Simple question. Can I get a few simple answers please?

[Fyrme]

Ok, this is a two part question and it should be able to be answered with only two words.
Hypothetically, you want to buy a set of wrenches. Set one being Kobalt 12 point, and set two is Craftsman =v^= 6 point for the same price. Which do you buy?

Second Q. You have both sets mentioned above and HAVE to get rid of a set. Thinking of future failure and warranty replacement, and the reputation of the tools at hand which do you keep?

Set, Go!

 

[allinon72]

Craftsman
Craftsman

 

[supra90turbo]

Craftsman
Craftsman

 

[p912s]

Craftsman
Craftsman

 

[BrokewrenchLS1]

Kobalt.

Kobalt.

 

[Quacker]

Craftsman
Craftsman

 

[woody 73]

Is this a trick question?

 

[ryan t]

Craftsman
Craftsman

 

[Givl Reggin]

I'll play too!

Keep = Craftsman
Dump = Kobalt

Unless the Kobalt stuff is of Williams vintage, then I don't see why anyone would choose it over Craftsman.

 

[MDI09]

1. 12 point. 2. 6 point

 

[jjjrmx5]

Buy the Craftsman and keep the Craftsman it what I'd do.

Kolbalt if USA made is on par with the C'man stuff, but they offshored new production years ago so any warranty will be Taiwan or lately Chinese made IIRC for Kobalt wrenches. As Givl states, if US Williams made Kobalts, I;d have to think hard about what to do but that still circles back to my point above.

Resale of Kobalt tools, even if US made is still low compared to C'man.

I don't find the 6 point /12 point issue a large one as I run both and both work fine.

 

[Davefr]

Kobalt, Kobalt (assuming the CM are Chinese RP's)

 

[matt1977]

kobalt

kobalt

 

[Arachnotron]

Craftsman
Craftsman

 

[PinkLinc]

Kobalt
Kobalt

 

[Fyrme]

Ok. So ill chime back in on this one now that you guys have done great on your quick responses. I own almost all craftsman wrenches. All that I have are USA made. However now that they are all made in China, what happens when one breaks and I have to warranty it for China ****. I bought 99% of my wrenches years ago. However over the past several years, I almost cringe at the sight of the Craftsman name. I don't know why other than several tools I have bought with the Craftsman name on them in recent times (last 10 years) have been S.H.I.T! I have always hated their ratchets. They just **** plain and simple. My most recent breakage of a 3/8" wrench broke the camels back so to speak and on my trip to replace it I got the last made in USA on the rack. And as far as resale, they have no great resale anymore. What brought me to post this is I acquired a brand new set of Kobalts made in Taiwan an I kinda like em. And before anyone says anything, my made in Taiwan gear wrench ratchet wrenches came up to bat after breaking my cman and it pulled through just fine. I guess I'm just considering getting out while the gettin's good. Idk. Maybe I've just lost my mind.

 

[Zeke]

I've never broken a wrench in my life. I've broken a couple of breaker bars abusing them just in case you think I don't lean on my tools a bit. That having been said, I'd keep the older CM wrenches and if you break one, ask yourself first why in the world did it break and then find a used USA made used replacement.

Summed up: don't get rid of good tools and don't buy **** if you know it's ****. Personally, I think some chicom imported tools are fine. I've seen worse than Pittsburgh in Autozone and at swap meets. I wouldn't use most of those to throw at a rat.

Or maybe that's all I'd use them for.

 

[oldldh]

Craftsman
Craftsman

(I just got both 6 and 12 point sets for Christmas...forged in USA, too!!!)

 

[davesnothere]

Craftsman. Craftsman.

 

[Modifieddriver]

This is a no brainer:

Kobalt, Kobalt

 

[fivespdcat]

As much as I like American tools, 6 point wrenches ****. Give me a 12 point any day of the week. My vote goes to the Kobalt.

 

[03protege]

If you do not already have a set of 12 point wrenches I would get those, so much more useful than a 6pt wrench.

Also as terrible as the new RP Craftsman wrenches look I would lean Kobalt.

 

[Stuey]

Kobalt
Kobalt

I don't like 6pt wrenches.

 

[netcaretaker]

Craftsman, Craftsman - don't care where they are made.

 

[shocksandstrutz]

Craftsman
Craftsman

Sears is going to be there....regardless of where its made......Kobalt stuff might not be

 

[Fyrme]

Craftsman
Craftsman

Sears is going to be there....regardless of where its made......Kobalt stuff might not be

I would have to disagree with part of that statement. I see Sears going **** up with in ten years. Hell they almost have 2 times in my life time already. Just a matter of time. Their quality of merchandise has declined tenfold since I was a kid.

