I completely understand the pull the Craftsman logo has on you. I'm a 4th generation Craftsman fan and I was raised on the greatest of it. When we were cleaning up my grandfather's house after he died, we found Craftsman wooden tools his dad (my great-grandfather & who was a master carpenter) had from the 1930s.
I have invested pretty heavily into the new craftsman tool lineup, and so far 6 months in, I am very pleased with all the tools, I have used them more than I expected, and they have held up well to extreme use and abuse!
Born and raised on USA 🇺🇸 Craftsman hand tools and still have and love them all. Here recently I needed new cordless power tools. I don’t use them everyday or every other day so I was not going to pay Milwaukee or DeWalt prices so I pulled the trigger on the new 20v Craftsman ones and as a casual user I have been very pleased with them great video keep up the good fight
One thing you have to hand them is that they honored the lifetime warranty on their products; no questions asked. I remember back in the early 70's a friend of mine found a rusted, busted Craftsman pipe wrench lying in an alley. He brought it back to Sears, and they handed him a new one.
So sad ! 4 generations of mechanics in my family and we all used craftsman tools. Not just tools but Spectrum oil, die-hard batteries, road handler tires...etc,etc. Like watching an old friend die a slow death. Thanks corporate greed.
I stared buying craftsman power tools recently. Started buying them for home and ended up bringing them to work. I've never had a power tool that made me want to spend the money and commit to a tool brand. Sure I liked Milwaukee but didn't want to spend the money, had ridgid and Bosch stuff, and a super old Dewalt hammer drill but just never really liked any of them enough to commit to a battery and a brand. Once I started buying craftsmans new power tools I was hooked. The more I used em the more I liked em. Now I have a bunch of craftsman brushless stuff and absolutely love them.
Sears is a one of kind store, you can get refrigerators. AC units, furniture, hot water tanks, and craftsman tools all kinds of things. You can bring your family to the mall in sears and get all that stuff. Like Sears was ahead of its time at the 80s and 90s, but we’re behind in the late 2000s and 2010s.
great video! To bring back Craftsman, Stanley needs to contract with SK for sockets and ratchets to be brand as craftsman, get back with western forge for screwdrivers and maybe even contract with channel lock for pliers to be branded as craftsman.
Thank you for making this, I feel like this video is spot on for so many of us. My Grandfather worked in and eventually managed a Sears Auto Center, so as you can imagine when I was growing up Sears and Craftsman was where we went and what we bought, and it was good stuff. I’m just glad my Grandfather didn’t have to see it all fall apart.
I have an old craftsman breaker bar from my father back in his days. Its broken and I refuse to take it into warranty because they want to give me a new current one. The old one has meanings to me and I rather have it sit in my box broken to remind me of my father over getting a new usable one
James Garrison user fault. Trying to break lose a very rusted stubborn bolt. Used a cheater bar on top of it and it gave way. It’s been used pretty hard throughout the year
I'd say there's a pretty even chance that if you told them of the sentimental value of your late Dad's broken breaker bar that they might give you a fresh one AND let you just keep the old one. Why not try writing to Craftsman explaining yourself and offering to send them a photo of the no longer serviceable bar: www.craftsman.com/customer-care/contact-us . Then, maybe there's something you could make of that broken bar that would make your dad proud for around the workshop...a pry bar? A vertical paper towel dispenser or hanging rack or reel? Maybe break out the welder and whip up something like this?: ruclips.net/video/LIY9CWrGz-Y/видео.html
Many years ago I heard a guy on the radio say that it was common to see a business EXPAND ... right before going under. Decades of observation have shown this to be more true than not true.
Kirk Johnson makes perfect sense to me...company is struggling so they try to expand to reach more consumers but in doing so they dig their grave even quicker
I hope B&K does right by this brand. I grew up with a dad, and two granddads who were die hard craftsman fans and I know the exact feeling you have when walking into Lowe’s.
Most of my tools are Craftsman and I still have a lot of nostalgia for the brand. Looking at the tools in my box that belonged to my dad keeps the love of the brand going.
I ended up buying craftsman because lowes is 5 minutes away and they had good sales. I do also remember seeing craftsman a lot when I was younger so figured why not give it a try. I have been impressed with the v20 line up. I now have a collection of craftsman products from drills and saws to there 3100psi pressure washer. My favorite item though is the battery powered leaf blower. Its really convenient just picking it up putting a fresh battery in and getting the leaves out of the driveway.
"who are you again and why are you interrupting my break", I heard that and it was so funny but at the same time so true. The local Sears here has 'store closing' signs everywhere, I figure this one won't be open much longer. Also, almost forgot -- Shine on!
I own a lot of Flexvolt and XR tools from Dewalt. I also have some of their basic line of power tools and its been years and they ALL still work like the day I bought them.
As a owner of the C3 and the V20 lineup. The new Brushless models belong on Construction Job sites. They should try fleet once they get a combination hammerdrill. With a vacuum attachment.
Same. The older stuff is pretty solid. Anything new is a pass. The new Lowe’s craftsman is a step up from what they been putting out the past couple years but still not back to their prime.
Brian B you have to prowl craigslist, offerup, fb marketplace, etc. So many good unbelievable deals can be found that way. Hit yard sales and flea markets too. I’ve acquired thousands of dollars worth of tools for pennies on the dollar this way.
Some pawn shops dump tools boxes into a miscellaneous bin, some are more organized. Just have a cost per tool in mind and be prepared to negotiate. I’ve also found that the more tools you’re willing to buy, the lower the per piece price. Turn a burn. Dead inventory just takes up shelf and floor space. YMMV
Craftsman has always been appealing to me as well. I've been buying their new line from Lowes and investing in their tools. I hope they do well, it sure stands out at the shop :)
My dad has been using the same Craftsman tool set that he had bought back in the early 90's, never had a problem with them through 3 decades of abuse. Time came for me to acquire some tools so I bought a Craftsman tool set from Lowe's because I had so much faith in their products. After two years of use my 3/8 socket wrench locked up on me, the 3/8 extension won't hold a socket anymore, sockets get stuck on the 1/2 extension, and I've had a few screw/torx bits completely fail. The warranty was a run around since the tool set I bought was "Gun metal grey" and it couldn't be exchanged with the chrome tools. So I had to go to 3 different Lowe's locations to find all the gun metal grey tools and deal with customer service every time. For the past year now I've been buying Kobalt and Husky and they've been doing me good so far.
My late father was a destroyer of tools. The only ones that survived were his old set of Craftsman wrenches. I chomped the like button for your Yoko Ono joke, nearly coughed up my dinner. Thank you, Bear.
The closing of Sears and Craftsman is why I shop at Harbor Freight. Has the same bring it in and get it replaced that Sears Craftsman had. I buy the Pittsburgh line, have had no problems. Did have some hex key sockets break of Craftsman & Pittsburgh both were replaced. Used to be Harbor Freight was 50 miles away. But they have expanded to be local now.
I loved sears bought lots of tools and power tools over the years. pretty much all gone around here now. dont know where any stores are in Ct and not worth traveling hours to find one. the era is gone sadly
@@jacobw446 that is very outdated. Some of those locations have been closed for years. www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2020/02/06/last-delaware-sears-close-leaving-future-concord-mall-uncertain/4677020002/
I feel much the same way you do about Craftsman. At 76 years old most of my tools are Craftsman true USA made including some I got from my grandfather.
