When have you broken a craftsman tool?

[kts]

Had the detent ball on a 1/4 RP ratchet just fall out and roll away when I pushed the QR.

I forgot I had something like this happen as well to my 1/4 ratchet. One day the ball was just missing, no clue where it went or how it happened since I rarely use 1/4.

 

[RCStocker]

I have been using Craftsam tools sense about 1955. I have broken one 5/8" socket becaue I put a long pipe on the ratchet. I buy and sell so many tools that I rotate my ratchets through the years. I have never broken a Craftsman ratchet. If you ever find a VF or a VVF ratchet in the Craftsman line buy it. They are tight and smooth. They are nicer than the Sanppie clunky ones. The raised pannel never bothered me. I used them in construction and on the farm. I now have all the tools in Snap-on, SK and many other brands only because I buy and sell tools and estates. I still have no problem using my Craftsman tools.

I have gone through dozens of their cheap screwdrivers. The tips ware out. I have round them sharp to make a chisel out of them for wood working. I restore antique furniture and many a time I need a custom tool. I do some replacement carving work and craftsman tools are great to mess with. You can always get them replace no matter what you do to them. The problem with the return is that the sales people have no clue and thier policy is to replace everthing, even Craftsman hoses and shovels. That is all we use on the construction site. The break or ware out and back they go to get them replaced. I don't make the rules. Sears did and that is why they are colse to going out of business.

I have never broken any other tool other than cheap chinese vice grips and they were not mine.

Craftsman tools are much better than you think and the truck brands are not half as good as you think they are.

 

[gsmornot]

Only broke a few small things in the many years I have been using Craftsman. Tip on a screwdriver, tip on a Philips, one universal and one adapter for using 3/8 drive in my 1/4" impact driver. I have no complaints about the tools I own.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Seems like every time I do any job with a Cman tool, it breaks. Just Sunday I had to fix a driveshaft on my sweepster...popped the 5/16 Hex Bit Socket. Also noticed my 19mm Deep 3/8" had peeling chrome (cut my finger).. the inside of my 9/16 Deep 3/8" Drive is looking pretty shot as well (noticed when doing Garage door tuning)
All my Craftsman is older stock and USA Made. I'm replacing the items with MAC or SnapOn....Tired of Craftsman and Sears.

Conversely, I have a bag of broken or worn out Snap-On, Mac and Matco tools that I never seem to get around to dealing with due to the effort required to warranty them.

Wanna trade? I'll pay shipping both ways...your bag of Truck tools for my bag of Craftsman tools.
Since they closed all the real stores and replaced with HomeTown Sears...unless your exchanging a #2 Phillips Screwdriver, they dont have it in stock...real PITA. Combined with the shoddy quality, you couldnt give me a Sears tool today. SnapOn & MAC usually have it on the truck and if not, I have it next week. If I could sell my Sears/Craftsman tools, I could sell em all right now and replace with SnapOn and MAC tools.

 

[ATC]

I've split a couple deepwell 3/8" drive 5/16" sockets. It was my fault, as the bolt is in a hard to reach spot, and the socket kept twisting off the bolt instead of staying parallel to it.

I bought a thin wall 3/8" impact socket from a friend who had multiples and haven't had a problem since.


I've also sheared the actual 3/8" drive off of a ratchet. I was using a 3' pipe though....

 

[jeffmoss26]

I've broken lots of screwdrivers. I have a couple I need to warranty.

 

[plinker]

Here's most of what I remember from the last eight or so years. All broke during normal use.

Several socket's, I remember the 13,14,15 shallow 6pt's off hand.
Two 1/4 chrome swivels,
About 6-7 pin punches in a few different sizes from 1/16 to 3/16.
A lighted magnetic pickup tool that the head fell off of.
A couple of screwdrivers
3/8 breaker bar that the pin kept falling out of (never warrantied for that, I just put a bolt in it to hold it together.
1x 7/16, 1x 1/2, 2x 9/16 combo wrenches that the open end spread on and should not have.

I also had to return a 3/4 drive breaker bar for my Dad that had one ear broken off of.

 

[Brownsfan]

The only craftsman tool I have ever broke was a t20 torx screwdriver. I have a bunch craftsman sockets and wrenches I have had since 1996. Still using them today. Still have the ratchets from the set as well. I upgraded those long ago but they are still working. I bought all 3 add on socket modules this year so I dont have to accept a china tool if I break one. Plus the 60t low pro ratchets are really nice. All 3 are USA made. Also it never hurts to have back ups.

 

[gordyy]

Several years ago I took 12 screwdrivers in for broken tips. they refused I asked for the department manager who came over said your using them improperly. I told him I could break one of his new off the shelf professinal models for him and if I couldn't I would pay for all the replacement ones I needed off the open stock rack. I asked him to grab a screwdriver off the shelf and a stainless machine screw the correct size we went to the auto shop and clamped it in a vise to duplicate a tight screw. grabbed the screwdriver put it in the head turned and broke it off got all 12 new screwdrivers just like that

 

[Nickshelby]

Several years ago I took 12 screwdrivers in for broken tips. they refused I asked for the department manager who came over said your using them improperly. I told him I could break one of his new off the shelf professinal models for him and if I couldn't I would pay for all the replacement ones I needed off the open stock rack. I asked him to grab a screwdriver off the shelf and a stainless machine screw the correct size we went to the auto shop and clamped it in a vise to duplicate a tight screw. grabbed the screwdriver put it in the head turned and broke it off got all 12 new screwdrivers just like that

Seems like a hand held impact driver would have worked a little better for you.

