Are you nuts?! He's completely wrong! Craftsman has not been garbage since Sears closed! They were garbage long before that. I had a full set of ratchet wrenches that I needed replaced. Mine say "Made in America", the new ones did not. So I asked about getting them rebuilt instead. The parts came from China. Every one of those ratchets is now a welded up breaker bar so at least they have some sort of purpose for nostalgia sake.
In 1970 I got a full delux set of Craftsman tools for a birthday present. I still have them and they are still my go to tools. I am an aircraft structural mechanic and do use a lot of Harbor Freight ( or "Harbor Garbage" as we called it back in school) tools when I need to modify one for a single use application. In all fairness they have gotten a lot better over the years. If money grew on trees and I wanted to get a completely new set it would be Snap On for sure.
@@ralphalvarez5465 So true. Especially the power tools. They started to go downhill decades before they closed. I remember going in and and seeing tables of the same models of refurbished plastic case electric drill motors for sale cheap. I would say that at the time when Craftsman power tools went from having all metal cases and frames to being at least in part plastic their electric tools went straight to crap quality.
@@josephseno8272 If you buy the bottom tier line from HF, you are right. They are cheap tools ment for light use. That is not all they sell anymore. Their top tier lines now have taken the place where Carftsman used to be and many pros keep a set of top tier HF tools as backups. Heck, the Mercedes dealer nearest my local HF buys tons of tools from HF (I've seen them in there.) If you drive by and look inside their shop, you will see them using Daytona floor jacks. They work well and are cheap enough that they replace them every year so customers don't see them using dirty, banged up jacks. Oh and HF tools have a better warranty that just about any brand that sells to the average consumer. HF may still be the cheap tool store, but that is not all they sell anymore.
@@docgiggles130 - I can really care less if a Mercedes Benz tech is buying things for Harbor Freight. It doesn’t make their products any better. Bauer, Pittsburgh, Hercules, Icon, it doesn’t matter what they call it, it’s all sub par quality and the tools life span is limited. I’ve purchased several items from Harbor Freight, and they don’t hold up excluding their impact sockets. For some odd reason the set I have seems to preform extremely well. Other than that I refuse to piss my hard earned money away on tools that can not complete the job. There plenty of American made tools on the market that outperform any top tier brand offered by Harbor Freight.
@@josephseno8272 Something tells me that you are expecting Harbor Fright tools to hold up like a Snap On tool. Harbor Fright is hobbyist level and should be treated as such. With that said, in the last couple years, the quality of their tools has come up. They are better than they used to be. The Pittsburgh line is still the cheap, disposable line that should be treated as such. The Icon tools have never failed me once. They still work like new. I can't say the same for any of the modern Craftsman tools I bought. They failed just as quickly as the Pittsburgh tools I have. They just cost more because of the name. Don't want to piss away money on a tool that can't do the job? Don't buy a Craftsman. Want a tool that you don't need to worry about losing when visiting a wreaking yard? Buy a Pittsburgh, but keep a nicer tool in the truck as back up. The pros that I have seen using tools from Harbor Fright are just starting out and haven't been able to afford to buy Snap On yet or those that know the job they are doing is likely to damage the tool they are using. Need to modify a tool to get the job done? Are you going to use that nice Snap On or are you going to use an Icon that costs half the price? If your hate of all things Harbor Fright makes you sacrifice a Snap On, then you have more money than sense.
HF started at the bottom but used their money to move out! They wont always be cheap and crappy. Most of their tools are also made in Taiwan which is much better than China, where Craftsman sources from.
I remember the Craftsman lifetime warranty -- "If you break it, we'll replace it, forever." Didn't matter how you broke it, you'd get a replacement, on the spot of the store had it in stock or they'd order it if not. Of course I knew people (a good friend, as well as my first wife) who worked at Sears... But Craftsman quality dropping was a precursor of Sears going down, not a symptom. There was a decade or so when they'd still replace a broken wrench, but you're get the current Chinese junk as a replacement (in fairness, there was no longer a source of the good stuff). Today, I'd rather have one of Harbor Freight's new house brands than a Crapsman -- *especially* for power tools.
I remember in the 1990s one of us, once a week, would go get replacements for our broken tools when we were working. Years later I went to get some new tools and was told they don't replace them anymore. Started just buying stuff at HF.
I bought a newer table top belt grinder… craftsman. Bogged down the motor with minimal pressure. It died in a few days with minimal use. Went and bought one at harbor freight… middle of the road brand(they had three)… 3 years later, heavy load on the motor… hundreds of hours of use… still works fine. Told one of the sales people at harbor freight… he said, “you just got lucky “… You know, he was right… Its sad when harbor freight hand and power tools are out performing our favorite brands.. Now, I look for older sets and older air and power tools … even chainsaws. All this new chinesium crap isn’t worth the packaging.
I'm not a professional so I saw no need to buy snapon. But I have bought a ton of the harbor freight icon line of tools and tho I could have gotten the exact tools for half the price elsewhere, I decided to get them from harbor freight because of the no questions lifetime warranty. I just last week was using my 3/8 flex head ratchet in a manner I shouldn't have putting way to much stress on it from torque. It broke and I brought it in and the replacement was easy.
I am a septuagenarian. That means "old fart." I remember when Craftsman was American, Sears was RELIABLE, and the warranty was as good as a MAN'S HANDSHAKE. When you start thinking and even voting Liberal this is one of the things that happens. Uncaring manufacturers begin to say of product quality, "well that's good enough." When it is NOT. Some of you brought this on yourselves.
I remember every six months or so we used to collect all of our screwdrivers, stick them in a vise and snap the tips off, took them to Sears and had them replaced no questions asked.
@@bradgreenwood2658 I had a coworker break a Snap-on socket trying to loosen a bolt to only use my Pittsburg socket that didn't break. So what is junk?
Still using Craftsman tools from the 70's. I made the mistake of buying some new ones a few years ago to replace a few I lent out and didn't get back. Still using some Bonneys too.
I heard yard sales and flea markets "May" be a good source for replacing tools that have been put on the "permanently borrowed" category of lenders. A lot of muggles look at old tools and only see junk worth a few quick bucks, after they inherited them in so many ways.
@@dragonsword7370 my Dad was a flea market attendee. Some of my current collection was acquired this way. He really liked the flea market in Leeper, PA.
I mowed lawns in 6th grade so I could start buying Craftsman tools. By the time I finished high school I had more tools than my dad. Still have about 90% of them.
I still have my actual American made Craftsman, works almost like new with love marks. The new Craftsman, I broke 4 wrenches, 10+ sockets, 3 1/2in ratchets, and 1 hammer. You can tell the quality isn't there anymore and they became a conventional tool like Husky you buy it because you don't have to wait and it's affordable, but it's no longer the "poor man's Snap-On"
I walked through a Sears in 2012 right when they switched to China. It was pitiful to see misformed tools, ratchets with missing switches or screws, like wtf?? HF has been investing their money to move up while these old brands coast on reputation and sell junk.
