What is up with Craftsman?
VloĆŸit
- Äas pĆidĂĄn 29. 06. 2024
- Link* www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-12... Sorry but there was a bit of bait and switch on the Amazon page and while it was a 121pc set, it was not the "overdrive" set. The best price I could find for that is $200 at Lowe's and at that price I still feel it's overpriced.
Craftsman has been up and down for a while now, especially since they were purchased by SB&D. So let's go over where they are with power tools storage, especially hand tools, and see if there is a future for this brand.
Big thanks to Craftsman for sending this set over for review.
#craftsman #tools #overdrive
đ”*Just assume all links are affiliate links. They might be to Amazon, Walmart, or any of a dozen other sellers.
=============================
Be Part of the Den!
=============================
â¶Become a Channel Member for as little as $1/month!
/ @denoftools
â¶Donate: paypal.me/Denoftools?country....
â¶Stickers, t-shirts, and more: tinyurl.com/2g4m3f42
â¶My Books (Home Distilling & Beer) amzn.to/48sP302
=============================
Connect on Social Media!
=============================
â¶Facebook: bit.ly/3PwAIb2
â¶Instagram: bit.ly/3WokLpL
â¶TikTok: bit.ly/3BCceHR
â¶Bear's Den: bit.ly/3PA2fIO
â¶Cask & Ember: tinyurl.com/287mx8gj
=============================
đ Products We Use & Recommend
=============================
Tools: amzn.to/3YYnWa9
Video Gear: amzn.to/3wpgA5m
Audible: amzn.to/3EljOHI
Flashlights: www.olightstore.com/s/HDDJV4 (10% OFF Coupon code is still: TDOT10)
Sunglasses & eye protection: glnk.io/n86p/denoftools (10% Off: DENOFTOOLS10)
Welders: yeswelder.com/?ref=denoftools (10% Off: THEDENOFTOOLS)
=============================
Other Info
=============================
đ„Email: red@denoftools.com
đMailing Address? Montana: PO BOX 76, Livingston, MT 59047
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. - Jak na to + styl
Craftsman Tools are long gone. Only the name remains.
china specials for years now.â
Only thing that's long gone is American intelligence
Unfortunately, the name doesn't remain anymore. Most people have realized they're cheap Chinese crap. Craftsman is a name of a bygone era
They went down hill once they sold out to Kmart!
Craftsman name on Crapsman product
I buy older used USA Craftsman tools at garage sales etc, and they will still outlast me.
Exactly.
Same here!
@@corvettefan91 same!
Yep way to do it if ya find them.
This is the way
When i enrolled for mechanic class at the junior college in my town, my dad took me to sears and got me a craftsman rolling tool box, and all craftsman tools. Fond memories.
I did the same when my son graduated from getting his Associate Degree in Industrial Maintenance about 30 years ago, telling him that these tools will last you a lifetime. So far he still is using them and making a good living. I didn't want him to get into the Snap-On cult that drains your paycheck dry.
@@Thestargazer56 I have spoken to mechanics at auto dealerships about their Snap-On tools and boxes and I am truly left with my jaw on the floor when they tell me how much they have "Invested" in them. Criminal!
â@@Thestargazer56I use both
Jobs i use a tool for a lot I'll buy Snap on if its something i use the tool once and a wile for ill buy craftsman gear wrench that i bought at sears long ago or even now harbor fright or even a stanly tool. Yes i got one stanly ratchet
That extends to give you that extra length and leverage that looks like it came off a tool truck.
college? we get taught that in highschool.. your education system bothers me..... I'm building a 350 chev at 17 and your saying it takes college? I think your system is screwd with your goverment paying more to the military then they do you education system :-(
@@HarmonRAB-hp4nk I am from a small Texas town right on the border of Mexico. Itâs a very poor community except for the few lucky ones. My dad was a mechanic his whole life and he taught me a lot. I didnât know my school system sucked until I moved to a different part of the state.
If Craftman went back to their original designs, and they were made in the United States of America đșđž, I would buy them again !!!
It's cheaper to buy the Harbor Freak throw away junk and you'll still pay less.
@@steve2736
Harbor Freight is the new Craftsman.
Craftsman is the new Harbor Freight.
My single father retired as National Operations Director of Sears. Needless to say, I grew up Sears/Craftsman/Toughskins (Husky) in the late 70s and throughout the 80s. After they forced him into early retirement, he convinced the owners of a small chicken finger/wings restaurant (Zax) to franchise out, and this allowed it to explode. Despite Zaxby's success throughout the East Coast and the Southern U.S., my dad's heart broke as he watched what happened to Sears. I'm actually glad he was forced out, because he would have gone down with that ship. absolutely
Love me some zaxbys!!
@@codycox-mm6mq âââ Found the Craftsman bot!!!đ€Ł
:/ I can only imagine, seeing something I spent so many years building up go to waste from mismanagement and foolishness.
@@codycox-mm6mq Shut up. Fool.
@@codycox-mm6mqI care and you sir can go touch some grass.
I still have my Craftsman ratchets, sockets, and wrenches that I purchased close to 40 years ago.
Me too
I have some Craftsman metric wrenches that are from mid 80's.
Have many Craftsman tools from the 60's. All are still in great conditionđ
Lucky you! I donated most of my Craftsman tools to burglars.
â@@daviddarby6263 I like the way you phrased that.
Sorry for your loss.
I remember the 1970's tools were Sears, Wizard, Crescent. I was working in the Wilde Tool Co. Hiawatha, Ks. We hammered out millions of adjustable pliers and a ton of different hand tools. Millions of brake adjusting tools and the tiny channel locks. People would not believe the number of steps from red hot steel rod to the finished chromed product. The family owned factory is still there and limping along.
