craftsman sockets usa...

[Hako86]

I've heard that the newer USA made craftsman sockets are bad quallity. My question is, which of the newer USA sockets are bad, the dual marked ones or the 'detent style' ones? I would like to know which craftsman USA made sockets are still of good quallity and worth buying

 

[Skin]

New production is all dual marked as far as I know. Prior to that the sockets had no lazer etching but were essentially the exact same. In other words they're both pretty poor (basically the complaint is just in the incredibly cheap plating). You'd be far better off getting Proto, Williams, or SK if you want nice USA sockets.

 

[Brownsfan]

If you want the best quality for the money the USA Williams are hard to beat. Same socket as snap on at a fraction of the cost. Look at them and compare them to an equivalent snap on set. Also I have older and newer USA craftsman and the newer seem to be just as good. I have no issues at all. If I was a pro mechanic using them everyday I would go to the Williams. For me though the craftsmans are just fine.

 

[Skin]

My home set is their 299pc that I've had for a couple years and they've just about all got some rust specs on the exterior plating regardless of if they're sizes I use or not. I have some Snap-On semi-deeps and MACs that have no such issues. Craftsman are cheap sockets, made to a low price point. I think I paid like 95 cents a socket or something like that so I personally cant complain but they definitely aren't great cosmetically.

Truthfully if I could sell them back I would and i'd just get the basics in SK/Williams/Proto. Less sockets but its a quality over quantity trade off.

I think this is all kind of a moot argument now as I believe Craftsman chrome sockets are Chinese. Probably an improvement.

 

[Givl Reggin]

New production is all dual marked as far as I know. Prior to that the sockets had no lazer etching

Before the "dual marked" there was a time when they were just laser etched with no stamping.

 

[Skin]

Before the "dual marked" there was a time when they were just laser etched with no stamping.

Not in my stores, I've never seen Cman sockets without stamped sizes in any of my local sears.

 

[CNGsaves]

Not in my stores, I've never seen Cman sockets without stamped sizes in any of my local sears.

^ ^ Ditto this. Nothing wrong with Made In USA Craftsman sockets.

The screaming deals in past couple months on SearsOutlet (ie the "clearing out" of Made In USA stuff) has all been good quality stamped sizes on sockets. Only complaint I have is wish the SIZE of the stamped sizes actually be bigger (eyes are getting older) . . . but no big deal.

I had bought too much stuff that I didn't pull trigger on 260 piece set for $75 . . . . . but probably should have just bought to resell. That set with all Made in USA stuff was screaming deal.

Heck the 154 piece set I got for $89 couple months ago was screaming deal as quality was very good . . . again, all Made in USA stuff in excellent blow mold case.

However, this was past couple months. If you haven't jumped on any of these deals . . . Snooze you lose !!

 

[d.mcfarland]

Literally, I have never broken or had a bad Craftsman USA socket. I have a set that I beat the **** out of and the are still hungry for more. I'll just throw it out there ... I could care less how they look, they were $10 brand new with a ratchet from the local store. Couldn't be happier with the purchase.

 

[Brownsfan]

^ ^ Ditto this. Nothing wrong with Made In USA Craftsman sockets.

The screaming deals in past couple months on SearsOutlet (ie the "clearing out" of Made In USA stuff) has all been good quality stamped sizes on sockets. Only complaint I have is wish the SIZE of the stamped sizes actually be bigger (eyes are getting older) . . . but no big deal.

I had bought too much stuff that I didn't pull trigger on 260 piece set for $75 . . . . . but probably should have just bought to resell. That set with all Made in USA stuff was screaming deal.

Heck the 154 piece set I got for $89 couple months ago was screaming deal as quality was very good . . . again, all Made in USA stuff in excellent blow mold case.

However, this was past couple months. If you haven't jumped on any of these deals . . . Snooze you lose !!

That's why I jumped on all the last of the USA a made build a set socket modules. Got them for $50 for 1/4 set, $70 for the 3/8 and $90 for the 1/2 set. All are great quality and the thin profile ratchets are very nice. I didnt need any more sockets but got them any way. I should never need another socket for as long as I live. I am really bummed that they are shifting to china but that has just made me look else ware for good tools. Like Williams USA. Great tools for the money

 

[Fedwrench]

I've heard that the newer USA made craftsman sockets are bad quallity. My question is, which of the newer USA sockets are bad, the dual marked ones or the 'detent style' ones? I would like to know which craftsman USA made sockets are still of good quallity and worth buying

Before the "dual marked" there was a time when they were just laser etched with no stamping.

Not in my stores, I've never seen Cman sockets without stamped sizes in any of my local sears.

Ok, first off I have no experience with the current PRC made craftsman sockets but, although there may be a wart once in awhile, there's nothing wrong with Craftsman sockets. Yes, occasionally one might be incompletely finished, mis marked, or roughly finished but, at pennies on the piece, you can't complain too much. However, there are literally thousands upon thousands of these sockets floating around that have served many owners quite well. They may not win any beauty contests but, they can get the job done without frills or fanfare.

Yes, there was a time when craftsman chrome sockets were only laser marked. I want to say it was in the early 2000s. below is a picture of one. The only markings on the socket are what you see and they're gold etched. It's not that long ago as the socket pictured has the current double detent cut out in the female square drive end. Napa and Armstrong also had etched only versions called "eye d" or something close to that.

I know Craftsman has become the Rodney Dangerfield (I get no respect...) of hand tools since moving production offshore but, there is still plenty of US made craftsman floating around for years to come so, don't throw the baby out with the bath water just yet .