Not a pro, but my little $25 backseat Harbor Freight emergency socket set, both the socket wrenches have outlived their Craftsman counterparts. I had to finally warranty out my Craftsman socket wrenches for new (Chineseium) ones
I'm just a hobbyist, but I started buying Proto when I was a teen. When I'm all crunched up and having a hard time, I can't blame the tool. I've never regretted buying a quality tool.
I've known many mechanics in my 42 years on this earth. About half of them disliked Craftsman. They said when you turn wrenches all day the craftsman would make your hands hurt. That was long before the move to China. My grandfather was a life long mechanic and he liked craftsman. For him the value was in the lower price compared to the "tool truck brands" and the warranty. He loved walking into sears with "junk" and walking out with a brand new "free" tool.
@@chriscalderin6677 no they are not. I have sold and used (personally and professionally) the old and the current. There is a marked decline in quality.
@@chriscalderin6677 no they are not. I have sold and used (personally and professionally) the old and the current. There is a marked decline in quality and customer support.
@@BucktailFishing the china sockets where not great but a lot of test videos on line shows the wrenches were great and anything from Taiwan is comparable to most tools made today. So once the Taiwan sockets came out they were a lot better. And they stopped making the raised panel ratchets I think because I never see them anymore but the ones from China were decent. Craftsman sent me three of the 72 tooth mini head and I have used them for about a year now and they are the best ratchets the craftsman name ever put out for both comfort and performance they are pricey but are so nice I bought a backup in 1/4 so I am never without it or in case they stopped making it that is how good it is and is in my top two favorite ratchet designs and a shorter arc for engaging then a lot of 120 teeth I have compared it to if you try one you would love it. I was sad about the transition and want to keep my USA so if I feel like I might break a tool I grab something else. They also came out with new flank drive that some people are saying is awesome. Even the top brands are slowly moving to Taiwan so the price is no longer justified when the quality is were it is. One example is clientgraphics showed TEKTON ratchets to be stronger than snap-on . Also it was Mac or matco that is making sockets in Taiwan so same thing with craftsman if you warranty out a tool it will be from Taiwan. I can spot a china craftsman socket without touching it but the Taiwan is fine. I think a lot of the craftsman bashing is from sentiment and sadness.
I’m a retired heavy duty diesel mechanic , did it for over 40 years and when I tell it pays to buy quality tools , believe me , almost everything I have is Snap On , they are worth it when you use them hard everyday !
Back in the day, going to Sears on the weekend with my Dad was so much fun! He would teach me the valued lesson of the right tool for the right job. And buy once, cry once Lol! That’s why my Dad’s Craftsman tools are a treasure for me & still do a great job. Harbor Freight tools have their place like use once or just for a job. Their Icon series seems to make sense for someone starting out and as you make money you can upgrade. Snap on, Matco, Mac & Cornwell are so overpriced but the warranty with the tool truck coming by & truck credit soften the hit. HF’s big toolboxes are a good value though imo.
I have my Grandfather's Craftsman tools that date back to the 1960's and Early 1970''s maybe even older. Still use them to this day. I returned a ratcheting box wrench of his back about 20 years ago, the replacement tool didn't even compare to the older one. I almost kept the broken one when the store associate handed me the new one.
I've got Craftsman tools I purchased back in the early 60's and they are still like new along with Mac and Snap-on from the same era...all in my opinion better than today's tools.
You're absolutely right I have some good Craftsman tools but they're the older ones nowadays I won't even pick up a Craftsman tool at the store and look at it and also I had a maintenance man that taught me everything I know when I first started men maintenance and he told me if you're going to be feeding your family with those tools you should probably buy once and cry once
My husband's and i are 47, we graduated in 94 from a vo-tech. I was in cosmetology he was in auto mechanics. Which means next year he has been a professional mechanic 30 years. That's 30 years of collecting and upgrading told. His tool boxes at work are worth more than our house and vehicles and camper combined. That doesn't include the tool boxes at home, the tool boxes in the car trailer, or my stash of snap-on. Since it took him many a moon to realize he needed to stop listening to his mother and buying me jewelry when what I really wanted was tools or a vacuum or an oven. So now birthdays anniversary Christmas I get snap-on or whatever appliance I need.
Sadly I have to agree. I bought the vast majority of my hand tools decades ago and they are REAL Craftsman tools. They still do what they should and look good while doing it. I was gifted the 'new' 20Volt red Craftsman drill combo set... it WORKS okay, but all the bearings wear out VERY fast for a supposed 'quality' tool.
Yeah I think your store just sucks. They prefer to have the whole set, but will replace individual pieces. That’s why you often see “open box” sets at a discounted price. At least my store does. I had to warranty one of my extra long double flex head ratcheting wrenches, because it broke while I was hanging on it with my entire body weight lol. They just went and opened one up and gave me the one I needed
That's not how they are supposed to do it. They are supposed to only warranty what breaks. They open a box and give you the replacement, then clearance the open box.
I know this is an older video but I would argue with it. If you bought a house, and don’t have tools. Buy a cheap craftsman bundle. It will handle literally anything you need it to around the house. I even built a 10x12 shed with craftsman tools. If it’s half as much as a dewalt then go with the craftsman.
You nailed it my man!! Back in the day Craftsman was good stuff they even had a lifetime warranty at one time. Now days, I don't even consider buying it. Ever! That goes for their power tools and lawn and garden eq. also.
I used to absolutely hate harbor freight. Everything was complete junk but the icon line is actually really nice. Their slip joints are solid for everything i need them for. Im not a mechanic and use a miller welder and dewalt grinder for work, but the hand tools from icon do me nicely when i need them.
If I could afford it, I'd go to the middle and buy Blackhawk. As it is, I'd buy HF before I'd buy Craftsman. Never broke a HF wrench or ratchet. I had a 1980's Craftsman ratchet grenade in my hands and I wasn't even wrenching. I'd hate to see what they're like now. True story.
I spent 20 years using a circular saw and a clamped down straight edge to cut sheet goods until I pulled the trigger on a Festool track saw.... I have never looked back
I'm going to listen to what you have to say because you have first-hand experience with said tools. Always listen to somebody who is long experience in their craft. You can learn tricks from those people that you can't learn any place else 💯 and if People's quality wouldn't go down then I guess we could say nicer things about their companies than couldn't we? If people don't want to be called garbage then maybe they should keep up on their quality control. Just a thought not a sermon..
