[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Craftsman Handtool Question.. (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 9/20/2016 7:46:48 PM EDT
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So I need a set of 1/4" deep and shorts for my toolbox. I noticed all of their stuff ( or a good majority of it) is made in china. My question is, is there really a difference between the china stuff and the older USA stuff? Will I have a tendency to break them if I get the chinese stuff? I think I have only broken a handful of craftsman sockets in the past.
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There is a world of difference between older and newer Craftsman tools, especially 60's and 70's production as compared to current production. That said, if you are breaking 1/4" drive sockets, you're doing something woefully wrong. Thats what I was thinking..... its 1/4" |
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If you're going to buy Chinese tools, go buy from Lowes or HD. You have better odds of them being in business in 10yrs anyway. Craftsman is a seperate entity of Sears. If and when Sears goes under, Craftsman will not go with them and is protected from bankruptcy. Far far better chance in 10 years you'll still be able to trade in your Craftsman tools for new, than your Husky tools. |
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If they go under do you think someone would pick up their tool line or would it just fade away? Quoted:
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If you're going to buy Chinese tools, go buy from Lowes or HD. You have better odds of them being in business in 10yrs anyway. If they go under do you think someone would pick up their tool line or would it just fade away? Sears will go under, eventually. Craftsman will be around for a long time. |
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Quoted: If you're going to buy Chinese tools, go buy from Lowes or HD. You have better odds of them being in business in 10yrs anyway. But then the HF Pittsburgh Pro line is made in Taiwan and not China like the Pittsburgh line. For the price difference I have no problem with the Taiwanese sockets, but then I only use them for wrenching occasional home projects. |
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The new craftman Socket drivers have nylon gears in them,that's why they break The "Pro" ones, or the run of the mill ones? The run of the mill ones are pretty coarse and sloppy, and I've broken more than one over the years. I'm tempted to buy some Snap-On ratchet wrenches just because they're tougher and smooooth. |
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Honestly, go buy S&K off a tool truck, they are inexpensive but will hold up great... Got a recent S-K ratchet, finish already came off the head. Still works, but obvious quality issues with the whole package. The OP is buying 1/4" stuff. He should be fine. He would likely be good if he bought Kobalt stuff from Lowes as well. |
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Got a recent S-K ratchet, finish already came off the head. Still works, but obvious quality issues with the whole package. The OP is buying 1/4" stuff. He should be fine. He would likely be good if he bought Kobalt stuff from Lowes as well. Quoted:
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Honestly, go buy S&K off a tool truck, they are inexpensive but will hold up great... Got a recent S-K ratchet, finish already came off the head. Still works, but obvious quality issues with the whole package. The OP is buying 1/4" stuff. He should be fine. He would likely be good if he bought Kobalt stuff from Lowes as well. You do know S&K is made by snap on right? Why you had issues I don't know but send it back, it's under warranty.. |
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If you're going to buy Chinese tools, go buy from Lowes or HD. You have better odds of them being in business in 10yrs anyway. This You are not buying the tool , you are buying the warranty When I was a teenager back in the 1960s and 70s I was taught to buy Craftsman because I could always swap it out if I abused it and broke it. I believe in all I swapped one ratchet and one or two sockets. In my area most of the Sears and Sears hardware have shut down . there is one around somewhere 3 or 4 towns over but I rarely get over that way. Home Depot for me , yeah they are china made but the quality is decent and the warranty is absolutely no bullshit on husky hand tools. Home Depot is all over the place in my area and anywhere I work |
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You do know S&K is made by snap on right? Why you had issues I don't know but send it back, it's under warranty.. Quoted:
