I still have many of my Craftman tools I bought 40 years ago.....I have lived in more places than I can remember.....but I have Never had a problem returning a tool to Sears anywhere. But make sure you buy Craftman....because I dont think the "Sears" brand has the same lifetime warranty.

Snap on????dealers are sometimes reluctant to replace broken items unless you bought it from them.....although they are suppose to exchange even items not bought from them.

HF great for that odd ball item you need and they are cheap....as I said tools go Craftman

 

That's pretty cool. I have a broken Craftsman 1/2 in Drive Ratchet. You mean all I have to do is bring it in and heave it on the counter and they'll run and get me a new one?

 

YEP!!! No questions asked! I do it all the time. If they don't have that specific model or no longer make it,,,,you get the next best up grade! Cant beat that with a BIG STICK!

BC

 

I have never had an issue , not once

of course they don't break as often as craftsman

 

Cool, thanks. I'm heading to Sears.

 

They had a policy in effect a couple of years ago where they provided/installed if necessary, new "guts" for the ratchets as opposed to replacing the entire ratchet.

I've only replaced one 3/8" ratchet since I've been buying CRAFTSMAN tools. The ratchet had a better ergonomic shape than the newer versions that they may have replaced the tool with. I was happy to have new guts and keep my favorite old ratchet.

 

I like craftsmen, but I'll buy the Lowe's stuff as well. Husky is not one of my favorites.

BTW, last I heard Craftsman was still being made in Colorado by the same guys making Snap On. This was over ten years ago so I don't know if anything has changed since then.

 

I've replaced a 3/8 and 1/2 Craftsman ratchets over the last year. In both cases, it was a direct exchange.

 

About 70/30 for me also. I needed a 1/2 ratchet - $27 Sears vs $9.99 HF - so I got HF one. When I repl motor, we tried to break it many times, never broke and still using today. But then again, I am not professional grade. I have no problem buying their Pittsburgh tools. My std size wrenches and sockets are craftsman, but deep well, odd sizes are HF.

 

My home impact sockets are HF cause I don't use air at home much
They are a good deal for light use

My real tools are Snap-On

 

Not any more they don't. A few years back Kobalt tools were made by JW Williams, a subsidiary of Snap On Tools. Kobalt has since contracted with another company. It may be the same one that makes Craftsman, I can't recall, but they are definitely no longer made by JW Williams. There was a thread a while back that covered a lot of who makes what.

While Snap On is expensive, there is no finer tool made. You can find them for reasonable prices on ebay if you take your time. My personal rule is not to pay more than 50% of retail. Some folks will bid them up, but 50% works for me.

Good luck, I don't think you can go wrong with a good set of Craftsman as a starter set.

GUSTO

 

A few of the tools in my tool drawers are from my father's and have to be around 50 years old. Craftsman 1/2 ratchets and breaker bars and SAE sockets, all still like new. He used to inscribe his initials on all his tools, so I know what I see a GS on one, it once was my Dad's. It's good to have the mixture of metric and SAE. I also have a shorter micro-torque and standard torque wrenches from Craftsman. The micro-torque covers that lower to mid range, and the larger those upper requirements, plus the micro-torque is necessary for lack of room to operate the wrench. I think it was less than $150. for the two combined.

 

OLD Craftsman are far better than new ones but they don't have flank drive

I'm wondering when the flank drive patent is up ?

 

On rare occasions, we come across something good for cheap. You never know. Many, many moons ago, like back in 1971 or so, I bought a half inch drive metrix sockets and ratchet from Kmart for $7.88. Serious now, you couldn't break those will all the human strength in the world or so it seems. Still working good after all these years.

 

I have just about every manufacturer of tools in my box. I agree older Craftsman is better than the newer stuff in the last 15 to 20 years. As mentioned they don't warranty torque wrenches but I took mine in over 10 years ago because of a stripped gear in the head. They went in the back and came out with a rebuild kit for a 1/2" drive ratchet which fit the torque wrench. The last few times I went to Sears to exchange tools they had a bad attitude about it.

Snap on sucks to exchange things with. They will go as far as just replacing the blade of a screwdriver and not the handle.

Harbor Freight is OK. I bought their 40" roll chest and top for under $500. Ball bearing drawers, heavy gauge steel construction, heavy duty large casters. If you bought a comparable set from any other company you're looking at $1500. to $3000.

Lately I've been buying GearWrench stuff. I love the flex head ratcheting wrenches. Fine tooth ratchets with the 180 degree flex head gets me into areas you can't get with normal wrenches or ratchets.

 

There are already copied versions by the competitors. Matco has Opti-torque and Mac has Knuckle savers. Mac has some really cool sockets out there that have ridges in the socket on the flat surface between the intersections. They grab well on 60% stripped heads.

 

For those that are curious about Craftsman hand tools: the mechanic's hand tools have been made by a variety of manufacturers over the years including New Britain[6], Moore Drop Forge, Easco Hand Tools[7], Stanley, and most recently the Danaher Corporation.[8]

 

Then the patent has expired

 

Could be like Nascar where they figured a way around the rules enough to stay out of trouble.

 

I think you may be missing the point. One of the very things that drives up the cost of manufacturing Snap On tools is the need for the additional step to machine the fillets (that result in the "Flank Drive") in each of their sockets and wrenches. I suspect that if you find a tool manufacturer that utilizes "Flank Drive" you will also discover that their tools are more expensive as well. Right now there are tools that Matco, Cornwell and even MAC sell that are as expensive as a comparable Snap On tool.

About 10 years ago I purchased a small 1/4" drive set from Lowes (Kobalt). I was examining the sockets in the set and noticed that they were Flank Drive (they had the fillets machined between the flats internal to the sockets). As I was reading the brochure that came with them, I noticed that they were manufactured by JW Williams, a division of Snap On Tools. If you check out the Kobalt tools today, you will notice that they no longer have the fillets machined in them.

I have no doubt that Lowes switched manufactures to keep costs down for the vast majority of their customers. Make no mistake, I believe that Lowes/Kobalt makes some excellent tools that will serve the vast majority of hobbiests well.

I do find it ironic that some of the same people that will quibble over the cost of Snap On tools, have no problem spending $800-$1000 per wheel for the very car they are willing to use bargin basement tools on...

Good luck and keep on wrenchin' regardless... GUSTO