why can't US factories produce high quality products so efficiently that they can also be low priced? ****, we were the country that beat the europeans in the auto industry by producing affordable automobiles. we brought computing technology to the masses by making them affordable for everyone. we did a lot of this before jobs started going overseas. ****, we invented the concept of an assembly line to efficiently build products... whatever happen to the innovative spirit? being able to produce a quality product doesn't always mean higher cost...

Free trade + low wages + lower quality materials = higher profit margin.
CEO's get bigger paychecks. The rich get richer and the rich run this country. Who is gonna stop that? Not them.
That and large chain stores put small stores out of business, make it harder to get your hands on a variety of products and offer cheap imports at a high mark up to increase their profit and make it harder to find affordable quality made items.

 

[dirtydogintex]

FWIW
the CM Industrial 1/2dr deep 12pt socket set I just rec'd appear as though two different companies/processes were used to plate 'em - a portion (~25%) of the sockets should have been rejected by the QC/QA folk before shipping.

Also ebay pics are showing the same plating 'failures' at socket ends on some of the SOs/other tool truck brands as I have on my own personal 10yo and newer CMs.... so is the prob w/the plating specs/application or operator error?
Yeah I'll fess up - I use mine as drivers/punches - isn't that why there are so many different ODs? *L*

EDIT: My shallow CM sockets have been 'beat' on more and appear to be in better shape.... and they're just a tad (0-5 yr) older.
Wonder if the difference is mechanical design/material/plating?

 

[shocksandstrutz]

I agree that the values are in their sets......say you bought the 309pc set on sale for 199........you paid less then a dollar for a socket or wrench or ratchet in there.....killer deal, you arent going to find any other US made tool with the quality for that price with the warranty.....its a tool, use it to fix things. if you want really pretty tools buy tool truck tools and stare at them. craftsmans are meant for homeowners and diy guys to do work affordably

 

[dsmnickk90]

Here a compression in quality compare to Armstrong a Craftsman from 06ish and one I just bought a few months ago.

Armstrong, Cman (06), Armstrong, Cman (new) and Armstrong
<a href="http://s996.beta.photobucket.com/user/dsmnick99/media/2013-02-07_10-38-28_845_zps049312f0.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af87/dsmnick99/2013-02-07_10-38-28_845_zps049312f0.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 2013-02-07_10-38-28_845_zps049312f0.jpg"/></a>

Cman (new) on the left Armstrong on the right. You can see peeling around the top on the new Cman.
<a href="http://s996.beta.photobucket.com/user/dsmnick99/media/2013-02-07_10-38-05_703_zpsdafa905e.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af87/dsmnick99/2013-02-07_10-38-05_703_zpsdafa905e.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 2013-02-07_10-38-05_703_zpsdafa905e.jpg"/></a>

Cman (06) top Armstrong bottom
<a href="http://s996.beta.photobucket.com/user/dsmnick99/media/2013-02-07_10-37-52_508_zps69233320.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af87/dsmnick99/2013-02-07_10-37-52_508_zps69233320.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 2013-02-07_10-37-52_508_zps69233320.jpg"/></a>

Armstrong detent
<a href="http://s996.beta.photobucket.com/user/dsmnick99/media/2013-02-07_10-37-23_951_zps548ba573.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af87/dsmnick99/2013-02-07_10-37-23_951_zps548ba573.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 2013-02-07_10-37-23_951_zps548ba573.jpg"/></a>

Cman (06) detent
<a href="http://s996.beta.photobucket.com/user/dsmnick99/media/2013-02-07_10-37-16_991_zps348f9281.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af87/dsmnick99/2013-02-07_10-37-16_991_zps348f9281.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 2013-02-07_10-37-16_991_zps348f9281.jpg"/></a>

Old Cman and Armstrong are pretty much exact in quality. Newer Cman has quality issues with the chrome peeling around the tops other than that still still good quality.
I also just noticed sockets over 1" and 25mm Have single detents instead of the double detent.

 

[pipsters]

The stuff coming out of Sears can be good. This is my main frustration with Craftsman stuff. 80% of it is good quality (even in the same batch) but the 20% frustrates the **** out of you. I bought the 299 pc socket set and most were good but it's that top 15-20% that just absolutely **** that you get pissed off about.

