Who made the USA Craftsman tools?

[danmcph]

I just looked at my Craftsman sockets I bought about 10 years ago. The 12 and 6 point sockets say GK and USA on them. They are marked using the technique that is NOT laser engraving. (Senior moment, I can't remember what that technique is called)

The external torx sockets have the same markings but are laser engraved for the markings.

Any idea who made these for Craftsman? How do they compare in quality to Gearwrench, SK, Proto etc?

Thanks for the help.

 

[LB-1911]

Craftsman Hand Tool Manufacturers & Date Ranges
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84807

Craftsman Hand Tool Manufacturers & Date Ranges
http://www.thegaragegazette.com/index.php?topic=867.0
Last Updated: 2/28/17

 

[danmcph]

It looks like mine were made in the US by Danaher. How good of quality tools are those typically?

 

[kythri]

The vast majority (if not all) of my sockets are some variant of the G-series Danaher stuffs (G, G2, G2D, GK, etc.) and haven't let me down yet.

They're good quality stuff.

They are marked using the technique that is NOT laser engraving. (Senior moment, I can't remember what that technique is called)

Stamping/roll stamping. Most of my stuff is dual-marked (stamped and laser-etched).

 

[Tinner]

The lowest bidder made Craftsman tools.

 

[EOC_Jason]

The vast majority (if not all) of my sockets are some variant of the G-series Danaher stuffs (G, G2, G2D, GK, etc.) and haven't let me down yet.

They're good quality stuff.

I just learned a lot of the Craftsman Danaher stuff was made here in Springdale (North West Arkansas)... A bunch of sockets I recently acquired are stamped with G2 / G2D and they were some of the last production from that facility.

I think Apex still made some Armstrong wrenches there after they stopped making CMan stuff, up until recently that is. I saw they auctioned off all the big equipment in that factory last month.