I could FEEL the difference in quality between my Grandfather's broken Craftsman tool and its replacement with a "lifetime warranty" from Craftsman... utter trash! Kobalt tools also had a lifetime warranty, but Craftsman is now sold at Lowe's. I have NEVER had a problem with my Husky stuff, and when something breaks, I walk into Home Depot I soon walk out with a new tool of superior quality.
I've had my Matco, Snap-on, Mac tools for nearly 42 years. And I have some Stallwill wrenches that blow all three of those away. My Craftsman .... not so much. Just got tired of the Craftsman stuff cracking.
Worst mistake I ever made with a tool was doing a warranty on a 50 year old craftsman ratche. It was better as a paper weight than the wrench they gave me back.
As a professional aircraft maintenance technician for almost 50 years, I agree with you 💯%. There was a time before I started that Craftsman was even better, judging from my Father-in-law's collection.
I retired as a school bus mechanic after 43+ yrs.....I can tell you that Snap-on is definitely not as good as it once was either! ....and to try and get a tool replaced after breakage is almost impossible!!
Wow you right on spot! I bought oneof the combination tool packages.. 1 month later the reciprocating saw chuck don't work and the versa ocsilating tool was broke right out of the package, no adjustment full on all the time. I'm heart broke I have so many craftsman tools from my father and grandfather that are built right and have lasted forever.. so sad
Funny you mentioned them both in one video while repairing my starter in a Harbor freight parking lot. I had to buy 2 ratchets from Harbor freight to replace my crapsmen from a new set. You are right keep on keeping on.
We spent $15,000 on a full custom Snap-on loadout. Navy Contractor. Custom laser cut cutouts for our existing test equipment. And a 100% warranty for their tools. Worn out allenhead t wrenches... replaced. Worn out flush cut diagonal cutters, replaced. Broken and worn out bits for torque wrenches...replaced. If you can afford it, it's really nice to have.
Craftsman tools have never been as good as Snap On not even fifty years ago. But Craftsman tools are made now are better than Craftsman tools made ten to twenty years ago. Craftsman is still a great choose for the DIY homeowner than has always been their niche.
I currently use newer Craftsman tools that I've purchased from Lowe's within the last two years. I really can't complain. My ratchet still works as good as the day that I bought it. My wrenches and sockets are still in great condition and have held up just fine. I also have a pretty nice torque wrench that works great. I use these tools every day too. I'm not too worried about them being made in China. I think it depends on the company and who's manufacturing them. It would be nice to see more companies bring manufacturing back to the US though.
Seen sooooo many mechanic’s live paycheck to paycheck with a huge overhead bill due to owing so much for their tools when they can simply buy cheap and move up whenever they can afford. Too bad there isn’t debt forgiveness for vocational programs like the ivy leagues received! Thanks Brandon!
I'm with you I've got two craftsman ratchets that I bought some 15 years ago at Sears. Lowes won't help me stating that I don't have a receipt and that they were bought as part of a bigger mechanics set. The craftsman site is junk now too I can't get any answers from them either. So now I'll look for another brand that has a no hassle return policy.
…mmm my friend has owned a engine rebuilding shop for 52 years… yes he has Snapon but he has been buying tools at Harbor Freight for the last 10 years and he’s very happy with them ! Craftsman socket wrenches have been HORRIBLE for the last 25 years ! Thankfully- Home Depot replaced them with their Husky brand for FREE ! ( I don’t know if they still will do that )
I remember back in 90s they would say Crapsmen tools.. Yet they were ALWAYS good reliable tools. No question about it.. And for the price, it just couldn't be beat.. Old Craftsman tools are actually sought after
He's spot on. I have craftsman stuff from the 80's that's top notch quality. The stuff they sell now is junk. I'd take harbor freight over today's craftsman.
It's a damn shame what's been done to the Craftsman brand. It was the go to tool for damn near every home gamer for decades, now it's the same quality as HF.
I am a retired auto tech of 46 years. I owned only snap on tools until the prices became unaffordable than I switched to Mac tools equally good quality but more affordable!
I bought a Harbour Freight tool kit,put it in my truck for emergencies, and have help some people. I know what the quality is, but in an emergency, any tool along the road, is a good tool. I keep my really good tools at home.
Yeah. I was very sad to see Craftsman sink so low. I bought Craftsman often back in the day, still have some of their screwdrivers and pliers. These days.... it breaks my heart, honestly.
For my daily "heavy use" tools I always spent the money & bought Snap-On. I need those tools to be dependable & able to stand uo to the high workload they get literally all day/every day. And if they ever do break... it could be 20 years later, but Snap-On will come out & give me a brand new replacement no questions asked. Now just like this guy does, for some random tool that are task specific & only get used once in a while... sure I'll buy a cheaper brand. And if I need a tool to do one job & don't care if it breaks afterwards or only works for that one-time job... of course I'll go snatch up the cheap-o from Harbor Freight.
I used to buy nothing but Craftsman. My grandfather taught me that they were high quality. He always said if they broke, the Sears would replace them. A while back the made in America label was a bold face lie. I haven't bought Craftsman in over a decade.
About 15 years ago before i bought all my Gearwrench/SK and Channel Lock tools all I had was craftsman Tools. I used them all thinking theyd wear out quick. Skip ahead 5 years and while most of my tools show wear they're all still perfect in terms of how the tools fit onto their respective fasteners. The craftsman tools today however I cant say they're terrible but they're not the worst either.
Thank GOD most of my tools in my Mechanics Tool Boxes are PROTO & CHALLENGER MADE IN THE USA from the 1970's & 80's Era ..I even have a RARE Assortment of PROTO 500 Triple Nickel Chrome Plated Wrenches in REAL Leather Pouches
Craftsman may not be the quality it once used to be, you are correct, craftsman still is not junk, most of the new craftsman power tools are beign made near identical to their dewalt counterparts, both are owned by stanley black and decker, so if you call craftsman junk, the same exact must be said of dewalt, nowadays at least, craftsman is slowly getting better but that would be because of us die hard fans that support craftsman in hopes that they eventually can start making more quality products again, sears demise hurt craftsman alot, and things had to happen for them to even still be here today
I appreciate that Craftsman is not what it used to be. However, it is still pretty good, and they still provide a no questions asked lifetime guarantee. A quick trip to my Lowe's to swap out a ratchet is worth the 100's I'd be spending on Snap On. I've been turning wrenches a long time, and it is super rare that any of the extra quality of a snap on tool made a difference in me completing a job satisfactorily without too much aggravation. With one caveat... my Snap On 10" philips is the absolute best screwdriver I've ever owned. No one compares.
I was fortunate to find a toolbox with a bunch of tools at a yard sale. The best thing in there was an old set of Craftsman sockets. I got the whole box for 40 bucks if I remember right. That was probably 15 years ago, and I still have the toolbox and the socket set.