Wilde still makes fantastic pry bars. Sold under the Wilde, Tekton, Hyper Tough and Channel Lock names. They made the same pry bars for Sears as well.
Its a miracle they have not been forced out of business by slick willie's nafta and gatt and our traitorous government.
Love Wilde products. The wood handled screwdrivers are my favorite.
I have a key on my ring that gives me access to my Dad's shop. He started it when he quit farming and retired as a machinist from Alcoa in 1994. He worked on mostly agricultural equipment until his death in December of 2023 at 83.
Growing up the only tools I ever remember using were Craftsman? We had a smaller shop to repair our own stuff but he built a much larger building when he went full time in the machine shop.All of the tools in it were also Craftsman. He was fortunate enough to have purchased everything he needed before Sears went out of business.
After a few trips into Lowes attempting to warranty a few things that broke he just gave up and stopped trying. At the same time Sears closed a Harbor Freight opened close by and if he needed something? that was his store of choice.
To this day, the shop is frozen in time and if you go inside, the tools are everywhere from his last full day working. He had no idea that tomorrow would never come and the last part he was working on (a spindle) is still chucked up in the lathe. The plow he was working on is still in pieces in the middle of the shop floor with the Craftsman sockets, ratchets etc. still laying where he left them.
That situation will probably be there for awhile because I can't seem to bring myself to clean it up? To top it all off, the owner of the plow died in February of this year and his family doesn't want the job finished? It's an old 3 bottom and probably wouldn't bring much at the sale because most farmers use no till and plowing is old fashioned. They don't even want the plow?
When I think about tools, I remember all the repairs he and I did. Almost all of it was Craftsman from the hammers to the chisels and everything in between. The neighbors all used them too, as did my grandfathers and uncles.
They really have no idea how iconic that brand really is and how much damage has truly been done to a name that used to go hand in hand with quality? I think it's just to late and it is impossible to get back to where it once was?
100 years or more to build that name and less that 10 years or so to totally destroy it. I also have a lot of Craftsman tools in my boxes. None of it has been bought lately. Just like my dad, it is gone forever and I will never get it or him back?
:/ That's the way things often go. Seldom do any of us have the benefit of knowing what project, what pleasure, or what words will be our last. I get leaving things where they sat, though. Feels like the project is a piece of him, yeah? Hard to let that go, even if it's a mess.
There's no words that can touch that kind of hurt, just mean to say you aren't alone in that. "Sorry for your loss" from a rando carries no real weight, but I am all the same.
Sadly, as it relates to Craftsman, they may have a minor comeback, but I doubt it'll ever be more than a shadow of what it used to be. No one trusts the brand won't get sold off or wrecked by cost-cutting; swapping pieces out as needed for failures just isn't viable if you don't believe the store won't close, brand won't get sold, or the warranty voided.
In the end, brands are fickle things. Good will takes decades to really get rolling, and it's become such a common experience for good will to be abused when ownership changes (after all, that's why the name had value -- cheaper quality at the same price, less reliable service, they just flat out exploit that good will until, finally, it's gone forever.) There will be reboots and investments, but so often that's marketing meant to spur optimism that it might come back, but that's just trading on virtual, future good will. It rarely pans out.
>.o Capitalism doesn't reward those who make the best value for the lowest price anymore. It's all marketing hype; exploiting good will, optimism, and nostalgia while charging the most you can for the cheapest quality you can get away with; all while gobbling competiting brands and vertically integrating until there's only a handful of players in a given industry. As it is with tools, so too is it with meat packers, egg producers, seed sellers, retail stores. Just wait until they find a way to make tools a subscription like software and services. x.x You can't even fix your own tractors anymore, or plant feed corn because it's invariably going to be Roundup Ready, and you don't have the license to plant it -- even if you buy it from stock meant for lifestock and never agreed to those terms.
Welcome to late stage capitalism. x.x Given inertia, monied interests fighting to preserve the system as it is, and a political establishment that shows minimal interest in fixing these practices..
It's fixing to get worse before it even has a prayer of getting better. I just sort of assume, anymore, that I won't be around to see the tide turn. x.x Wish I had a more optimistic read to share. As is often the case, I hope very much that I'm proven wrong, but I'm rather resigned to being proven right. x.x
Lost my Dad and Mom two years ago, start and end of summer. I feel you. My daughter just had a little girl, our first grandchild. I got the feeling your Dad would be happy about who you've become. I think of my Dad almost daily and I hope to be as good a granddad as he was. Take care.
@@dracodraco1982 You're 100% right and I feel the same way, we are in the end stages of an empire, just remember it's all done with a purpose!
I feel for you..I say get to work, and clean that shop up. Get it running again. That's what your dad would have wanted. You can't do anything about the ones that have died.
We've got a few stores that sell Craftsman in my town, Ace is the big outlet for them, Mac's does carry a limited amount of stuff, and so does Menards. But we are about to get a Harbor Freight opening up here, and I'm shockingly considering selling all my Craftsman tools and buying Pittsburg Pro or even Icon. I already owned several Pittsburg Pro 25 inch breaker bars, and gave them to family and friends as gifts, hard to beat $19.99 for a bar that is close to or exceeding $100.00 from the next closest prices. One doesn't hear much bad about them online, unless one is extremely picky about their tools. I'm not.
I'm a 73 year old retired aerospace machinist, all my hand tools I've acquired and used over the years are Craftsman and SK. I loved the unconditional warranty on Craftsman and the ease of exchanging the occasional broken tool by simply heading to your local Sears store. I once bought a 3 foot 3/8 extension for a special application and broke it and when I took it back to Sears the guy asked me how I broke it and I fessed up and admitted I used it as a pry bar. Didn't matter, they replaced it anyway.