The after market batteries are a very good option as you stated. Any time I need a tool, I visit my local pawn shop for the cleanest example of what I need, then while in store, I search for 3rd party batteries to see how much I'm going to be in the tool in total. For example, my latest find was a battery powered hand planer for $25 with bad battery, tool and charger. Tool was UN USED! $70 for a pair of 5ah 3rd party batteries and I'm for under $100. This planer is selling on ebay in used condition for $250+. Win Win...I use it for what I need it for, then I can STILL Sell it for a substantial profit. Cheers again Bear! Zip~
Still have mine after 10yrs. And now my battery doesn't charge anymore but loved them. I might've messed up the battery by putting it in my son's 12v power wheels to make it go faster 😂
I started with Porter Cable knowing that I would eventually upgrade. I was so stoked when SB&D bought Craftsman and prepared to go all in. But . . . . was greatly disappointed to find that some of the initial tools were merely rebranded PC tools. Like many I keep a sentimental eye on them but I’ve long moved on and invested in other brands.
I’ve got a set of craftsman drivers, love em. Definitely a lack in power, but I’ve put miles on them and they still get the job done for this handyman. Just got a set of Milwaukee power tools to venture into larger jobs, but I’ve loved them.
Shopping at Lowe's has never been a pleasant experience for me. I have a lot of USA made Craftsman tools but I now buy Husky when I need something new. I think they make better tools and I am always satisfied at HD.
Bear I have to say I really am impressed with the new Stanley black and decker craftsman tools. I love them and have just about all of the v20 power tools. Yes they are rebrands of porter cable and dewalt but they work great for me and are powerful. Granted I normally use my brushless one's more than the brushed but I do use them. You may not think much of it but for someone like me that loves the line and does what I expect it to do I have no issues. Also don't knock on the global materials stuff. Yes most of the parts are made in other countries but some parts are actually USA made. I'm looking forward to a brighter craftsman future now that Stanley black and decker owns it.
100% agree, Craftsman is a great brand and is super reliable. The price of the tools also isn’t bad either. I think people didn’t like craftsman as much before but a couple of years ago they started to up there game and the tools are great. I use them every day and they work great 👍🏼
I came here to say the same thing. Also, I recently got a set of craftsman mechanics tools made in Taiwan and don’t know what he means about the fit and finish. The fit and finish on the set I got is really nice! Very smooth with glossy chrome. And overall, Taiwan made tools seem to be better than China made tools, so I’m also super surprised to hear him say the line was better when Sears had degraded the quality by moving everything to China. I think the quality has clearly improved since S/B+D took them over.
I started working at Sears in 1977 after I got out of the service, back then we even had a department called farm and ranch. All the tools were USA. The hand power tools were made by Singer and the wet/dry vacs ,table saws, drill presses, etc. were made by Emerson . At a certain point Ryobi took over the Singer and Emerson product lines but the quality was still ok for quite a while . The C3 (19.2 volt) power tools were Ryobi and worked great. I watched the hand tool production gradually go chinese, with last to change being the pliers. If you look at your old Craftsman pliers and screwdrivers they are marked WF which is the the old USA firm Williams Forge.
I like ya Bear, but I really don't get why you keep harping on the factory/labor aspect so incorrectly. The "assembly line" setup in Ft Mill is basically what they've had in place for the last 25 years. The same process was used when Ryobi was making the Craftsman power tools in Ft Mill in the late '90s. Assemble, test, package and ship out. The new plant in Texas is making hand tools like wrenches and sockets which will be forged and finished on site, so there's really no way to "assemble" those. That plant is going to provide a lot of career-level jobs from maintenance techs to production supervisors to quality assurance personnel. Additionally, the "Made in USA with Global Materials" is largely (but not totally) a result of legislation that went in place in the early 2000s that more thoroughly defines country of origin for products. The processes are pretty much the same, the parts are sourced the same, etc for all of those cordless tools. Some of the components needed aren't even available from American manufacturers nowadays. Now for tool boxes and such they may be using offshore steel which is a bummer, but at least the stamping, painting, assembly etc is being done here in America. The Texas plant is a big step in the process, and to dismiss it off just seems a bit uneducated and irresponsible to me as someone who works for a globalized manufacturing company.
Your right the "Made with global Materials" was a result of us consumers trying to get a country of origin on products. Until then it wasn't required and companies tried to pawn of china crap with Black and Decker or other label at 1/10 the cost, for the same full retail price! Up until 30 yrs ago the entire tool was forged ,poured ,milled, drilled. R&D and QC'd (Neither of which China does today, beyond a tag of paper with a stamp on it thrown in the box ) Then it was assembled packed and shipped in the USA. Like all the other manufacturing it was soon to be dead. Overnight crooked political deals like NAFTA and giving Communist China - Most favored Nation Status by our wonderful leaders and the entire manufacturing sector was dead overnight. Everything from Fish processing to making a lowly Craftsmen screwdrivers and everything in between was now being made in China. If you listen he is upset at how companies like De Walt try to say how they are providing american Jobs. Yes they are at about 1/50th of what they used to, and he is right.
I bought Porter Cable cordless power tools from Lowes years ago and, your right, I am the redheaded stepchild looking to expand my tool portfolio and still able to use the same battery. Now I want to switch brands so I have enough options to expand my tools and only have one battery charger on the shelf.
Hi big bear. Found this video and now know there are three brands of craftsman. I guess the “best” might be from Sears. Not the same as in years gone bye. My Sears closed and now it is a bit of a trip to the nearest Sears. Thank you for explaining it. You are the”ONELY ONE” that truely explains what is really going on. Keep up the great reviews!!!
Just wanted to say, I really appreciate these videos about the history and development and current operations of various tool brands. Tool companies are always merging, taking each other over, or rebranding products, and it can be really difficult to disentangle and work out just who is making what, and who else they're making it for. But you really put the research in, and you aren't afraid to speak the truth, even when it's not a very happy truth. This is valuable and interesting to any serious tool user, and your videos stand out from a lot of the slavish fanboy content here on the Tube. So thank you, bear!
I have great success with the Craftsman tools and warranties from Lowes. No problems I hear about at all. Just walk in and exchange it. Tools are used and perform great.
Great video, and accurate info. I also have a soft spot for craftsman, but I haven’t pulled the trigger on most of the new SBD stuff. I’ve had good experience with craftsman customer service for warranty; free shipping, relatively painless.
Huge difference between MADE in the USA and Assembled in the USA. It's a play on words that still reels in the ignorant masses. To get around this, in the hand tool arena, is to go to your local second hand flea markets, garage sales, pawn shops and search the social media outlets for the good ole USA made hand tools. I've got a very extensive tool inventory and 3/4 of that collection has been possible through second hand purchases. As for the new power tools....If it works long enough to warrant the initial expense (ALSO purchased second hand by the way), then that's what I go for. Thanks for this video Da-Bear! Cheers! Zip~
I used to be a craftsman fanboy. That all changed about 2 or 3 years ago. I went to the Sears in my local mall when everything was like 75% off, and bought their largest portable tool kit. The like 280 piece kit. Time went on and I was doing a brake job on my truck and sheared the pawl inside and basically junked the ratchet. I went to ACE hardware since Sears had closed and intended to change the ratchet out. They fed me so much bullshit. They wanted my receipts, they wanted me to bring the entire kit back, they handed me like a 5 page document going over had I abused the tool, maintained the tool and such. On the back of that document, it said if you're a professional mechanic, we wont cover our warranty and if you lied on the document, they would fine you. All that over a cheap ass $20 ratchet. I ripped it up and threw the ratchet on the floor and left crapsman to the fanboys.
@@agoogleuser1188 nowadays that's probably the case. However, when this happened, sears had literally just left. There was no support structure. Until a brand has built up some longevity, I will not be partaking in it. Take duralast. Autozone has been in the location next to me for almost a decade. Autozones are everywhere. I can trust duralast because I can trust autozone. Craftsman is still the prom queen turned slut that spends a different night at a different guys house every day of the week. Would you trust that?
So its crapsman because sears fed you bs. The company that died dude you arent very good at acknowledging the cause of the problem. Lowes handles this much better maybe thats why they are still alive unlike sears. Its craftsman and the tools are still good and easy to have the warranty fixed.
