Craftsman warranty

[catalyst336]

I bought a 8" shank 5/16" flat head screwdriver with the red and clear handle from Ace hardware a few years ago. It was still in like new condition when were working on my sons car a couple weeks ago. We broke the tip off it and I wasn't too concerned because of the Craftsman warranty. I took it back to Ace today to get a new screwdriver. I checked to see if they had the same one in stock before I brought the old one in. I showed the screwdriver to the employee and he said we would look to see if they had one. He found the identical screwdriver that I had seen on the shelf. He said that they could not exchange it because the ones they had were a different part number because they are now made in China and mine is USA. I don't fault Ace hardware, but what a shady way for Craftsman to get out of honoring their warranty.

 

[finn]

I brought a similar Craftsman screwdriver in to our local Ace a couple of weeks ago. My guess is that it was from the sixties or seventies.

The department manager took one look at the broken screwdriver and said they would match it up with current inventory and replace it with whatever looked to be the closest.

I left the store with a new screwdriver in less than ten minutes.

Pleasant experience, with no hassle.

Remember that Ace stores are independently owned.

 

[drmarkr]

Ace is not a good place to exercise your Craftsman warranty. Go to Lowe's... essentially no questions asked, at least here in Tucson.

 

[Andres26tnt]

That's not a craftsman issue, its the employee and ACE issue. They are only trained to swap 1 for 1 same part number. You have plenty options, go to another ACE, Lowes, Napa, or contact Craftsman for a replacement. Craftsman no longer operates the same, as they don't have an exclusive home base like sears. You can also forget about Craftsman and buy something else if no question asked warranty is important to you.

 

[JeepYJ]

Warranty

Get warranty information on your CRAFTSMAN® products at Craftsman.com. CRAFTSMAN® products are backed by some of the strongest warranties on the market today.

www.craftsman.com

Here are the steps to take if you don’t want to go to a store.
Honestly, the best thing to do is throw it the scrap pile and buy a nicer set of screwdrivers

 

[M635_Guy]

Yeah - the variability thing is not great. Some Ace/Lowe's employees are trained, some aren't. I also wonder if the managers discourage it (directly or indirectly) because of the paperwork or some kind of financial measurement that takes a hit from these kids of warrantee returns.

But whatever it is, it's the reason why I don't buy that kind of stuff with any real expectation of warranty. Harbor Freight and (especially) Tekton make warranty stuff a no-brainer. Higher end brands (Knipex, etc.) aren't as easy to deal with, but I do think they stand up for their products most of the time.

In the OP's situation I'd just dump the screwdriver and get a solid set. I have the Wiha Heavy-Duty Microfinish and a set of the HF Icon screwdrivers and they're both awesome.

 

[rust in the eye]

Ace stores are individually owned franchises. Some get it some don't. Few have a "helpful hardware man" anymore.

 

[woody 73]

I don't think the op is going to like my answer, but I will give it a shot...

The days of walking in and walking and out the door is long gone, very sad What I do is at every garage sale I buy a few extra craftsman tools and when say the ----------------(You fill in the blank) breaks, I throw it out and pick up the replacement tool. Now it sounds expensive, but I am talking 1.00-dollar screwdrivers,50cent sockets etc. You get the idea. Stock up on all those extra craftsman tools that you will likely use the most.

 

[Andres26tnt]

The problem here is Craftsman now is relying on retailers out of their control. If one of those ****, you going to have a bad time. Not only that, the chosen Stanley partners are arguably the worst retailers around. Lowes consistently trails behind HD, Who is ACE really? Napa barely has any craftsman. They should had done an exclusive contract with Lowes to be the house brand, but idk.

 

[finn]

The problem here is Craftsman now is relying on retailers out of their control. If one of those ****, you going to have a bad time. Not only that, the chosen Stanley partners are arguably the worst retailers around. Lowes consistently trails behind HD, Who is ACE really? Napa barely has any craftsman. They should had done an exclusive contract with Lowes to be the house brand, but idk.