 

[dsmnickk90]

I actually just tried peeling more of that chrome off that top new Cman socket. Its actually overspray from the coating they spary on the inside of the socket and had good chrome underneath (Armstrong has the same coating on the inside). I went and looked at the other few sockets I have that I thought had chrome problems and the are also just overspray. Take and knife and scrape a little and it comes right off.

I read Armstrong and Craftsman are nickle plated too not actual chrome like SK, SnapOn and Proto. That could be why they arnt as bright and good looking as the other brands.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Sears has decided they will compete on price on the low end, the product has been getting cheaper, it hasnt been getting better but its as cheap as Walmart. Its a business blunder, they should have tried to keep some of the position they had instead of going to the low end.

More expensive the Walmart, Product less quality then the Stanley @ Walmart.

Ultimately boils down with USA Production = Expensive but High Quality. Labor Costs are virtually fixed...nobody mentioned it, but I bet with Chrome we can blame the EPA the most. So the only way to compete is to cheapen the product itself.
USED To be imports = junk...I remember those days, but today that is no longer the case. There is probably more Imported High Quality stuff then Domestic High Quality today.
I bought a CMan Pro Wrench set a while back on sale...excellent set, but the 13mm looks like hell. I can look past it because I got it for an excellent price, and it is a tool to be used...but its still "insulting" you gotta comprimise and deal with blems in order to support USA production. Even on sale, I could have bought a real nice set of import wrenches cheaper and the finish would be 2x better all around.

Part of the reason I'm all done with Craftsman. Imported High Quality means more to me then domestic junk. 15 years ago I never ever would have thought I would have made a post like this...

 

[PT Doc]

Workers in the craftsman plants probably dont try putting out a quality product and cut coners knowing their jobs will be in China soon

That's a great attitude if true. It will be a self fulfilling prophecy. I would hope they would see it that way eventually.

 

[dsmnickk90]

More expensive the Walmart, Product less quality then the Stanley @ Walmart.

Ultimately boils down with USA Production = Expensive but High Quality. Labor Costs are virtually fixed...nobody mentioned it, but I bet with Chrome we can blame the EPA the most. So the only way to compete is to cheapen the product itself.
USED To be imports = junk...I remember those days, but today that is no longer the case. There is probably more Imported High Quality stuff then Domestic High Quality today.
I bought a CMan Pro Wrench set a while back on sale...excellent set, but the 13mm looks like hell. I can look past it because I got it for an excellent price, and it is a tool to be used...but its still "insulting" you gotta comprimise and deal with blems in order to support USA production. Even on sale, I could have bought a real nice set of import wrenches cheaper and the finish would be 2x better all around.

Part of the reason I'm all done with Craftsman. Imported High Quality means more to me then domestic junk. 15 years ago I never ever would have thought I would have made a post like this...

The stuff Craftsman is import isn't high quality though its junk. The flare nut wrenches cost me more on the oil line I used it on the I paid for the wrench itself.
If the had similar quality as Gearwrench I don't think as many people would be complaining.

 

[gsmornot]

They all look like something I could get work done with. I guess I'm not too picky about the finish.

 

[Thunderbisciut]

The problem is when the chrome start peeling of in good sized chunks, and then it sticks up a little and slices your finger open. The last new Craftsman socket I bought likes to do that to me.

 

[dsmnickk90]

The problem is when the chrome start peeling of in good sized chunks, and then it sticks up a little and slices your finger open. The last new Craftsman socket I bought likes to do that to me.

The only socket I have had that peeled that bad was a 12pt I beat wheel locks when the key is lost or not available.

 

[Thunderbisciut]

No abuse to this one, not even much use.

 

[bimmerZ5]

The problem is when the chrome start peeling of in good sized chunks, and then it sticks up a little and slices your finger open. The last new Craftsman socket I bought likes to do that to me.

yeah, i've seen that on brand new sockets straight out of the bag. i just go an exchange them... after all, Craftsman Warranty is a satisfaction guarantee, not a defect in craftsmanship thing.

 

[dsmnickk90]

No abuse to this one, not even much use.

Yeah I've seen other brands do it to I've just never personally had this problem. Its easy to get warrantied. I'd just do it before you end up with a Chinese replacement. If it comes down to it you can get a refund or store credit for the amount of the socket too.