@@elitevivid2475 would you invest stock into a company that is being bounced around like a bad case of HPV? no. I am a professional mechanic, I have thousands of dollars of tools, all of which have a stable company that I can rely on such as tekton, duralast, gearwrench, snapon and matco. I would never recommend craftsman after all of the crap they've pulled over the last decade
I have a huge collection of Craftsman tools that are USA made. Once they let quality take a back seat, I switched. For hand tools, I now go to Tekton, EZ Red, Gearwrench, Knipex, Channel Lock, and Milwaukee. For power tools, its Jet, Grizzly, DeWalt.
I just found a set of USA craftsman 3/8th metric impact sockets at an ACE being sold new covered in dust. I would’ve bought them immediately but I just bought a Wright set. Pretty cool that I saw them though and it’s crazy that they’re still stocking the shelves with these 10+ year old tools
Do one on Skil since Chervon bought them out. I Love Ego and they supposedly have put their phase change tech into the Skil brand. I'm interested to see how that works.
Taiwan. Not China. Made in Taiwan. I can attest to my 1/4 ratchet being bone dry inside, although the 3/8 was well lubricated. Sadly, a LOT of okay in the pall and selection lever. A lot of room to tighten up that part. Rathets themselves have a very nice smooth finish though.
I just returned a small set of 1/4 inch extensions. They had this weird button that was supposed to secure the connection, but it would not work with my sockets. Got kobalt instead my other favorite.
I tried some of the 'new Craftsman' hand tools and was bitterly disappointed. Got rid of them, since I didn't want to mix them up with the real Craftsman in my toolbox. I have the same reaction as Red to the sight of that logo, but I fight it, and it's waning.
Grew up dreaming of my own tool box full of nice shiny craftsman tools, bought a few things and decided I might as well ship at Harbor Freight, almost identical quality and they have never given me a problem with warranties. Hurts to fill my 3 piece craftsman box with Pittsburg tools but I just can’t see spending all the extra for a name :(
Hello to Mr. Tool Bear and rest of audience! I watched a ( sixty five ford ) RUclips vid yesterday on new tool battery adaptors on the market.You can now run (for example) Dewalt tool on Makita battery or Ryobi or Rigid etc.One battery line can run most or the 18v. tools from most manufacturers if you have the correct adapter.I know this will interest a lot of DIYers. Video called" one battery fits all tools?" works for many well known tool brands.
You can get Craftsman at Farm & Fleet now too. They sold off most of the Duralast tool line to make room for them. Boy did I get some great deals on some Duralast! My Lowe's still carries Porter Cable, and I see people buying it. I bought a Porter Cable combo kit right at the end of the nicad battery days when the 20 volt lithium stuff had just come out. Those tools still serve me well today, and the nicad batteries are still going strong!
I have been doing woodwork for 15 years my first set of power tools were Craftsman and right now I have about a dozen power tools Craftsman is the one I have the most of I have four Craftsman and one or two of the porter cable black and decker hyper tough metabo and dewalt
I use some of craftsman tools at work as a full time mechanic. Not all of them are bad, although I do think the gunmetal ratchets aren't worth the money compared the serviceable lower tooth count ratchets. Mine seems to be wearing out after a year or so 👍.
I have the same one and wish they were serviceable but I like the finish and smoothness of it. I remember when sears would have the policy if you were a professional or contractor you only had a 6 month or maybe 1 year warranty but that's only if you were silly enough to go in your company clothes lol but one could argue that's part of the downfall of craftsman as well.
@@robfahey1349 never been an issue for me. If so I'll ask for the head honcho of the store and get the tool exchanged . If not I'd never shop at lowes again 😂
I have a northern tool store not too far away and that klutch brand wrenches are lifetime over the counter warranty and really good looking tools, possibly better than pittsburgh.
I'm 51 and grew up with Craftsman because it was affordable and of good quality. I returned hand tools regularly and never had an issue. To me, it depends on WHICH tool you need. I use their wrenches and sockets and tool boxes, but with my power tools I have a Porter Cable drill and driver, Dewalt miter saw and planer, and a Wen jointer.
A lot of the old heads I work with have boxes full of old Craftsman tools. I'm super jealous of them. I generally buy Proto and Gearwrench since they are comparable in price and quality to what Craftsman used to be.
I worked for Sears for 7 years. From a little one in St Clairsville OH, to near flagship in Phoenix AZ. Eddie screwed us all. When i saw new Cratsman coming in, made in China and Taiwan, I said here we go, and jumped ship. 2 Weeks after I got hired at another retailer, my position went from a salaried manager to an hourly position at half of what i made, I knew I made the right choice. But man, remember the days when every tool or household appliance broke (usually after 20 years of faithful service), dad or grand pap said, well, we're going to Sears?
I got a new brushless 20v craftsman string trimmer at lowes earlier this year for $150. I love it a lot and with the included 4ah battery it really will last 40min+. By then I'm worn out too. That said, I definitely caved to the desire of the "purdy red craftsman" thoughts you were talking about...
My Lowe’s has no Porter Cable anymore. They’re still being carried at my local Tractor Supply. The Craftsman stuff looks good. I wonder what the addition of Craftsman at Lowe’s has done to the Kobalt line, who are also doing power tools now.
Hey Mr Bear. Could you make a video explaining or showing which type of tools are easier to return in store. Ex. Screw drivers X brand, Wrenches y brand. I know you did a ratchet video so we already have that one. Thanks. Great content, keep it coming. Thanks again.
One of my most prized possessions is a Craftsman #8 jointing plane that I found in a scrap bin and restored. It is at least 70 years old, and possibly as much as 90. After flattening, sharpening, and paint touch up it works like a dream :-)
I warrantied out a usa craftsman ratchet about 4-5 months ago. I emailed stanley b&d, they forwarded me to their craftsman division, i sent 2 pictures and a new ratchet was in the mail. Of course it was the chinese version but their process via email was quick and easy as it should be
Tommy Sick that’s almost all manufacturing nowadays. I use to work at Motorola and the majority of the parts were sourced from over seas. There was one cabinet that was made in Mexico but assembled in USA. “Assembly” consisted of adding weather stripping on doors, grounding cables and a couple rivets. That’s probably as good as it’s gonna get.
@@mattdonna9677 escape regulations is right… government is anti-business in America unless you're Walmart or Amazon. There is nothing greedy about profit. Greed is a buzzword for people with below 95 IQs.
I have a nice carry case socket set from the presale Craftsman. I’ve bought and had to return a newer set I bought at K-Mart when they started to branch out. It was not easy to return as it would’ve been at Sears in the old days. I would also stay away from anything except the basic hand tools.
Picked up a new craftsman 3/8 flex head ratchet at ace two months ago. It has not done any work yet, just sitting on the bench. Picked it up listening to up and I see the plating is coming off already😭 . Not to mention that the flex head does not have a lock like my Stanley has that's 15 years older.....
Back in 1969 I worked at Sears on Pico Blvd in Los Angeles while going to college..Bought a tool set for $99.00 which included a metal toolbox. Still have 95% of the original tools.
I was sad to see the Sears by me close down, the Sears outlet store was around for a little while but that is not gone too. Nothing stays the same I guess... At least there is a Harbor Freight close to me now to get bargains at. I miss the Craftsman's from the 90s
Hassle free broken tool exchange at Ace hardware, in and out. Lowes on the other hand wasn't hard, but they did require my ID, and you have to do it at the customer service desk. Which sometimes has a long wait line.
The first tool set I ever owned was a set of metric combo wrenches to work on my Toyota. I asked for them from my parents for Christmas. Still have most of them - 30 years later.Oh how the mighty have fallen...
