Craftsman Tools degrading?

Are Craftsman tools degrading?

  • Yeah I think they've been getting worse.

    Votes: 93 50.5%

  • No I think they're great.

    Votes: 52 28.3%

  • I think Craftsmans factory is right next to HF's in China.

    Votes: 28 15.2%

  • They all suck I use a string and stick for a drill.

    Votes: 11 6.0%
  • Total voters
    184
I think the hand tools are fine. The jacks are crap - I've had 2 start leaking in the last 2 years. But at least they replace them for free. That's good enough for me.
 
no XXXXing way craftsman is comparable to harbor freight, you must be smoking crack, or buying the evolv crap.

i use craftsman stuff on a daily basis in the working world, any tool can break, and im not saying craftsman is better than snap on.... snap-on/matco/etc are mechanics SPECIALTY tools, it's like comparing a carbon fiber mountain bike frame to a huffy.

i love my craftsman impact, it's old, and still is just as powerfull as the 3x the cost dewalt.

ive NEVER had the same feeling about a craftsman tool, as i get with EVERY, SINGLE harbor freight tool... your smokin crack holmes.
that, and craftsman has some of the best gloves.
 
Its a trick question! multiple answers are possible, the first and third are plausible... They definatly are getting worse, now to get a broken tool exchanged they dont ust pull one off the shelf like they used to, the have to send it in or you drive to the nearest exchange station which happens to be an hour from me and you get a refirb POS that breaks in the matter of a few hours of good use as well. Im about for sure that they have relocated to China and use surplus HF parts to cut costs. That or the moved HF next to craftsman and the same slanteyes run both
 
It's not a question of "I think" they are crap. I got my first set of Craftsman tools in about 1958. I still have them and to place any one of them next to today's production its appalling how cheep and poorly designed the current ones are.
Take a 1958 box wrench as an example. The steel is superior, the geometry of the wrench is superior. I've never broken or worn one out and I've used these tools professionally at least half my life. Using superior steel the tools are thinner, they reach into tighter spaces and move a nut or bolt farther with each swing. The angles are better so that the teeth engage the bolts squarely so slipping off is minimized.
Today's wrenches are fat because of the cheep steel more steel is needed to provide some strength and they still bend and break.
Don't even get me started on the current crap-ass ratchets.
 
I think the Craftsman hand tools are going down hill, but the warranty has always kept coming back. I always buy the Made In USA stuff. I have an old craftsman #2 phillips and some new ones, the new tips don't last for shit. I also buy the craftsman tape measures.If you don't break the ruler tape they are also lifetime warranty. Never had a problem turning the broken tools, just have to help the clerk find my correct replacement model.
 
zerodefects said:
It's not a question of "I think" they are crap. I got my first set of Craftsman tools in about 1958. I still have them and to place any one of them next to today's production its appalling how cheep and poorly designed the current ones are.
Take a 1958 box wrench as an example. The steel is superior, the geometry of the wrench is superior. I've never broken or worn one out and I've used these tools professionally at least half my life. Using superior steel the tools are thinner, they reach into tighter spaces and move a nut or bolt farther with each swing. The angles are better so that the teeth engage the bolts squarely so slipping off is minimized.
Today's wrenches are fat because of the cheep steel more steel is needed to provide some strength and they still bend and break.
Don't even get me started on the current crap-ass ratchets.
Click to expand...

:thumbup: My great grandfather was a mechanic for Coca-Cola, and when he passed away he left his tools to my grandfather. They're still in the garage, and I couldn't agree more on the differences in quality. No doubt in my mind that Craftsman quality has gone down quite considerably...
 
Well, at least they have a no question asked return policy....
 
I have a lot of money in tool and I used Craftsman and Snap-on every day all day at work there is some stuff I will only buy in Craftsman and some stuff I will only buy in Snap-on. I have a few from Mac and Matco but I prefer Craftsman and Snap-on.

I do think you have to watch what you buy with all tool companies and Craftsman is no different but for hand tools there still a great tool IMO. I wont buy there power tools or air tools that for sure.
 
