Craftsman Tools “Ultimate Collection”

[Kruse]

Originally Posted by Trav

Would you pass up a NOS USA made 15 piece set of Armstrong 3/8 drive universal sockets for $65 because the company is now out of business? I wouldn't, they are in my box.


As somebody who has recommended the Harry Epstein tool company, repeatedly on this site, https://www.harryepstein.com/ I have absolutely no problem buying good quality, American-made tools from a defunct company.Your Armstrong tools will never depreciate in value. I purchased some wrenches from Harry Epstein just a few weeks ago. I do have a problem with buying American-made tools that suddenly are worth much less. There's a mechanic down the road, in business about 10 years, who has a mobile truck filled with Craftsman tools that is now worth about half the value of what the Craftsman tools were worth just a few years ago. He uses them hard, will wear some of them out over the years and the replacements are junk. He's quite peeved about it. I've had some good Craftsman ratchets that I've owned since the early '80s that were not repairable. My replacements were not even near the quality of what I originally purchased and I won't use them. I'd rather buy a good tool from a defunct company at a decent price instead of paying good money for a tool that would be replaced by a Chinese replacement.
Besides, I thought I read somewhere that the Armstrong company is back in business and will replace old tools that have factory defects, just not normal wear and tear or abuse.

 

[Trav]

Personally I think you are making a mountain out of a mole hill but that's your business. Armstrong is gone.

https://www.armstrongtools.com/

BTW. The laser etched USA made Craftsman sockets were made by Armstrong (Danaher tool)

 

[clinebarger]

I wonder what Matco did with their Ratchet line?.....They were made by Armstrong. I haven't been on a Matco truck in a long time.

 

[Trav]

Word is they are now made by AJ Manufacturing Co. I never heard of them and have not seen a new Matco in years.

http://www.ajmanufacturing.com/

 

[hatt]

I'm not interested in fooling with Craftsman tools. If I want China tools Harbor Freight is full of them at a good price. The later USA Craftsman was pretty much junk. If they move some production to the US I expect the same quality.

 

[Trav]

I wont touch them today either for most things but when I got my first tools in 1974 a 200 piece set was $199.99 and the top box (heavy made with bearing drawers) was $260 IIRC, I do remember both were the better part of a $500.
Today the 200 piece set cost $199 and the top box about the same. Something isn't right when the price is the same 45 years later something had to give and it was quality, I still have most of the original sockets.

$500 in 74 is like 2,486.00 today so they were not cheap tools.

http://www.in2013dollars.com/1974-dollars-in-2017?amount=500

 

[demarpaint]

I still have US made Craftsman tools from the 70's, and they continue to serve me well. Sadly their newer stuff doesn't impress me, and with Harbor Freight stepping up their game they're eating the Craftsman brand's lunch. If I'm looking for a good tool I'd rather pay up and buy once.

 

[hatt]

Originally Posted by Trav
I wont touch them today either for most things but when I got my first tools in 1974 a 200 piece set was $199.99 and the top box (heavy made with bearing drawers) was $260 IIRC, I do remember both were the better part of a $500.
Today the 200 piece set cost $199 and the top box about the same. Something isn't right when the price is the same 45 years later something had to give and it was quality, I still have most of the original sockets.

$500 in 74 is like 2,486.00 today so they were not cheap tools.

http://www.in2013dollars.com/1974-dollars-in-2017?amount=500

I've seen Craftsman ads from the 50s. Same thing. It shows the better tools actually aren't priced all that bad these days but we are addicted to cheap imported junk.

 

[Trav]

The thing is most DIY people under 40 would not know a real high quality tool if it dropped off the shelf and hit them right between the eyes, You are spot on, we live in the days of the $19.99 socket set and they expect a 20% off coupon at that.
But hey it has a lifetime warranty.

 

[hatt]

Someone here was complaining about "John Deere" lawn tractors. No kidding. You aren't getting a high quality machine for $1200 at Lowe's. My 30 year old Deere mower is still going strong. In today's $$$ it was probably over $5000 new. I never found an actual price for a 185. The legendary 318 would be over $11,000 now. For a garden tractor. No, they don't make them like they use too.

