Such a bummer: Chinese-built Craftsman tools.

[LDO]

I went to Sears this morning to replace some sockets and ratchets that got lost. I knew that a lot of their electronic stuff, and the "Evolv" line was made in China. I was very disappointed to see hand tools made there, too. If I hadn't needed to use the tools today, I would not have bought them. I can get import junk anywhere.

Edited April 19, 2014 by LDO

[chris02719]

Yeah their tools are definitely not what they used to be, and some of it, despite the warranty that came with them when first purchased aren't warrantied anymore. So they'll exchange it once, but "never again" which is awesome considering the junk they give you as a rwplacement.

[DrGlueblob]

I'd buy Harbor Freight hand tools before anything Craftsman or Sears nowdays.

[Danno]

Man! Is nothing sacred any more?

[LDO]

I know, man. I just did a quick internet search. It looks like even Snap-On has some foreign-made tools. I'm so disappointed. I would not have a problem owning fewer, more expensive tools if they were really high quality.

IMHO, the problem is that so many consumers want the absolute cheapest of anything, quality be damned.

Makes me thinks of a customer from a while back. Had what was probably a $400k house, in the middle of a remodel. His [cough, cough] "contractor" had a 30 year old POS pickup in several shades of primer, no company name. He was cutting some wood in the driveway...using a Ryobi 8" miter saw with no table. Good luck with your remodel, buddy.

[charlie8575]

I went to Sears this morning to replace some sockets and ratchets that got lost. I knew that a lot of their electronic stuff, and the "Evolv" line was made in China. I was very disappointed to see hand tools made there, too. If I hadn't needed to use the tools today, I would not have bought them. I can get import junk anywhere.

I noticed that, too, Lee, and it really upset me.

Some of their stuff is still made here, but the "gauranteed forever" is gone, and even the stuff made here doesn't look all that great anymore.

Eddie Lampert has run Sears right into the ground.

For curiosity, I did an internet search a few weeks ago, and there are still several American tool manufacturers, although be warned, it is EXPENSIVE, for reasons that will probably be deemed too political and controversial here. I'll just say "we painted ourselves into a corner" and leave it at that.

That said, I'll still probably end up getting some of these tools at some point if my Craftsman stuff starts to die.

These guys are good starting point. Shop around, you can get some better deals at some places over others. http://www.wrighttool.com/

Charlie Larkin

[Harry P.]

From the Wright Tool website:

Made Entirely in the U.S.A.

From the design and engineering to the forging and finishing, all work on Wright tools is performed in the United States by skilled American workers. We do not use foreign blanks or forgings. Even the steel we use is American-made.

Too bad a statement like that is harder and harder to find these days.

[Harry P.]

I looked up the Craftsman tool warranties. It looks like Craftsman hand tools (non-power) are still warrantied for life. Isn't that the way it always was? Only Craftsman hand tools warrantied for life? Or were all Craftsman tools once warrantied for life?

[Austin T]

As far as I remember it was just their hand tools. I doubt their power tools were as they are rather pathetic in quality compared to other offering on the market.

[Harry P.]

As far as I remember it was just their hand tools. I doubt their power tools were as they are rather pathetic in quality compared to other offering on the market.

Craftsman power tools are manufactured by other "name brand" manufacturers like DeWalt and Techtronic (who also make Milwaukee and Ryobi branded power tools), but with the "Craftsman" name.

[chris02719]

The tape measures and select other tools like the 10 in 1 screw driver are no longer warrantied even though the ones I had both said they were right on the tool itself, which is the reason I had gotten them in the first place. I have since stopped buying their tools for the shear fact they don't last, and I can get better stuff for the same price. Especially when I take into account that using these tools is how I make my living.

[Harry P.]

It's a sad day when a once-proud American brand is no longer so. Craftsman Tools used to be as American as baseball and apple pie.

[Danno]

True dat. ^^

My Craftsman tools have been on the hobby-job for 40-50 years. I've already bought and maintained for decades all the precision tools I've ever needed.

Having said that, however, I now realize ~ in all honesty ~ that I've reached the point in life where even cheap new tools are going to outlast me.

I have nearly every tool I'll probably ever need, but when I run out to buy just one more thing, usually some odd-ball item I've never needed before and probably won't need again, I find myself satisfied with the level of quality of Harbor Freight tools. They're cheaper than Mac or Snap-On or Craftsman, and they're still gonna outlast me. I can't break them, and I dang sure ain't gonna live long enough to wear them out.

Are there a lot of people in the same boat? I think so. Every time I go to The Yellow Store*, it's full of other guys like me, loading up on all the goodies they've never needed enough before to buy.

(* 'The Yellow Store' - What the Lovely and Gracious Mrs. B calls Harbor Freight because she really doesn't care enough to remember its name).

