MEMRACING62

I would agree old craftsman isn't to bad..alot of what I have is old craftsman..I have some sk...matco..my torque wrenches are all snap on ( best ive ever had). Its the newer (under 5 yr old craftsman stuff Im tired of breaking when I need them) broke two 15 mm 6 pt 1/2 dr today changing bearing hubs on a van...one impact...one standard.....dug into one of the misc boxes I have here and found an sk to finish job...it didn't break!....Im tired of this crap and will spend some cake to get better.

outlaw256

well guys ive had them all. todays tools are all junk compared to what we used to be able to buy. ive about given up looking for good made tools. i now go to swap meets, yardsales etc. to buy all the old stuff i can find. there are alot of tools out there athat you can buy super cheap. ive just bought a complete set of proto sockets for 10.00.

fast75vega

same thing here .... they give you a rebuild kit now! i use to just put what was broke or wore out on the counter and they would match me with new stuff..... wtf i remember they tried giving me craftsmen wrenches that said made in china.... i told them they are out of their fricken mind.....!

TS1955

I understand by this rule. It's a manufacture policy. Craftsman tools are made by the same company as my NAPA tools. BUT, there's a diffrerence when someone brings me a broken ratchet. IF I have a kit in stock at the time "I" will install the kit and try the ratchet out. If it fixes it, we are all happy. If it doesn't fix it then I replace the tool. We are all happy. Also if I don't have a kit in stock, then I just go ahead and replace the ratchet.

TS1955

bixblk

Thats good, it shows the customer you care, I did not get that feeling when he threw the kit on the counter. I have not bought anything from sears since. Bad move on sears part. But to be honest I have not been using Sears that much anymore anyway.

zipper06

I don't have a dog in this fight, because i've never turned wrenches for a living, but i think we would all be surprised how many of today's tools are made in Tiwan/China. I still have tools i had in the 60's, a few yrs ago i gave away all my Japenese sockets and wrenches to a kid who didn't have any money. I still have the machinest tool box and some of the micrometers and tools that i bought from an old guy (in the day) in 1958 when he retired at 62, that tool box has to be atleast 80 yrs. old along with the measuring instruments. I can remember when i used to drive by Sturvant Mfg. the original Torque wrench maker, i Schiller Park Il. i have duplicates of almost every size sockets and if i break one i just toss it. The last time i bought any new tools was about 5 yrs ago and it was from MSC, our major machinest tool supplier at work. It was a Cresent tool kit in a plastic fold up box about 18"X18" for my trailer,it fits in the drawers and has all MM and SAE sockets and wrenches sizes up to 7/8" and the sale price was $89.00, i don't leave home or go to the track without it.
I agree Craftman has turned into junk, but who can afford to buy Snapon, except for their timing light, which is the best on the planet IMO.

Guess i could be called a HOARDER ops: :lol:

Zip.

TheYellaBrick

Back when I was bendin' wrenches for a living, my EXCLUSIVE tools of choice were Snap On with a few Craftsman thrown in. I have Craftsman wrenches and sockets, that I still use, from when my Dad gave 'em to us boys for Christmas when we were 10-11 years old.
You couldn't GIVE me ANYthing Craftsman any more. They just don't feel right when I grip 'em. They give off that 'made in China' vibe that makes me drop them like a hot piece of iron.

MEMRACING62

for me craftsman is no longer an option I would consider other than a throw away set to put in the trunk of the car or in my service van for ocasional use.

TheYellaBrick

IMHO
The BIG problem with keeping 'throw away' tools in your rigs for 'emergency use', is THAT is when you need good tools ! Any roadside repair usually ends up being repaired using a very small selection of tools, which are going to be maxed out in doing the job with less than ideal conditions. I sure as heck don't want a Chinese Junk ratchet to strip out on me on the first hard pull, or the one and only socket of that size to shatter like glass, of that philips screw driver head to snap on the first turn of the last screw.
Just like my CC iron, I pack quality tools .

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fast75vega

hell yeah..... very well said nothing sucks worse then when its cold as hell out and the friggin ratchet skips and you bust ur damn knuckles
:x