That’s laughable.

The nearest Napa or Lowe’s is 120 miles away. There are two Ace stores within 12 miles.

HD is a hundred miles away, and it’s a small store with minimal inventory.

 

[RPH]

I had this problem when Sears ran craftsman. Had an old lady working the tool area tell me they didn’t make it anymore. So, I was sol.
Took a couple managers to work this complex problem through. I walked out with new screwdriver but quit buying craftsmen products that day.

 

[PCustoms]

Blows my mind that people think Craftsman today is the same company from years ago.

Its literally a different company,or rather a brand/trademark owned by a different company. I guess the marketing is working...

 

[Boogerman]

What blows my mind is that people are spending time trying to warranty a screwdriver that cost $1 to $5 new, and that was close to the bottom of the quality scale even when it was sold.

Craftsman screwdrivers are roughly $6 at ace. Harbor freight sells individual drivers for a couple dollars, or sets from .50 apiece to their best at $6 apiece. Snap on pretty much tops out the price tier, with about $30 for an individual one.

If your time is worth anything at all, why would you spend it trying to get a $.50 to $6 driver replaced under warranty. Just pay another $6 and go on your way! Now, if the warranty is easier than buying a new one (like it is with Snap-on if you work in a shop, just hand it to the driver and he installs a new blade and hands it back), then I could see it. But, if you have to argue with the clerk, go to multiple stores, etc, cut your losses and just shell out a few dollars for a new one and be on your way!

 

[drmarkr]

What blows my mind is that people are spending time trying to warranty a screwdriver that cost $1 to $5 new, and that was close to the bottom of the quality scale even when it was sold.

Craftsman screwdrivers are roughly $6 at ace. Harbor freight sells individual drivers for a couple dollars, or sets from .50 apiece to their best at $6 apiece. Snap on pretty much tops out the price tier, with about $30 for an individual one.

If your time is worth anything at all, why would you spend it trying to get a $.50 to $6 driver replaced under warranty. Just pay another $6 and go on your way! Now, if the warranty is easier than buying a new one (like it is with Snap-on if you work in a shop, just hand it to the driver and he installs a new blade and hands it back), then I could see it. But, if you have to argue with the clerk, go to multiple stores, etc, cut your losses and just shell out a few dollars for a new one and be on your way!

Rants about people wasting money using a warranty on a Craftsman screwdriver.....buys Snap On screwdrivers off a tool truck.

Oh, the irony.

 

[redwrench60]

I hate Craftsman screwdrivers. They don’t fit any standard screw heads, and are made of a curiously soft pot metal and cheese alloy.

 

[Andres26tnt]

That’s laughable.

The nearest Napa or Lowe’s is 120 miles away. There are two Ace stores within 12 miles.

HD is a hundred miles away, and it’s a small store with minimal inventory.

I'm talking about the bigger picture here, not individual experiences. I understand that some won't have a lowes or whatever. What does everyone remember about craftsman outside of USA made? Sears, being the exclusive product that pulled people in the store. That's what's missing, funny the competition has taped into the same deal (harbor freight). Now that I think about, I imagine HF would had done a better job with craftsman if they had somehow bought the brand.

 

[four.cycle]

He found the identical screwdriver that I had seen on the shelf. He said that they could not exchange it because the ones they had were a different part number because they are now made in China and mine is USA.

As has already been stated in various ways, you encountered a sales person who fumbled the transaction. Ace stores are all independently owned and operated, and "store policies" can vary wildly between one location and other.

Somebody above asked "Who is ACE Hardware?"
Well.. they have over 5700 retail locations worldwide.
Home Depot: 2341 locations
Lowes: 1746

ACE is larger than both HD and Lowes combined - and THAT is why SBD managed to finagle their way into all their stores.

If you think getting ALL 5700+ retail locations (all owned by independent franchisees) all on the same page in respect to how they handle a vendors "warranties" is even a remote possibility, I have a bridge I'd like to sell you.

