Travo131
Well-known member
I was in Menards last night and they are clearanceing out all the USA tools and replacing them with Chinese ones. Looks the that's the last big box retailer to make the switch. Kinda bums me out.
New masterforce tools at Menards.
- Thread starter Travo131
- Start date
powertrip
Well-known member
Their supplier Apex is most likely to blame. Apex made the USA Masterforce and Allen. I think their USA screwdrivers are Pratt & Reed. I am just glad that they is still going to be Masterforce tools made even though they are asian. I was afraid that Craftsman would replace them and Masterforce would not be made any longer. We need more choices not less. So it ***** that the sockets, wrenches and ratchets are no longer USA, but at least the brand survives.
kngelv
Well-known member
If true how is this good in any way? There are more than enough Asian made tool lines. Menards is kind of a pain to shop in anyway and this just gives me one less reason to go there.
James
powertrip
Well-known member
Would you rather Masterforce fold and have another store carry SBD tools only? Masterforce isn't all Asian right now and with Menards usually promoting USA goods it may not be long before they find another USA supplier, who knows. There is hope in that as long as Masterforce is still around.
metaleltr
Well-known member
I feel that menards support of made in USA may not run much deeper than the surface. About 2 years ago the stopped carrying penzoil. It used to be that during the made in USA sale you could buy penzoil conventional for 2.99 a quart. I'd always get a case if not 2.
davethorik
Well-known member
Kinda funny the hand tools now Look like they still have Knipex and some Wilde (chisels, nailsets) that I can think of. Now that local Sears Hardware stores are closed, it's about the only game in town for displaying Knipex. I bought my 10" pliers wrench at Menards bc at the time it was $4-5 cheaper than online prices, not on sale normal Menards price. They had 3 and I got the nicest one.
Menards does own a few of their own manufacturing facilities here in the midwest but the majority of the products in their stores are made buy outside companies.... those companies decide where their products are made, not Menards. As for Penzoil, who knows... Maybe Penzoil raised their prices and Menards said no thanks?
madwi
Well-known member
I was there this morning too. 
I stopped by Menard’s in Cincinnati yesterday and they have a full line of Asian made Masterforce tools. It ***** to see the USA tools phased out, but the new tools like much nicer and more modern. I likely won’t buy any, but it’s nice to see the brand survive.
They did have much of the old USA Masterforce stuff, Gearwrench and Crescent mechanics tools on clearance. The tool department seems a bit more organized now.
They did have much of the old USA Masterforce stuff, Gearwrench and Crescent mechanics tools on clearance. The tool department seems a bit more organized now.
earthmover1980
Well-known member
I posted about this before. I was disappointed too. It seems to be the sign of the times. I almost think Apex is a monopoly. They bought up key American brands, then sourced them out to Asia. Not a good feeling to have. My favorite was J.H. Williams tools. Now ... Made in China.
The Asian manufacturing sure took away the warm fuzzy feeling of buying tools to, oh I am down to this...
You guys have already heard my opinion about this.
The Asian manufacturing sure took away the warm fuzzy feeling of buying tools to, oh I am down to this...
You guys have already heard my opinion about this.
For me it was the last place to still pick up a tool that was made in the USA. If I needed to replace a socket from my craftsman sets I always bought a new one from menards. I did buy a new masterforce 1 1/2 wrench yesterday. I have to cut it in half anyway lol, I use them for hold the stem on a shake machine to change out the beater caps.
davethorik
Well-known member
Apex is not a monopoly. Plenty of other manufacturers of hand tools exist.
And Williams is owned by Snap-on. They are their industrial line, and offer USA & import tools.
Maybe try doing research in the future
JoeMcGov
Well-known member
15 - 20 years ago "made in China" meant **** quality. We all know that.
In recent years many American tool companies have relocated their tool dies off shore, certainly including China. This has resulted, IMHO, in acceptable, if not good, quality "made in China" on a lot of tools. Many of you GJ guys are uber smart on tool brands and can certainly opine in far more detailed fashion than this concrete guy can. But again, I've seen evidence that items that were formerly "made in the USA" and are now "made in China" are of identical quality.
And now the lawyer part: YMMV.
In recent years many American tool companies have relocated their tool dies off shore, certainly including China. This has resulted, IMHO, in acceptable, if not good, quality "made in China" on a lot of tools. Many of you GJ guys are uber smart on tool brands and can certainly opine in far more detailed fashion than this concrete guy can. But again, I've seen evidence that items that were formerly "made in the USA" and are now "made in China" are of identical quality.