I was born in 80 and I also used to be a craftsman guy. The first day I ever split a craftsman socket was the first day I realized that they were no longer made in the USA. Sears did it to themselves and people who know got to watch it slowly happen over a few year period
When I first started working as a mechanic, I broke the bank and purchased all Craftsman tools. Forty one years later I am still using those tools. However, I won't touch the new Crapsman tools.
Craftsman used to be made in the US. They also used to be sold exclusively at Sears. If you had a busted hand tool that just happened to be a Craftsman, you could take it to Sears, and get a direct replacement for free. If you found a pair of pliers on the side of the road that happened to be Craftsman, it was the same thing. Now, they're made with Chinesium, and aren't worth the time of day. Also, the replacement policy no longer exists, as far as I know. At least with Harbor Freight, they're trying to do better, and while still made in China, they aren't trying to hide it.
You can really tell who does professional work and who is a hobbyist/DIYer in a comment section for videos like this. The average person doesnt think of reinvestment as a cost of doing business, they just see an expense.
Back in the day, 50's. 60's Craftsman was among the best. As long as sears contracted WesternForge to do its manufacturing, it was top quality. When they started awarding Benny Fuller manufacturing contracts. Things went quickly south. Hence if you're tool has a WF on it, you own the good ones. If it has a BF stamped in it . Throw it away.
I have some old craftsman tools and they are extremely nice to use. The sockets and extensions fit just as tight as my snap-on ones. I don't think the ratchet is a 90 tooth like my snap-on but that 40+ year old craftsman ratchet has pretty much zero play in it, it's one of my nicest ratchets. It's sad that the newer stuff couldn't be nearly as high quality. Those vintage craftsman ones are made differently too, it almost looks like they were milled out of a block of steel instead of cast composite.
I have been a mechanic for the last 20+ years. I have all my old craftsman tools from before sears closed. Still good 20 years later. Harbor freight tools are great. Lifetime warranty. I own near 0 snap-on, Matco, Mac, blue point, or cornwell tools. Snap on makes sucker grade tools.
I love my craftsman gunmetal ratchets and am looking forward to getting a set of the new metric overdrive wrenches which are Mac RBRT clones. It’s the tool user not the tool doing the work.
You didn't say anything wrong, honestly. Craftsman is overpriced junk now, despite their lifetime warranty nonsense. The are consumer grade tools at best, NOT professional series tools. Sorry there are some sensitive types out there. I have some pre-closed Sears Craftsman tools that I would never want to part with, but their new stuff - that's what Harbor Freight is for. Good on you for posting the truth, Brother!!
I so agree! I have a Craftsman set I purchased in the 80's and its great! Now I would purchase Pittsburgh before Craftsman all because Kmart bought Sears then turned their tools to crap.
You're right. Craftsman USED TO BE good quality tools. No longer. I won't buy them anymore. If you must have Craftsman, my advice is to buy them at flea markets, garage sales, or estate auctions.
As someone that was a hardcore Craftsman guy, everything he said was spot on, sadly.
Are you nuts?! He's completely wrong! Craftsman has not been garbage since Sears closed! They were garbage long before that.
I had a full set of ratchet wrenches that I needed replaced. Mine say "Made in America", the new ones did not. So I asked about getting them rebuilt instead. The parts came from China. Every one of those ratchets is now a welded up breaker bar so at least they have some sort of purpose for nostalgia sake.
Life is too short for cheap tools, unless it’s one and done
I have 30-40 year old Craftsman tools. The garbage has the ten year old tools.
Cid didn't the stop manufacturing them in the good old USA. That when Craftsman went to pot.
Stanley use to make Craftsman, after it went south, I broke brand new ratchets and the would reach under the counter for replacement
Truer words were never spoken. Some of us who own Craftsman tools made 50 years ago know this to be true.
In 1970 I got a full delux set of Craftsman tools for a birthday present. I still have them and they are still my go to tools. I am an aircraft structural mechanic and do use a lot of Harbor Freight ( or "Harbor Garbage" as we called it back in school) tools when I need to modify one for a single use application. In all fairness they have gotten a lot better over the years. If money grew on trees and I wanted to get a completely new set it would be Snap On for sure.
Even before Sears closed the quality of Craftsman tools started taking a serious dump.
@@ralphalvarez5465 So true. Especially the power tools. They started to go downhill decades before they closed. I remember going in and and seeing tables of the same models of refurbished plastic case electric drill motors for sale cheap. I would say that at the time when Craftsman power tools went from having all metal cases and frames to being at least in part plastic their electric tools went straight to crap quality.
What is interesting is that Craftsman and Harbor Freight are crossing paths as one declines and the other slowly refines
Harbor Freight tools are not refined. They are just cheap China made tools that are good enough for a few jobs.
@@josephseno8272 If you buy the bottom tier line from HF, you are right. They are cheap tools ment for light use. That is not all they sell anymore. Their top tier lines now have taken the place where Carftsman used to be and many pros keep a set of top tier HF tools as backups. Heck, the Mercedes dealer nearest my local HF buys tons of tools from HF (I've seen them in there.) If you drive by and look inside their shop, you will see them using Daytona floor jacks. They work well and are cheap enough that they replace them every year so customers don't see them using dirty, banged up jacks. Oh and HF tools have a better warranty that just about any brand that sells to the average consumer. HF may still be the cheap tool store, but that is not all they sell anymore.
@@docgiggles130 - I can really care less if a Mercedes Benz tech is buying things for Harbor Freight. It doesn’t make their products any better. Bauer, Pittsburgh, Hercules, Icon, it doesn’t matter what they call it, it’s all sub par quality and the tools life span is limited. I’ve purchased several items from Harbor Freight, and they don’t hold up excluding their impact sockets. For some odd reason the set I have seems to preform extremely well. Other than that I refuse to piss my hard earned money away on tools that can not complete the job. There plenty of American made tools on the market that outperform any top tier brand offered by Harbor Freight.
@@josephseno8272 Something tells me that you are expecting Harbor Fright tools to hold up like a Snap On tool. Harbor Fright is hobbyist level and should be treated as such. With that said, in the last couple years, the quality of their tools has come up. They are better than they used to be. The Pittsburgh line is still the cheap, disposable line that should be treated as such. The Icon tools have never failed me once. They still work like new. I can't say the same for any of the modern Craftsman tools I bought. They failed just as quickly as the Pittsburgh tools I have. They just cost more because of the name. Don't want to piss away money on a tool that can't do the job? Don't buy a Craftsman. Want a tool that you don't need to worry about losing when visiting a wreaking yard? Buy a Pittsburgh, but keep a nicer tool in the truck as back up. The pros that I have seen using tools from Harbor Fright are just starting out and haven't been able to afford to buy Snap On yet or those that know the job they are doing is likely to damage the tool they are using. Need to modify a tool to get the job done? Are you going to use that nice Snap On or are you going to use an Icon that costs half the price? If your hate of all things Harbor Fright makes you sacrifice a Snap On, then you have more money than sense.