Either take it to another ACE store and see if they'll swap it out, OR (as has been suggested) avail yourself to the far superior options now available on the market.

Start HERE

 

[Harley-FXDWG]

I just call Craftsman direct and they ship the new tools and I have them within a few days. Last time they sent me the wrong style ratchet, I called back and they said to keep it and they would send me the correct one. Somehow they messed up and ended up sending me 2 swivel head ratchets. They told me to keep the extra one too.

It was absolute zero fuss. Very simple process.

 

[JeepYJ]

What does everyone remember about craftsman outside of USA made? Sears, being the exclusive product that pulled people in the store.

Sears was the mail order/ home delivery store long before Amazon.
Sears also offered Sears credit cards.
How they screwed all that up is amazing.

 

[Boogerman]

Rants about people wasting money using a warranty on a Craftsman screwdriver.....buys Snap On screwdrivers off a tool truck.

Oh, the irony.

Not a rant, was an observation. But, wasn't about wasting money at all. Was about wasting time. Time is a whole lot more valuable than money!

 

[rust in the eye]

What blows my mind is that people are spending time trying to warranty a screwdriver that cost $1 to $5 new, and that was close to the bottom of the quality scale even when it was sold.

Craftsman screwdrivers are roughly $6 at ace. Harbor freight sells individual drivers for a couple dollars, or sets from .50 apiece to their best at $6 apiece. Snap on pretty much tops out the price tier, with about $30 for an individual one.

If your time is worth anything at all, why would you spend it trying to get a $.50 to $6 driver replaced under warranty. Just pay another $6 and go on your way! Now, if the warranty is easier than buying a new one (like it is with Snap-on if you work in a shop, just hand it to the driver and he installs a new blade and hands it back), then I could see it. But, if you have to argue with the clerk, go to multiple stores, etc, cut your losses and just shell out a few dollars for a new one and be on your way!

You make the assumption that someone goes out of their way to do so.
I pass an Ace Hardware every day and own more than one screwdriver so if I needed an exchange I'd just throw it in my car and do so when convenient.

 

[Ohio Andy]

What blows my mind is that people are spending time trying to warranty a screwdriver that cost $1 to $5 new, and that was close to the bottom of the quality scale even when it was sold.

In the 90's I purchased a Craftsman bit set.

I helped a friend screw down a subfloor and it was tough going. My bits looked fine when I was done. After my friend broke numerous bits (like 5) very early in the project I gave home one of mine. No more bits broken.

I still use that bit set btw.

 

[Andres26tnt]

As has already been stated in various ways, you encountered a sales person who fumbled the transaction. Ace stores are all independently owned and operated, and "store policies" can vary wildly between one location and other.

Somebody above asked "Who is ACE Hardware?"
Well.. they have over 5700 retail locations worldwide.
Home Depot: 2341 locations
Lowes: 1746

ACE is larger than both HD and Lowes combined - and THAT is why SBD managed to finagle their way into all their stores.

If you think getting ALL 5700+ retail locations (all owned by independent franchisees) all on the same page in respect to how they handle a vendors "warranties" is even a remote possibility, I have a bridge I'd like to sell you.

Either take it to another ACE store and see if they'll swap it out, OR (as has been suggested) avail yourself to the far superior options now available on the market.

Start HERE

members on here missed the point. It's not about the number of locations. Plenty of businesses have a large number of locations only to ultimately fail(sears ). You said it yourself "independently owned and operated". As far as we are concerned HD and lowes are "the" major home improvement stores across the country. Craftsman need a locations where they are the only "house brand", major space and commitment to the brand. Something none of these stores are going to give them, as they are just partners. It's that weird relationship/connection that people miss about sears/crafsman. Regardless if it's ace or insert big box store, that's what they need.

Great suggestions by the way. Vessel makes much better drivers then those crapy craftsman.

 

[Andres26tnt]

Sears was the mail order/ home delivery store long before Amazon.
Sears also offered Sears credit cards.
How they screwed all that up is amazing.