Tried to return a rachet and they gave me a rachet rebuild kit in a plastic bag. They said they do not replace the rachets anymore.
 
trd_xj42 said:
I'll buy their stuff if it's made in the USA, most hand tools. If it's from China, and I can't get it from the USA within my budget, then I will head on down to HF, because it's probably cheaper.
Click to expand...

agreed. More chinese pneumatic and power tools are degrading to the brand. I have a big old (60s-70s) angle grinder that is fricken HEAVY! Ebay/Craigslist/Estate sales is a good place to score old American made tools. If you can't find any US made tools at Home Depot or whatever go to an industrial supply store. They have the good stuff.:guitar:
 
Me and my friend both own craftsman tools. We have been replacing ratchets twice a year sometimes three at least they haven't given me crap about the warranty, the quality has dropped like a lead brick in the ocean
 
Overall their hand tools are great. And usually a great price as well. Especially their full 3/8 + 1/2" impact socket set. Sure, there are "better quality" companies that make tools. But at least you can get a quicker exchange on your craftsman products than anything else. Unless maybe you work at a shop that has the toy truck that comes every week.
 
Sears and kenmore seem to run in cycles, they go downhill and seem to hit bottom then they change suppliers and get better products for while, then the cycle repeats. I've been watching this go on for quite a few years,
 
OK, here's the deal.
Most people don't know this, but Craftsmen and Matco are owned by the same company, a HUGE global conglomerate that goes by the name of DANAHER.
Danaher also owns the companies that make Allen tools, Jacobs Brake systems(Jake Brakes), Tektronix, Fluke, and a ton of companies that will be familiar and a lot you have never heard of.
If you don't believe me, just go to danaher.com and poke around. You will be amazed.

All Danaher cares about is maximizing profit by driving down production costs and keeping quality at the bare minimum acceptable level.

If they can find a way to trim 2 cents off of a product they will do it, because in the long run it will mean millions of bucks of bottom line profit.

Craftsmen Tools are focused on the home mechanic, but the marketing makes you think otherwise.
Matco tools are focused on the pro mechanic.
That's why the quality differs so much.

Older Crafstmen tools are very much the quality tools of legend.
Current Crafstmen tools are.......well ......just crap.


Both Matco and Craftsmen are manufactured overseas (guess where).
 
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Had a craftsman compressor throw a rod after 2 years. (about 3 actual weeks of use, it was at my Colorado home while I still lived in Louisiana.)

My dad had a craftsman drill when I was little. when i was about 12 it broke and he bought a new one. I rebuilt the old one and still have it today. I needed a half inch drill recently and picked up a craftsman. It's broken now and the Milwaukee picked up on the same job the craftsman couldn't handle with more torque, power, and no smoking.
 
mike5097 said:
OK, here's the deal.
Most people don't know this, but Craftsmen and Matco are owned by the same company, a HUGE global conglomerate that goes by the name of DANAHER.
Danaher also owns the companies that make Allen tools, Jacobs Brake systems(Jake Brakes), Tektronix, Fluke, and a ton of companies that will be familiar and a lot you have never heard of.
If you don't believe me, just go to danaher.com and poke around. You will be amazed.

All Danaher cares about is maximizing profit by driving down production costs and keeping quality at the bare minimum acceptable level.

If they can find a way to trim 2 cents off of a product they will do it, because in the long run it will mean millions of bucks of bottom line profit.

Craftsmen Tools are focused on the home mechanic, but the marketing makes you think otherwise.
Matco tools are focused on the pro mechanic.
That's why the quality differs so much.

Older Crafstmen tools are very much the quality tools of legend.
Current Crafstmen tools are.......well ......just crap.


Both Matco and Craftsmen are manufactured overseas (guess where).
Click to expand...

Kinda interesting to here this, I think that Matco tools are garbage and over priced. For most of the tools I need I can get them through Snap-On for near the same price (some times less) and much better quality. I have five Matco tools I have bought all around the same time and three of them have taken a crap and are not under warranty. I would buy Craftsman over Matco anyday.
 
16guns said:
Tried to return a rachet and they gave me a rachet rebuild kit in a plastic bag. They said they do not replace the rachets anymore.
Click to expand...

If they have a rebuilt one or a rebuild kit they will give it to you and if they don't have either you get a new one. Most Sears stores have a person that rebuilds there rebuild able hand tools just for warranty purposes.

Might sound lame but the tool trucks will rebuild your tool right there in front of you if they can. Either way it still under warranty and you get it fixed or a new one.
 
Today I almost broke a Craftsman 12mm wrench trying to get off the OFA t60(with the leverage from a floor jack handle), but it only bent.
 
The hand tools and larger woodworking equipment is still solid, but a lot of the smaller power tools have really come down in quality. For proof here is a picture of a 20 year old router and a new one. The older one (which I picked up for $20 on craigslist) is so much better there is no comparison. The same can definitely said for their jacks and air tools.
picture.php

picture.php
 
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