This won't last long LOL

[dclark2171]

What's the deal with old Craftsman tool prices? There cannot be a market for something like this at this price. Can somebody explain?https://www.ebay.com/itm/1464821933...kkBDdulqmrkiLpxCBH1UbFGHGQ==|tkp:BFBM6O6U3adm

 

[Jtels85]

Nostalgia.

There's a popular seller on eBay who's been unloading a massive collection of new-old-stock Craftsman USA tools, and so far he's been incredibly successful in doing so. Some of his prices are in Snap On territory, and people are paying them.

That has also driven up the prices other sellers are asking for their listings.

 

[jayemm]

And only $17.68 shipping . Couldn't throw in free shipping on a $500.00 sale. What a bargain for a set that IIRC sold for ~ $30 on sale. GAG. Here's similar USA made (Wilde or Mayhew?) prybars at Walmart.

Robot or human?

 

[bonneyman]

Good grief! I knew prices on old Craftsman (and S-K) were going to skyrocket. But this!

Perhaps NASA should hitch a ride on some Craftsman tools for their next moon mission.

 

[zimman]

That's just silly.
Zim

 

[1Bad55Chevy]

Just because its listed dosen't mean it sells...

 

[Shiftless]

There is another identical NOS set still in factory packaging listed for $79 bucks instead of that one for $500.

 

[yatg]

Its getting close to the holidays. Hoping some old lady buys it for her grandson. Ahole seller.

 

[vjquan]

He's probably thinking, "I'm getting a lot of views (thanks to GJ) and it should sell soon..."

 

[Vinny]

Like 5 years ago, my go to when I needed a tool was to hit eBay and look for NOS Craftsman USA, and would typically find lots of great deals. Last few years though it's gotten insane like OP is showing. It's even crept into Facebook Marketplace! Can buy brand new Wright, Proto, Williams, etc. or European made brands for cheaper.

 

[four.cycle]

^ and half a dozen of us added it to our "watch list" to see who the sucker is going to be.

 

[zendriver]

Maybe it’s part of his collection

Someone wants to pay that price great otherwise it is part of his collection. It’s not costing him anything to it.

 

[Aaron_W]

The Craftsman name has a mythology all out of proportion to reality. I find it interesting to see nearly identical tools like lathes and drill presses where there seems to be a premium on the Craftsman branded version over the near identical tool under the makers own brand.

 

[rust in the eye]

When I see items absurdly priced (I've seen way worse) I wonder if there isn't some other motivation behind it. I haven't any idea what the angle is but I suspect there is one. Perhaps to establish communication then sidestep E-bay's fees???
All I know is a fool is born every day so........ who knows this guy may be laughing all the way to the bank.
And here I thought I did well getting $70 for a set of essentially brand new RoboGrips recently

 

[vjquan]

All of his other listings are just as bad - $500 for Cman Pro SAE combo wrenches, $200 for 3 piece gasket scraper, $225 for magnetic pickup/mirror, $250 for 2 piece adjustable wrenches. Not sure what his angle is, but he doesn't appear to be a motivated seller.

 

[WWheeler]

I know plenty people my age that won't blink twice about paying exorbitant prices for vintage Craftsman tools that they grew up with. Boomers with plenty of money who still hold a high reverence for the tools they grew up with, back when Craftsman were the best tools you could have in your box in these parts where the only choices were the few brick and mortar stores, Sears, Montgomery Wards, and a Pep Boys. That was all there was for more than 75 miles in any direction, same as it was back then in large swaths of rural USA. There weren't any tool truck routes out here and no internet that brought any other sort of commerce to our doors. Craftsman's no questions asked, no receipt needed guarantee on hand tools made it king back then, and even their power tools were cut above any other local offerings. Nothing else we could get our hands on even came close.

 

[ecotec]

I get the nostalgia…

And I get that there is rare Craftsman…

What I don’t get is high prices for the common Craftsman sets. You can buy common Craftsman in almost new condition for very little.

There is tonnage of Craftsman out there, and a good amount of it is barely used.

 

[ohhimark]

When I see items absurdly priced (I've seen way worse) I wonder if there isn't some other motivation behind it. I haven't any idea what the angle is but I suspect there is one. Perhaps to establish communication then sidestep E-bay's fees???
All I know is a fool is born every day so........ who knows this guy may be laughing all the way to the bank.
And here I thought I did well getting $70 for a set of essentially brand new RoboGrips recently

I'd still be proud of that, I can't imagine there is a large market for people that have fond memories of those pliers.

 

[Bill Wright]

But, they’re curved!

 

[rooster59]

Y’all shouldn’t be even looking at this. Professionals Only!

 

[Jtels85]

Craftsman tools are what a lot of people grew up using, myself included. I have fond memories of going to the mall with Dad in the 1980's and early 90's, and him talking to the old timers in the tool department. When I became a teenager in the early 2000's, I couldn't wait until pay day so I could drive to Sears and buy myself new tools. I built my first tool set by myself and always felt like I got lot of bang for my buck at Sears. Like any vintage item people collect, a lot of it is about cherishing and holding onto those memories.

No one 20 years from now is going to feel nostalgic about going to Lowe's and paying retail for an Indian made Craftsman wrench set.

 

[WNYflyer]

Willing to ship overseas ? I would say to the seller, go for it you never know.

 

[rharman]

There is another identical NOS set still in factory packaging listed for $79 bucks instead of that one for $500.

$500 is just nuts. Yeah, $79 is a LOT better but still way more than I'd pay for those.

 

[51dueller]

I'm probably the odd one out, while I grew up with Craftsman tools that my father had purchased around 1980 after he took over the farm. I hated those things, so many bashed knuckles, rounded nuts. To this day, they were the only cracked sockets and broken wrenches I've had happen.