[Longbox55]

Craftsman power tools are manufactured by other "name brand" manufacturers like DeWalt and Techtronic (who also make Milwaukee and Ryobi branded power tools), but with the "Craftsman" name.

Most Craftsman power tools are made by Porter-Cable. The hand tools are primarily made by K-D, and the boxes are Waterloo.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Man! Is nothing sacred any more?

IMHO, the problem is that so many consumers want the absolute cheapest of anything, quality be damned.

.

Yup, and as most consumers actually are NOT familiar enough with tool use to really understand that cheap wrenches don't fit the fasteners correctly, and inferior steel spreads or splits, damaging bolt heads and nuts in the process, quality just keeps sliding down the rat-hole.

Maximum profit comes from selling minimum possible quality, and if the consumers will accept crapp, that's what they'll get.

[Ace-Garageguy]

It's a sad day when a once-proud American brand is no longer so. Craftsman Tools used to be as American as baseball and apple pie.

I agree, but thanks for the Wright Tools mention.

[twopaws]

So after I finish my plate full of tacos and wash it down with a Molson, my choices are going to the garage to work on Sandi's Japanese owned/American made Toyota Solara with Craftsmen tools made in China. Or sit at my modeling bench and work on either my Chinese manufactured Revell kit or painting my Tamyia Ferrari. All said with tongue firmly in my cheek. It has become a world market.

[Harry P.]

So after I finish my plate full of tacos and wash it down with a Molson...

Molson merged with Coors. It really is a global market!

[DrGlueblob]

I was gifted last year of a full set of wrenches and sockets.. "None Better" Made by New Britain in the US in the mid-40's. Greasy, old and funky-smelling.. Steel Goodness.

I use Harbor Freight stuff on non-ferrous metals and styrene. Good enough for that. For my ultralight and motorcycles, it's only USA or German quality.

(edit;) OLD USA OR GERMAN QUALITY.

Edited April 20, 2014 by DrGlueblob

[mrindy77]

I make my own beer, brewed under strict German Purity Laws, Reinheisgobot. Water from my well, barley from Wisconsin and hops from Oregon. Hand crafted by American hands in 5 gallon batches. After a few pints I could care less where my tools come from or where my model cars are manufactured. Life is too short to concern oneself with something that you cannot change...but beer on the other hand...well I can do something about that.

[FASTBACK340]

I'm having 30 yr. old Snap On sockets wear out and are getting loose on bolt heads. I'm replacing them and the new ones are breaking within 8 months. Unfortunately, the prices haven't gotten cheaper for off-shore junk. The 30 yr. old will wear out. Replacements break within a year, they don't even get a chance to wear out.

Needless to say, I don't buy Snap On.

[Quick GMC]

I was a auto tech for a while. I always bought the best, but I did have a set of sockets and wrenches from Husky my dad got me as a graduation gift. I used them every single day alongside everything else and they survived. Just started rounding out a wrench or two, but nothing bad. Never broke a socket. For someone on a budget, Husky is hands down the way to go.

I recall Stanley or one of the manufacturers being sued a long time ago for their "made in usa" claim, when they didn't meet the requirements to be able to use that slogan. The majority of their stuff was being made offshore.

[charlie8575]

I'm having 30 yr. old Snap On sockets wear out and are getting loose on bolt heads. I'm replacing them and the new ones are breaking within 8 months. Unfortunately, the prices haven't gotten cheaper for off-shore junk. The 30 yr. old will wear out. Replacements break within a year, they don't even get a chance to wear out.

Needless to say, I don't buy Snap On.

Given the prices Snap-On charges (!,) at least from an ethical/moral standpoint, that borders on fraud.

I'm seriously looking at trying a set of Wrights or S-Ks for my next set when I need them. I have a couple of S-K wrenches and they are very good quality. I've used some Snap-On stuff before- not bad, but I thought S-K and Mac (which I've also used a couple of times) were a little nicer.

There was another company besides Wright that does some contract manufacturing for a lot of the major took brands, and most, if anot all their stuff is made in the U.S. or Canada (which, to me, is the same from a QA standpoint,) and I'm attempting to locate their page now. A link will be posted once I find it.

Charlie Larkin

[slusher]

I have Craftsman tools I have had for about 20 years and are like new. I want American tools when I need something. I believe that Cornwell and Kobalt tools are made in America still...

[charlie8575]

Knew I'd find it eventually.

http://www.protoindustrial.com/en/Pages/default.aspx

Here are a few other resources.

Kahn claims to sell only American-made tools and a whole bunch of other stuff.

http://www.kahntools.com/

SurvivalBlog lists a pretty comprehensive directory of tools made in this country still.

www.survivalblog.com/2013/08/all-american-tool-manufacturers.html

Charlie Larkin