Q #1,3: The Craftsman warranty is a "satisfaction" based warranty and has nothing to do with technically, the tool being "broken" if you read the fine print; I get into arguments with managers/co-workers about this, all the time.
Q #2: I would call customer relations hotline if you are having a problem with warranty issues at your local sears; we have had a member on this board have the same local store manager personally call and apologize about the problem and offer a free replacement! This happened after the call/email was made to customer relations;
probably not in all cases but this particular situations was resolved with in the same day, as the call to customer relations! These issues do get to the store managers desk and their "customer service" points/percentages do impact them where it hurts (in the pocketbook)! Go to this link for the customer relations hotline:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/nb_10153_12608_NB_Customer+Relations?adCell=A4
Customer Relations Hotline:
1-800-549-4505
Email us your questions, comments and experiences
or send a letter to:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/nb_10153_12608_NB_CSeMail?refLink=relations&adCell=A4
Sears National Customer Relations
3333 Beverly Road
Hoffman Estates, IL 60179
Q #4: The only thing I can come up with is the "retail" part # and the catalog/online part # is different; the retail sets are typically, packaged in small amounts and many times certain part #'s go on clearance! These items can be the same contents of another set but have another part #.
Thats probably clear as mud but thats all I can think of an explanation of this issue; not a "official" answer but just a educated guess.
Q #5,6: I think that the quality on many of the Craftsman hand tools has gone down; all you have to do is look at 80s, 70s, 60s (and earlier) vintage production tools and especially the "v" series really seemed to be of a higher quality standard. Some point to Stanley being the OEM before a certain time frame, others blame cost cutting productions issues, lowered specs,.... we could go on forever and the "answer" maybe a bit of all the possibilities wrapped up into the end result of a poor quality tool; compared to the earlier generation tools. The ratchets, screwdrivers, that are the "base level" quality (e.g. raised panel ratchets/wrenches, clear blue/red handle screwdrivers etc) in particular, have suffered under what seems to be a cost cutting measures, this maybe a lowered spec sent to the OEMs who produce the tools. I have seen this myself and point to the possibility of the Kmart buyout as a beginning of the decline in quality and the change in management/retail philosophy based on the "Kmart culture". I don't think Sears is particularly unique in this problem but this is being seen as a tool industry wide issue; other industries are seeing this as well... automobiles, appliances, clothing, etc. etc. etc. If you compare a a 50s car to a currently shipping 2009 model; yeah you will see differences in quality good/bad. You could lay the blame on a million different issues; globalization, greedy corporations, off shore manufacturing, engineered obsolescence, low quality Danaher production/design, "throw away" society culture, loss of american hand skills, reduction of "cost effectiveness" of repairing much of anything vs. "buying new"., lowered expectations in quality control because of pressure to lower production costs, etc.etc, etc, etc,, I could go on for days....
The low line Craftsman tools are what they are; they are affordable and much cheaper then they used be, IMHO! If you get them on the 50% off sales, you can't hardly get the same amount of tools at the flea market or garage sales for that price; as a matter of fact, you will see many of these 50% tool deals at the flea market the next week, with the price jacked up in the hope of making a profit! The quality is lower then the past and the raised panel ratchets in particular are a glaring example of this; its sad to see but there it is!
The pro line of Craftsman tool is typically much better then the degraded low entry level tools; there still are complaints from many here and on sears.com in the "reviews" section that the quality control has fallen off (seems people complain about the full polish wrenches); this is a continual point of frustration for many! Again, I don't think this is unique to sears but to the tool industry in general; all the "Craftsman" tools are made by OEMs that are part of the industry at large.
Are there other alternatives to Craftsman? Yes! Used high quality pro hand tools at flea markets, swap meets, pawn shops and garage sales.... don't get me on another rant, maybe another day, post or someone else can pick this issue up...
as Austin Powers would say after a photo session
"And I'm spent. !"