đ yeah they don't care they just want to hear the story. Lowes was giving me a hard time about swapping out a 1/2" ratchet because they didn't make the same design anymore. The guy at Ace said that's craftsmans problem and swapped it no questions asked
@@sunoclockoneday2576
I inherited all my dad's old craftsman after he passed. There was a 3/4" busted ratchet (I'm sure there was a large pipe involved). I called the craftsman hotline. They asked for the old part number, told me to properly dispose of the broken drive and sent me a new one. They didn't ask to me to send the tool back or even see a picture. It was that simple.
Ace is awesome!
@@sunoclockoneday2576Ugh, lowes is terrible man. I hate that store with a passion
Where does one go now to replace a Craftsman wrench? I recently went to Lowe's and when I asked to exchange some Craftsman tools, they said , we are sorry, but we still sell them, but no longer exchange them. You will have to contact them on-line. I said lots of luck trying to get someone to answer your call!
Iâve never been able to feel the excitement that I felt when walking into Sears/down aisles of hand tools. Not HF, HD, Loweâs, or AceâŠonly thing thatâs comes close is finding the unicorn deals
yeah.
Just 'shopping' in the Sears/Craftsman area was a treat. Not buying, just shopping!
I'm just like you. Growing up in the 70s, Craftsman was THAT TOOL that I wanted and always went to when I was growing up. As a kid, after checking out the toy section at Sears, my parents would always find me looking at the biggest tool set display. My mom even talked about it possibly being a graduation gift after High school.
Now, the last craftsman tool I bought was a smaller set that was being cleared out at Lowes just before they went offshore on their production. It was the last set of tools that were MARKED IN the USA. I haven't put money into the brand ever since. If I'm going to spend that kind of money on a tool, I may as well buy Tekton, Gearwrench, or one of the other Taiwan-made brands. It actually hurts me when I go to Lowe's or Ace and see these high-priced tools sitting there. I can't see putting good money into something that has the same, or slightly lower quality than so many other brands
Same experience here...Tekton and Gearwrench are good replacements. Gearwrench is owned by Apex tools which has another brand called SATA. It's cheaper than Gearwrench and I've only seen it on Amazon...I thought about giving it a try sometime in the future. I believe it's warranty is right there with Gearwrench.
Grew up with all things Sears including Craftsman tools. When my Dad passed away I got all of his Craftsman tools he used to keep the farm equipment running and the barns repaired. Even the old Craftsman Skilsaw from the early 60s is going strong with only the power cord being replaced. When I dig out one of his rachets or wrenchs to loosen or tighten something, it reminds me of my days on the farm when Pop would tell me to go get him a 9/16s box end wrench, and run to the truck, don't walk. Years later I added some Craftsman metric sizes to my tool box to do minor work on my (hobby farm) Kubota tractors.
Bring the manufacturing back to America and then I will buy them again. Itâs just important to me. All of my current Craftsman tools are American made.
They tried and failed.
Even brands like capri are trying to go USA. Apparently forges are so backed up companies have to use laser cutting as an alternative which works, but not as refine and strong. .
Same. I think theyâd have a huge market ready to support them. Even pay a bit more just to counter the higher labor/material costs. Itâs a shame, really.
â@@madjackgamingandfitness498It's just Tekton doing that. They call it LaserMill and they patented it, patent 11040432 granted 2018 so still plenty of life in that patent.
They tried but were screamed at for giving the companies tax incentives to bring production back to America!! They said it was just a scam to pad the pockets of the rich.
30+ years ago I bought a Craftsman Mechanics set with a blow molded case during an after Christmas sale for $75.00. Other than having to replace the case's latches it has NEVER failed me... Although I still have no clue as to where the dozen or so 10mm 3/8 drive sockets I have bought over time actually are right now. Fast forward 9 years from then and I attended a trade school (M.M.I.. Motorcycle Mechanics Institute. ) My family helped me purchase the recommended tools they required and they gave me a comprehensive list; All were Craftsman tools, including the appropriate Craftsman tool box to hold everything. Not only did that tool collection last throughout the schooling, it also lasted through 15 years of the best career of my lifetime until the economic collapse of 2006. I still have same tools and although I wish I still had that career, the tools are still ready for the task. I never had to use the Sears warranty for any of them and that says a LOT for the quality back then.
The leprechaun who takes every technicians 10mms has your missing sockets.
My husband has had to reinvent his career several times as the economy changes and doors close. With great effort he mostly landed on his feet. I am most proud of his considerable efforts to feed his family. Never give up as again you may use the beloved older craftsman tools. My husband's craftsman tools are over around 63 years young and still going strong.
Why is it always the 10mm's.?
@@wizardofahhhs759 Back then (I don't know about now-a-days) 10mm hex drive was the most common sized fastener found on Asian vehicles be they cars or motorcycles. Because it was the size used the most it was also the size lost the most. If I knew their escape strategies it would have saved me a lot of trips to Sears.
@@xeutoniumnyborg1192 If I ever meet that little bastard I will kick him in his lucky charms! >: (
I have a WILLIAMS 1/2" Drive Ratchet and ALL standard sockets to go with it and the Ratchet is a dual pawl design from back in the 1970's and it works JUST FINE. I really miss the days when ALL TOOLS were made in the USA.
1992, the year I ETD'd from the Army, I started working with an electrical contractor. I went to Sears and bought everything Craftsman that I thought I would need, from a screwdriver and wrench set to tape measure and lineman and slip joint pliers plus wire strippers. I used those tools every day until 2023 when I started with a company that supplied tools, only replacing the ones I lost or wore out (which didn't cost me anything except the time to return them). Guess I'll just pass them on to my nephew.