HF started at the bottom but used their money to move out! They wont always be cheap and crappy. Most of their tools are also made in Taiwan which is much better than China, where Craftsman sources from.
I remember the Craftsman lifetime warranty -- "If you break it, we'll replace it, forever." Didn't matter how you broke it, you'd get a replacement, on the spot of the store had it in stock or they'd order it if not. Of course I knew people (a good friend, as well as my first wife) who worked at Sears...
But Craftsman quality dropping was a precursor of Sears going down, not a symptom. There was a decade or so when they'd still replace a broken wrench, but you're get the current Chinese junk as a replacement (in fairness, there was no longer a source of the good stuff).
Today, I'd rather have one of Harbor Freight's new house brands than a Crapsman -- *especially* for power tools.
I remember in the 1990s one of us, once a week, would go get replacements for our broken tools when we were working. Years later I went to get some new tools and was told they don't replace them anymore. Started just buying stuff at HF.
I bought a newer table top belt grinder… craftsman.
Bogged down the motor with minimal pressure. It died in a few days with minimal use.
Went and bought one at harbor freight… middle of the road brand(they had three)…
3 years later, heavy load on the motor… hundreds of hours of use… still works fine. Told one of the sales people at harbor freight… he said, “you just got lucky “…
You know, he was right…
Its sad when harbor freight hand and power tools are out performing our favorite brands..
Now, I look for older sets and older air and power tools … even chainsaws. All this new chinesium crap isn’t worth the packaging.
I'm not a professional so I saw no need to buy snapon. But I have bought a ton of the harbor freight icon line of tools and tho I could have gotten the exact tools for half the price elsewhere, I decided to get them from harbor freight because of the no questions lifetime warranty. I just last week was using my 3/8 flex head ratchet in a manner I shouldn't have putting way to much stress on it from torque. It broke and I brought it in and the replacement was easy.
It's STILL Limited Lifetime Warranty.
Craftsman power tools are Porter Cable, Dewalt and in some cases Black and Decker.
We, old guys, miss the Craftsmen tools with great quality and actual great warranties.
I am a septuagenarian. That means "old fart." I remember when Craftsman was American, Sears was RELIABLE, and the warranty was as good as a MAN'S HANDSHAKE. When you start thinking and even voting Liberal this is one of the things that happens. Uncaring manufacturers begin to say of product quality, "well that's good enough." When it is NOT. Some of you brought this on yourselves.
@@michaeldougfir9807 When you vote conservative, all the jobs go to China.
I remember every six months or so we used to collect all of our screwdrivers, stick them in a vise and snap the tips off, took them to Sears and had them replaced no questions asked.
Craftsman is now the trans of tools.
Craftsmen!!? Spend your life running back and forth to sears returning the tools.
I inherited a nice large set of 1960s Craftsman tools from my dad. I’ll cherish them forever.
I love harbor freight because sometimes you need to break a throwaway tool to get the job done or maybe make a frankentool lol
harbor freight is all junk Dude
The Pittsburg brand at harbor freight is lifetime warranty on the hand tools like wrenches, ratchets, sockets.
@@bradgreenwood2658
I had a coworker break a Snap-on socket trying to loosen a bolt to only use my Pittsburg socket that didn't break. So what is junk?
Yep. I've made ALOT of torque converter wrenches😂😂
It's never upsetting when you break a tool that costs less than your lunch.
The most expensive tool in the toolbox is the one you never use, and the one that breaks while you’re using it.
And the one you can’t find when you actually need it !!! Story of my life😆🤣
Still using Craftsman tools from the 70's. I made the mistake of buying some new ones a few years ago to replace a few I lent out and didn't get back. Still using some Bonneys too.
I respectfully buy some nice ratchets, now I did break a craftsman socket last week, guess I'm gonna have to stay with using impact sockets
Hint; never lend out your older craftsman tools. You be lucky to get them back!
@@nigelhenry5741 now ya tell me!
I heard yard sales and flea markets "May" be a good source for replacing tools that have been put on the "permanently borrowed" category of lenders. A lot of muggles look at old tools and only see junk worth a few quick bucks, after they inherited them in so many ways.
@@dragonsword7370 my Dad was a flea market attendee. Some of my current collection was acquired this way. He really liked the flea market in Leeper, PA.
The only reason I bought Craftsman tools was because when it broke, there was always a Sears nearby to replace it.
My grandfather always said that he was too poor to buy cheap tools. Meaning, if you buy cheap, you will have to buy another when it bresks
Apparently you chose not to buy autocorrect.
Buy cheap buy twice but I know exactly what I’m buying when I buy from harbor freight
I've broken as many Harbor Freight Tools as I have Snap-on
Doesn't Harbor Freight Now have a Lifetime Warranty on their non-powered hand tools???
@@ebenezerwheezer2957 What's your down time worth? are you willing to stop working so you can return several broken tools each week for exchange?
I mowed lawns in 6th grade so I could start buying Craftsman tools. By the time I finished high school I had more tools than my dad. Still have about 90% of them.
Bet you don’t have a 10 mm socket
Nice.
Got a nice tattoo for my 10mm socket with wings on it…
Gone, not forgotten… frequently replaced.
@@robertsenior8330 LMAO wut? Why you always breaking those ?
@@justaguy9837 no one has a 10mm socket, 😂😂
I still have my actual American made Craftsman, works almost like new with love marks. The new Craftsman, I broke 4 wrenches, 10+ sockets, 3 1/2in ratchets, and 1 hammer. You can tell the quality isn't there anymore and they became a conventional tool like Husky you buy it because you don't have to wait and it's affordable, but it's no longer the "poor man's Snap-On"
I still have most of my 300+ set of craftsman tool. To be honest I lost most of what I don't have.
Same here, I have some of my grandads American made craftsman wrenches that are a little beat up but still works better than the new stuff
I walked through a Sears in 2012 right when they switched to China. It was pitiful to see misformed tools, ratchets with missing switches or screws, like wtf?? HF has been investing their money to move up while these old brands coast on reputation and sell junk.
Your lying! No one breaks that much stuff unless they don’t know how to use them.
Not a pro, but my little $25 backseat Harbor Freight emergency socket set, both the socket wrenches have outlived their Craftsman counterparts.
I had to finally warranty out my Craftsman socket wrenches for new (Chineseium) ones
I'm just a hobbyist, but I started buying Proto when I was a teen. When I'm all crunched up and having a hard time, I can't blame the tool. I've never regretted buying a quality tool.
