Filling the Craftsman void?

[nanofrog]

Bit too complex a question for a single choice.

In my case, I'm all over the place (anything from decent Asian production like Williams, to European or US makes <Wiha to Proto or Wright>). It all depends on the tool being purchased, how hard and frequently it will be used, ... to determine the value it offers me.

One area I don't fall into, are truck brands. Not a pro mechanic, so the ease of warranty replacement of a truck that comes to me doesn't exist (I'd have to chase down a truck, and that's not convenient at all). The higher cost OTOH however doesn't make them attractive either.

Actually easier to toss the tool & replace it myself, or put it in a box and ship it to the manufacturer, depending on the tool (i.e. will just replace a screwdriver as it'll be less than the shipping cost generally speaking, but say a $300+ crimper, will get sent back <genuinely defective, not worn out or abused>).

 

[woody 73]

Interesting post, and sears wonders why they are not doing well:

http://whereirome.blogspot.com/2011/01/sears-craftsman-hand-tools.html

 

[dr0]

vintage Vulcan.

 

[Cato]

I'm still buying Craftsman when its American made and Sears hooks me up with some surprise points or a genuine Hot Buy.

Otherwise, I'm buying off Amazon, Home Depot.com, or Snap On.com.

When I have to visit a brick and mortar, I chose Orchard Home Supply. It's just a better buying experience.

 

[oldldh]

Wanted to buy the Craftsman 299 pc Ultimate Socket set...

But...

Bought the GearWrench 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" drive SAE and Metric sockets...

The quality of the GW sockets far outstrips the Craftsman Chinese offerings...

Also wanted to buy the Craftsman Premium Ratchet Set, but the set is nolonger available, and the arrival of the 120 tooth GearWrench Flexhead Ratchet set (with a stubby 3/8" drive tool), for roughly a 40% discount in price, settled the issue...

The Craftsman sockets come loose in a bag, the GearWrench sockets come in the pictured blow molded trays...

Better tool, better deal, what's to wonder about...

Unless Sears changes their posture regarding Craftsman, their former tool empire is moribund...

'Tis a shame, really---

 

[Rock Hound]

I mostly fall into 2 of the categories; industrial American made (Armstrong and Proto) and premium Asian (Taiwanese Gearwrench and recently Dewalt).

I recently bought quite a bit of the Dewalt mechanic's tools when they were on sale at Sears (I don't think they care if it is there tools or another brand as long as they are selling them) and am very pleased with the quality. They look and feel like high quality tools. Time will tell with how well they hold up and how easy they are to warranty.

I worked for a Sears Hardware back when I was a student in high school and do have a pretty large collection of Craftsman tools and will warranty them as they break for the Chinese made replacements. However, these replacements will mostly end up as the beater tools and what I use in the classroom where I don't have to worry about lost and stolen items. Some will also probably go to gifts for some of my students (I work in a very low income school district).

Not saying that I am anti-Chinese. I love my Milwaukee M12 line tools, all of which are made in China.

 

[BK13]

I'm also all over the map. I've been buying Tiawan Gearwrench, SK, Wright, Tiawan Milwaukee locking pliers, Channellock. I hope to start my pending Hazet addiction soon.

 

[maxpower_hd]

I'm like some others here. I voted Snap On as the replacement as I use my tools more in my business than I did when I first started collecting tools. Now I buy a lot of used stuff, mostly Snap On. But I buy whatever I need from multiple sources including most if not all of the listed options.

I'm done with Harbor Freight though. Those tools are just no good for anything other than one time uses. I have had too many fails. The latest one being cutting wheels for the die grinder, whizzer, whatever you want to call it. The wheel exploded and I received a nice cut on my chest. Now I use only 3M wheels. I do have one set of impact sockets from HF that are OK but are fatter than the SO counterparts so they don't fit as well into tight spaces.

 

[Duck tape Bill]

I think, like most people, I also didn't go with just one brand.

Ratchets = Armstrong & SK
Wrenches = Wiha (Heyco) & Armstrong & some old Bonney
Plyers = Channellock & Wilde
Screwdrivers = Wiha

My main wrench set is still Craftsman (Industrial) that I picked up a couple years ago when they were running some crazy sales. If I were ever to replace them I would probably go with Wright since their satin wrenches are similar to my old Bonney set that feel really good in my hand.

 

[fatfillup]

I have a used tool store and Cman outsourcing has been good for my business to a certain extent. Folks are learning more and more that Cman is now made in China and many are willing to pay a fair price for used USA be it Cman or other old brands.

