No more Masterforce (Menards) sockets and wrenches ?

[Zorba]

Another GJ'er from Kalamazoo, welcome. I will have to check out the stores.

Howdy howdy!
The one on West Main still had 1 3/8" set that said made in USA, the rest were China. The USA one still had a bit of a clearance tag on it. Probably from a few months ago when they were clearing out the inventory on the sets.

 

[B_Bimmer]

Bringing back an old thread to say that my menards suddenly has a lot of new stock USA masterforce. This includes the small set on sale this week which looks like new packaging with good stock. It appears possible that they have found a manufacturer to carry on this well priced, quality line.

 

[BK13]

Good to hear. Maybe I’ll pick up a 1/4” metric socket set if I make it back to South Bend this summer.


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[B_Bimmer]

No promises, it just looks like there may be some hope at this point.

 

[AA/FC]

Interesting. Thanks for the heads up....

https://www.menards.com/main/p-1444428597483.htm

 

[Harley94]

Menards will be carrying Craftsman in the near future.

 

[anndel]

My guess is that this is all Apex's doing.

 

[AA/FC]

My guess is that this is all Apex's doing.

Apex closed all of their US tool factories a few years ago. These new Masterforce tools are made in the USA.... Did Apex re-open one of their US factories, or is someone else now making Masterforce tools?

 

[NoahG]

Apex closed all of their US tool factories a few years ago. These new Masterforce tools are made in the USA.... Did Apex re-open one of their US factories, or is someone else now making Masterforce tools?

That can’t be true, as USA made Xcelite (albeit of consistently declining quality) has continued to be available.


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[xin]

Menards will be carrying Craftsman in the near future.

When will they have the Craftsman back stateside again?

 

[AA/FC]

That can’t be true, as USA made Xcelite (albeit of consistently declining quality) has continued to be available.


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Unfortunately its true....

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=317376&page=4

Use google to find more details for yourself.

 

[Harley94]

When will they have the Craftsman back stateside again?

Sockets and wrenches won't be USA until late next year I'm told. Other Craftsman tools sooner.

 

[6PTsocket]

Menards will be carrying Craftsman in the near future.

SB&D has talked about new facilities to make USA, Craftsman but how far has that gone? Where us the Stanley stuff made?

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[AceofSpad3s]

SB&D has talked about new facilities to make USA, Craftsman but how far has that gone? Where us the Stanley stuff made?

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I don't really keep up on it but I think in the lowes craftsman thread a monthish ago I heard they were still china at the moment.

 

[AmishFury]

Where us the Stanley stuff made?

the combo wrenches and the socket sets with the classic raised panel are made in china

the gunmetal finish sets are made in taiwan

the ratchets in the gunmetal sets are rebranded stanley fatmax 120t

 

[Tom White]

Menards will be carrying Craftsman in the near future.

Are you sure you are not confusing Menards with Lowes? I know Lowes has started stocking Craftsman products, but had not seen or heard anything about Menards doing the same.

 

[lincwelder225]

Are you sure you are not confusing Menards with Lowes? I know Lowes has started stocking Craftsman products, but had not seen or heard anything about Menards doing the same.

Thought the same thing myself. Can't imagine Lowe's would like a major competitor being a stocking dealer.

 

[Harley94]

Are you sure you are not confusing Menards with Lowes? I know Lowes has started stocking Craftsman products, but had not seen or heard anything about Menards doing the same.

Nope, no mistake, that's what I'm being told.

 

[AA/FC]

Nope, no mistake, that's what I'm being told.

Your location says NW Wisconsin, and Menards is headquartered in Eau Claire WI...... is it safe to say that you are connected with the company somehow?

 

[AmishFury]

Thought the same thing myself. Can't imagine Lowe's would like a major competitor being a stocking dealer.