 

[rick carpenter]

My CM-USA sockets have lived in a tool chest out in the unheated/uncooled garage for a good while. No dessicant foofery at all. I'm in East Texas where the humidity is 80-90% and the outside temps over the summer have hit 100+. No telling what it hit in the garage. No rust on my CMs!

 

[trout]

the fun part was getting those laser-etched-only sockets warrantied...

 

[Tinner]

I have a set of Craftsman 3/8 metric sockets from a few years ago at work. The plating is rather dull, but durable. I don't use them often, but I have torture tested a few, no problems. A 10-22mm set complete was like $10 on sale at Christmas, so no complaints.

At the same time, I bought a 6-22mm combo wrench set to have a second metric set for work. The finish is horrible on these, burrs all over and really poor plating. They are so rough I took a Scotchbrite disc to several of them. If I used these everyday and if I didn't have a nice Proto set for my primaries, I would get rid of them. They were only $27 with a free set of ignition wrenches, but I still am disappointed.

I've found Craftsman quality to be all over the place the past 10 years. I've given up on them, but at sale prices I guess they're a good option for those short of cash. I'd recommend a thorough inspection before leaving the store.

 

[TwoInch]

i have a couple of the laser only sockets. the etching will wear off, and you wont have a size to see, which is why i believe they went back to the stamp also.

i think they did this in the early 2000s, around 2003 IIRC.

IMO even the latest "poor" USA craftman sockets are still damn fine tools for the money they cost. same sockets that they sell under the armstrong name which go for much more money.

at the current "wipe them out" prices, the USA socket sets are a complete steal and a hell of a bargain for decent USA sockets. i bought a couple back up sets recently, and they were all just as good as they have been for the last decade.

i suggest buying them if you are in the market for sockets and are on a budget. if you want super pretty chrome, there are a ton of brands that make superb sockets, but they will cost 2x to even 10x as much.

this is what the etched only sockets look like

 

[TwoInch]

take a look through these

http://www.searsoutlet.com/d/products.jsp?md=srh_md&stxt=socket+set

here is a killer deal, 18 deep 1/4 drive 6 points, standard and metric for $12.88

http://www.searsoutlet.com/18-pc-St...txt=socket set&md=srh_md&flt_shipping_length=[0%20TO%20100]&flt_shipping_width=[0%20TO%20100]&flt_sp=[0%20TO%2030000]&flt_shipping_height=[0%20TO%20100]&pn=1&ps=48&pid=18838&cid=8285&mode=seeAll&itemSelectionType=all

heres 18 deep 3/8 drive metrics for $17.88, standard and metric

http://www.searsoutlet.com/18-pc-12...txt=socket set&md=srh_md&flt_shipping_length=[0%20TO%20100]&flt_shipping_width=[0%20TO%20100]&flt_sp=[0%20TO%2030000]&flt_shipping_height=[0%20TO%20100]&pn=1&ps=48&pid=15942&cid=8285&mode=seeAll&itemSelectionType=all

 

[basspro]

Im a craftsman socket fan (USA), its the same thing as Armstrong. Ive broken one Craftsman socket ever, a 10mm 6pt 3/8 drive on a 1/2in breaker bar, totally my fault and the socket still held together enough to remove the nut. Even though now chinese, its pretty hard to beat the warranty, even though Ill will rarely ever need it im sure, except for bit sockets which I go through enough I suppose.

 

[Hako86]

Thanks for your replies guys, really appreciate it
How old are the newer USA sockets that only have the stamped markings on it and not the laser markings?

 

[jjjrmx5]

Before the "dual marked" there was a time when they were just laser etched with no stamping.

Yep.

And I have a set in my box that is such. 199 or 299 piece set. (they have been moved, mixed and pushed and pulled on socket rails after 6 years)

No quality issues. Just the laser etching only sockets wear over time on the markings. That was areound 2005/2006 IIRC. By 2008 or a bit later they went dual markings again. Doh!
I bought my set in 2005/06 and it was only etched.

If you want quality USA C'man sockets, I;d suggest trying to find a NOS set pre 2000.

 

[Skin]

Thanks for your replies guys, really appreciate it
How old are the newer USA sockets that only have the stamped markings on it and not the laser markings?

Within the last 10 years for sure. The socket modules were still shipping with them right up until Cman went all Asian. I wont state with a certainty they had one plant making stamped only and one making dual marked at the same time but it sure seemed that way. Same goes for the smaller sets that were on store shelves, they were stamped only in my local sears right up to the Asian switch.

 

[Brownsfan]

Mine are stamped only. No etching. I got the last sets in all 3 drive sizes at my local store.

 

[Loscaldazar]

Jumping on the bandwagon too.

The chrome isn't fantastic for the USA made CMAN sockets (the PRC sockets actually have better chrome from what I've seen), but that doesn't mean they are bad sockets. For $15-$40 for a 10-12 piece USA made set (non sale/clearance prices) they were extremely good. Especially because the next best USA made alternative SK can be DOUBLE of the most expensive craftsman socket sets for the same thing.

I've used them a ton. On several cars in which the newest of them has seen 11 years of salty roads in winter. The oldest two have seen almost 20 years of salty winters. Never had a problem with a round nut/bolt (that wasn't my fault) or a broken socket.

If you can get them, buy them! If you care about how pretty they look as well as how strong they are, then these aren't the sockets for you. They look decent, but not perfect by any means.