I am keeping my fingers crossed that Craftsman will get this right.. huge Craftsman fan for 50 years or so. Breaks my heart that they now are exactly what they stood against for the first 80-90 years
Roger this! đđŒ
I started my Craftsman tool collection when I was a young man, some 50+ years ago. I still have everything and I'm happy to say it's still going strong with the exception of a socket or two that I had to get replaced, but Sears accepted the exchange at no charge. As a back yard mechanic / do it yourselfer, I have no complaints.
My very first tool set was Craftsman and my first power drill was Black & Decker! So when I heard Craftsman was coming to Fort Worth Texas I applied and got the job in the Machine Shop. I was there before all the machines were in the building. I machined dies for the wrenches and ratchets, modified dies for the sockets. They really did try but it seems they just couldn't get the ball rolling. It really does suck because I really liked that place and the people I worked with. I really wish it would have worked out.
Back in the 70's I worked for a company that opened a huge electronics manufacturing plant in Fort Worth. It was a mess. Total management incompetence at even the most basic levels. Tried to do too much, too fast. They eventually got the problems resolved, sort of, but not without a lot of pain, time and money.
I worked as a Program Manager for an electronics company and had to deal with Stanley. They may have made numerous claims about returning Craftsman hand tools to the US, but my personal experience is that was all smoke and mirrors (tax write off.) We had been building for Stanley for a period of time when the mandate came down to their buyers to "Go To China". I underbid and offered better delivery schedules than their selected Chinese supplier, didn't matter: off-shore it.
A result of slick willie clinton, the gift to china that keeps on giving.
Well if those big tech companies leaving China for India are a harbinger, the next big fad will be to off-shore from China to India. Fashion is fashion.
I wouldn't doubt that China paid Black & Decker/Stanley to not make the tools in the USA/Texas. I'd almost bet that China was where the raw material came from to make the tools. There was a video I saw on CZcams, a guy who worked in the auto salvage industry. In the late 80s-early 90s I think he said people came in box trucks to salvage yards, buying every starter, alternator and fuel pumps - a lot of expendable parts. They all went to China to be reverse engineered and made. This is why cheap aftermarket parts have flooded the market. He said the salvage yard operators if they had known, should've held off selling the used parts instead of making a quick buck. It has definitely screwed things up now.
I remember buying some Craftsman tools. They were expensive to me, but man, I loved them. I would get a great deal of joy opening my tool box and seeing Craftsman tools in it. I was proud to own themâŠ.
About 10 years ago, Ace had sets of Craftsman branded "through drive" sockets and the sockets were metric and SAE and were "spline drive" which could also drive 4 sided fasteners. I bought 3 sets, one for my son, one for my brother and a set for myself. They are compatible with the large Gearwrench system, but are in black oxide finish.
I have so many Craftsman tools from the 30s through the early 2000s that Iâll probably never need to buy a new overseas tool ever. I am glad they are still around, wish it was still possible to make them domestically, but there are so many factors, environmental, economic, making this near impossible. I did enjoy this video, Iâm a Craftsman fanboy as well.
The real test of those tools is when you put a 3' pipe on the 1/2" ratchet for a little extra "oomf". If it holds up to that (and the sockets don't split out), it's a good wrench. I have a ton of Craftsman tools from the 70s-90s that are well-built tools (which are rarely abused as aforementioned).
A little side note: in the 1970s my dad (a farmer, and a big Craftsman fan) used a 6' pipe on a 1/2" ratchet wrench to loosen some badly rusted wheel lugnuts. As I recall, he broke nearly all the ratcheting pawls before he finally got all the lugnuts loose. He took the wrench into Sears (but failed to mention the "big pipe on the handle" thing) - they didn't question anything, just gave him a brand new ratchet. That's when their guarantee really meant something. And that was part of what you were buying when you bought Craftsman in those days.
Shortly after that, he discovered Northern Tools and Harbor Freight -- and beefy 3/4" drive socket sets with a solid ratchet that he wasn't afraid of breaking if there was "extra pressure" applied. đ
Yep, when they said Craftsman tools were warranted forever, they weren't kidding. I had a Craftsman basin wrench that broke. Took it to Sears across the street (literally) and they replaced it, no questions asked.
My pipe is 6 foot long. I use it to break Stupid tight lug nuts from the tire stores loose. I use it with my craftsman 18" breaker bar. No issues
In my teens, i was helping to part out some vehicles. We had to take the torsion bar off a 60s Chrysler that spent life in Missouri. 1/2" drive Craftsman ratchet and 6 sided socket with 3 of us on a 10ft cheater pipe. It broke loose and those tools never failed.
Im like you- my dad had Craftsman while I was growing up and I always dreamed that one day Id have my own garage, filled with Craftsman tools. Sadly it didnt turn out that way. The folks over there over price their tools for what they are in hopes that people will buy them based on the reputation they had 40 - 50 years ago.
not the only brand doing that either
With an iconic tool brand name such as, "Craftsman" there are no excuses! Craftsman hand tools, at least their wrenches, ratchets, sockets, screwdrivers, and allen wrenches, must be proudly "MADE IN THE U.S.A."
Globalism kills everything, even ecosystems. Welcome to hell. It will get worse than this.
Craftsman helped me feed my family for many years. I remain grateful to this day for affordable tools to make a living as an auto tech.
Craftsman fell off 25 years ago.
Way longer than that! Any tool they made was overpriced, way underpowered, and just different enough that only Sears accessories worked on their tools. But to me, their biggest lies were the HP ratings they put on their tools! 1 HP drier motors were advertised as 5 HP! And all you had to do was look at the plate on the motor that SAID 1HP! All their power tools have been lowest bid junk sold at premium prices. Fcuk Sears.
