Striper... shoulda told him after you got the replacement.
I've always liked my mostly Craftsman tools. Sears Canada locally anway has switched to carry various other brands.

 

Not entirely true there air compressors are noisy slow and just suck as a whole but they are reliable and will always work when you plug it in. Some of the things they sell are good like there nitrile gloves and the cut off wheels they sell are some of the best I have used and last longer than much more expensive ones.

I would avoid all of there hand tools from screw drivers sockets ratchets pliers and wrenches and there air tools. Not all of there stuff is junk but it is a guarantee that none of it is the best.

 

You can't hardly mess up an impact socket from HF. You have to pick and choose your battles there. You can't just expect everything you buy there to be of a certain quality.

I wish I could afford Snap On. $1000 buys a lot of Craftsman tools but doesn't buy much Snap On.

 

i only buy craftsman when they are on sale...we have a sears in my town..but the people in there drive me nuts with lack of customer service...more recently i have been buy kobalt tools from lowe's they carry a life time warranty and have some pretty neat tools that you wont see else where

 

I have had Craftsman hand tools for a long time. They have been very good for me.

However, the new Craftsman tools have been bad. I have a ratchet and an open end that the chrome is flaking off. It stabs me almost every time I use it. (I know I should get a replacement, but I just haven't gotten to it).

I also liked the fine tooth 3/8 ratchet. They don't make it any more and wanted to gave me a newer one that is not as good.

I bought 2 Craftsman floor jacks withing a month or so of each other. They are different even though the boxes they came in are identical. Mostly little stuff like the rubber grip on the handles are different and some other minor things. But the one that bothers me is that they don't lift to the same height. One will work with my Kwik-Lift, but one does not go high enough. So it appears that not only are they sourcing in China, but they are multiple sourcing to the cheapest bidder.

I have also found a couple of pawn shops that have a lot of hand tools. I picked up several of the old Craftsman tools at really cheap prices. (Including my favorite fine tooth ratchet).

I also tried Farm & Fleet's Duracraft Pro tools. They seem to be much better than the Craftsman.

I have tried a few Harbor Freight tools too. I broke one of their impact wrench extensions when it split at the drive side. I broke one of the torque wrenches when it would not ratchet any more (although I bought it for $10 to use as a 1/2 drive breaker bar and was using a pipe over it). They replaced them free. I also have tried their cheap aluminum low profile floor jacks. They have been working fine for 5 or 6 years now and are low enough to get under my C5's.

Any more, most tools, parts, etc. are a gamble as to how well they are made or will last. So many things are being made overseas (even name brands) that it is hard to tell any more. I think it is probably worth it to get made in USA stuff, but it is getting hard to select things that are.

 

I have one like that except the tray is red and it has an area for keeping sockets organized. On the top between the handle mounts it has the number 6500 stamped into the lid. My first real tool box, mid '70s, that one appears a little older, but not much.

 

I mentioned the similarities between Kobalt ratchets and Snap On , and it's no wonder that I thought Kobalt's are a quality idem !!!!! Learn something everyday !!!!

 

I honestly don't get too wound up about brand - I generally buy Craftsman and I'm generally happy with the selection and quality.

I'll admit to being a Harbor Freight snob for years, but in a couple of cases I got a reasonable quality tool for a lot less - and in some cases, garbage. I buy a few specialty tools here and there from them and I've been very, very happy with my engine hoist - but I wouldn't buy their hand tools.

 

That's another good way to grab gear, yeah. That and estate sales on occasion. I have my grandfather's wood working tools and a massive wooden self-made tool box made by HIS father or grandfather downstairs. It has the marks and signs of age and careful use on it. I'm torn between leaving it as-is or refinishing it all to protect it for another several generations.

I, too, have some 60's/70's Craftsman portable boxes from my grandfathers who used to be metal workers and machinists. It's good stuff. Still protected by years of grease!

So Snap-On is a legit brand to bank on. Good to know. For some reason, the branding has always struck me as reflective of a generic product. I'll broaden my horizons.

As for being bit once or twice by cheap tools... I've stripped a head bolt when a chinese box wrench likewise stripped at the same time. Yes, it was the correct size. And I've snapped, warped or broken my share of other lesser tools along the way.

LOL - as a former horse farmer, I have also managed to bust my share of industrial grade gear. Breaker bar? I've snapped breaker bars by hand! Name any part of a JD tractor - I've broken it.

HF... always caveat emptor. That said, my best impact wrench is from them. My best jacks are their Pittsburgh brand units. And when I bought the car but did not have the right security lug to remove the lock bolts when I need to change brake pads.... it was affordable to grab some "disposable" sockets to hammer into the lock nuts and use to break them free.

Good info here, guys.

Maybe we should turn it into a "What's the best tool for...?" kind of thread. Sometimes those can save a lot of money and headache!

 

Check your local Ace Hardware. Not only can you find Craftsman products on sale, but they are the Helpful Place too, so you'll experience better customer service.

 

I think that Craftsman tools are pretty decent for working on cars and occasional wrenching. What sold me on them yrs ago was the price and the convenience of replacement. I have to admit using Craftsman on the job for yrs, but have noticed that the sharp edges on their rachets and wrenches get to you over time. The smoother tools just seem to fatigue your hands less over a period of several hours of wrenching. Btw, I worked as a pipefitter, then a paper mill millwright until I retired if that adds any credence to anything.

 

I have a bunch of broken Craftsman stuff still sitting it a drawer in my tool box

 

I could not put my finger on what the feel of a Snap On tool was to me , you hit the nail on the head. I just liked the smoothness and the effect on my hands using them 8 plus hours a day !!!! Mostly they seemed to fit in tight areas better than any other !!!!

 

My favorite tool is my late Dad's Snap-on 3/8 inch ratchet from the late 50s or early 60s. It just feels good in my hand.

 

Funny about favorites, I had two, a stubby 3/8 ratchet and a 1/2-9/16 combination wrench of course after the metric's I used the combo wrench less. You can see the similarities between the Kobalt and Snap On Ratchets. You also can not beat the Snap On line wrenches, will not round off !!!!!

 

My cousin has Kobalt tools and they are nice.

 

I have some Kobalt stuff. Yes they are nice especially for someone like me who uses tools occasionally. Also Lowe's replaces these without any questions asked.

 

Had that same box as well!!! Now mines a little bigger!

 

That's a sweet looking box you got there. Love the color..!!

 

Man you are awesome..!!! I went and checked and I also fount 6500 stamped exactly where you said it was on yours and my tray also has an area to keep the sockets organized. Thanks bro. So mid 70s it is!!

It just looks so cool to me. I'll clean it up and paint it.