Almost all of my hand tools say Craftsman on them. I was very excited when I got my 300 and some piece mechanics tool kit. Lifetime warranty right down the road? What is better than that. Now Kobalt is my go to for power tools and Tekton will probably be my go to for new sockets etc.
Very impressed with Tekton - BUT - only 20% of their products are Made In USA. 70% are sourced in Taiwan and that remaining 10% come from China (that is according to their own website). I have a torque wench, set of pry bars, 1/2" drive breaker bar, and a 7" locking pliers from them and the only thing made in America are the pry bars. Warranty is the same on all of them, though, and the breaker bar (Taiwan) is 3/4" thick and I can't imagine being able to bend it. I haven't had the opportunity to really put it to the test yet (too cold out and no heat in the shop) but this spring I have an engine rebuild and I'll bet it gets some serious use then.
I still remember Bruce Dodge at Northrop Technical Institute saying that Craftsman tools were perfectly fine tools for working on aircraft and that if you wanted Snap On, you were basically paying for the shiney finish and the name. Bruce was an instructor at Northrop, and he said that the first day of my A&P training. I never finished my Aircraft Mechanic education, but still became an Automobile and Ag mechanic. I bought a lot of expensive tools off the Snap On, Matco, and Mac trucks. But I never had a problem with the the older Craftsman tools I had in my box. It's sad what that CEO of Sears did to the Craftsman name. It's sad what Service economies do to quality products and quality names...they destroy them.
I have limited experience with Craftsman tools from the past 10 years. I like my bandsaw, table saw, and hand tools from 10 to 20 years ago. I recently used the Craftsman and DeWalt impact drivers and the Craftsman was slow, lost power fast, and was heavy and huge while the Dewalt was the low end driver and far surpassed the Craftsman in speed, battery life, and lightness.
I don't understand the issue discussed on warranty. Just call Craftsman support and they send you a replacement quickly. I understand it is not the as when there was a Sears in every town and you could just go in and replace, but with the tool brands today, that is a norm. I had very positive experiences with Craftsman warranty recently. Snap-On however, I am on a third month of waiting for a warranty replacement. I have also recently used Gearwrench warranty (Apex Tool Group) and they fit in the middle. Replacement from them in 1 to 2 weeks. The only issue with the Craftsman warranty that I have is what you get as a replacement. With so many versions of Craftsman, the old USA, the Sears China, SB&D, etc ... you end up with what is stocked that is most similar. Also, assuming that SB&D processes your warranty claim on a Sears item, you will be getting a SB&D replacement.
Ever since Sears closed in our area, I have had very good experiences in getting Craftsman warranty thru SBD email customer service. I have gotten warranty on a 15/16", 3/4" drive, 12 point, shallow chrome socket, and a long handle 3/8" drive fixed head ratchet (replaced with a new fine tooth model). I have also warrantied a 1-5/16", 3/4" drive, 12 point shallow chrome USA-made Challenger by Proto socket. Since this was the Proto sub-brand back in the day, I expected to get a Blackhawk replacement, but they actually shipped out a Proto USA socket. As for Lowes handling of Craftsman warranty, we are going to give them another shot. My boss found a box with about 10 to 12 old, broken Craftsman sockets in his garage. We are going to try to warranty whatever we can using Lowes available open stock, then try Ace and if anything is left, emailing SBD customer service.
Sears is using Great Star aA a supplier for many hand tools, this stuff is better finished than most of Stanley’s imports. These are Z coded before the year code on the tools. They’re also typically less expensive since they aren’t paying the royalty Stanley has to pay for the next 12 years.
As a middle class family with 5 boys this is where my mom shopped best price and warranty, if your kids tore their new pants warranty no questions. I stopped shopping at Sears about 23 years ago prices too high except for Craftsman. About 10 years ago they started selling cheep unbranded tools alongside the Craftsman the department head said it was because people thought Craftsman was to expensive, way to kill a brand. As good as Mac and Snapon same warranty 30 to 50% less cost. Today keep your receipt if you expect to use your warranty. Going forward I would buy off brand tools and have an extra of the sizes that take high torque or extra punishment. I won’t do business with companies that do not keep their promises.
Craftsman products sold by sears are not the SBD craftsman. They still are allowed to source and sell their own craftsman tools in parallel with SBD for something like 10 more years The C3 tools were made by TTI , parallel to the Ryobi line. Basically the same tools with a different battery stem.
Please correct me if I am wrong. Today, most tool companies in America are owned by Stanley Black and Decker. These include: DeWalt, Porter-Cable, Black & Decker, Craftsman, Stanley, Irwin (Channel lock), Mac Tools, Proto, and nearly a hundred smaller but still significant tool companies. Missing from this list is Snap-On, Skil, Rigid, and (can you name ‘em?)
No sears near me. The one here closed years ago. As a kid when my mother took me shopping for clothes🤮at sears at least I could wander through the tool dept and dream of the day I could but those nice shiny tools! Well nothing stays the same I guess, but I miss the place😢
Ugh. Ive got a ton of the old Sears craftsman tools and recently bought a house and had planned to outfit myself with a fleet of Craftsman power tools and lawn equipment but maybe I won't now. I guess I'll go Ryobi instead.
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I completely understand the pull the Craftsman logo has on you. I'm a 4th generation Craftsman fan and I was raised on the greatest of it. When we were cleaning up my grandfather's house after he died, we found Craftsman wooden tools his dad (my great-grandfather & who was a master carpenter) had from the 1930s.
That's awesome. I wasnt there for the glory days but I still have their stuff cuz I think they look cool
Same
@@ryu-ken The Craftsman RP Line is fantastic.
Same
And I still use some of them to this day
I have invested pretty heavily into the new craftsman tool lineup, and so far 6 months in, I am very pleased with all the tools, I have used them more than I expected, and they have held up well to extreme use and abuse!
Same here.🤙
@@Sandstorm69 Same! I went with the RPs. Money :)
Born and raised on USA 🇺🇸 Craftsman hand tools and still have and love them all. Here recently I needed new cordless power tools. I don’t use them everyday or every other day so I was not going to pay Milwaukee or DeWalt prices so I pulled the trigger on the new 20v Craftsman ones and as a casual user I have been very pleased with them great video keep up the good fight
Hi Lance, I just bought a Craftsman cordless Sawzall and a Drill. I hope they are decent quality. After watching this video I dont know what to think.
One thing you have to hand them is that they honored the lifetime warranty on their products; no questions asked. I remember back in the early 70's a friend of mine found a rusted, busted Craftsman pipe wrench lying in an alley. He brought it back to Sears, and they handed him a new one.
I had a buddy who just told me it took him longer to walk to the tool section in the store than it did for them to process the warranty at Lowe’s.
So sad ! 4 generations of mechanics in my family and we all used craftsman tools. Not just tools but Spectrum oil, die-hard batteries, road handler tires...etc,etc. Like watching an old friend die a slow death. Thanks corporate greed.
Corporate stupidity.
Honestly now there pretty damn solid
They're still better than they were 5-10 years ago at Sears.
Like you, Craftsman is in my DNA. I really want to love Craftsman.
I'm upset the way things are going for Craftsman,I also miss going to Sears and picking up tools every black Friday !
Craftsman tools and diehard boots
I stared buying craftsman power tools recently. Started buying them for home and ended up bringing them to work. I've never had a power tool that made me want to spend the money and commit to a tool brand. Sure I liked Milwaukee but didn't want to spend the money, had ridgid and Bosch stuff, and a super old Dewalt hammer drill but just never really liked any of them enough to commit to a battery and a brand. Once I started buying craftsmans new power tools I was hooked. The more I used em the more I liked em. Now I have a bunch of craftsman brushless stuff and absolutely love them.