I've known many mechanics in my 42 years on this earth. About half of them disliked Craftsman. They said when you turn wrenches all day the craftsman would make your hands hurt. That was long before the move to China. My grandfather was a life long mechanic and he liked craftsman. For him the value was in the lower price compared to the "tool truck brands" and the warranty. He loved walking into sears with "junk" and walking out with a brand new "free" tool.
Electrician here and that’s why I love my Klein tools can swap them out at any Home Depot or Lowe’s
Most tool brands come with a no questions warranty now tho. Welder here
@@Wabington Klein is the only screwdrivers I use.
Craftsman Warranty is USELESS Now 😳
@@Tap_rack5.56 Craftsman (Lowes/Ace) Doesn't.....
You said it , used to be. When I heard a friend say they get a ratchet repair kit instead of a replacement I knew the end was near.
where do you get those
All my craftsman sets are the old USA made stuff. Very nice tools.
Those "old" ones were made in U.S.A. by Moore Drop Forging Company out of Springfield MA.
They will last forever if you take care of them, and keep them out of the weather.
Hey
Just by chance would you have an 11/16 6pt open and boxed end wrench
Purchased a 150 piece Craftsman set from Sears in '95. That set was bomb.
Yep. The "new" Craftsman leaves a WHOLE LOT to be desired.
They are fine
@@chriscalderin6677 no they are not. I have sold and used (personally and professionally) the old and the current. There is a marked decline in quality.
@@chriscalderin6677 no they are not. I have sold and used (personally and professionally) the old and the current. There is a marked decline in quality and customer support.
@@BucktailFishing the china sockets where not great but a lot of test videos on line shows the wrenches were great and anything from Taiwan is comparable to most tools made today. So once the Taiwan sockets came out they were a lot better. And they stopped making the raised panel ratchets I think because I never see them anymore but the ones from China were decent. Craftsman sent me three of the 72 tooth mini head and I have used them for about a year now and they are the best ratchets the craftsman name ever put out for both comfort and performance they are pricey but are so nice I bought a backup in 1/4 so I am never without it or in case they stopped making it that is how good it is and is in my top two favorite ratchet designs and a shorter arc for engaging then a lot of 120 teeth I have compared it to if you try one you would love it. I was sad about the transition and want to keep my USA so if I feel like I might break a tool I grab something else. They also came out with new flank drive that some people are saying is awesome. Even the top brands are slowly moving to Taiwan so the price is no longer justified when the quality is were it is. One example is clientgraphics showed TEKTON ratchets to be stronger than snap-on . Also it was Mac or matco that is making sockets in Taiwan so same thing with craftsman if you warranty out a tool it will be from Taiwan. I can spot a china craftsman socket without touching it but the Taiwan is fine. I think a lot of the craftsman bashing is from sentiment and sadness.
I’m a retired heavy duty diesel mechanic , did it for over 40 years and when I tell it pays to buy quality tools , believe me , almost everything I have is Snap On , they are worth it when you use them hard everyday !
Back in the day, going to Sears on the weekend with my Dad was so much fun! He would teach me the valued lesson of the right tool for the right job.
And buy once, cry once Lol! That’s why my Dad’s Craftsman tools are a treasure for me & still do a great job.
Harbor Freight tools have their place like use once or just for a job. Their Icon series seems to make sense for someone starting out and as you make money you can upgrade. Snap on, Matco, Mac & Cornwell are so overpriced but the warranty with the tool truck coming by & truck credit soften the hit.
HF’s big toolboxes are a good value though imo.
With snapon if you don't want the sticker shock there's Williams. Williams is the sister company to them and cost alot less.
@@Crazyman23 Gearwrench and Matco are made by Apex tool group. Gearwrench ratchets are interchangeable with Matco. They are both lifetime warranty.
As a Craftsman family, the first time I used a Snap-on combo wrench, I was "WTF, this is what tools can be?"
I have my Grandfather's Craftsman tools that date back to the 1960's and Early 1970''s maybe even older. Still use them to this day. I returned a ratcheting box wrench of his back about 20 years ago, the replacement tool didn't even compare to the older one. I almost kept the broken one when the store associate handed me the new one.
I've got Craftsman tools I purchased back in the early 60's and they are still like new along with Mac and Snap-on from the same era...all in my opinion better than today's tools.
The worst decision lows ever made was adopting the craftsman brand. They are absolute bottom shelf tools now
Yup its a damn shame, Craftsman had such a good and long reputation of quality tools at a decent price and they just destroyed it.
@@bobbygetsbanned6049 Craftsman is now a brand of Stanley-as is B&D and Dewalt
They have a mini head ratchet everyone would like
I agree brother. Tradesman for 34 years. Lived off of craftsman many many years.
You're absolutely right I have some good Craftsman tools but they're the older ones nowadays I won't even pick up a Craftsman tool at the store and look at it and also I had a maintenance man that taught me everything I know when I first started men maintenance and he told me if you're going to be feeding your family with those tools you should probably buy once and cry once
My husband's and i are 47, we graduated in 94 from a vo-tech. I was in cosmetology he was in auto mechanics. Which means next year he has been a professional mechanic 30 years. That's 30 years of collecting and upgrading told. His tool boxes at work are worth more than our house and vehicles and camper combined. That doesn't include the tool boxes at home, the tool boxes in the car trailer, or my stash of snap-on. Since it took him many a moon to realize he needed to stop listening to his mother and buying me jewelry when what I really wanted was tools or a vacuum or an oven. So now birthdays anniversary Christmas I get snap-on or whatever appliance I need.
I agree, I still use my Craftsman tools I used on heavy equipment starting in the 1960s when I started working.
Sadly I have to agree. I bought the vast majority of my hand tools decades ago and they are REAL Craftsman tools. They still do what they should and look good while doing it. I was gifted the 'new' 20Volt red Craftsman drill combo set... it WORKS okay, but all the bearings wear out VERY fast for a supposed 'quality' tool.
Break a socket from your harbor freight kit with a missing 10mm and try to warranty it. They warranty the whole set one missing means no warranty.
Depends on the store. My store will take & replace the one you need and discount the rest for others.
Yeah I think your store just sucks. They prefer to have the whole set, but will replace individual pieces. That’s why you often see “open box” sets at a discounted price. At least my store does. I had to warranty one of my extra long double flex head ratcheting wrenches, because it broke while I was hanging on it with my entire body weight lol. They just went and opened one up and gave me the one I needed
I’ve never had that issue
That's not how they are supposed to do it. They are supposed to only warranty what breaks. They open a box and give you the replacement, then clearance the open box.
That's not how their warranty works. 🤡🤡🤡 They break a brand new set & give you the replacement.