 

[Davefr]

Sears is going to be there....regardless of where its made......Kobalt stuff might not be

Sears Q3:
Net loss from continuing operations attributable to Holdings' shareholders for the third quarter of $498 million ($4.70 loss per diluted share) and $410 million ($3.85 loss per diluted share), in 2012 and 2011, respectively. The third quarter included an effective tax rate of 2.3% in 2012 versus a benefit rate of 18.0% in 2011;


Lowes Q3:
MOORESVILLE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 19, 2012-- Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW), the world’s second largest home improvement retailer, today reported net earnings of $396 million for the quarter ended November 2, 2012, a 76.0 percent increase over the same period a year ago. Diluted earnings per share increased 94.4 percent to $0.35. For the nine months ended November 2, 2012, net earnings increased 10.1 percent from the same period a year ago to $1.67 billion, while diluted earnings per share increased 21.4 percent to $1.42.

You'd really bet on Sears over Lowes????

 

[Steevo]

Brand is less of an issue than functionality in this situation.
Q1: 12 point
Q2: 6 point

Having only one set of wrenches means they have to be as versatile as possible, not necessarily the best for the task or the best from quality perspective or warranty availability.
12 point box wrenches are simply more versatile than 6-point box wrenches.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Buy the Kobalt

Ditch the CMan but good luck doing so. Resale is so poor, As I replace mine I'm just gonna chuck mine in an old cat litter pail and scrap em some time. Worth more as scrap then as tools.

 

[dirtydogintex]

Sears Q3:
Net loss from continuing operations attributable to Holdings' shareholders for the third quarter of $498 million ($4.70 loss per diluted share) and $410 million ($3.85 loss per diluted share), in 2012 and 2011, respectively. The third quarter included an effective tax rate of 2.3% in 2012 versus a benefit rate of 18.0% in 2011;


Lowes Q3:
MOORESVILLE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 19, 2012-- Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW), the world’s second largest home improvement retailer, today reported net earnings of $396 million for the quarter ended November 2, 2012, a 76.0 percent increase over the same period a year ago. Diluted earnings per share increased 94.4 percent to $0.35. For the nine months ended November 2, 2012, net earnings increased 10.1 percent from the same period a year ago to $1.67 billion, while diluted earnings per share increased 21.4 percent to $1.42.

You'd really bet on Sears over Lowes????

Sure.... if we're talking tools.

AFAICT Lowes has gone thru Williams, how long will they be w/whoever they're with now and how long before it's all chicom?
Think CM's a warranty headache!

Chances are Sears will do an about face as they did w/the Japan experiment in the 70s.

Finally if Sears tanks do you really think the Craftsman name/line goes under also?

 

[jjjrmx5]

Buy the Kobalt

Ditch the CMan but good luck doing so. Resale is so poor,

LOL.

Obviously you do not frequent swap meets and flea markets.

C'man is good as gold there.

On the other hand I have a new set of Kobalt USA torx bit sockets that I can not even give away. 2005 vintage.

Sure. Lowe's will stick around. Just like Builder's Square, HQ (Home Quarters) and Contractor's Warehouse. (cricket noise)
All went buh bye. Lowes will as well.


LOLOLOLOL.

I'm still suprised Ace has franchisee's. But wait. They happily serve the community they reside in.

It's all about service, knowlege, warranty and what you stock.

Kobalt is all about the BBD. C'man will live on. That's my guess.

And BTW, Sears tools and appliance sales are up. It's ther rest of the lines that caused that loss.

Just google it.

Herro.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

LOL.

Obviously you do not frequent swap meets and flea markets.

C'man is good as gold there.

Damn I wish I could get pricing like that for mine...got 6 Hansen organizers full of every CMan they make (the odd ones are MAC or SnapOn) and I'd love to ditch em all and go with MAC or SnapOn...IF I could get anything for them.

 

[Fyrme]

Brand is less of an issue than functionality in this situation.
Q1: 12 point
Q2: 6 point

Having only one set of wrenches means they have to be as versatile as possible, not necessarily the best for the task or the best from quality perspective or warranty availability.
12 point box wrenches are simply more versatile than 6-point box wrenches.

Steveo, I agree. I actually have almost 3 full sets of Craftsman wrenches. Two being 12 pt and one 6 point. And a brand new set of 12 pt Kobalts. So I bit my pride and returned the Kobalt's, and kept the Crapsman after coming to the realization that Sooo many old US tool makers have gone over seas, not just Cman. It's just the sign of the times I guess. I've come to accept that I will keep the US tools that I have now and will possibly NEVER be able to get a equal US made replacement if I try to warranty a tool. I will just buy old stock to replace them.

Buy the Kobalt

Ditch the CMan but good luck doing so. Resale is so poor, As I replace mine I'm just gonna chuck mine in an old cat litter pail and scrap em some time. Worth more as scrap then as tools.

I agree Cman has no resale. Have you seen eBay prices? A Brand new set of US made Craftsman cost the same as the Taiwan made Kobalts. I'm pretty sure the last set of Cman wrenches I bought (the 6 points) cost about $40-$45 and that was at least 10 years ago. Now you can get the same set for like 29.99. Talk about a poor return on investment.