A few years before Sears fell, Craftsman was reduced to a basic hand tool.
ââââ@@ralphturney2125I remember just a few weeks before Sears closed they advertised a "50% off- 75% off ! Sale", it was still the same prices, , but they called it a "Sale!" With BS like this it's no wonder they went out of business assuming their customers were stupid
Two words. Eddie Lampert.
I'm so glad that I have my dad's Craftsman sets from the 70's and 80's. Those will outlive me. I'll only touch Crasftsman unless they're made in the US again.
My Craftsman tools are all the âOLD SCHOOLâ type. I have one major complaint now I bought a circular saw with three old style 20 volt battery. I havenât had much use the last 10 years So now I want fresh batteries again, the new 20 volt batteries are about 3/16 than the original 20 volt lithium. The new ones donât fit and as far as I have tried to find the original ones no luck or work around. I am told on luck from CRAFTSMAN 20 VOLT LITHIUM BATTERIES.
Iâm nearly 70, my parents gave me a Craftsman mechanics set for my 18 birthday. I used them for 3 years working as a mechanics, never broke a tool. I love those old tools. The only tool that ever broke was a 13/16 deep socket that I had to used to remove a locking lug nut that I had lost the key for. You old guys know what Iâm talking about. I have worn out several #2 Phillips but sears always replaced them. Now you have to go thru Stanley to get a replacement. I bought a mechanics set for my son about 8 years ago. It is junk compared to my 1975 set. I avoid any Stanley if I can.
Stanley... uuug
You can just walk into a Loweâs or Ace and theyâll replace your broken tool if itâs in stock.
Nope where i live they want to see your receipt for proof of purchase. They won't honor the lifetime warranty that predates the new craftsman.
@@brianwhite3051 I guess your Loweâs just sucks. Iâm pretty sure Iâve seen reports of people calling the main Craftsman customer service number and getting them to, over the phone, force Loweâs to honor the warranty (since thatâs a condition of the brand being sold there). You could also try asking to speak to the manager if you havenât already.
Stanley wants to help you do things right.
As a Harry Homeowner, Sears hand tools have always been adequate for my needs. When I started seeing Chinese and Taiwan roll marks on their tools, I stopped buying from their stores. I now go down to the local flea market and find older "Made in USA" Sears hand tools that are not only better quality, but are cheaper, too.
Craftsman name was sold when Sears died, meaning this is NOT Craftsman and never has been since Sears died. They are now bottom tier cheap tools.
With all the heartwarming tales in the comments from old timers about how when they came of age their Dads took them to Sears to buy a full set of Craftsman tools.... I can't help thinking maybe it was a solid fatherly way to give you a solid foundation in life when a chat about the birds and the bees was a bridge too far....
im 23 and the part where you said "I too want a garage full of craftsman". I did it too. I'm still collecting the old sockets and tools and have a solid collection to a point where I can use chrome sockets as impacts and be ok for quite a time. Thank you for the great upload! God bless! Whats sad is overdrive is just rbrt from mac. Its the same wrench,
I enrolled in the diesel tech program at my local community college back in 2012, my grandpa took me to sears and bought me my first USA craftsman tools. I still have most of it today at home including the hand tool box. Great memories. Fixed a lot of trucks and made some good money over the years with those tools. Thanks grandpa
My late father-in-law gave me a Craftsman 3/4" corded drill and a skilsaw. Included was the sales receipt, dated December 1950. I was born 12/14/1950. I still use the drill on occasion, when the job REALLY needs the OOOMPH.
I bought a set of craftsman tools 30 years ago. They have had moderate use. The 3/8 drive locked up recently. I walked in Loweâs and customer service told me to pick out the closest model. Walked out with the $40 model. No complaints with Loweâs and craftsman
Ace Hardware will not exchange, I will try Lowes, thank you!
We all just need to give up on craftsman, I use to love them and I still have tons of their USA made tools so yes it was a hard breakup but its time to let them go. With all the other decent tool brands out there who the heck needs Chinese made craftsman.
Most are made in Taiwan like Icon that I have seen.
@@brannedI think thatâs an important point. The Taiwanese made Craftsman are way better than the Chinese tools.
When i started mechanicing in the early 80s i bought a craftsman box and tool set to get started then bought tools as needed. I was always a fan.
I still have my dad's Craftsman socket set from the early 1960's. Never going to get rid of them, except the crappy 3/8" ratchet I can't get parts for. I didn't have the heart to replace it way-back when you could go to Sears when they'd just say to go over to that isle and choose one.
The Wayback Machine takes us to 1971. I bought a Craftsman set , like 108 piece including box AND a 3/8th Electric Drill. I started decarboning a set of heads with the drill and it dies in 5 minutes. Sent it in for repair, 3 months later I got it back, started using it, died again, threw it away and bought a Black and Decker, did well. The Craftsman tools did well and got me into the Auto Tech trade . They more than made the money back that I invested. Craftsman to me is a wait-n-see . Thanks for the info.
Did Mr. Peabody and Sherman go with you?
@@manuelvalenzuela5729 actually it was a guy in a stainless steel sports car. Lol !
Iâm a professional mechanic and my first set of tools with top and bottom box was a Craftsman set. I got back in 1978 through a program at my high school auto mechanic trade school. I still have them and use them regularly along with snap on,Mac,Marco, etc that I have added on through the years. If someone asked me years ago I always recommended Craftsman because Sears were everywhere but you couldnât always have a tool truck when you needed it. That advice went by the wayside when Craftsman went down the tubes. Nowadays I donât need to buy new tools very often, actually I havenât bought any hand tools for years but the menâs toy store (Harbor Freight) is my go to now.