 

[Den69rs96]

i broke a couple 3/8 ratchets and 1 1/4 inch ratchet, cracked a couple sockets, chipped a few screwdrivers, killed a 3/8 professional corded drill running electrical wire through my basement, and smoked a orbital sander. The sander was my fault, i used it once to sand some drywall which is a big no no.

 

[Pumpman1968]

I have broken a number of chrome sockets, but, all but one was from abuse from a cheater and/or beating them on with a hammer......I DID NOT return them for a replacement and they were worth every penny.

I still have the Craftsman set I bought in '83 or '84 and they have been used almost daily since. Ratchets have all been rebuilt.......3/8" and 1/4" each more than a few times but because they are not sealed heads and I deal with some nasty/muddy/aggressive water. I bought all of the rebuild kits myself.

I will say....with the change in quality over the last few years and the recent imports, I have switches to Williams ratchets and there is a difference..........they just feel more stable.

 

[bobcatdan]

I have probly had more bolt heads rounded by piss pour fitting rp box end wrenches then I have broke craftsman tools. I got my rp wrenches in 98. Had SO and Mac by 2000. Haven't broke any of those.

 

[jamesc]

I have stripped the teeth out of a crafstman usa made 3/8" spark plug ratchet the one with the bent handle, I got a rebuild kit and then stripped the teeth about a month later, so I don't use that ratchet anymore. and I have broke every 3/8" metric swivel socket in the set, I believe they were china made, it is very hard to find usa craftsman in canada. those swivel sockets are some of the worst purchases I have ever had. I bet they had less then ten bolts each before they fell apart.

 

[Fordman7795]

Several years ago I took 12 screwdrivers in for broken tips. they refused I asked for the department manager who came over said your using them improperly. I told him I could break one of his new off the shelf professinal models for him and if I couldn't I would pay for all the replacement ones I needed off the open stock rack. I asked him to grab a screwdriver off the shelf and a stainless machine screw the correct size we went to the auto shop and clamped it in a vise to duplicate a tight screw. grabbed the screwdriver put it in the head turned and broke it off got all 12 new screwdrivers just like that

Instead of putting on a show you could have had him read the warranty to you. No mention of improper use anywhere. Simply "if you are not satisfied" it will be replaced or repaired. They usually shut up and replace it at that point. I had a 3/4 socket that the chrome was peeling. Not just a little, all over. Lady at the counter looks at me and says "the socket still works, it needs to be broken to be replaced". I asked her to read me the warranty. She did. I said "i am not satisfied, replace it". She did

 

[bhalv]

Only ever snapped a 3" 1/2" drive extension when using a 24" breaker bar. brought out a 50yr old craftsman extension and finished the job.

 

[Hootbro]

Recently broke a 1/4 drive ratchet, very upset about it. Been using it for 15 years. I can't bring myself to bring it in for exchange though, wont say USA on it anymore.

Unless it is an obscure or obsolete part number, you can leave you ratchet at most Sears and they will install a rebuild kit and give the exact ratchet back.

 

[ajchien]

Unless it is an obscure or obsolete part number, you can leave you ratchet at most Sears and they will install a rebuild kit and give the exact ratchet back.

I would even go as far as to call ahead to see if they have a kit and someone able to do a swap of internals .

 

[NC-Fordguy]

Done that for the pawl, but the gear can't be fixed. No matter what you do to the pawl, the gear is cut/machined with a flat spot at the top of the tooth, you can't get 100 percent tooth pawl contact.

Not sure what to tell you at this point. I've put plenty of money in my pockets over the years without much hassle using crafty ratchets

They again I don't suffer the tool dysfunction that seems to run rampant on this forum

 

[d.mcfarland]

Only ever snapped a 3" 1/2" drive extension when using a 24" breaker bar. brought out a 50yr old craftsman extension and finished the job.

It seems that you have had pretty good luck with the extensions other than that single incident, and I am in the same boat. Never a complaint with them on my end. I only have one with the new retaining style though, so no long term use on that one.

 

[ryan t]

Broke a 19mm socket trying to break loose a crank bolt with a 18" breaker bar and a 3' jack handle on the end. I was bouncing up and down on it when the socket cracked down the side. No surprise it broke, but sears replaced it no questions asked.

 

[marc graves]

i stripped the gears on a 1/2 ratchet while i was using it on a GM knock out tool during an alignment. it was an old ratchet that sat on the alignment rack so im shure it saw quite a few cheater pipes in its day.

 

[1950mercury]

Ive broken alot of chrome sockets and ratchets working on rusty michigan cars...and there screwdrivers are only good for stirring paint...

But most of my tools are craftsman

I will not buy any new china craftsman tools...i refuse