Me personally, I don't buy new tools anymore and I truly don't know what I would buy. I wrench an hour a day or so in my pressure washer business so I don't have high or hard use. Before I sold tools, I most times would go to NAPA, Lowes or Sears because they all used to carry US tools and I don't think any of them do now.

 

[pauls_workshop]

Here's my take:

1. Got some older new US made Craftsman from the 80's, 90's all of which are still going strong.

2. Got lots of older used US made Craftsman after that to fill in needs cheap.

3. Learned about pro industrial brands alternatives to the tool truck brands and got lots of those used where I could (SK, Proto, Klein, Armstrong, KD (US), Blackhawk, New Britain and derivitives like older US Husky, Wright). Now getting more of the above mainly when I find them as opposed to new Craftsman or even older Craftsman, although still a little partial to old V or H Craftsman (H was New Britain made).

4. Have minimal tool truck stuff, some Mac, a few Snap-On, BluePoint, not much.

5. Do have some Harbor Freight, mainly Pro made in Taiwan things to fill in where needed cheap. The ratchets are not bad. I like the orange dead blow hammers alot.

6. Also like Menard's US made MasterForce or Allen as good current cheap US made alternatives to China Craftsman.

So do I still need Craftsman? Not really. I do wish Sears would bring back US made Craftsman though, as I'd buy some if I could.

- Paul

 

[kythri]

this poll should allow selection of multiple options.

this poll should allow selection of multiple options.

this poll should allow selection of multiple options.

Yup.

 

[hangfirew8]

Yes, multiple options. While SK is my goto brand, I always compare and sometimes buy other brands, for example I don't love SK deep sockets, just their standard depth. So, in order

Any US brand
Euro stuff
Premium Asian except for GearWrench

 

[LordPsychon]

I go with Taiwanese Pittsburgh Pro for most automotive tools (sockets, ratchets), Channelocks for pliers, Kobalt for screwdrivers (new ones are USA made!), and GW for wrenches/ratcheting wrenches.

 

[Robinson1]

SK seems to be the best bang for the buck now days.

 

[Sprintman]

Toptul. Makes everything else look like a rip off!

 

[BK13]

Toptul. Makes everything else look like a rip off!

I'd like to pick up some TopTul, but support is a little tough in the US.

 

[Sprintman]

I'd like to pick up some TopTul, but support is a little tough in the US.

Same here. PIA to find or deal with but I persevered. Now found a supplier in WA who has $400,000 worth unsold due to mining recession and offered me 40-60% off the already low prices. Wish I had a few thousand lying around I'd go berserk!

 

[sberry]

There is no void, no shortage of tools

 

[hangfirew8]

There is no void, no shortage of tools

True.

I think the void is cultural, emotional perhaps, but not market based. There are lots of choices. Will we ever see another brand with reasonable prices, good quality and great nationwide warranty that becomes the default "pretty good choice" that Craftsman was? I don't know.

 

[BK13]

There is no void, no shortage of tools

Yeah there is, for the rest of us. You're hoarding them all! LOL


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[nanofrog]

Same here. PIA to find or deal with but I persevered. Now found a supplier in WA who has $400,000 worth unsold due to mining recession and offered me 40-60% off the already low prices. Wish I had a few thousand lying around I'd go berserk!

Can you provide contact information for this supplier?

Might be rather useful for some GJ'er's.

TIA

 

[sberry]

Yeah there is, for the rest of us. You're hoarding them all! LOL


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not really, I do have more than I need now but am not a compulsive collector and have stopped buying just because its a deal. I pretty much have a need to buy a new tool.

 

[jonnymopar]

These poll results are a bit more evenly spaced than I would have expected!

I have nearly all Craftsman tools, including my box, used for automotive 90% of the time. My Craftsman slimline ratchets (60 point) that I've clipped and lubed are some of my favorites. I've got a pretty solid collection as of now, so I'm not often shopping for tools as much lately.

I have however started looking at used Snap-On stuff. I also have several Harbor Freight power tools, including an electric 1/2" impact gun that's had its **** kicked and given back 110%. I've never tried Harbor Freight hand tools, but it seems like people like the Pittsburgh Pro stuff.

 

[Sprintman]

Can you provide contact information for this supplier?

Might be rather useful for some GJ'er's.

TIA

www.midwesttools.com.au

Kevin is the owner

 

[VictorBravo]

It's funny. The first Craftsman tool I purchased was in 2014. It was a set of USA metric combination wrenches on sale in the local Ace Hardware. Since then I've bought online a set of metric and SAE 3/4 drive sockets based on info I've seen on this site.

Other than that, nothing.

I started buying tools in the late 60s and early 70s. Where we lived, Sears was mail order. I wanted to look at things I was buying.

