Craftsman USA wrenches - what was best?

[Fender1325]

Sorry, the search function for this site isn't working on my phone.

For those of you craftsman needs, which USA combination wrenches were considered the highest quality examples? The best broaching and detail. Who made them again?

I see "forged in USA" and V, VV, VA etc.

 

[Dozerhand]

I've used all of them at one time or another and never noticed a substantial differance between them. Here a link to manufacturers codes


https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84807

 

[Wamsutta]

There was a time when Armstrong was making them; those were decent.

 

[KnurledNut]

The SK made full polished raised panel K code series. IMO.

 

[camd64]

SK's IMO where the best.....not sure how long they made them for though.

 

[sberry]

2 different eras.

 

[Fender1325]

Honestly I prefer the wide beam. What era is that? Just the ones that say forged in USA?

 

[yjWrangler]

Do the Craftsman Pro ones count?

 

[mbshop]

I think most are decent and functional. Just so you understand, they really were never made for daily constant work. That is from my point of use of them daily back in the early 70s. It didn't take me long to see that they were wearing fast. And they did not handle heavy use or tight bolts etc. They wore, they spread, and they broke. So I started getting so as quickly as I could. The differance was day and night. So yes, the old craftsman were good but if you expect them to be
some kind of equal to so or mac, etc, you will be disappointed.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

2 different eras.

Are you going to put ketchup or mustard on them?

Tommy

 

[sberry]

I bought the new looking one in about 81 or so. Maybe 82. I was kind of disapointed when they came and not like the first one. They are tuff though.

 

[Fender1325]

I think most are decent and functional. Just so you understand, they really were never made for daily constant work. That is from my point of use of them daily back in the early 70s. It didn't take me long to see that they were wearing fast. And they did not handle heavy use or tight bolts etc. They wore, they spread, and they broke. So I started getting so as quickly as I could. The differance was day and night. So yes, the old craftsman were good but if you expect them to be
some kind of equal to so or mac, etc, you will be disappointed.

Noted.

A guy I work with has old USA craftsman wrenches and the attention to detail is night and day to my Chinese equivalents. I grew up using dads USA craftsman. I'm going to be upgrading here pretty soon and it's pretty funny, I prefer the feel of a craftsman raised panel wrench in my hand to the sharper edged beams of higher end wrenches. I thought maybe old USA craftsman might be worth seeking, but it's likely I'll just use wright

 

[emr454]

I have a few but can't tell how old they are

 

[HanShotFirst]

The Craftsman Pro’s that were re-branded SK Long Pattern...best I ever saw with the Craftsman name on it.

 

[Trey T]

I used to own a set of raised panel made in late 90s that's bulkier than my neighbors 20yrs older set. He brought his 14 or 17mm over to lower the belt tensioner on a 2004 accord bc mine would slip off

 

[Fender1325]

Yeah. Mine spread. So much so I've thought of bringing my 3/8 in to warranty out. Actually, for shits and giggles, I have a couple old craftsman wrenches, I'll put the calipers on them to compare.

Edit: So I pulled some random wrenches I have. SK, Proto, Mac and USA V craftsman. All compared to my Chinese craftsman. Believe it or not, they were all about the same. Only a couple thousandths different if at all, and that varied as to where I had the calipers.

 

[Rileysan]

The Craftsman Pro’s that were re-branded SK Long Pattern...best I ever saw with the Craftsman name on it.

I agree that the "full polish" Craftsman Pro wrenches are the best they ever made, however, they are not re-branded S-K wrenches. In fact, I don't think S-K ever made combination wrenches for Sears. These were made by Armstrong, under Danaher. Excellent wrenches, but are now made in China by Danaher. I don't know how good the Chinese wrenches are ...

Brian

 

[Fender1325]

I agree that the "full polish" Craftsman Pro wrenches are the best they ever made, however, they are not re-branded S-K wrenches. In fact, I don't think S-K ever made combination wrenches for Sears. These were made by Armstrong, under Danaher. Excellent wrenches, but are now made in China by Danaher. I don't know how good the Chinese wrenches are ...

Brian

I know because I own them. They spread. They're fine for clean new work, but I work on old classics and a lot of them haven't been taken apart in decades upon decades. At that point I have to borrow some matco's with teeth that won't spread

 

[cheechi]

best cman wrenches for me were the full polish pro/industrial.

 

[Rileysan]

I know because I own them. They spread. They're fine for clean new work, but I work on old classics and a lot of them haven't been taken apart in decades upon decades. At that point I have to borrow some matco's with teeth that won't spread

Just for clarity, do you mean the Chinese made full-polish wrenches spread or the US made wrenches?

