Craftsman Tools at Ace Hardware

[-MIKE-]

Walked in to Ace Hardware yesterday and saw a display for Craftsman tools. I don't know how extensive the collection will be, but it's good news for anyone who's closer to an Ace than a Sears.

I have lots of Craftsman hand tools and I've only had to use their lifetime warranty once. I've never been a fan of their power tools, but their hand tools have never let me down.

(before you state the obvious... that one occasion was the result of me being stupid, not a defect... but they still honored it.)

[mac davis]

I've used the free trade in twice.. first time was when I brought in a 3/4" breaker bar that I'd snapped in the middle.. Returned with no questions asked, but you could tell that they wanted to..

I've got craftsman hand tools that are 50 years old and still in use.. good stuff!

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

[Sonny]

Had an old 1/2" chisel to break. It was replaced with no questions. Went to Sears and asked if they had hammer grip replacements. I thought to purchase the replacement. They offered to replace the hammer. I passed, that particular hammer style was no longer available.... my favorite claw hammer for 25 yrs +.

Sonny

[Sac Dave]

Craftsman power tools wear pretty decent until the late seventies. I have a about a 74 router that still runs , no switch plug and go sound pretty bad, a same vintage belt sander runs like new both these tools have had serious use. As for the router I just bought two on e-bay guessing ones a 74 0nes a 76 the 76 was never used still in the box.. I don=92t know about their power tools now the last one I=92ve bought were pretty bad. At one time their craftsman saying was =93if it=92s electric it will break, if its gas don=92t worry it won=92t start=94

[ExtremelyAvg]

I am pretty new to woodworking and I didn't know that the quality of Craftsman tools had declined since the 70's I personally don't have any craftsman products, but I have always thought highly of them. I guess I think of them being great tools for mechanics. It is an interesting discussion though.

[Puckdropper]

ExtremelyAvg wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Craftsman hand tools are just as good (just as adequate in some cases?) as they always were. They're covered by the lifetime free replacement warranty, so they have to be good. The power tools are something to be treated with caution. They still have some great ones out there, but you can't trust everything is good. They never were covered by the warranty.

Puckdropper

[dpb]

Puckdropper wrote: ...

I think the quality (most particularly fit and finish) has degraded noticeably from years ago even w/ the hand tools.

I'll allow as how functionally they're still the same or at least nearly so, but many of them are noticeably cheaper. I've had warranty repair or replacement of several over the last year or three -- specific instances I can think of otomh...

Linesmans' pliers dating from late 60's -- eldest son got in head to try them on #10 fencing wire and put a circle in the cutter. Replacement is much rougher casting and the rubber handles are coarse, prickly and uncomfortable as compared to the original. Do seem to be ok functionally but if were comparing and considering purchase rather than replacement, I'd go elsewhere, even if more $$.

1/2" Ratchet drive age unremembered, newer than above but in 70s/early 80s at latest -- retention ball spring lost compression and began either letting socket simply fall off or if adjusted ball position it wouldn't budge at all. Local (small catalog store) did have replacement repair kit in stock for an atta-boy, but it had black pressure knob instead of the original matching chrome and the gears themselves appear thinner stamped instead of forged so don't think it'll hold up as long as the original. The spring/detent ball problem reappeared albeit somewhat reduced within a couple days of use (quite a lot of use in that time as was hanging feedlot gates and repairing rail which entailed driving a large number of lag bolts but really--again in that time?). I'll probably go back in at some point when it gets too annoying again and see what a demand for a tradeout entirely would yield. Meanwhile, the original S-K I remember from a kid in the 50s that stayed on the farm while I went of and engineer'ed for 35 years or so is still functional w/ only an occasional slip of a gear.

--

[DerbyDad03]

re: "I've only had to use their lifetime warranty once."

Once?

*Once?*

Don't you use Phillips screw drivers? I can't tell you how many worn Phillips screwdrivers, of all different sizes, I've traded in. As soon as they get the slightest bit rounded, back they go. Better I make a trip to the store than strip a screw when I least need it to happen.

My favorite trade-in was when I broke a Craftsman flat blade screw driver on a Craftsman belt sander. :-)

I had a POS Craftsman belt sander that required you to push down (back?) on the front roller to loosen the belt. The roller would lock "loose" and then you had to stick a flat object in a slot and kind of pry it backward to POP! release it. I used a Craftsman flat blade screw driver and the tip broke off. A bit ironic, if I do say so....