Sears is a one of kind store, you can get refrigerators. AC units, furniture, hot water tanks, and craftsman tools all kinds of things. You can bring your family to the mall in sears and get all that stuff. Like Sears was ahead of its time at the 80s and 90s, but we’re behind in the late 2000s and 2010s.
Too bad they got greedy and killed the store from eating too much cake so sad.
great video! To bring back Craftsman, Stanley needs to contract with SK for sockets and ratchets to be brand as craftsman, get back with western forge for screwdrivers and maybe even contract with channel lock for pliers to be branded as craftsman.
Thank you for making this, I feel like this video is spot on for so many of us. My Grandfather worked in and eventually managed a Sears Auto Center, so as you can imagine when I was growing up Sears and Craftsman was where we went and what we bought, and it was good stuff. I’m just glad my Grandfather didn’t have to see it all fall apart.
I have an old craftsman breaker bar from my father back in his days. Its broken and I refuse to take it into warranty because they want to give me a new current one. The old one has meanings to me and I rather have it sit in my box broken to remind me of my father over getting a new usable one
How was it broken
James Garrison user fault. Trying to break lose a very rusted stubborn bolt. Used a cheater bar on top of it and it gave way. It’s been used pretty hard throughout the year
They won’t warranty old craftsman tools at Lowe’s anyway.
Henry with a mustache I wouldn’t want them to warranty quality with their cheap short cut low punch stuff anyways.
I'd say there's a pretty even chance that if you told them of the sentimental value of your late Dad's broken breaker bar that they might give you a fresh one AND let you just keep the old one. Why not try writing to Craftsman explaining yourself and offering to send them a photo of the no longer serviceable bar: www.craftsman.com/customer-care/contact-us . Then, maybe there's something you could make of that broken bar that would make your dad proud for around the workshop...a pry bar? A vertical paper towel dispenser or hanging rack or reel? Maybe break out the welder and whip up something like this?: ruclips.net/video/LIY9CWrGz-Y/видео.html
Many years ago I heard a guy on the radio say that it was common to see a business EXPAND ... right before going under. Decades of observation have shown this to be more true than not true.
Kirk Johnson makes perfect sense to me...company is struggling so they try to expand to reach more consumers but in doing so they dig their grave even quicker
@mike a Another angle on the same concept- I'll bet you're right.
From the looks of it they have actually done well financially this year. Craftsman was bought out as far as I know as well.
I hope B&K does right by this brand. I grew up with a dad, and two granddads who were die hard craftsman fans and I know the exact feeling you have when walking into Lowe’s.
Most of my tools are Craftsman and I still have a lot of nostalgia for the brand. Looking at the tools in my box that belonged to my dad keeps the love of the brand going.
I ended up buying craftsman because lowes is 5 minutes away and they had good sales. I do also remember seeing craftsman a lot when I was younger so figured why not give it a try. I have been impressed with the v20 line up. I now have a collection of craftsman products from drills and saws to there 3100psi pressure washer. My favorite item though is the battery powered leaf blower. Its really convenient just picking it up putting a fresh battery in and getting the leaves out of the driveway.
"who are you again and why are you interrupting my break", I heard that and it was so funny but at the same time so true. The local Sears here has 'store closing' signs everywhere, I figure this one won't be open much longer. Also, almost forgot -- Shine on!
I own a lot of Flexvolt and XR tools from Dewalt. I also have some of their basic line of power tools and its been years and they ALL still work like the day I bought them.
I love my brushless craftsman v20 power tool set. It's just like dewalt for half the price. And I screw 300 6in timberlock screws in 2in lvls all day
As a owner of the C3 and the V20 lineup. The new Brushless models belong on Construction Job sites. They should try fleet once they get a combination hammerdrill. With a vacuum attachment.
I placed Craftsman on the back burner after they moved production to China, but I’ve been buying made in USA and old Craftsman stuff.
Same. The older stuff is pretty solid. Anything new is a pass. The new Lowe’s craftsman is a step up from what they been putting out the past couple years but still not back to their prime.
Ohio Outdoors do you get the older stuff on eBay? Idk where else to buy them
Brian B you have to prowl craigslist, offerup, fb marketplace, etc. So many good unbelievable deals can be found that way. Hit yard sales and flea markets too. I’ve acquired thousands of dollars worth of tools for pennies on the dollar this way.
Hard too find us made tools. I buy merndees hand tools they have a life time warrttey
Some pawn shops dump tools boxes into a miscellaneous bin, some are more organized. Just have a cost per tool in mind and be prepared to negotiate. I’ve also found that the more tools you’re willing to buy, the lower the per piece price. Turn a burn. Dead inventory just takes up shelf and floor space. YMMV
Craftsman has always been appealing to me as well. I've been buying their new line from Lowes and investing in their tools. I hope they do well, it sure stands out at the shop :)
My dad has been using the same Craftsman tool set that he had bought back in the early 90's, never had a problem with them through 3 decades of abuse. Time came for me to acquire some tools so I bought a Craftsman tool set from Lowe's because I had so much faith in their products. After two years of use my 3/8 socket wrench locked up on me, the 3/8 extension won't hold a socket anymore, sockets get stuck on the 1/2 extension, and I've had a few screw/torx bits completely fail. The warranty was a run around since the tool set I bought was "Gun metal grey" and it couldn't be exchanged with the chrome tools. So I had to go to 3 different Lowe's locations to find all the gun metal grey tools and deal with customer service every time. For the past year now I've been buying Kobalt and Husky and they've been doing me good so far.
My late father was a destroyer of tools. The only ones that survived were his old set of Craftsman wrenches. I chomped the like button for your Yoko Ono joke, nearly coughed up my dinner. Thank you, Bear.
I miss Sears, Craftsman, Kenmore, and most of all I miss the USA. :-(
yea man my grandfather worked/ retired from sears, he was a mechanic. crazy to see the end of the company.
The closing of Sears and Craftsman is why I shop at Harbor Freight.
Has the same bring it in and get it replaced that Sears Craftsman had. I buy the Pittsburgh line, have had no problems. Did have some hex key sockets break of Craftsman & Pittsburgh both were replaced. Used to be Harbor Freight was 50 miles away. But they have expanded to be local now.
Sears is dead to me.. because there is literally no Sears store left in my state!
No Sears in Tennessee either.
I loved sears bought lots of tools and power tools over the years. pretty much all gone around here now. dont know where any stores are in Ct and not worth traveling hours to find one. the era is gone sadly
They messed up years ago and it’s surprising any sears stores still exist.
Delaware just closed their last Sears
@@jacobw446 that is very outdated. Some of those locations have been closed for years. www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2020/02/06/last-delaware-sears-close-leaving-future-concord-mall-uncertain/4677020002/
I feel much the same way you do about Craftsman. At 76 years old most of my tools are Craftsman true USA made including some I got from my grandfather.
The after market batteries are a very good option as you stated. Any time I need a tool, I visit my local pawn shop for the cleanest example of what I need, then while in store, I search for 3rd party batteries to see how much I'm going to be in the tool in total. For example, my latest find was a battery powered hand planer for $25 with bad battery, tool and charger. Tool was UN USED! $70 for a pair of 5ah 3rd party batteries and I'm for under $100. This planer is selling on ebay in used condition for $250+. Win Win...I use it for what I need it for, then I can STILL Sell it for a substantial profit. Cheers again Bear! Zip~
I love the C3 line. I've used them for years now.
Still have mine after 10yrs. And now my battery doesn't charge anymore but loved them. I might've messed up the battery by putting it in my son's 12v power wheels to make it go faster 😂
I started with Porter Cable knowing that I would eventually upgrade. I was so stoked when SB&D bought Craftsman and prepared to go all in. But . . . . was greatly disappointed to find that some of the initial tools were merely rebranded PC tools. Like many I keep a sentimental eye on them but I’ve long moved on and invested in other brands.
What brands you end up buying into?