I have an old set of craftsman from in the 80s approximately 85 or 86 and it was a stainless steel line. The ratchets are super thin and still working fine day and I do a lot of wrenching on my cars.
I have several complete sets of craftsman wrenches, sockets, ratchets, & screwdrivers from 1983. The only thing that broke was a 3/8 universal. A few months ago, my son & i replaced all the brake lines and hoses in his truck. I couldn't find my line wrenches, so i went to Ace and bought a sae & metric set. We kept stripping the flare nuts, and the lines leaked. I figured the new craftsman chineseum line wrenches stretched out, so i measured them with a micrometer, and they were stretched by almost 1/8" on average. But then i measured the wrenches we didn't use, and they were too big by about 1/16" on average. Then i got the typical jerk job when i tried to return them. What part of lifetime warranty is so hard to understand. I eventually found my original 1983 line wrenches, and they were still measuring dead on balls accurate. I miss the good old days!
Exact opposite of what a flare wrench is supposed to accomplish. Could have done that with a "Crescent wrench".
@tsl7881 yea, we used a crescent wrench to stop the leaks where we could. I was really trying to teach my son the old right tool for the job scenario. Plus, he had never seen line wrenches yet. He learned more than one lesson on that project and saved over $1000. Plus, we got to hang out together for 2 days and get his truck safe and roadworthy. Except for the crappy craftsman line wrenches, we actually had a great weekend together. Priceless.
When I was a teenager in late 60's I was able to build a Craftsman tool set one piece at a time at garage sales, swap meets, and believe it or not, Sears itself. The Sears tool department in Long Beach, CA would have buckets and trays of single wrenches and sockets that were on close out, or had been returned, or who knows why, but I picked up 1/2" drive sockets for as little as 50 cents each. When I use the tools today they bring back fond memories of the search and I enjoy explaining to people who see them what the differences are in the design and finish of the older tools.
Me too
Back in 1981, I sold my recently wrecked 64 SS Impala to my brother in law for a brand new Craftsman tool set. I have expanded considerably on that initial tool set since then, but I still have them and still use them.
Bought a set of Craftsman tools in 1988 when i started working at a quarry in the maintenance department. Still have them, but left the quarry in 2005 and was provided tools on site after that. Likely my nephew will get them.
My grandfather left me an entire shop full of USA made craftsman from the 70-90's, I never liked handles from the last 15-20 years so I'll be rebuilding the old stuff for as long as kits are available
Cool đ
Treasure it because tools will never be made that good again!!
I agree Craftsman wrench handles suck. They cut into your hands. That stupid raised panel.
My first set of tools was a craftsman set i purchased back in 2000. I was excited they were bringing back USA manufacturing and disappointed it didn't work out.
I had one of the big socket sets in the fitted box I used for years doing side work. Loved it. Still got a wrench set in steel box that was my granddads (I'm 60), no numbers on the tools so it's got to be old. Their boxes are still kind of clunky and have a cheap feel. I still buy up odd Craftsman tools if I see them. Vintage Craftsman and Radio Shack stuff: good enough, affordable and sorely missed.
I filled my hand tool box(es) with Craftsman back in the 70's. No need for more. Power tools are a mix of DeWalt, Hart and HFT - which I have had unexpectedly good luck with.
I inherited a lot of old craftsman tools and it's very rare for me to buy hand tools. If I need something I usually get Icon. I've never bought Craftsman battery tools since they were sold. Nostalgia yes, but my Craftsman buying days at the new big box store are done.
I started working for Sears part time in the hardware dept working my way through college in the fall of 1970. As a kid everyone I knew had Craftsman and while working there I started accumulating using my employee discount. Screw drivers, pliers, sockets, ratchets etc. Probably haven't bought any Craftsman in 30 years now. So all USA made. But that isn't to say I've stopped buying. Just for fun I have purchased some HF and Tekton stuff. honestly, for the price, HF isn't bad at all. I like Tekton too. It is a shame what that Lampert did to Sears and Craftsman.
Talk about nostalgia, I keep an early 90s Craftsman USA set in my old squarebody Chevy. Ratchets are a bit clunky but otherwise a joy to use.
I am a retired railroad machinist working on locomotives. We had to buy our own hand tools 1/2â drive and below. Most of us used Chraftsmen tools. They were great in the old days.
They haven't been around for nearly 100 years. Original Craftsman that our grand-fathers had access to were better than the stuff made overseas, that is simply labelled as "Craftsman." With the current owner Stanly Black & Decker having the legal rights to put that brand name on any sort of metal junk they wish. Not sure when the _real_ Craftsman expired and was buried. But that has already happened. BTW, are there still three separate "Craftsman" line of tools distinct from each other that don't use the same battery for their cordless power-tools? Or, did some lawyers get together for SB&D and finally correct that situation?
Seriously, $900 Million to buy the rights to Craftsman from Sears?? But that didn't come with full exclusivity to the Craftsman name. Who was the raging "genius" over at SB&D who agreed to THAT stipulation? (As far as storage? Screw it! Go to Home Depot, buy any of the Husky storage boxes/bins. Take a can of black spray-paint. Take some painter's tape. Now you have a nice place to put your tools that wasn't ridiculously overpriced. Heck, a buddy of mine keeps his Milwaukee power-tools in HART brand tool bags to make sure no one steals them.)
I used to keep a lot of my tools in dirty bucketsđ€·ââïž. The truck got the lock smashed in and they stole a drain machine and a couple tool boxes with faucet wrenches and parts, but they left all the buckets. Thankfully, security through obscurity isnât just for the tech field.