Brian

 

[Fedwrench]

I agree that the "full polish" Craftsman Pro wrenches are the best they ever made, however, they are not re-branded S-K wrenches. In fact, I don't think S-K ever made combination wrenches for Sears. These were made by Armstrong, under Danaher. Excellent wrenches, but are now made in China by Danaher. I don't know how good the Chinese wrenches are ...

Brian

Actually when it came to the US made full polished Craftsman Professional wrenches, there were four versions. The first two versions were in fact rebranded SK long pattern and standard length combination wrenches. these were first released in the late 1990s. The standard length set was only offered one year. The third version also made by SK was the full polished long pattern raised panel sets. These also had a shot run and were available in fewer sizes. The fourth and perhaps final version came along in about the year 2000. They were made in Armstrong factories and aside from the brand, were identical to the long pattern Armstrong wrenches of the day. The switch in suppliers might have been because SK was starting to have labor issues or it could have simply been lower bidding.
If you want to count Craftsman Industrial, then you might have a fifth version that was also made by Armstrong and the were basically the same as the fourth aside from the name.
I'm not a fan of SK combination wrenches, it's the wide in the hips and lack of balance so, I think the armstrong made craftsman fully polished were the best of the Craftsman run. However, anyone could reasonably argue that with just the shear number of raised panel wrenches sold over decades, for next to nothing prices, with the lifetime warranty is hard to beat.

 

[Fender1325]

Just for clarity, do you mean the Chinese made full-polish wrenches spread or the US made wrenches?

Brian

Sorry - Chinese. I have the Chinese made, regular old raised panel style craftsman wrench set

 

[Rileysan]

Actually when it came to the US made full polished Craftsman Professional wrenches, there were four versions. The first two versions were in fact rebranded SK long pattern and standard length combination wrenches. these were first released in the late 1990s. The standard length set was only offered one year. The third version also made by SK was the full polished long pattern raised panel sets. These also had a shot run and were available in fewer sizes. The fourth and perhaps final version came along in about the year 2000. They were made in Armstrong factories and aside from the brand, were identical to the long pattern Armstrong wrenches of the day. The switch in suppliers might have been because SK was starting to have labor issues or it could have simply been lower bidding.
If you want to count Craftsman Industrial, then you might have a fifth version that was also made by Armstrong and the were basically the same as the fourth aside from the name.
I'm not a fan of SK combination wrenches, it's the wide in the hips and lack of balance so, I think the armstrong made craftsman fully polished were the best of the Craftsman run. However, anyone could reasonably argue that with just the shear number of raised panel wrenches sold over decades, for next to nothing prices, with the lifetime warranty is hard to beat.

I am interested in learning more. Can you point me to the source of this information?

BRian

 

[PJNJ]

I agree that the "full polish" Craftsman Pro wrenches are the best they ever made, however, they are not re-branded S-K wrenches. In fact, I don't think S-K ever made combination wrenches for Sears. These were made by Armstrong, under Danaher. Excellent wrenches, but are now made in China by Danaher. I don't know how good the Chinese wrenches are ...

Brian

AFAIK, the full polish Cman pros were originally made by SK and then later by Danaher.

 

[Fedwrench]

I am interested in learning more. Can you point me to the source of this information?

BRian

Having owned each version is probably the best experience . There are also numerous threads here discussing the various manufacturer codes for craftsman branded tools, and the origins of Craftsman wrenches has been discussed at length before.

 

[Rileysan]

AFAIK, the full polish Cman pros were originally made by SK and then later by Danaher.

Was there an overlap between the manufacturers? What about distribution? Is it possibly that different places around the country could have been sent wrenches from only one manufacturer?

I ask because I bought my sets of Armstrong-made full polish wrenches in the late 90s. I bought them after buying a full set of metric S-K wrenches in the mid 90s, and I disliked how thin the beams were. The Craftsman, on the other hand, had nice thick beams that were very comfortable.

I have seen the US-made Armstrong wrenches in a Sears outlet as recently as last year, but I have never seen the re-branded S-K wrenches until searching Google this evening. Being a Sears junkie throughout the 90s, I'm surprised I never came across them. AFAIK, the Armstrong wrenches were the only ones carried by the Sears stores I frequented in the Portland Area.

The Craftsman manufacturer thread on GG gives this info on my wrenches, but I don't know if that means the full-polish wrenches were made that whole time ...

V^(2nd V inverted) = Danaher, Armstrong Division, ca. 1992 - 2012

Brian