I've traded in ratchet handles, locking pliers, pry bars, countless screwdrivers and a few other items over the years.

[Leon]

re: "I've only had to use their lifetime warranty once."

Once?

*Once?*

Don't you use Phillips screw drivers? I can't tell you how many worn Phillips screwdrivers, of all different sizes, I've traded in. As soon as they get the slightest bit rounded, back they go. Better I make a trip to the store than strip a screw when I least need it to happen.

Let me give you a small hint/trick to make your Philips head screw drivers last longer before rounding. If you grinde a little of the point off, the tip will actually seat deeper and better in the screw head. Often the screw heads are short/not as deep, compared to the longer point on the driver tip.

[Puckdropper]

"Leon" wrote in news:4omdnSuAPc4gFY_RnZ2dnUVZ [e-mail]:

That's why I tend to avoid the #1 head Phillips screw drivers. The #2 fits in just about everything a #1 does, and isn't pointy.

Puckdropper

[notbob]

Not professional grade, but for a home DIY'r, good value. Only you can decide.

nb

[-MIKE-]

Hmmmmmm........

[-MIKE-]

Tip of the month.

[-MIKE-]

I wouldn't say that. I know some pro mechanics who use them.

[notbob]

I don't know you or said "pro mehcanics", but as a professional mechanic, myself, I can tell you Craftsman tools are not good enough to rely on for prolonged heavy duty use. Their guaranteed replacement policy is totally worthless if you live 100 miles from the nearest Sears store and are in the middle of a job. I know, I've been there. Never again.

I won't say your "pro mechanic" friends don't know what they're doing, but if I go to a mechanic and find him using Craftsman tools, I'm back out the door and looking elsewhere.

nb

[-MIKE-]

The guys I'm referring to are in an opposite position. They are within a stone's throw of a big Sears at a really upsale mall, so they have a really good stock. I was talking to one of them and he said they prefer Snap-on (and have some), but they went through a time when the Snap-on truck was unreliable. Since the Sears was right next door, it was more convenient to go there for a new tool, replacement, duplicate, whatever.

Why would you go to a mechanic? :-)

In my experience in music and carpentry, the tools don't make the man, the man makes the tools.

[notbob]

That sucks. Snap-On trucks are privately owned, so sounds like a bad businessman. That's unfortuenate.

I understand. I was a beginner once. ;)

I saw that coming! ;)

I've been wrenching since I was 10. My idea of "making it" is not a

26 room mansion, a fleet of hot cars, or a yacht and a villa on the Med. It's being well off enough to be able to pay a trusted mechanic to fix my car!

I'm old. I'm tired. I'm lazy. ;)

I agree a tool doesn't make the man, but a man that knows what he's doing knows a good tool.

nb

[J. Clarke]

Personally I'd be more concerned about whether the guy knows what he'd doing than what kind of tools he uses. And part of knowing what you're doing is knowing when you need a premium-quality expensive tool and when something from Harbor Fright will be adequate to the task at hand.

[notbob]

I have some Craftsman hand tools. Their screw/nut drivers are damn good. Can't beat their tool boxes for the price. Likewise their deep sockets when on sale. OTOH, I'm no longer making a living as a mechanic and have seen hard times causing me to sell off many of my better tools. Life goes on. Lesser brands are now enough.

Work with tools long enough and you will discover no one brand of tool is the best across their line. All of Snap-On's tools are rebranded from other suppliers. Their measuring tapes are Lufkin, which I will not buy. Their wrenches used to be made by Bonney, which is no longer in business. Many other great tool brands like Williams and Utica are no more. Things change. Life goes on. If a tool works for you, that's good enough. If it breaks, don't buy another. Pretty simple.

nb

[Zz Yzx]

I've got my Dad's set(s) of Craftsman mechanic tools (c.

1950's-1960's) and a lot I've bought since. I've broke one socket (a 1/4" deep socket w/ a 1/4 drive w/ a 1/4"-1/2" adapter and an 18" 1/2" drive breaker bar). They replaced it.

If anything has declined, it's the "fit and finish". Most sockets I've seen lately are 6-point, rather than 12-point. That might be OK (who drives square bolts/nuts anymore?), or even better.

The tools to avoid (aside from power tools) are the "accessories", e.g: "router tables" or "dovetail jigs", &tc. They're crappy and a joke.

Also, I don;t think I'll buy their edge tools (planes, chisels, &tc.).

-Zz