Absolutely, they had various opertunities. Too bad they showed to gut the company instead of fixing .

 

[finn]

What blows my mind is that people are spending time trying to warranty a screwdriver that cost $1 to $5 new, and that was close to the bottom of the quality scale even when it was sold.

Craftsman screwdrivers are roughly $6 at ace. Harbor freight sells individual drivers for a couple dollars, or sets from .50 apiece to their best at $6 apiece. Snap on pretty much tops out the price tier, with about $30 for an individual one.

If your time is worth anything at all, why would you spend it trying to get a $.50 to $6 driver replaced under warranty. Just pay another $6 and go on your way! Now, if the warranty is easier than buying a new one (like it is with Snap-on if you work in a shop, just hand it to the driver and he installs a new blade and hands it back), then I could see it. But, if you have to argue with the clerk, go to multiple stores, etc, cut your losses and just shell out a few dollars for a new one and be on your way!

Explain to me how my five minute elapsed time at Ace exchanging a Craftsman screwdriver took any more time than you walking over to the tool truck in the middle of a customer paid job to exchange your overpriced pos Snapon screwdriver.

By the way, I picked up an 8’ ground rod at the same time, so it wasn’t even a special trip.

Those 1960s-70s Craftsman screwdrivers were pretty good compared to everything else out there at the time.

 

[rust in the eye]

Explain to me how my five minute elapsed time at Ace exchanging a Craftsman screwdriver took any more time than you walking over to the tool truck in the middle of a customer paid job to exchange your overpriced pos Snapon screwdriver.

By the way, I picked up an 8’ ground rod at the same time, so it wasn’t even a special trip.

Those 1960s-70s Craftsman screwdrivers were pretty good compared to everything else out there at the time.

Easy there, Chopper.

 

[finn]

members on here missed the point. It's not about the number of locations. Plenty of businesses have a large number of locations only to ultimately fail(sears ). You said it yourself "independently owned and operated". As far as we are concerned HD and lowes are "the" major home improvement stores across the country. Craftsman need a locations where they are the only "house brand", major space and commitment to the brand. Something none of these stores are going to give them, as they are just partners. It's that weird relationship/connection that people miss about sears/crafsman. Regardless if it's ace or insert big box store, that's what they need.

Great suggestions by the way. Vessel makes much better drivers then those crapy craftsman.

Vessel might make good screwdrivers, but I can’t think of a single retail establishment that handles them.

Sure you can order them online, but come on. Who’s going to order a screwdriver online?

Most people probably think the primary use for a screwdriver is to open a paint can, despite what you read here.

 

[finn]

Easy there, Chopper.

I’ll challenge you to name another COMMONLY AVAILABLE screwdriver that was available in the seventies.

Truck brands don’t count, as they don’t meet the commonly available criteria.

 

[Ohio Andy]

I’ll challenge you to name another COMMONLY AVAILABLE screwdriver that was available in the seventies.

Truck brands don’t count, as they don’t meet the commonly available criteria.

Stanley began manufacturing screwdrivers in 1870. No idea when they became broadly available. My grandparents had Millers Falls but that was probably long before the 1970's (but only guessing; I was not interested in screw drivers in the 1970's.

 

[Wakefield]

Blows my mind that people think Craftsman today is the same company from years ago.

Its literally a different company,or rather a brand/trademark owned by a different company. I guess the marketing is working...

I don't think there is any such thing or ever was as "Craftsman" company. It was a tradename owned by Sears before it was sold.
Remember when "Craftsman" could be a lawnmower sold at Sears with a "Craftsman" engine which used to mean a Tecumseh engine built for Sears?
Present day owner of the tradename Stanley Black and Decker ? Do they sometimes exchange new tools for some of the old Sears tools ?

 

[finn]

Stanley began manufacturing screwdrivers in 1870. No idea when they became broadly available. My grandparents had Millers Falls but that was probably long before the 1970's (but only guessing; I was not interested in screw drivers in the 1970's.