When I first entered trades over four decades ago I bought one of those big box with 100s of hand tools from Sears. One of the best things I did considering I still use the same tools today. I do not know about quality of Craftsman tools now because Sears no longer exists in my country.
*I'm 72. Sears and Roebuck and Craftsman's name were ALWAYS what my dad bought, and so did I. I sadly watched the demise, ....I can remember trips to the nearest "city" with a Store at XMAS and be wonderstruck with what they offered. ALAS those days are gone.............*
I really like the idea of the overbite concept. I've not used any, so I can't give a testimonial. Just saying I like the concept. Thank you for the review, Jeff ! Well done as always. đđđâ€â€â€
Wonderful lighting so we can see everything
I picked that same set up to use as a truck set. Not top of the line, but handy in a pinch.
That is the identical box to the Stanley set I bought in 2009. The 1/2" ratchet that came with it is chunky and still works fine as I had to scavenge it for my main box after my Mac destroyed itself .
You happened to catch me on a day where I'm pissed at Craftsman. Helping my buddy replace a water pump on his truck, and his Craftsman torque wrench never clicked and he snapped off a bolt in the engine block. (Admittedly, he should have been able to tell he exceeded 90 ft lbs by feel, but still). I verified with it set to 10 ft lb on a random bolt and it never clicked. Brand new.
Lets be real a Torque Wrench is one if those things you never buy cheap and always wanna verify it works properly before you go using it. Ive watched a buddy do somwtbing similar with a Pittsburgh pro from HF and he went nuclear. That MFer never clicked. I said the same thing you mean you didnt realize you were past 75 ft/lbs. Tested it no click thoguht he was gonna smash the poor guys head with it at HF.
If you are going to have one expensive tool in your box, it should be a name brand American torque wrench. Especially if you are working on engines, where torque is critical.
Thatâs why I prefer the old cheap kind with a scale and needle. Of course, theyâre not always the best as far as size, but you donât have to worry about it ânot clickingâ.
Iâm an apprentice working on agriculture equipment and a 159 piece craftsman set was my first purchase in my career and over the past couple months the base set has takin the beating and kept on ticking and I donât regret my purchase at all. Yeah the ratchets are a little beefy (but functional) but the sockets work fine and other craftsman tools I own Iâve had warrantied at my local Lowes relatively easily. Iâm not a bit disappointed with my purchase
The Overdrive Box wrench design is a Revamped METRINCH which I had bought a set of YEARS ago when they first came out and I actually LIKED them.Was down to the LAST bolt on a transmission pan that would not budge and rounded off. Bought the set and FIRST try OUT IT CAME. Still have the set and has saved me a few times.
I was just at lowes and I told the wife that I will always be drawn to craftsman but I know that there are better tools at better prices out there. But like my constant struggle to not but every mystery bucket of what ever, I will always want to look at craftsman knowing it's not the best route. I've got the 4 drawer tool set that was a christmas gift that I love but the bottom drawer is filled with the things the set is missing.
After landing my first post plandemic job, building marine engines, I have been rebuilding my toolbox with Icon wrenchs and Quinn sockets and Gear wrench ratchets, Pittsburg 1/2" impact sockets. DeWalt 20v power tools.
Hi, I have some 40-year-old craftsman. Wrenches that say made in USA but now Iâm sticking with icon.
I still have and use my original Craftsman starter set with 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 inch ratchets and STD/Metric sockets that I got 45 years ago. I've had to replace the 3/8" ratchet a few times using the lifetime warranty, once with Sears and the 2nd time with Lowes when they took over. Back when I had a lot less disposable income, I use to get the old Craftsman Tool catalog and just dream good thoughts.
I bought my son a set and tool chest after graduating from getting his Associate Degree in Industrial Maintenance about 30 years ago, telling him that these tools will last you a lifetime. The tool chest is long gone. So far he still is using them and making a good living, along with a few other speciality tools required by his job.
I got the stack system toolbox and the top storage unit just for something to keep in my truck for emergencies. Itâs not horrible but it isnât great. Lots of fluff and not a lot of wrenches. Thereâs a decent selection of sockets in all 3 sizes. Definitely not a professional set, but itâll get you out of a pinch on the side of the road if you add the extra storage and add pliers, consumables and hand held tire inflator.
The USA-made Craftsman Professional line in the 1990's was nearly as good as Snap-On for half the price.
But it was not profitable for Craftsman to keep the USA-made Craftsman Professional line in the 1990's going.
I wish Craftsman would make the repair kits for old USA ratchets.
I have a bunch of those repair kits I picked up way back for all of the ratchets I have and still have. Have not had to repair one, but I have them if needed. My son will probably do the repair.
You can find them, but cheap. I bought a kit for my angled, multi position ratchet, works like it use too. But it was pricey.
@@jesusmunoz5184 I find the whole ratchets for $1-5 at estate sales. EBay wants way too much for the old repair USA made kits.
When it came to needing extra torque to remove bolts, I always turned to my craftsman half inch drive ratchet. I had a 6 foot pipe on it and it didnât fail. Iâve bent snap on ratchets without putting a pipe on them.
I enjoyed your review. I recently bought a new Craftsman ratchet set, not the overdrive, and have to say that my BIGGEST COMPLAINT, is the tool "box" that the set came in!
It is difficult to remove the tools from the box. So much so, that I resorted to getting a cheap, flat, "wrench" that came with a bicycle, and use that to PRY the sockets, etc. out of the slots!
I've bought a good amount of Craftsman over the years. I've moved onto Tekton and Gearwrench.
I always had Craftsman until I went to buy a new master set 12 years ago and it said 'made in China'. I instead bought Tekton master sets and love them.
I have set of made in the USA Craftsman wrenches and sockets. Never had a complaint especially when you could return them at Sears life time warranty. Works on all my stuff for 20 years or more.
