Chraftsman, USA vs. China

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Originally Posted by Miller88

Their lumber is all garbage. But I can never find the right plumbing fittings at Lowes. And their employees always seem to know better than me when I'm looking for something I know I need.

That is the truth! I dont know where they find all these "experts" who can't seem to stock the necessary parts! Local plumbing stores also seem to have better prices for basic stuff like water supply lines, etc. I guess most people are willing to pay for the convenience of a department-ware store.
 
Originally Posted by RyanY
Originally Posted by Miller88

Their lumber is all garbage. But I can never find the right plumbing fittings at Lowes. And their employees always seem to know better than me when I'm looking for something I know I need.

That is the truth! I dont know where they find all these "experts" who can't seem to stock the necessary parts! Local plumbing stores also seem to have better prices for basic stuff like water supply lines, etc. I guess most people are willing to pay for the convenience of a department-ware store.


I'm not sure where you're shopping but they've always been more than Home Depot/Lowes. That's why they're eating their lunch and they're going out of business. The local plumbing supply house is a bit more than Home depot, probably about 50% for some parts so even when my plumber gives me his 20% discount, Home Depot is still cheaper. He only likes going there because you can give the guy at the counter an entire list of parts and the guy gets it all for you in minutes so they still have some value for big jobs. There's a good ex plumber at Home Depot that's always good, knows where all the parts are so you tell him what you need and he goes and grabs all of it. He's not always on duty though so sometimes you wander around for a while trying to find things.
 
Originally Posted by RyanY
Originally Posted by Miller88

Their lumber is all garbage. But I can never find the right plumbing fittings at Lowes. And their employees always seem to know better than me when I'm looking for something I know I need.

That is the truth! I dont know where they find all these "experts" who can't seem to stock the necessary parts! Local plumbing stores also seem to have better prices for basic stuff like water supply lines, etc. I guess most people are willing to pay for the convenience of a department-ware store.


I had one guy at lowes tell me I was a p--s poor plumber because I was buying a sharkbite. Well yes, that's accurate, because I'm not actually a plumber. And then I was framing in a load bearing wall in my house and the guy at lowes told me to buy a pressure treated 4x4 (for an interior wall, with pets) because pressure treated handles the pressure. He said he knew this because he used to be a contractor!

I'm sure there's a reason why he used to be one ...
 
Originally Posted by bullwinkle
Ratchets seem to be the biggest difference, they feel coarser and seem to sometimes have rough, sharp edges on them, like they skipped the deburring before they were chromed.


Even USA Craftsman ratchets were horrible. The $10 plastic HF ratchet is smoother than any raised-panel Craftsman I've ever used.
 
Originally Posted by Wolf359


I forget but someone mentioned that you can get Williams stuff that's the same as Snap On products and they can be had for a fraction of the snap on price.



Snap On bought Williams. At least some are made in the same plants on the same production lines. Williams are "industrial", heavier, stronger of the wrench patterns, but don't fit in tight spaces as well. I deal in hydraulics where torques tend to be higher on mostly grade 8 fasteners, and FOR THAT, they are better. Williams may make light pattern tools, but the Super Combo are what I'm discussing.

Look at head thickness; I know that Proto and SK make both. I assumed Snap On wanted the different technology and justified the purchase.
 
Originally Posted by brages
Originally Posted by bullwinkle
Ratchets seem to be the biggest difference, they feel coarser and seem to sometimes have rough, sharp edges on them, like they skipped the deburring before they were chromed.


Even USA Craftsman ratchets were horrible. The $10 plastic HF ratchet is smoother than any raised-panel Craftsman I've ever used.

What does smooth have to do with anything? I don't usually stroke my tools?

Ultimately the raised panel Craftsman can be less comfortable in un-gloved hands, but I don't find that nearly as big an issue as wear on knuckles if a ratchet lets loose. Guess it depends on how delicate your hands are and what environment you're in. For automotive I'm often wearing gloves anyway because I don't want to spend time scrubbing grime from under my fingernails every time I get any interruption where I need clean hands.
 
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Ratchets seem to be the biggest difference, they feel coarser and seem to sometimes have rough, sharp edges on them, like they skipped the deburring before they were chromed.