I had some of the 1960s-1970s Stanley screwdrivers. The ones with the yellow acetate (or whatever) handles. I think Coast to Coast stores carried them, along with SK, another brand that GJ members grew to hate.

Still have one somewhere. It was a good screwdriver but no better than the Craftsman of the era.

 

[finn]

I don't think there is any such thing or ever was as "Craftsman" company. It was a tradename owned by Sears before it was sold.
Remember when "Craftsman" could be a lawnmower sold at Sears with a "Craftsman" engine which used to mean a Tecumseh engine built for Sears?
Present day owner of the tradename Stanley Black and Decker ? Do they sometimes exchange new tools for some of the old Sears tools ?

Yes. Did it a week ago myself.

 

[four.cycle]

Those 1960s-70s Craftsman screwdrivers were pretty good compared to everything else out there before they started importing Vessel screwdrivers into the U.S.

FIFY

Sure you can order them online, but come on. Who’s going to order a screwdriver online?

All of the screwdrivers I have purchased over the last four years were online purchases.

 

[Etchase]

Anyone try to warranty their Challenger in the last decade?

 

[rust in the eye]

I’ll challenge you to name another COMMONLY AVAILABLE screwdriver that was available in the seventies.

Truck brands don’t count, as they don’t meet the commonly available criteria.

Why are you shouting?
I didn't remember screwdrivers being hard to come by in the seventies.
SK at every auto parts store I ever patronized, Stanley, Vermont American et al from every hardware store.
You could but Stanley from the grocery store.
I've clearly missed your point.

 

[username2]

I’ll challenge you to name another COMMONLY AVAILABLE screwdriver that was available in the seventies.

Truck brands don’t count, as they don’t meet the commonly available criteria.

You know, I have to really think about that for a sec. It's all kind of foggy now.

Irwin? Fuller? ...mmm...Dayton? Naturally, Stanley as mentioned. I don't think any of them were very good compared to a modern premium one, which aren't that expensive.

That made me think of those Snap-on screwdrivers with triangular handles. Those did exist didn't they?

 

[username2]

SK at every auto parts store I ever patronized,

Hey, I remember that. It seemed like every machine shop front counter had SK or Proto up on the wall.

I can't remember a single person buying any of that stuff. It was all Craftsman or stuff from your dad of varying quality. I also don't remember anyone's home tool sets being particularly large. A few minutes of YouTube time will show you how insane modern consumer spending can get.

 

[username2]

I hate Craftsman screwdrivers. They don’t fit any standard screw heads, and are made of a curiously soft pot metal and cheese alloy.

Those paint cans ain't gonna open themselves.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Those paint cans ain't gonna open themselves.

I think there is a major disconnect between all the uses of screwdrivers.

Some drive screws. Some are chisels. Some pry bars. It's probably the definition of a universal tool, many uses aside from the explicit. I think many people would be surprised to find a paint can opener is actually a tool and not another name for a beat up flathead.

I haven't bought screwdrivers local in ~10 years. Now they're all "nice" types bought online, usually singles, unless I'm buying closeouts on HJE for nefarious purposes. My last set I bought in person, a SK set, started to smell so into the trash they went about a week ago. They always smelled a bit since day one.


I too have move to viewing them as consumables.

 

[reader2580]

Sears was the mail order/ home delivery store long before Amazon.
Sears also offered Sears credit cards.
How they screwed all that up is amazing.

Sears may have been great at mail order, but that doesn't mean they would have been great at Internet sales. Amazon lifted the bar way above what Sears was doing in mail order. Sears had warehouses in many large metro areas, but I don't think anyone ever received same or next day delivery.

It is a lot easier to be innovative in an emerging area of commerce when you are starting from scratch and not dragging 100+ years of baggage along. My employer is trying to re-invent itself, but there is so much legacy stuff, and "this is how we always have done it" that it is hard to change.