I’ve got a set of craftsman drivers, love em. Definitely a lack in power, but I’ve put miles on them and they still get the job done for this handyman. Just got a set of Milwaukee power tools to venture into larger jobs, but I’ve loved them.
Shopping at Lowe's has never been a pleasant experience for me. I have a lot of USA made Craftsman tools but I now buy Husky when I need something new. I think they make better tools and I am always satisfied at HD.
All I buy is husky great tools
Bear I have to say I really am impressed with the new Stanley black and decker craftsman tools. I love them and have just about all of the v20 power tools. Yes they are rebrands of porter cable and dewalt but they work great for me and are powerful. Granted I normally use my brushless one's more than the brushed but I do use them. You may not think much of it but for someone like me that loves the line and does what I expect it to do I have no issues. Also don't knock on the global materials stuff. Yes most of the parts are made in other countries but some parts are actually USA made. I'm looking forward to a brighter craftsman future now that Stanley black and decker owns it.
100% agree, Craftsman is a great brand and is super reliable. The price of the tools also isn’t bad either. I think people didn’t like craftsman as much before but a couple of years ago they started to up there game and the tools are great. I use them every day and they work great 👍🏼
I came here to say the same thing. Also, I recently got a set of craftsman mechanics tools made in Taiwan and don’t know what he means about the fit and finish. The fit and finish on the set I got is really nice! Very smooth with glossy chrome. And overall, Taiwan made tools seem to be better than China made tools, so I’m also super surprised to hear him say the line was better when Sears had degraded the quality by moving everything to China. I think the quality has clearly improved since S/B+D took them over.
I started working at Sears in 1977 after I got out of the service, back then we even had a department called farm and ranch. All the tools were USA. The hand power tools were made by Singer and the wet/dry vacs ,table saws, drill presses, etc. were made by Emerson . At a certain point Ryobi took over the Singer and Emerson product lines but the quality was still ok for quite a while . The C3 (19.2 volt) power tools were Ryobi and worked great. I watched the hand tool production gradually go chinese, with last to change being the pliers. If you look at your old Craftsman pliers and screwdrivers they are marked WF which is the the old USA firm Williams Forge.
I like ya Bear, but I really don't get why you keep harping on the factory/labor aspect so incorrectly. The "assembly line" setup in Ft Mill is basically what they've had in place for the last 25 years. The same process was used when Ryobi was making the Craftsman power tools in Ft Mill in the late '90s. Assemble, test, package and ship out. The new plant in Texas is making hand tools like wrenches and sockets which will be forged and finished on site, so there's really no way to "assemble" those. That plant is going to provide a lot of career-level jobs from maintenance techs to production supervisors to quality assurance personnel.
Additionally, the "Made in USA with Global Materials" is largely (but not totally) a result of legislation that went in place in the early 2000s that more thoroughly defines country of origin for products. The processes are pretty much the same, the parts are sourced the same, etc for all of those cordless tools. Some of the components needed aren't even available from American manufacturers nowadays. Now for tool boxes and such they may be using offshore steel which is a bummer, but at least the stamping, painting, assembly etc is being done here in America. The Texas plant is a big step in the process, and to dismiss it off just seems a bit uneducated and irresponsible to me as someone who works for a globalized manufacturing company.
Your right the "Made with global Materials" was a result of us consumers trying to get a country of origin on products. Until then it wasn't required and companies tried to pawn of china crap with Black and Decker or other label at 1/10 the cost, for the same full retail price! Up until 30 yrs ago the entire tool was forged ,poured ,milled, drilled. R&D and QC'd (Neither of which China does today, beyond a tag of paper with a stamp on it thrown in the box ) Then it was assembled packed and shipped in the USA. Like all the other manufacturing it was soon to be dead. Overnight crooked political deals like NAFTA and giving Communist China - Most favored Nation Status by our wonderful leaders and the entire manufacturing sector was dead overnight. Everything from Fish processing to making a lowly Craftsmen screwdrivers and everything in between was now being made in China. If you listen he is upset at how companies like De Walt try to say how they are providing american Jobs. Yes they are at about 1/50th of what they used to, and he is right.
I bought Porter Cable cordless power tools from Lowes years ago and, your right, I am the redheaded stepchild looking to expand my tool portfolio and still able to use the same battery. Now I want to switch brands so I have enough options to expand my tools and only have one battery charger on the shelf.
Hi big bear. Found this video and now know there are three brands of craftsman. I guess the “best” might be from Sears. Not the same as in years gone bye. My Sears closed and now it is a bit of a trip to the nearest Sears. Thank you for explaining it. You are the”ONELY ONE” that truely explains what is really going on. Keep up the great reviews!!!
Just wanted to say, I really appreciate these videos about the history and development and current operations of various tool brands. Tool companies are always merging, taking each other over, or rebranding products, and it can be really difficult to disentangle and work out just who is making what, and who else they're making it for. But you really put the research in, and you aren't afraid to speak the truth, even when it's not a very happy truth. This is valuable and interesting to any serious tool user, and your videos stand out from a lot of the slavish fanboy content here on the Tube. So thank you, bear!
I have great success with the Craftsman tools and warranties from Lowes. No problems I hear about at all. Just walk in and exchange it. Tools are used and perform great.
Great video, and accurate info. I also have a soft spot for craftsman, but I haven’t pulled the trigger on most of the new SBD stuff. I’ve had good experience with craftsman customer service for warranty; free shipping, relatively painless.
Huge difference between MADE in the USA and Assembled in the USA. It's a play on words that still reels in the ignorant masses. To get around this, in the hand tool arena, is to go to your local second hand flea markets, garage sales, pawn shops and search the social media outlets for the good ole USA made hand tools. I've got a very extensive tool inventory and 3/4 of that collection has been possible through second hand purchases. As for the new power tools....If it works long enough to warrant the initial expense (ALSO purchased second hand by the way), then that's what I go for. Thanks for this video Da-Bear! Cheers! Zip~
I used to be a craftsman fanboy. That all changed about 2 or 3 years ago. I went to the Sears in my local mall when everything was like 75% off, and bought their largest portable tool kit. The like 280 piece kit. Time went on and I was doing a brake job on my truck and sheared the pawl inside and basically junked the ratchet. I went to ACE hardware since Sears had closed and intended to change the ratchet out. They fed me so much bullshit. They wanted my receipts, they wanted me to bring the entire kit back, they handed me like a 5 page document going over had I abused the tool, maintained the tool and such. On the back of that document, it said if you're a professional mechanic, we wont cover our warranty and if you lied on the document, they would fine you. All that over a cheap ass $20 ratchet. I ripped it up and threw the ratchet on the floor and left crapsman to the fanboys.
Ik it’s late but I abuse my craftsman tools and go to Lowe’s for my warranty and they handle it much better then ace
@@agoogleuser1188 nowadays that's probably the case. However, when this happened, sears had literally just left. There was no support structure. Until a brand has built up some longevity, I will not be partaking in it. Take duralast. Autozone has been in the location next to me for almost a decade. Autozones are everywhere. I can trust duralast because I can trust autozone. Craftsman is still the prom queen turned slut that spends a different night at a different guys house every day of the week. Would you trust that?
Ill take $200 for "that never happened", Alex.
So its crapsman because sears fed you bs. The company that died dude you arent very good at acknowledging the cause of the problem. Lowes handles this much better maybe thats why they are still alive unlike sears. Its craftsman and the tools are still good and easy to have the warranty fixed.
@@elitevivid2475 would you invest stock into a company that is being bounced around like a bad case of HPV? no. I am a professional mechanic, I have thousands of dollars of tools, all of which have a stable company that I can rely on such as tekton, duralast, gearwrench, snapon and matco. I would never recommend craftsman after all of the crap they've pulled over the last decade
I have a huge collection of Craftsman tools that are USA made. Once they let quality take a back seat, I switched. For hand tools, I now go to Tekton, EZ Red, Gearwrench, Knipex, Channel Lock, and Milwaukee. For power tools, its Jet, Grizzly, DeWalt.