 

[3baygarage]

Willing to ship overseas ? I would say to the seller, go for it you never know.

There seems to be no end to Snap-On that the Japanese buy and try to sell back on eBay at 3x the retail cost.

 

[Aaron_W]

When I see items absurdly priced (I've seen way worse) I wonder if there isn't some other motivation behind it. I haven't any idea what the angle is but I suspect there is one. Perhaps to establish communication then sidestep E-bay's fees???
All I know is a fool is born every day so........ who knows this guy may be laughing all the way to the bank.
And here I thought I did well getting $70 for a set of essentially brand new RoboGrips recently

Allegedly some insane prices are money laundering operations.

 

[Nutria]

What's the deal with old Craftsman tool prices? There cannot be a market for something like this at this price. Can somebody explain?

Well, it's apparently "rare." (But then most things on Ebay seem to be).

 

[Ohio Andy]

Guess I could have made a killing on some things I gave to friends who needed them... But I knew that.

 

[GX460DIYguy]

I can’t see that ever selling. I get that some of the older guys love their craftsman tools because they’ve used them for decades, but the tools were never quality enough to drive that kind of price even if they completely shut down the brand.

I guess if I only used craftsman stuff I could see paying slightly over retail for the old USA made stuff, but when I buy an old toolbox or a bag of used tools I usually take out the stuff I want and offer my dad all the craftsman stuff since that’s what he likes. My snap on stuff is slowly winning him over though and I know he’ll eventually start finding his own.

 

[zendriver]

Maybe he has everything in life, but attention.

 

[dclark2171]

Somebody should send the seller a question: "will you honor the Craftsman lifetime Warranty if these break during use" LOLOLOLOL

 

[WWheeler]

Somebody should send the seller a question: "will you honor the Craftsman lifetime Warranty if these break during use" LOLOLOLOL

He probably would. The Craftsman warranty has never been that you get your money back. It's just a replacement with whatever like tool they still sell today.

 

[ChevyEFI]

I know plenty people my age that won't blink twice about paying exorbitant prices for vintage Craftsman tools that they grew up with. Boomers with plenty of money who still hold a high reverence for the tools they grew up with, back when Craftsman were the best tools you could have in your box in these parts where the only choices were the few brick and mortar stores, Sears, Montgomery Wards, and a Pep Boys. That was all there was for more than 75 miles in any direction, same as it was back then in large swaths of rural USA. There weren't any tool truck routes out here and no internet that brought any other sort of commerce to our doors. Craftsman's no questions asked, no receipt needed guarantee on hand tools made it king back then, and even their power tools were cut above any other local offerings. Nothing else we could get our hands on even came close.

You're dodging historical reality. There were higher quality tools available at retail. But the SK roundhead or set that was 10x the value of robot feces lubrication Craftsman ratchets and cracked sockets was 2 or 3 x the price.

Think of how easy it is to write off cheap tools that **** or break. They took that away. New wrench with pliable open end sure looks good when the broken was traded in.

In your case, 75 .miles, sure. In the farm areas where my parents each grew up, 15mi. tops.

 

[Model A Fan]

I do the same as @Vinny and scope out online to see if I can find a reasonably priced "vintage" version.

Here recently, I have needed a few things and found that Harbor Freight has a better quality and cheaper (now that Craftsman has an aura of collectability around it). I need to replace my longer 3/8" wrench with the flex end (got a rebuilt one from Sears years ago and it has the owner's initials scratched into it instead of just rebuilding mine). I'm waiting for Harbor Freight to put their ratchets on sale or for me to just get fed up with it and spend the money on one.

I too remember going to Sears to buy tools. My Dad took me when I was in high school and helped me build an "on the road" kit using Companion brand (a tier below Craftsman) and some Craftsman hand tools. I also got Craftsman tools for birthdays and Christmases growing up. I'll forever treasure the ones my Dad bought me, but I'll not be a buyer of the newer Craftsman stuff from Lowe's. For my own kids, I'll outfit them with older US made stuff or hand-me-downs as I upgrade some of my stuff.

 

[DAWrench]

I have used many Craftsman tools over the years and went to Sears many times. Yes I have broken some but they have mostly done what I needed them to do. Craftsman tools were always what they were economical and functional. The lifetime warranty was a selling point but most of the users would never break a tool. That being said the prices people are willing to pay for older stuff nowadays is crazy unless you just consider it a hobby. Name a hobby that doesn't cost money?
Harbor Freight has basically taken over where Sears left off. Sure the tools are not made in USA and a lot of people on this forum don't care for that. But the clothes and shoes you are wearing are made where? What about the parts you just bought at the parts store? Or the car or truck you are driving? Let alone the phone or computer you are reading this on. I have replaced or upgraded many of my old Craftsman tools with HF and most are actually better.
I will keep my old Craftsman tools around but won't be looking for more on eBay at crazy prices

 

[Ohio Andy]

The tools that probably would have made me money were the Craftsman professional screwdrivers with the black and red handles. Also had a set of these triple black handles that were absolutely pristine because I didn't like the handle.

The second generation black and white handles were heavily used and I'm not sure I could have in good conscience sold them simply since I thought the tips were not pristine. Don't get me wrong. They still worked but I could see where on them. But when they'll sell it's crazy. I mean they looked pristine because I kept them very clean. But the tips if you looked at them very closely you could tell they'd been used. Not abused but used.

About the person I gave them to was going to cry. He said he'd never had good tools before.

I loved those handles.

I think a lot of people are buying old ratchets just so that they can pull the innards out and drop them into an identical set that had sentimental value and you can't buy the rebuild kids anymore. But I don't know that for sure.