Craftsman's tools

[porterville]

what do you guys think about them? good? or crap?
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[Cusser]

Good, and lifetime warranty honored readily. I know this because I've broken my half-inch breaker bar three times in 20 years, but each time was using a 4-foot cheater bar with it. But Craftsman tools are not cheap, but much more affordable when put on sale, and they go on sale a lot, newspaper ads from Sears twice a week.
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[wantsAbugg]

I like Huskey tools from Home Depot. Little cheaper than Craftsman, I found to about the same quality though. I have some craftsman tools but the problem I have found is that Sears are getting hard to find but there is a Home Depot on every corner.

I have nothing bad to say about Craftsman. My dad swears by them. I just decided to go with the Husky tools.
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[Gary]

Execute a Search for "craftsman" in the General Forum and you will get a lot of relevant hits.
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[Foxx]

[porterville]

my experiance with craftsman tools is a hit and miss kind of thing, ive had a few hand tools that have lasted for years, and others that have busted in no time. the reason im asking is becasue im going to college to be a motorchcle mechanic and im just looking for inexpensive tools that are quality built. i know snap-on is good, mack, proto ect ect ect.

[Glenn]

I like S/K and and like the "feel" of them better.
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[Dave]

When I was still down in the LA area, working for the magazines, right around Christmas time Craftsman would have an "Editor's Conference" where they would have all the magazine editors assemble in the lobby of a hotel in Fullerton, and show them the new, latest, greatest, tools from Craftsman. The last one I went to (in 2004) just about everything they had was laser-guided, that seemed to be the hot ticket that year. I remember once, they gave all the editors a gold-plated 3/8" drive ratchet.. They always have stuff they give to the editors, probably so they would use it and write about it in their respective magazines.
They had the conference for 2 days, and you always wanted to go on the last day, because sometimes they would decide that it wasn't worth it to them to pack up that compressor or truck toolbox, and ship it back to the Home Office, in, IIRC, Illinois. So they would have a lottery, and whoever won, and had a truck, carted the stuff home.
Anyway, Craftsman Tools are made by the Danneher Tool Corp.
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[Lee.]

75% of my tools are Craftsman. They work great.
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[Foxx]

[Gary]

[Foxx]

[bdub74]

my dad was a truck mechanic for a while, and most of the tools in his box are Craftsman. No complaints from him!

[Jengel451]

All of my Craftsman tools that are 20+ years old kick ass, anything newer is suspect.

I'd say 90% of my hand tools are Craftsman, but I'm slowly replacing with Snap-on or S-K as I break shit. I'm also hitting the local pawn shops to sift through the socket bins, you'd be suprised what you can find.

Craftsman has been going downhill very rapidly, the metal they use is soft and the chrome is very thin. I bought a set of the "profesional" screwdrivers a year ago thinking they'd last longer than the base line....I was mistaken, they all flake and the standards are all twisted (not from prying) the philips are all rouded now as well........

It's a shame, I used to love them.
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[Bruce]

I first started buying Craftsman tools about 20-25 years ago. I notice the details. Like in the 70s, they always said "Made in USA" on them. Then in the late 80s-early 90s, that was gone. My assumption was they were being made offshore (Taiwan perhaps). The quality was not there. The edges of the wrenches were sharper, and the sockets were thicker walled, making them useless for tight locations. Older USA made metric sockets had faint splines on them so you could tell them apart from the inch ones. The offshore thick walled ones didn't have this.
I think the tools now say "Made in USA" again, but I haven't compared the current ones to those from the good old days.

IMO, Sears has the best warranty in the business. I had a #3 Phillips screwdriver that I used to remove the door screws. I put a deep socket over the handle. After a while, the shaft spins in the handle, and if you don't look closely, you couldn't tell. As a test, I took the screwdriver back and got a replacement. The clerk said nothing about this apparantly good screwdriver I was returning. I have even traded broken tools for other tools when they are out of stock. I traded a broken duplicate screwdriver for a different type of screwdriver that I didn't have. If you ever have to modify a tool, do it to a Craftsman. Then take it back when you are done and get a new one.
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[coW]

The sockets tend to be a little fat for some spots but you can't beat craftsman's value and warranty. Mine have served me well.

[scottvw]

I like the new sockets that have the size etched on them much larger. I guess the old eyesight isn't what it used to be.

[gt1953]

I like many others have craftsman, not a problem.
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[Culito]

I hear Kobalt tools are good stuff...

Anyone use them?
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[Hiramhaus]

I have all Craftsman now, before I went through countless hand me down wrenches, and purchased at 4:59 PM when the store closes and I need it tonight wrenches. Then I found the Craftsman wrenches, and hand tools guarantee, and never looked back. I mostly work on coffee machines, and sure the sidewall on the socket can be too thick once in a while, but there is usually another way. I also find when one of their products sucks after a year, when I return it for another, the design has been improved, and they replace it no questions asked.

My buddy at his auto shop uses MAC and they have a good feel as well, and the replacement wrench comes to you. But I would think it might be a bit much if you're on a budget. I think its best to never skimp on tools get the best ones you can afford. Replacement guarantee is essential.
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