I search for and buy USA made craftsman tools when I can find them.. flea markets, junk stores, yard sales. Buy them while you can.
You're spot on. This reaction You're getting is because truth hurts! 😂😂😂
I know this is an older video but I would argue with it. If you bought a house, and don’t have tools. Buy a cheap craftsman bundle. It will handle literally anything you need it to around the house. I even built a 10x12 shed with craftsman tools. If it’s half as much as a dewalt then go with the craftsman.
You nailed it my man!! Back in the day Craftsman was good stuff they even had a lifetime warranty at one time. Now days, I don't even consider buying it. Ever! That goes for their power tools and lawn and garden eq. also.
I used to absolutely hate harbor freight. Everything was complete junk but the icon line is actually really nice. Their slip joints are solid for everything i need them for. Im not a mechanic and use a miller welder and dewalt grinder for work, but the hand tools from icon do me nicely when i need them.
100% agree, Tools is how I make my living and I completely agree with this. Keep it up man
If I could afford it, I'd go to the middle and buy Blackhawk. As it is, I'd buy HF before I'd buy Craftsman. Never broke a HF wrench or ratchet. I had a 1980's Craftsman ratchet grenade in my hands and I wasn't even wrenching. I'd hate to see what they're like now. True story.
This man speaks truth!
I spent 20 years using a circular saw and a clamped down straight edge to cut sheet goods until I pulled the trigger on a Festool track saw.... I have never looked back
I'm going to listen to what you have to say because you have first-hand experience with said tools. Always listen to somebody who is long experience in their craft. You can learn tricks from those people that you can't learn any place else 💯 and if People's quality wouldn't go down then I guess we could say nicer things about their companies than couldn't we? If people don't want to be called garbage then maybe they should keep up on their quality control. Just a thought not a sermon..
I could FEEL the difference in quality between my Grandfather's broken Craftsman tool and its replacement with a "lifetime warranty" from Craftsman... utter trash!
Kobalt tools also had a lifetime warranty, but Craftsman is now sold at Lowe's.
I have NEVER had a problem with my Husky stuff, and when something breaks, I walk into Home Depot I soon walk out with a new tool of superior quality.
Quality tools aren't expensive, they are priceless!
My dad had three sets of tools, SAE, Metric, and British Standard. He was an airplane mechanic.
My dad (who was born in the 1920's) said Craftsman was merely ok, but had a great warranty, which made it great for anyone who wasn't a professional.
Agree. Craftsman is not what it use to be.
Craftsman use to be GOAT tier tools but now they suck. Project farm did some tests on the old craftsman and they were incredible. So sad.
I've had my Matco, Snap-on, Mac tools for nearly 42 years. And I have some Stallwill wrenches that blow all three of those away. My Craftsman .... not so much. Just got tired of the Craftsman stuff cracking.
there was a time when craftsman was second to none. That all went to hell in the 80s. I'd wondered if they were making a comeback.
Worst mistake I ever made with a tool was doing a warranty on a 50 year old craftsman ratche. It was better as a paper weight than the wrench they gave me back.
As a professional aircraft maintenance technician for almost 50 years, I agree with you 💯%. There was a time before I started that Craftsman was even better, judging from my Father-in-law's collection.
I retired as a school bus mechanic after 43+ yrs.....I can tell you that Snap-on is definitely not as good as it once was either! ....and to try and get a tool replaced after breakage is almost impossible!!
Wow you right on spot! I bought oneof the combination tool packages.. 1 month later the reciprocating saw chuck don't work and the versa ocsilating tool was broke right out of the package, no adjustment full on all the time. I'm heart broke I have so many craftsman tools from my father and grandfather that are built right and have lasted forever.. so sad
Funny you mentioned them both in one video while repairing my starter in a Harbor freight parking lot. I had to buy 2 ratchets from Harbor freight to replace my crapsmen from a new set. You are right keep on keeping on.
My dad had a bunch of Craftsman stuff from the 60's and 70's. I still use the wrenches, ratchets and sockets. Still in great shape.
We spent $15,000 on a full custom Snap-on loadout. Navy Contractor. Custom laser cut cutouts for our existing test equipment. And a 100% warranty for their tools. Worn out allenhead t wrenches... replaced. Worn out flush cut diagonal cutters, replaced. Broken and worn out bits for torque wrenches...replaced.
If you can afford it, it's really nice to have.
I built machinery for over 25 years. I discovered that the best wrench is the one that feels comfortable your hand.
Craftsman tools have never been as good as Snap On not even fifty years ago. But Craftsman tools are made now are better than Craftsman tools made ten to twenty years ago. Craftsman is still a great choose for the DIY homeowner than has always been their niche.
I currently use newer Craftsman tools that I've purchased from Lowe's within the last two years. I really can't complain. My ratchet still works as good as the day that I bought it. My wrenches and sockets are still in great condition and have held up just fine. I also have a pretty nice torque wrench that works great. I use these tools every day too. I'm not too worried about them being made in China. I think it depends on the company and who's manufacturing them. It would be nice to see more companies bring manufacturing back to the US though.
Seen sooooo many mechanic’s live paycheck to paycheck with a huge overhead bill due to owing so much for their tools when they can simply buy cheap and move up whenever they can afford.
Too bad there isn’t debt forgiveness for vocational programs like the ivy leagues received! Thanks Brandon!
I'm with you I've got two craftsman ratchets that I bought some 15 years ago at Sears. Lowes won't help me stating that I don't have a receipt and that they were bought as part of a bigger mechanics set. The craftsman site is junk now too I can't get any answers from them either. So now I'll look for another brand that has a no hassle return policy.
I'm surprised anyone would defend craftsman as quality. The more you know!
Amen!!! I won’t buy craftsman ever again
…mmm my friend has owned a engine rebuilding shop for 52 years… yes he has Snapon but he has been buying tools at Harbor Freight for the last 10 years and he’s very happy with them ! Craftsman socket wrenches have been HORRIBLE for the last 25 years ! Thankfully- Home Depot replaced them with their Husky brand for FREE ! ( I don’t know if they still will do that )
I remember back in 90s they would say Crapsmen tools.. Yet they were ALWAYS good reliable tools. No question about it.. And for the price, it just couldn't be beat.. Old Craftsman tools are actually sought after
He's spot on. I have craftsman stuff from the 80's that's top notch quality. The stuff they sell now is junk. I'd take harbor freight over today's craftsman.
There is nothing worse than a cheap bolt, screw, nail or a cheap wrench.
What sucks is that when you break an old Craftsman tool you get Chinese junk in exchange.
It's a damn shame what's been done to the Craftsman brand. It was the go to tool for damn near every home gamer for decades, now it's the same quality as HF.