And now the lawyer part: YMMV.
Why, the nerve, of Menards, trying to cut operating costs, in what is a cut-throat home-improvement market.
No problem, when they're gone, one can get all the American-made Cman tools they want, by shopping at Lowes - but only if they hurry.
Americans are pumping the brakes on home remodeling, and that might spell bad news for Home Depot and Lowe's
https://www.businessinsider.com/home-depot-lowes-housing-market-2018-11
No problem, when they're gone, one can get all the American-made Cman tools they want, by shopping at Lowes - but only if they hurry.
Americans are pumping the brakes on home remodeling, and that might spell bad news for Home Depot and Lowe's
https://www.businessinsider.com/home-depot-lowes-housing-market-2018-11
And as customers we reserve the right to respond by no longer shopping there. There are costs to every decision.
mudflap
Well-known member
The Cman RP rats are a good example of this... The china ones are better..better fit/finish/function than the ones made near the end of the USA run... Sorry...but they are.
chad w
Banned
i miss menards. none here in oklahoma!
JonDick13926
Well-known member
I first noticed the Chinese selection of Masterforce tools about 2 weeks ago. This was my thought exactly. When you change your USA made tool selection to a China made tool selection, you might lower your costs to get those tools to the shelves but at what additional cost? I would be surprised if demand for Masterforce doesn't drop to some extent once everyone finds that they've switched to Chinese production, bringing market price down and offsetting any benefit gained from making the switch. How much of an effect this will have remains to be seen, but who knows. Maybe USA made doesn't mean as much to people today as it did 5 years ago.
bwringer
Well-known member
The US-made Masterforce wrenches were fantastic. Nice pebbled finish you can get a grip on, great broaching.
The new Chinesium wrenches are slick shiny chrome -- not to my taste but some people like that sort of thing. Visibly much lower quality broaching, and the open ends are unfortunately the Chinese fat lobster claw design that make it a little harder to get into some spots. Nice wider range of sizes available, anyway.
Eh, I'm sure they'll turn a nut OK, but the old US-made Masterforce wrenches were far superior. I guess no one but tool geeks really noticed, so here we are.
And yeah, I do appreciate the many US hand tool brands they still carry -- Wilde, Vaughan, Estwing, Channel-Lock pliers, and many more. They're also one of the few physical stores to carry a nice selection of Knipex pliers.
The new Chinesium wrenches are slick shiny chrome -- not to my taste but some people like that sort of thing. Visibly much lower quality broaching, and the open ends are unfortunately the Chinese fat lobster claw design that make it a little harder to get into some spots. Nice wider range of sizes available, anyway.
Eh, I'm sure they'll turn a nut OK, but the old US-made Masterforce wrenches were far superior. I guess no one but tool geeks really noticed, so here we are.
And yeah, I do appreciate the many US hand tool brands they still carry -- Wilde, Vaughan, Estwing, Channel-Lock pliers, and many more. They're also one of the few physical stores to carry a nice selection of Knipex pliers.
boblikestools
Well-known member
I just ordered a 10 piece USA Masterforce SAE wrench set. Figured it would be my last chance to get a nice USA made set for a good price. It looks like Western Forge made these, but can't confirm this. I do know Western Forge makes the Masterforce acetate and comfort grip screwdrivers in the USA, and they're awesome.
Haven't seen the new Asian made wrench replacements up close, but I prefer the non-shiny finish versus the chrome my gearwrench wrenches have.
bobcatdan
Well-known member
The USA masterforce wrenches were nothing but Allen wrenches with masterforce stamped on them which were the same as craftsman RP wrenches without the RP.
vanapplebomb
Well-known member
Outlet stores putting their name on things is a pet peeve of mine. For example. What was wrong with selling “Sanborn” badged compressors? Now they are all switching over to “Mster Force” badged compressors, still made by Sanborn Manufacturing (div. of MAT Holdings) in Minnesota. Sanborn MFG is one of the largest manufactures of air compressors in the world, but most of them are sold under names like DeWalt, Porter cable, Husky, Masterforce, etc. I’m not sure they even market their names-sake “Sanborn” any more. The light commercial and industrial compressors marketed by Sanborn MFG are sold under the Industrial Air Machine brand.