I just found a set of USA craftsman 3/8th metric impact sockets at an ACE being sold new covered in dust. I would’ve bought them immediately but I just bought a Wright set. Pretty cool that I saw them though and it’s crazy that they’re still stocking the shelves with these 10+ year old tools
Do one on Skil since Chervon bought them out. I Love Ego and they supposedly have put their phase change tech into the Skil brand. I'm interested to see how that works.
Taiwan. Not China. Made in Taiwan.
I can attest to my 1/4 ratchet being bone dry inside, although the 3/8 was well lubricated. Sadly, a LOT of okay in the pall and selection lever. A lot of room to tighten up that part. Rathets themselves have a very nice smooth finish though.
I just returned a small set of 1/4 inch extensions. They had this weird button that was supposed to secure the connection, but it would not work with my sockets. Got kobalt instead my other favorite.
I tried some of the 'new Craftsman' hand tools and was bitterly disappointed. Got rid of them, since I didn't want to mix them up with the real Craftsman in my toolbox. I have the same reaction as Red to the sight of that logo, but I fight it, and it's waning.
Grew up dreaming of my own tool box full of nice shiny craftsman tools, bought a few things and decided I might as well ship at Harbor Freight, almost identical quality and they have never given me a problem with warranties. Hurts to fill my 3 piece craftsman box with Pittsburg tools but I just can’t see spending all the extra for a name :(
Hello to Mr. Tool Bear and rest of audience! I watched a ( sixty five ford ) RUclips vid yesterday on new tool battery adaptors on the market.You can now run (for example) Dewalt tool on Makita battery or Ryobi or Rigid etc.One battery line can run most or the 18v. tools from most manufacturers if you have the correct adapter.I know this will interest a lot of DIYers. Video called" one battery fits all tools?" works for many well known tool brands.
You can get Craftsman at Farm & Fleet now too. They sold off most of the Duralast tool line to make room for them. Boy did I get some great deals on some Duralast!
My Lowe's still carries Porter Cable, and I see people buying it. I bought a Porter Cable combo kit right at the end of the nicad battery days when the 20 volt lithium stuff had just come out. Those tools still serve me well today, and the nicad batteries are still going strong!
This is my favorite tool video series!
I have been doing woodwork for 15 years my first set of power tools were Craftsman and right now I have about a dozen power tools Craftsman is the one I have the most of I have four Craftsman and one or two of the porter cable black and decker hyper tough metabo and dewalt
I use some of craftsman tools at work as a full time mechanic. Not all of them are bad, although I do think the gunmetal ratchets aren't worth the money compared the serviceable lower tooth count ratchets. Mine seems to be wearing out after a year or so 👍.
I have the same one and wish they were serviceable but I like the finish and smoothness of it. I remember when sears would have the policy if you were a professional or contractor you only had a 6 month or maybe 1 year warranty but that's only if you were silly enough to go in your company clothes lol but one could argue that's part of the downfall of craftsman as well.
@@robfahey1349 never been an issue for me. If so I'll ask for the head honcho of the store and get the tool exchanged . If not I'd never shop at lowes again 😂
i had a sears 2 blocks from me now i have to drive 70 miles. but my dad and his dad had craftsman si i got left all of them so i still love them.
I still have a 100 or so piece tool set of craftsman tools that was my dads from back in the 70s , I use them all the time and work perfect.
I used to buy only Sears Craftsman sockets and ratchets. Now it is Pittsburgh or Icon; Husky or Kobalt if I have to.
Me too
Right
I have a northern tool store not too far away and that klutch brand wrenches are lifetime over the counter warranty and really good looking tools, possibly better than pittsburgh.
Harbor freight is great!
@@rowdybroomstick1216 I just wish northern tools were out west too.
I'm 51 and grew up with Craftsman because it was affordable and of good quality. I returned hand tools regularly and never had an issue. To me, it depends on WHICH tool you need. I use their wrenches and sockets and tool boxes, but with my power tools I have a Porter Cable drill and driver, Dewalt miter saw and planer, and a Wen jointer.
A lot of the old heads I work with have boxes full of old Craftsman tools. I'm super jealous of them. I generally buy Proto and Gearwrench since they are comparable in price and quality to what Craftsman used to be.
I worked for Sears for 7 years. From a little one in St Clairsville OH, to near flagship in Phoenix AZ. Eddie screwed us all. When i saw new Cratsman coming in, made in China and Taiwan, I said here we go, and jumped ship. 2 Weeks after I got hired at another retailer, my position went from a salaried manager to an hourly position at half of what i made, I knew I made the right choice. But man, remember the days when every tool or household appliance broke (usually after 20 years of faithful service), dad or grand pap said, well, we're going to Sears?
I got a new brushless 20v craftsman string trimmer at lowes earlier this year for $150. I love it a lot and with the included 4ah battery it really will last 40min+. By then I'm worn out too. That said, I definitely caved to the desire of the "purdy red craftsman" thoughts you were talking about...
Porter Cable is also at Bi-mart in the PNW, 81 stores
My Lowe’s has no Porter Cable anymore. They’re still being carried at my local Tractor Supply. The Craftsman stuff looks good. I wonder what the addition of Craftsman at Lowe’s has done to the Kobalt line, who are also doing power tools now.
Hey Mr Bear. Could you make a video explaining or showing which type of tools are easier to return in store. Ex. Screw drivers X brand, Wrenches y brand. I know you did a ratchet video so we already have that one. Thanks. Great content, keep it coming. Thanks again.
I use to fix the rachets for Craftsman when I was a cashier for sears, it was the best part of the job.
One of my most prized possessions is a Craftsman #8 jointing plane that I found in a scrap bin and restored. It is at least 70 years old, and possibly as much as 90. After flattening, sharpening, and paint touch up it works like a dream :-)
I'm 80 years old and have some Craftsman tools older than me. It's sad to see what has happened to a great tool line.
They should make Porter Cable high end pro tool like they use to be in the 90's and early 2000's
After Sears stopped making the tools in the USA I stopped going there.
I hear people say the exact same thing. then they went out and bought Milwaukee tools. lol
Double D exactly lol
Even if it's made in the USA, it's still using foreign parts lol.
-And now Milwaukee is Hong Kong owned, (Techtronic) , and largely Chinese made. Run of the mill junk, for the most part. Gimmicks for the rest...
Edison wong, not really the case
Sears is a zombie land, just shopped at a Sears “Grand”, well not so much. RIP Sears/Kmart
Haven't seen an open sears in 3 years. Been at least a decade seeing a k-mart.
I warrantied out a usa craftsman ratchet about 4-5 months ago. I emailed stanley b&d, they forwarded me to their craftsman division, i sent 2 pictures and a new ratchet was in the mail. Of course it was the chinese version but their process via email was quick and easy as it should be
The assemble here to put a made in USA label on it is taken right out of snap-on's playbook
Tommy Sick that’s almost all manufacturing nowadays. I use to work at Motorola and the majority of the parts were sourced from over seas. There was one cabinet that was made in Mexico but assembled in USA. “Assembly” consisted of adding weather stripping on doors, grounding cables and a couple rivets. That’s probably as good as it’s gonna get.
@@avega2792 > no one cares !
Blame labor laws that make it too expensive to hire the low-skill Americans that need jobs. Minimum wage + Unionization killed American factories.
@@mattdonna9677 escape regulations is right… government is anti-business in America unless you're Walmart or Amazon. There is nothing greedy about profit. Greed is a buzzword for people with below 95 IQs.