I am a retired auto tech of 46 years. I owned only snap on tools until the prices became unaffordable than I switched to Mac tools equally good quality but more affordable!
I've been a mechanic for 40 years. Craftsman has never been a good tool, never piece of garbage.
Wish craftsman and Stanley tools would make a comeback.
I bought a Harbour Freight tool kit,put it in my truck for emergencies, and have help some people. I know what the quality is, but in an emergency, any tool along the road, is a good tool.
I keep my really good tools at home.
Yeah. I was very sad to see Craftsman sink so low. I bought Craftsman often back in the day, still have some of their screwdrivers and pliers. These days.... it breaks my heart, honestly.
For my daily "heavy use" tools I always spent the money & bought Snap-On. I need those tools to be dependable & able to stand uo to the high workload they get literally all day/every day. And if they ever do break... it could be 20 years later, but Snap-On will come out & give me a brand new replacement no questions asked. Now just like this guy does, for some random tool that are task specific & only get used once in a while... sure I'll buy a cheaper brand. And if I need a tool to do one job & don't care if it breaks afterwards or only works for that one-time job... of course I'll go snatch up the cheap-o from Harbor Freight.
I used to buy nothing but Craftsman. My grandfather taught me that they were high quality. He always said if they broke, the Sears would replace them. A while back the made in America label was a bold face lie. I haven't bought Craftsman in over a decade.
About 15 years ago before i bought all my Gearwrench/SK and Channel Lock tools all I had was craftsman Tools. I used them all thinking theyd wear out quick. Skip ahead 5 years and while most of my tools show wear they're all still perfect in terms of how the tools fit onto their respective fasteners. The craftsman tools today however I cant say they're terrible but they're not the worst either.
Thank GOD most of my tools in my Mechanics Tool Boxes are PROTO & CHALLENGER MADE IN THE USA from the 1970's & 80's Era ..I even have a RARE Assortment of PROTO 500 Triple Nickel Chrome Plated Wrenches in REAL Leather Pouches
I had a love/hate relationship with my Craftsman ratchets. I loved the lifetime, over the counter warranty and I hated that they needed one.
Craftsman may not be the quality it once used to be, you are correct, craftsman still is not junk, most of the new craftsman power tools are beign made near identical to their dewalt counterparts, both are owned by stanley black and decker, so if you call craftsman junk, the same exact must be said of dewalt, nowadays at least, craftsman is slowly getting better but that would be because of us die hard fans that support craftsman in hopes that they eventually can start making more quality products again, sears demise hurt craftsman alot, and things had to happen for them to even still be here today
I appreciate that Craftsman is not what it used to be. However, it is still pretty good, and they still provide a no questions asked lifetime guarantee. A quick trip to my Lowe's to swap out a ratchet is worth the 100's I'd be spending on Snap On. I've been turning wrenches a long time, and it is super rare that any of the extra quality of a snap on tool made a difference in me completing a job satisfactorily without too much aggravation. With one caveat... my Snap On 10" philips is the absolute best screwdriver I've ever owned. No one compares.
I was fortunate to find a toolbox with a bunch of tools at a yard sale. The best thing in there was an old set of Craftsman sockets. I got the whole box for 40 bucks if I remember right. That was probably 15 years ago, and I still have the toolbox and the socket set.
Pushing tools for over 45 yr.s, you know a good tool when you have it in your hand and using it! ...And you're right about Craftsman!!! 👍
He icon brand is definitely better than craftsman now
He is totally correct. Craftsmen tools are now junk.
I was born in 80 and I also used to be a craftsman guy. The first day I ever split a craftsman socket was the first day I realized that they were no longer made in the USA. Sears did it to themselves and people who know got to watch it slowly happen over a few year period
When I first started working as a mechanic, I broke the bank and purchased all Craftsman tools. Forty one years later I am still using those tools. However, I won't touch the new Crapsman tools.
Craftsman used to be made in the US. They also used to be sold exclusively at Sears. If you had a busted hand tool that just happened to be a Craftsman, you could take it to Sears, and get a direct replacement for free. If you found a pair of pliers on the side of the road that happened to be Craftsman, it was the same thing.
Now, they're made with Chinesium, and aren't worth the time of day. Also, the replacement policy no longer exists, as far as I know.
At least with Harbor Freight, they're trying to do better, and while still made in China, they aren't trying to hide it.
You can really tell who does professional work and who is a hobbyist/DIYer in a comment section for videos like this. The average person doesnt think of reinvestment as a cost of doing business, they just see an expense.
Back in the day, 50's. 60's Craftsman was among the best. As long as sears contracted WesternForge to do its manufacturing, it was top quality. When they started awarding Benny Fuller manufacturing contracts. Things went quickly south. Hence if you're tool has a WF on it, you own the good ones. If it has a BF stamped in it . Throw it away.
I have some old craftsman tools and they are extremely nice to use. The sockets and extensions fit just as tight as my snap-on ones. I don't think the ratchet is a 90 tooth like my snap-on but that 40+ year old craftsman ratchet has pretty much zero play in it, it's one of my nicest ratchets. It's sad that the newer stuff couldn't be nearly as high quality. Those vintage craftsman ones are made differently too, it almost looks like they were milled out of a block of steel instead of cast composite.
You speak the truth. Current Craftsman is garbage.
I have been a mechanic for the last 20+ years. I have all my old craftsman tools from before sears closed. Still good 20 years later. Harbor freight tools are great. Lifetime warranty. I own near 0 snap-on, Matco, Mac, blue point, or cornwell tools. Snap on makes sucker grade tools.
EXACTLY!!! (About CRAFTSMAN). In the year 2001, thrice I experienced the decline. CRAFTSMAN was sought out in the 70's through the 90's.
I love my craftsman gunmetal ratchets and am looking forward to getting a set of the new metric overdrive wrenches which are Mac RBRT clones. It’s the tool user not the tool doing the work.
Old craftsman was a lot better than what they make now... turned down a ratchet for my old bent one
You didn't say anything wrong, honestly. Craftsman is overpriced junk now, despite their lifetime warranty nonsense. The are consumer grade tools at best, NOT professional series tools. Sorry there are some sensitive types out there. I have some pre-closed Sears Craftsman tools that I would never want to part with, but their new stuff - that's what Harbor Freight is for. Good on you for posting the truth, Brother!!
I so agree! I have a Craftsman set I purchased in the 80's and its great! Now I would purchase Pittsburgh before Craftsman all because Kmart bought Sears then turned their tools to crap.
Craftsman have forever been some of the worst wrenches ergonomically .
You're right. Craftsman USED TO BE good quality tools. No longer. I won't buy them anymore.
If you must have Craftsman, my advice is to buy them at flea markets, garage sales, or estate auctions.