Got my craftsman rollaway box and tools back in 2006 from sears, love those tools, not the same today.
I have and have used Craftsman tools for years. Most all of them I received as gifts from my parents over the years. I've always thought their hand tools were too bulky. Their open and closed end wrenches are too wide for getting into tight spaces. I have some Mac and Snap-on tools and I really like the look, feel, and fit of them all. Having a Snap-on wrench in your hands just feels and fits much better than a similar Craftsman wrench. But of course there's always the price issue. Especially when it comes to the high price of Snap-on tools.
Some years ago I interviewed for an engineering job at the Snap-on toolbox/chest manufacturing facility in Iowa. I didn't get the job, which turned out to be a good thing, as I got a much better job. What shocked me when I was there was the head of the company bragging to me at how their tool chest division was Snap-on's "cash cow". Admitting to me that even though their tool chests were way overpriced, people were still willing to pay for them because of the name.
I left the mechanic trades 20 years ago. Iâm a recovering Craftsman fan boy too. I never fell for the tool truck scam. I have thousands of dollars worth of Craftsman tools. Other techs used to trash talk me all of the time. I gave up on Craftsman when they introduced and pushed their Evolve line. đ€ź I worked at Sears at the time and I couldnât stand it!
Liar.
Many years ago sears had a cheaper priced tools like adjustable wrenches that were made in Japan. I have one of those. They were cheaper than craftsman in price but the quality was just as good, they were far superior to any adjustable wrenches sold today.
The evolve tools were junk
@@Failure_Is_An_Optionkeep stepping pansy
Craftsman used to be my go to brand. Unfortunately that is no longer the case. Why pay a premium for just a name when comparable tools can be had for less?
i have a full set of craftsman auto tools when i was a mechanic on the 80's...still have and use them around the house..
Dad brought home a Snap-on 1/2" socket set from a blown out 6x6 during WW2 with up to 1 1/4" sockets and the ratchet on that looks about the same as the new Craftsman. Here is the thing, at 90 years of real abuse that Snap-on still rocks. Last thing I need in a tool is for it to blow up when put to the hard knocks. If the Craftsman can do that, then I don't care how chunky it is, it just has to work.
I like what SB&D has done with Craftsman. The quality has gone up since moving away from Chinese production.
GUNMETAL GREY IS THE ONLY WAY TO WIN ME OVER, WHO ELSE DOES THAT?
I am 65 and have always had craftsman. Never had any issues and stuff I had years ago work fine today. I even have craftsman tools from 1977 when I first started out. And they still work great. Black and Decker is another story. They used to make amazing power tools and would last forever. The newer power tools especially the cordless drills are so under powered even the 20 volt are not much use other than screwdrivers
I still have part (a few wrenches and several sockets 3/8 and 1/2 inch) of a basic Sears Craftsman tool set I purchased in the summer of 1967. Basically I needed some tools so I could uncap the headers on my Chevelle! :) I broke a ratchet in the early 80's and Sears replaced it.
Iâm 75, and I have my Dads old Craftsman hand tools, there as good today, as the were when he bought them!
Almost all of my tools came from Sears from the 90s mostly still all working great. I remember needing a new screwdriver and one time i broke a shovel. Took them in. No receipt. They handed me a new one and put their tag on it. No questions asked. Also just going to Sears and going in the tool section was like a kid going to a toy store for me. Ashame Sears and even places like Montgomery Ward's are gone.
I have been monkeying around in garage for most of my 60yrs. I believe the love of old Craftsman tools is because in that Era there was not a lot of places you could go that stocked shelves full of tools. Dare I say the HF of yesterday. There is just so much competition today. Some have good tools some not. Currently I have a bunch of tools that just do what I want. No brand loyalty anymore.
Thanks for telling-us what was Craftsman Company thinking with their newest 121 piece set.
I found a big Craftsman top/box at my local pawnshop for $89.00 I put all of my old type Craftsman tools in the box. I got the tool/box on top of a Farmers wooden table. I like it.
Bought my socket set back in 1991. Still going strong. I also have a chainsaw and i like it quite a bit. Milwaukee is my chosen cordless tools.
Thirty years ago I bought the craftsman tool kit in the blow molded case. The first time I used the half inch drive ratchet the guts gave out. Off to the local sears store with the ratcet in hand and before I got to the desk the guy seen me coming and had the new repair kit on the counter. He already knew what the problem was going to be. Have not had any issues since or with any of the other tools in the kit. Best seventy bucks I have ever spent on tools.
Bought a Craftsman battery operated chain saw last fall, and it's little dandy. It is excellent for light work.
I bought a set of Craftsman tools in the 90's and they are great. I recently bought several of the V20 brushless power tools and those are good also.
I bought a DIY collection of Craftsman tools back in the 80's -- wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, ratchet set and a few other odds and ends. All have been well used and still look good as new to this day. Haven't bought anything Craftsman since they started outsourcing to China in the 2010's. I live close to HD and now buy Husky whenever I need something I don't have. Never had a failure with either brand.
When I was a kid and bought my first tool set, I went to Montgomery Wards, which was still in business and I am still using them with only one broken wrench which was replaces with no argument.
When I was a teenager my dad bought we a Western Auto socket set still have it. Iâm 73 years old now.
I bought a complete set of tools and a tool chest back in 1990, over the years I have had to replace a few screwdrivers and two rachets. It was a good investment.
I have a hand plane and router from my long gone grandad. Both sears 2nd brand. Router is an Emerson. Both tools work just fine easy 60 years since he bought them. Have his 1963 Craftsman tablesaw. Cleaned it up, replaced the pulleys, added a link belt, and added dust collection. I will die before this does.