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Honestly, go buy S&K off a tool truck, they are inexpensive but will hold up great... Got a recent S-K ratchet, finish already came off the head. Still works, but obvious quality issues with the whole package. The OP is buying 1/4" stuff. He should be fine. He would likely be good if he bought Kobalt stuff from Lowes as well. You do know S&K is made by snap on right? Why you had issues I don't know but send it back, it's under warranty.. Craftsman are warrantied as well. Don't get me wrong i would buy a nice fine tooth ratchet from S-K over Craftsman now, but Craftsman will still work OK and be able to be switched out if it breaks. I'm pretty deep in hand tools now and only bought the S-K to duplicate a nice flex head Snap On ratchet I had. Works fine, I may call S-K for warranty service later, but I'll just buy Snap On instead of S-K next. Six month life span on finishes before it's pealed and then laying on the garage floor like heavy duty tinfoil=obvious recent QC issues for what should be a good company. |
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Quoted: Craftsman is a seperate entity of Sears. If and when Sears goes under, Craftsman will not go with them and is protected from bankruptcy. Far far better chance in 10 years you'll still be able to trade in your Craftsman tools for new, than your Husky tools. Quoted: Quoted: If you're going to buy Chinese tools, go buy from Lowes or HD. You have better odds of them being in business in 10yrs anyway. Craftsman is a seperate entity of Sears. If and when Sears goes under, Craftsman will not go with them and is protected from bankruptcy. Far far better chance in 10 years you'll still be able to trade in your Craftsman tools for new, than your Husky tools. You just have to hope there is a place you can go to trade them in. If all the big stores have their own line of cheap tools, they're going to be less likely to bring in competition for them. I have noticed Craftsman making a big push into the local Ace stores, so maybe they're planning ahead.  |
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Quoted: I'm not opposed to kobalt tools, its just all my other stuff is craftsman. If there is a warranty issue it would be nice to go to one store rather than 2. If you're really worried about breakage, spend the big bucks on quality tools. I know it's kind of cliche, but their is a difference.  |
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I'm not opposed to kobalt tools, its just all my other stuff is craftsman. If there is a warranty issue it would be nice to go to one store rather than 2. Don't worry. Pretty soon there won't be any Sears or Kmart stores to go to. I think they just announced another round of closings. |
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How many tools do you plan to break? Quoted:
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I'm not opposed to kobalt tools, its just all my other stuff is craftsman. If there is a warranty issue it would be nice to go to one store rather than 2. How many tools do you plan to break? Dont plan on breaking any. Guess I like them all to be the same. |
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Craftsman are warrantied as well. Don't get me wrong i would buy a nice fine tooth ratchet from S-K over Craftsman now, but Craftsman will still work OK and be able to be switched out if it breaks. I'm pretty deep in hand tools now and only bought the S-K to duplicate a nice flex head Snap On ratchet I had. Works fine, I may call S-K for warranty service later, but I'll just buy Snap On instead of S-K next. Six month life span on finishes before it's pealed and then laying on the garage floor like heavy duty tinfoil=obvious recent QC issues for what should be a good company. Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Honestly, go buy S&K off a tool truck, they are inexpensive but will hold up great... Got a recent S-K ratchet, finish already came off the head. Still works, but obvious quality issues with the whole package. The OP is buying 1/4" stuff. He should be fine. He would likely be good if he bought Kobalt stuff from Lowes as well. You do know S&K is made by snap on right? Why you had issues I don't know but send it back, it's under warranty.. Craftsman are warrantied as well. Don't get me wrong i would buy a nice fine tooth ratchet from S-K over Craftsman now, but Craftsman will still work OK and be able to be switched out if it breaks. I'm pretty deep in hand tools now and only bought the S-K to duplicate a nice flex head Snap On ratchet I had. Works fine, I may call S-K for warranty service later, but I'll just buy Snap On instead of S-K next. Six month life span on finishes before it's pealed and then laying on the garage floor like heavy duty tinfoil=obvious recent QC issues for what should be a good company. I don't blame you, all my work stuff is snap on, my S&K stuff has spent 15 years in my sleds, of course with snap on ratchets.... 