This. I got a metal splinter from a China Craftsman 3/8" drive ratchet.

Sears is in a whole heap of trouble. I didn't shop there for high fashion. The only thing they had left was their tools and they squandered this.

I don't think there is a sober captain steering that ship. Why would someone not just go to Harbor Freight at this point?
 
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I have probably ten of the tear drop Craftsman ratchets, USA and a couple recent China made, none have any sharp edges with splinters. None have broken. Black and Decker owns Craftsman not Sears.
I asked about Husky, which is an old line tool company Home Depot bought the name of, and they have a no questions, no receipt needed policy just like Sears did. Their tools look perfect to me just like the recent Craftsman.
 
Yes even the USA Craftsman tools as well as old SK Wayne tools did not do a very good job with the chrome plating that will lift and then stab or like someone mentioned, end up as a sliver under your finger nail. Those old SK tools were soft as well I have a bent 9/16 combo wrench and 3/8 drive sockets that the hex is well worn, and the open ends in wrenches open even more. The Craftsmans of that same era are tougher.
 
^ I have never had chrome plating issues with any of my USA Craftsman tools, and that's a lot of them, used quite a bit over decades.

It seems that sweeping generalizations can be less than accurate.
 
Originally Posted by Dave9
Originally Posted by brages
Originally Posted by bullwinkle
Ratchets seem to be the biggest difference, they feel coarser and seem to sometimes have rough, sharp edges on them, like they skipped the deburring before they were chromed.


Even USA Craftsman ratchets were horrible. The $10 plastic HF ratchet is smoother than any raised-panel Craftsman I've ever used.

What does smooth have to do with anything? I don't usually stroke my tools?



I mean the action of the ratchet, the Craftsman RP have a rough, coarse ratcheting action. They are just nasty.
 
Craftsman makes a less expensive 36 tooth ratchet, and a slightly higher priced finer 75 tooth, or 76 just for information . I don't find anything wrong with either one. I can use old or lesser tools and complete the task, like my dad did.
 
Originally Posted by Dave9
^ I have never had chrome plating issues with any of my USA Craftsman tools, and that's a lot of them, used quite a bit over decades.

It seems that sweeping generalizations can be less than accurate.

I have several USA made sockets that are pitting and creating slivers. These are from 10 years or so ago. The older and newer ones have not done this.
 
Stanley/Black & Decker now own Craftsman and they are currently building a huge NEW plant here in Fort Worth Texas to produce Craftsman wrenchs, sockets etc. So Craftsman is being moved BACK to the USA. Hopefully that will mean better quality and a revival of the Craftsman name.
 
Originally Posted by GMBoy
Stanley/Black & Decker now own Craftsman and they are currently building a huge NEW plant here in Fort Worth Texas to produce Craftsman wrenchs, sockets etc. So Craftsman is being moved BACK to the USA. Hopefully that will mean better quality and a revival of the Craftsman name.


I hope so too, but if a Craftsman tool bought at Sears can't be warranted at Lowes or Ace Hardware, they can keep the Stanley B&D US made Craftsman tools. I won't be buying them.
 
Originally Posted by demarpaint
Originally Posted by GMBoy
Stanley/Black & Decker now own Craftsman and they are currently building a huge NEW plant here in Fort Worth Texas to produce Craftsman wrenchs, sockets etc. So Craftsman is being moved BACK to the USA. Hopefully that will mean better quality and a revival of the Craftsman name.


I hope so too, but if a Craftsman tool bought at Sears can't be warranted at Lowes or Ace Hardware, they can keep the Stanley B&D US made Craftsman tools. I won't be buying them.


Well they can.

https://www.craftsman.com/customer-care/warranty-information
 
I'm just not buying anything craftsman. I have some older craftsman thats good. I've switched to Blackhawk ratchets( made by Proto) and they are so much better.

If craftsman starts making made in USA stuff that is GOOD quality, i will be a customer again. But at the quality level now, no way I'm wasting money on them.
 
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The new Craftsman warranty on torque wrenches isn't very long. The Husky I bought at HD has the lifetime no question no receipt needed on torque wrenches too. Husky, another very old American company now owned by a home improvement company.
Good news Craftsman may come back to USA.
 
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