I imagine Lowe's will keep some exclusivity on a few products (like the gunmetal finish sets) while others will find their way into other stores

i imagine Menards carrying craftsman will be just a few of the RP sets

 

[xin]

I imagine Lowe's will keep some exclusivity on a few products (like the gunmetal finish sets) while others will find their way into other stores

i imagine Menards carrying craftsman will be just a few of the RP sets

Wondering if they will be USA made sets?

 

[nmantas]

New Menards opened today by my house so I stopped by to check it out.

For the individual sockets: they had the full line of chrome Masterforce USA sockets, full line of Gearwrench impact sockets, and a full line of chrome Crescent sockets. A couple of the Masterforce sizes had Gearwrench chrome substitutes so I'm assuming the old USA Apex sockets are being exhausted.

If they do switch to gearwrench individuals along with the crescent line it would seem to be redundant to have two Asian options for chrome individual sockets.

 

[Cfendrick]

Looks like a CHINA made MasterForce is rolling in from what I see of the new products and display in store being put out today. All tags say made in China.

 

[Cfendrick]

MasterForce products country of origin for all new single 1/4” sockets and packaged items looked to be made in China. The design looks like a mix between GearWrench and Crescent and the old MasterForce but all in a cheap way.

 

[ishiboo]

It *****, but with APEX unable to supply USA sockets for such a long time im not sure what they wanted to do. They're clearing out the vast majority of GW/Crescent at our store so im guessing the selection will be pretty good.

TBH I don't hate the GW or Crescent stuff so im not crushed, but it ***** there was a USA option that is no longer.

 

[nmantas]

Another thread talks of possibly a Craftsman roll out where craftsman will be at Lowes, Menards, Ace, and Sears. There are already NOS USA craftsman socket sets showing up at some Menards (pictures in another thread).

 

[reader2580]

Menards is going all in on Masterforce Chinese sockets and wrenches. 2/3 of the socket aisle is now Masterforce Chinese. The remaining Crescent, Masterforce USA, and Gearwrench was mostly on a clearance end cap.

 

[AA/FC]

Menards is going all in on Masterforce Chinese sockets and wrenches. 2/3 of the socket aisle is now Masterforce Chinese. The remaining Crescent, Masterforce USA, and Gearwrench was mostly on a clearance end cap.

The Richfield Menards still has a full display of Masterforce sockets. Some pegs have Gearwrench sockets hanging in place of USA Masterforce but the display still looked complete. I looked at buying a few items but the red tag pricing wasn't low enough for me to buy tools that I don't need. I'm sure it wont be long and they will just remove all old USA Masterforce inventory... They did have 3 sets of USA Masterforce line wrenches that I thought about picking up, but again, I don't need another set of those either. lol.

 

[reader2580]

The Richfield Menards still has a full display of Masterforce sockets. Some pegs have Gearwrench sockets hanging in place of USA Masterforce but the display still looked complete. I looked at buying a few items but the red tag pricing wasn't low enough for me to buy tools that I don't need. I'm sure it wont be long and they will just remove all old USA Masterforce inventory... They did have 3 sets of USA Masterforce line wrenches that I thought about picking up, but again, I don't need another set of those either. lol.

This was the **** Rapids, Minnesota store. They had replaced all of the socket display with the Chinese Masterforce sockets.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Menards is going all in on Masterforce Chinese sockets and wrenches. 2/3 of the socket aisle is now Masterforce Chinese. The remaining Crescent, Masterforce USA, and Gearwrench was mostly on a clearance end cap.

Just stopped by my local Menard's a short bit ago. Unfortunately, the whole hand tool section appears to be Masterforce now, made in China. Snapped
a picture from my phone but not sure if I can get it uploaded at the moment.

I guess we can rule out getting Cman (SBD/USA) at Menard's.

 

[NoahG]

Well, this is interesting.



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[B_Bimmer]

Wow, that there is a whole lot of brand confusion. Why the heck did they switch to china masterforce only to go new stanley craftsman. I would love menards availability and ease of warrenty if craftsman hardline really eventually goes USA.