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How are regular guys breaking sockets? I'm a substation electrician and I'll use a regular 3/4" socket on a 1/2" drive impact all day and only broke 1 socket in 13 years because of my extreme neglect.
I've broken one no name ratchet that was probably broken before I picked it up. For home use I spend the money on a decent ratchet and buy cheap HF sockets. |
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craftsman is also currently sold at ace hardware so they are not exclusive to sears. ace also honors their warranty. i would purchase craftsman over husky. lately i have been experiencing some resistance from home depot to honor the husky warranty without a receipt. craftsman does not require a receipt for a warranty request. |
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How are regular guys breaking sockets? I'm a substation electrician and I'll use a regular 3/4" socket on a 1/2" drive impact all day and only broke 1 socket in 13 years because of my extreme neglect. I've broken one no name ratchet that was probably broken before I picked it up. For home use I spend the money on a decent ratchet and buy cheap HF sockets. Here is an easy one, any GM caliper mount from the 90's they take a 15 mm socket, they rust, have high heat to them from the brakes and will break cheap sockets almost every time...even pop snap on impacts on them every once Ina great while...... Lots of bolts like that nowadays... |
| With 1/4" drive, you are not likely to put enough torque on a socket to break it. The main thing, in my opinion, is are they sized accurately, and how thick are they? Some of the chinese stuff is thick walled and won't fit in a tight place. That being said, I would, and have bought Harbor freight sockets for home use, or for a kit to keep in the trunk of a car for road/junkyard use. When I was doing it for a living , though, I used SK,Snap-On,Matco,Cornwell,Proto, etc |
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Quoted:
How are regular guys breaking sockets? I'm a substation electrician and I'll use a regular 3/4" socket on a 1/2" drive impact all day and only broke 1 socket in 13 years because of my extreme neglect. I've broken one no name ratchet that was probably broken before I picked it up. For home use I spend the money on a decent ratchet and buy cheap HF sockets. This. I'm a heavy equipment mechanic. I've only broken swivels and teeth in ratchets. Unless you're buying the nastiest Chinese junk from Harbor Freight you'll lose sockets before you break them. A lot of the other mechanics I know started buying Pittsburgh sockets from HF because they have a warranty now. |
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Quoted: I don't blame you, all my work stuff is snap on, my S&K stuff has spent 15 years in my sleds, of course with snap on ratchets.... http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii265/AKSNOWRIDER_2008/image_zpspatxidy4.jpeg Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Honestly, go buy S&K off a tool truck, they are inexpensive but will hold up great... Got a recent S-K ratchet, finish already came off the head. Still works, but obvious quality issues with the whole package. The OP is buying 1/4" stuff. He should be fine. He would likely be good if he bought Kobalt stuff from Lowes as well. You do know S&K is made by snap on right? Why you had issues I don't know but send it back, it's under warranty.. Craftsman are warrantied as well. Don't get me wrong i would buy a nice fine tooth ratchet from S-K over Craftsman now, but Craftsman will still work OK and be able to be switched out if it breaks. I'm pretty deep in hand tools now and only bought the S-K to duplicate a nice flex head Snap On ratchet I had. Works fine, I may call S-K for warranty service later, but I'll just buy Snap On instead of S-K next. Six month life span on finishes before it's pealed and then laying on the garage floor like heavy duty tinfoil=obvious recent QC issues for what should be a good company. I don't blame you, all my work stuff is snap on, my S&K stuff has spent 15 years in my sleds, of course with snap on ratchets.... http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii265/AKSNOWRIDER_2008/image_zpspatxidy4.jpeg |
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I have used craftsman tools for a long time, new and old stuff.
I have replaced a few things under warranty but not much. Had a couple ratchets go bad but they were replaced with no hassle. I use them on all sorts of things including vehicles, mowers, boats, a tractor, etc. Hope there will continue to be somewhere that will honor the warranty but since I haven't had too many issues, not that big of a deal. |