I have a nice carry case socket set from the presale Craftsman. I’ve bought and had to return a newer set I bought at K-Mart when they started to branch out. It was not easy to return as it would’ve been at Sears in the old days. I would also stay away from anything except the basic hand tools.
Picked up a new craftsman 3/8 flex head ratchet at ace two months ago. It has not done any work yet, just sitting on the bench. Picked it up listening to up and I see the plating is coming off already😭 . Not to mention that the flex head does not have a lock like my Stanley has that's 15 years older.....
Back in 1969 I worked at Sears on Pico Blvd in Los Angeles while going to college..Bought a tool set for $99.00 which included a metal toolbox. Still have 95% of the original tools.
I was sad to see the Sears by me close down, the Sears outlet store was around for a little while but that is not gone too. Nothing stays the same I guess... At least there is a Harbor Freight close to me now to get bargains at. I miss the Craftsman's from the 90s
Thanks for another in depth report. I grew up with sears and craftsman and am sad to see it change and in many ways just go away. Thank you
I have an old craftsman 2 snow blower it is a 10/29 model and has a 10 hp Tecumseh flat head from the 90s and it's still going strong
Hassle free broken tool exchange at Ace hardware, in and out. Lowes on the other hand wasn't hard, but they did require my ID, and you have to do it at the customer service desk. Which sometimes has a long wait line.
I have a Craftsman bolt on 20volt drill system and have figured out that B&D 20volt batteries will work in it
I love my BOLT-ON. One motor many attachments. Worry that when (or if) it dies I will not find a new motor.
The first tool set I ever owned was a set of metric combo wrenches to work on my Toyota. I asked for them from my parents for Christmas. Still have most of them - 30 years later.Oh how the mighty have fallen...
Almost all of my hand tools say Craftsman on them. I was very excited when I got my 300 and some piece mechanics tool kit. Lifetime warranty right down the road? What is better than that. Now Kobalt is my go to for power tools and Tekton will probably be my go to for new sockets etc.
Very impressed with Tekton - BUT - only 20% of their products are Made In USA. 70% are sourced in Taiwan and that remaining 10% come from China (that is according to their own website). I have a torque wench, set of pry bars, 1/2" drive breaker bar, and a 7" locking pliers from them and the only thing made in America are the pry bars. Warranty is the same on all of them, though, and the breaker bar (Taiwan) is 3/4" thick and I can't imagine being able to bend it. I haven't had the opportunity to really put it to the test yet (too cold out and no heat in the shop) but this spring I have an engine rebuild and I'll bet it gets some serious use then.
I still remember Bruce Dodge at Northrop Technical Institute saying that Craftsman tools were perfectly fine tools for working on aircraft and that if you wanted Snap On, you were basically paying for the shiney finish and the name. Bruce was an instructor at Northrop, and he said that the first day of my A&P training. I never finished my Aircraft Mechanic education, but still became an Automobile and Ag mechanic. I bought a lot of expensive tools off the Snap On, Matco, and Mac trucks. But I never had a problem with the the older Craftsman tools I had in my box. It's sad what that CEO of Sears did to the Craftsman name. It's sad what Service economies do to quality products and quality names...they destroy them.
I have limited experience with Craftsman tools from the past 10 years. I like my bandsaw, table saw, and hand tools from 10 to 20 years ago. I recently used the Craftsman and DeWalt impact drivers and the Craftsman was slow, lost power fast, and was heavy and huge while the Dewalt was the low end driver and far surpassed the Craftsman in speed, battery life, and lightness.
I don't understand the issue discussed on warranty. Just call Craftsman support and they send you a replacement quickly. I understand it is not the as when there was a Sears in every town and you could just go in and replace, but with the tool brands today, that is a norm. I had very positive experiences with Craftsman warranty recently. Snap-On however, I am on a third month of waiting for a warranty replacement. I have also recently used Gearwrench warranty (Apex Tool Group) and they fit in the middle. Replacement from them in 1 to 2 weeks. The only issue with the Craftsman warranty that I have is what you get as a replacement. With so many versions of Craftsman, the old USA, the Sears China, SB&D, etc ... you end up with what is stocked that is most similar. Also, assuming that SB&D processes your warranty claim on a Sears item, you will be getting a SB&D replacement.
Would love to see a follow-up on this; now that there has been 3 years of pretty hard marketing and several updates to the brand since then.
Ever since Sears closed in our area, I have had very good experiences in getting Craftsman warranty thru SBD email customer service. I have gotten warranty on a 15/16", 3/4" drive, 12 point, shallow chrome socket, and a long handle 3/8" drive fixed head ratchet (replaced with a new fine tooth model). I have also warrantied a 1-5/16", 3/4" drive, 12 point shallow chrome USA-made Challenger by Proto socket. Since this was the Proto sub-brand back in the day, I expected to get a Blackhawk replacement, but they actually shipped out a Proto USA socket.
As for Lowes handling of Craftsman warranty, we are going to give them another shot. My boss found a box with about 10 to 12 old, broken Craftsman sockets in his garage. We are going to try to warranty whatever we can using Lowes available open stock, then try Ace and if anything is left, emailing SBD customer service.
Sears is using Great Star aA a supplier for many hand tools, this stuff is better finished than most of Stanley’s imports. These are Z coded before the year code on the tools. They’re also typically less expensive since they aren’t paying the royalty Stanley has to pay for the next 12 years.
As a middle class family with 5 boys this is where my mom shopped best price and warranty, if your kids tore their new pants warranty no questions. I stopped shopping at Sears about 23 years ago prices too high except for Craftsman. About 10 years ago they started selling cheep unbranded tools alongside the Craftsman the department head said it was because people thought Craftsman was to expensive, way to kill a brand. As good as Mac and Snapon same warranty 30 to 50% less cost. Today keep your receipt if you expect to use your warranty. Going forward I would buy off brand tools and have an extra of the sizes that take high torque or extra punishment. I won’t do business with companies that do not keep their promises.
Craftsman products sold by sears are not the SBD craftsman. They still are allowed to source and sell their own craftsman tools in parallel with SBD for something like 10 more years
The C3 tools were made by TTI , parallel to the Ryobi line. Basically the same tools with a different battery stem.
Porter Cable has found a home at Costco. They have a 7 tool kit for $249. I think there’s better choices out there, but that’s just me.
C P yeah the Costco’s around hear have had that set for years now.
I use Porter Cable in my appliance repair business.
My only experience with them is my electric corded 1/2 impact. It wasn't strong enough to break free a harmonic balancer bolt. So its now a loaner.
Please correct me if I am wrong.
Today, most tool companies in America are owned by Stanley Black and Decker.
These include: DeWalt, Porter-Cable, Black & Decker, Craftsman, Stanley, Irwin (Channel lock), Mac Tools, Proto, and nearly a hundred smaller but still significant tool companies.
Missing from this list is Snap-On, Skil, Rigid, and (can you name ‘em?)
Irwin is Vise Grip not Channel Lock - oops.
I briefly worked for sears. Huge target for criminals, like refund scammers, short changers, shoplifters, etc
I have some of the edge series tool boxes
Really great build and price was good
Wish they would come back
I still use porter cable drills and saws and have had no problem with them. But I buy all my porter cable tools from tractor supply.
The craziest thing to me is the prices they were charging for the craftsman tool cabinets. It's unbelievable. US General is a way better deal.
Glad to see Craftsman still making a way ... my first tools were all Craftsman.
No sears near me. The one here closed years ago. As a kid when my mother took me shopping for clothes🤮at sears at least I could wander through the tool dept and dream of the day I could but those nice shiny tools! Well nothing stays the same I guess, but I miss the place😢
Ugh. Ive got a ton of the old Sears craftsman tools and recently bought a house and had planned to outfit myself with a fleet of Craftsman power tools and lawn equipment but maybe I won't now. I guess I'll go Ryobi instead.