 

[Trav]

Quality cost but there are some US tool companies that still produce a very high quality product for much less than Snap on, the problem is these companies also offshore so you need to what part numbers indicate USA made.
One company for example uses all numbers for their offshore stuff and part numbers beginning with letter for USA made. Some of the Japanese tools are fantastic quality, they and the German tools can be found for a good price if you look.

Ariens snowblowers are another disappointment, the models found in big box stores are no longer using US engines and have no features of the ones sold 10 years ago, for those features and a US made engine you have to go with their pro line at approx 2x the price.
If they keep putting up the min wage pretty soon we can buy Ariens shovels.

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted by Trav
The thing is most DIY people under 40 would not know a real high quality tool if it dropped off the shelf and hit them right between the eyes, You are spot on, we live in the days of the $19.99 socket set and they expect a 20% off coupon at that.
But hey it has a lifetime warranty.

The good craftsman were probably intermediate tools. Much better than the cheap tools, but probably not quite robust for everyday shop use. The problem now as i see it, is there are not intermediate quality tools.

The current craftsman, HF , and all the others are in the cheap tool category. All the non pro tools are not much different.
Its either that or very expensive pro-quality tools.

 

[Trav]

Believe it or not the old Craftsman pro line was a top shelf tool, I still have a set of wrenches that have a small "K" stamped in them, this denoted they were made by SK.
The sockets were Armstrong. A lot of top name companies made tools for Craftsman.
Over the years they tried different ratchet models that didn't sell because of the price, their ratchets always sucked for the most part, no big deal hit the Snap on truck for a good one and you were good to go. Snap on ratchets were always one of the best and still are.

Edit: There are quite a few intermediate to very good tools at good prices just not from Craftsman.

 

[tom slick]

Are the tools "Ultimate" or is the collection "Ultimate"?

 

[Trav]

That's the question. I was reading somewhere that Sears still has the right to buy tools from other companies and label them Craftsman, they are rebranding some Vessel screwdrivers so who knows. I guess its possible they are trying to rebuild the brand but how successful that will be is anybody's guess.

 

[spackard]

A few of the sets are making it to slickdeals, for example the 302 piece set for $500 and get $500 in SYW (Shop Your Way) points, payed back in weekly $10 increments.
If you think they'll be around long enough to redeem them.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted by Trav
The thing is most DIY people under 40 would not know a real high quality tool if it dropped off the shelf and hit them right between the eyes, You are spot on, we live in the days of the $19.99 socket set and they expect a 20% off coupon at that.
But hey it has a lifetime warranty.

Hey, I'm a 30-something!

But I remember when I worked on the family cars as a kid and made it a hobby, my dad would take me to Sears and I saw the Made in USA logo on many of Sears' old tools and how it felt nice compared to the Chineseium of that era. Nowadays, I won't buy Craftsman voluntarily unless I needed something. I think I'll go to eBay and buy some used Snap-On or Mac or scrounge around at the swap meets for old Craftsman. I can feel the difference.

 

[HangFire]

Originally Posted by billt460
Originally Posted by Donald
I thought Sears sold the Craftsman line to Black & Decker?

They did in March of 2017. Sears no longer has anything to do with, or control of the Craftsman name.

This is wrong. Sears (holdings) is allowed to source and sell their own line of Craftsman tools, in Sears stores.

Stanley B&D has control of everything else Craftsman.

 

[HangFire]

Originally Posted by dkryan

Sears Holdings Corp. has launched Craftsman Ultimate Collection, a line of tools for mechanics that includes high-performance ratchets and ratcheting wrenches, and other items. The items are available exclusively at Sears stores, on its website, and at Sears Hometown locations. The Craftsman Ultimate Collection is available as a 104-piece mechanic's set for about $320, as a 302-piece mechanic's set for about $1,000, or in other sizes.

Looks like there is also an $800 409 pc: https://www.sears.com/gearwrench-1-2in-combination-ratcheting-wrench/p-A031749829
Q&A says made in China, whereas a lot of Lowe's Stanley B&D Craftsman stuff is Taiwan.

 

[spasm3]

I would and have bought Tekton over the current craftsman. I needed some metric offset box end wrenches. I took a chance and ordered a Tekton set. Not a bad set at all. Fits tight, no slop. Feel good in the hand. Made in Taiwan.

The only thing i don't like , is the small 5mm-7mm wrench is a bit too recessed, not flush. Most people might not even notice this, but i do. But overall pretty good.