We had a couple of farm stores selling competing lines. That's why I have a box full of Easco and K-D sockets and a bunch of SK combinations. The occasional sale on those put them below the Sears mail order price.

Thorsen was also sold, and I still have some wrenches.

I didn't really experience the Craftsman line until 1993 when we moved out to the coast and I walked into a big Sears store. I couldn't believe the shiny tool department, but even then, maybe because of the passage of time and inflation, the prices seemed too high.

I sort of developed a mind-set that SK and Easco were "good enough" alternatives to the mighty Craftsman line. I certainly liked the feel of them better than CM.

So now, after joining this forum, I've bought more tools: primarily from Cripes and Epstein, but also direct from Wright and from a couple of members here. The only craftsman I'll look at are replacement 10 mm sockets at the local pawn shop (I keep dropping those in the most inaccessible places).

 

[Codyyy]

I still frequent Sears and get mainly Craftsman stuff but I also have S-K, Mac and occasional Matco. My father's tool box was always a mixture of whatever he could find, mostly Craftsman and S-K. So I try to have a lot of both. If I have to replace stuff that I have lost, I usually just get it off the internet to better match what I have.

 

[mopar_johnny]

I'm just a home mechanic and a lot of my stuff is USA C-man and GW (my local napa sells GW and is great at warrantying them if they lock up). I've always been partial to C-man since growing up that's what my dad (who's passed now) mostly had, that and SK. He always discouraged me from buying cheap chinese tools and said, "you buy cheap s***, you get cheap s***."
I inherited a lot of USA tools from him and also from my father-in-law who also passed away a few years back, and I've always tried to buy USA when I can. But I do get some stuff from HF as far as specialty tools and ratchets. Our local sears closed but our Aces sell C-man and have a lot of NOS USA stuff still.

 

[icthruu74]

The majority of my tools are US Craftsman that I've had for 20+ years. I just recently went to Sears (an hour away) and picked up a few separate sockets to replace missing ones and got NOS US made. I'm just a shade tree mechanic so if I need a socket/wrench or whatever while I'm working on something I'll just run up to the local hardware or farm store and get whatever they have.

Otherwise if I'm going drive out of town to buy China made tools I'll just go HF.

 

[Brownsfan]

At this point to most people there is no void. To us tool guys there is. I have kinda changed my stance on Craftsman. Would I like Craftsman hand tools to be USA made ? Sure. But where else other than Sears can you go and buy anything from specialty auto tools too table saws? I really hope Sears doesn't go under at this point. If anything I would like to see them be just the Appliance /Hardware local stores. I'm lucky enough to have one down the street. I have pretty much everything I need hard line tool wise and most of it is USA made Craftsman for sockets and wrenches. Also they still have a higher USA made tool selection than most. Maybe Menards has a few more at this point.

 

[Gmonkee]

Last tool I bought is 8 decades old. Before that a Kawasaki bike tool kit. Work tools are established a long time back so no new stuff and no CM in that.

Sales of excess have been quite profitable.

 

[montanafordman]

I started buying mostly SK before I even knew they were offshoring craftsman production. I used to go to sears for specialty tools that I might use once or at least seldom, and now just go straight to Harbor Freight for some of those odds and ends. I buy the occasional Proto and Snap-On tool too. BTW - I'm just a home enthusiast/diy'er.

 

[HanShotFirst]

While not my favorites, I have to admit the Husky ratchets are pretty darned good. Their wrenches fit well, they're tough, but they're kinda fat (dare I say "husky") on either end. Now it's pretty rare that ever becomes a factor, but there is a reason why most other quality brands aren't that way. Still, they're very good quality for the price.

 

[HanShotFirst]

Duplicate

 

[HanShotFirst]

Duplicate...that was weird! Sorry guys.

 

[Negen]

SK , proto , wiha, koken are the brands in my box as of now. With one set of husky pliers. And one HF 3/8th ratchet. In the 60's and 70's my father used SK and very little craftsmen as a kid I first started wrenching on home made go carts. My father prized his sk so only allowed me to use his craftsmen. At age 12 I borked my first 3/8th ratchet at 15 my second. After that he agreed on condition if a sk breaks I buy him new and I keep the warranty since sk was hard to find in our area. I never once borked one of his sk ratchets. So I kinda grew up not really noticing what craftsmen was up to. These days I find that average priced American made is poor quality so it is either industrial brands or Japan or Europe for me. I do buy American as much as I can. But I get curious of the German brands.

 

[ARFLY]

I suspect that Harbor Freight will fill the void and very well may create the void. The local HF is always busy and usually has lines at the registers. The local Sears hard line store may have one other person in the store when I go there.