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are Craftsman™ tools really that bad as people say in the intrawebz..?

V4 said:
:dunno

looking to get some hand tools for general use around the house, cars & trucks, and motorcycles and other odds and ends...

was at sears and started to look at Craftsman tools...a name known from generations....but in this age of cyberspace, i'm reading many complain about everything from simple hand tools , screw drivers, wrenches, sockets, to even the power tools and even the tool boxes...:wtf

yes, i know the product is made in china but didn't think it was really that bad...

my other concern is i don't know how long the sears is gonna be around, can't find a kmart, and ace hardwares are less and less nowadays...

should I go with husky from home depot or kobalt from lowes...? i can find either one of those stores in just about every city nowadays...all have a "lifetime warranty" on their tools like craftsman...

btw: picked up a makita power cordless power tool ....
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If You need some extra incentive, before making a decision on brand...
I'd highly recommend popping into Lowes, and buy a Kobalt ratcheting screwdriver.
Who ever thought a screwdriver needed improvement?
How many centuries went by... without a change made?

OMG that not only ratchet, so you don't have to lift out of the screw slot to gat a fresh turn..But you also can hold a sleeve, and it engages a drive that turns the bit in the right (chosen) direction, as your hand is going back and forth in both turning directions.
 
louemc said:
If You need some extra incentive, before making a decision on brand...
I'd highly recommend popping into Lowes, and buy a Kobalt ratcheting screwdriver.
Who ever thought a screwdriver needed improvement?
How many centuries went by... without a change made?

OMG that not only ratchet, so you don't have to lift out of the screw slot to gat a fresh turn..But you also can hold a sleeve, and it engages a drive that turns the bit in the right (chosen) direction, as your hand is going back and forth in both turning directions.
Click to expand...

And they're Blue too. :party
 
For general hand tools, Craftsman is a great brand. Even if something sucks, you can get it replaced for free. I've had the same set for over 15 years and the only bad thing I can say is I've lost a few pieces.

If it's your bread and butter, something else may be better. The way I see things is, though, there's always going to be something better. Worth the $$ is a different story though.
 
I rarely use a manual screwdriver. My impact driver works very well.
 
I bought Craftsman when they were all made in the US and I had a Sears close to me. I tried to exchange a broken screwdriver at Ace and they said they only swap tools they have in stock and refused to order me one. Sears was no longer close by and not worth the drive. I buy Kobalt now since Lowes is so close to me.
 
drewcandraw said:
I have replaced some older craftsman for the newer ones and wished I could have gotten the same item back. The replacements like said before are usually cheaper in quality.
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This reminded me that I had a problem with my Sears flex ratchet last year, and instead of replacing it, they rebuilt it! They said they have a guy who comes to the store regularly. I think it was the valco mall store.
 
I've got all different kinds or brands of tools. Craftsman, for all my large wrenches (7/8 up to 1 1/2), Wiha for allen wrenches and screwdrivers (German made i believe), seem much more durable than Bondhus or Allen brand, and i use Allen wrenches more than anything else in the machine shop. I've got some Japanese wrenches, Netsuren, that I really like, too.
 
While looking at Sears website, I came upon an inexpensive corded electric driver/drill by craftsman...

What's nice is that it's interchangeable...can be a impact wrench, cutter, inflator, etc...each add ons abot 35 bucks...

The catch is it will be discontinued ...with the warranty will spcraftsman still fix or will I be sol?
 
V4 said:
While looking at Sears website, I came upon an inexpensive corded electric driver/drill by craftsman...

What's nice is that it's interchangeable...can be a impact wrench, cutter, inflator, etc...each add ons abot 35 bucks...

The catch is it will be discontinued ...with the warranty will spcraftsman still fix or will I be sol?
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The "bolt-on" series?

Personally, I don't like gimmicky tools. Give me simple and sturdy, and I won't mind buying several different ones for different tasks.
 
when i was a auto tech

our shop was filled with

50% snap on
10% crapsmen (yes CRAPSMEN)
20% matco
20% mac

i was a snap on guy, but still had crapsmen sockets for those fucked up stripped bolts that idgaf and could hammer on a socket just to see if i can get the fukker out

and FYI, ive only broken a few snap on sockets, still havent broken a crapsmen, i think i did have a crapsmen wrench that developed a hairline crack

but seriously i used crapsmen stuff - not for their intended uses lol,
 
I just can't see myself spending $400 on a set of snap-on wrenches when I can get a bigger set of craftsman wrenches that do the job without any issues for $26. Yes, the snap-on wrenches are nicer, but they aren't that much nicer. I work on stuff for a living, not because I like shiny wrenches that are nice.

I do own some snap-on tools, but generally they are tools that craftsman does not make, or that are a significant step up (like a rachet). There is not that much technology that goes into a wrench or a socket.

If I replaced all of my craftsman tools with snap-on tools, I would probably spend enough money to buy 1 or 2 brand new motorcycles. I'd rather have the motorcycles. :dunno
 
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ok, im not a auto mechanic anymore

but when i wrenched

i could EASILY tell the difference between a crapsmen and snap on socket when using them

the snap on easily feels more torqueable - if thats a word, or more robust in every shape and form.
 
I bought the whole 200 piece Craftsman set when I first started this stuff over 20 years ago. A lot of the chrome 6 point sockets I still use today. Some of the super high use ones have either been lost or broken over the years. And I don't bother with going back to Sears. I replace them with Snap-On. My 6 point impact sockets which take an absurd amount of punishment? Absolutely only Snap-On will do there.

Like has already been said, Craftsman screwdrivers are garbage. I haven't touched one in 20 years.
 
Charles R said:
This reminded me that I had a problem with my Sears flex ratchet last year, and instead of replacing it, they rebuilt it! They said they have a guy who comes to the store regularly. I think it was the valco mall store.
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OSH replaces with new, straight across.
 
TheRobSJ said:
I bought the whole 200 piece Craftsman set when I first started this stuff over 20 years ago. A lot of the chrome 6 point sockets I still use today. Some of the super high use ones have either been lost or broken over the years. And I don't bother with going back to Sears. I replace them with Snap-On. My 6 point impact sockets which take an absurd amount of punishment? Absolutely only Snap-On will do there.

Like has already been said, Craftsman screwdrivers are garbage. I haven't touched one in 20 years.
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As someone who rarely uses a screw driver, at least for their intended purpose, what's wrong with craftsman screw drivers?

I ask this as somebody who has already made a craftsman can suck my dick thread in regards to their wrenches.
 
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The metal they are made of wears. Also the shape of the tip of their screwdrivers do not grip screws very well, so it is much easier to strip a screw with a craftsman screwdriver than some others.
 
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JesasaurusRex said:
As someone who rarely uses a screw driver, at least for their intended purpose, what's wrong with craftsman screw drivers?

I ask this as somebody who has already made a craftsman can suck my dick thread in regards to their wrenches.
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thats what I'm saying..I had a handful of worn Crapsmen screwdrivers, took them to OSH, and they made good replacing each of them without a whimper.
I don't have a problem with that.
 
JesasaurusRex said:
As someone who rarely uses a screw driver, at least for their intended purpose, what's wrong with craftsman screw drivers?

I ask this as somebody who has already made a craftsman can suck my dick thread in regards to their wrenches.
Click to expand...

Grips and tips. Craftsman is not so good with both. I've been able to spin the shank and break the handle plus the handles are just not very nice to grip very tight. One the other end, the tips just aren't very durable. Best just using craftsman screwdrivers to open paint cans, as a prybar, a punch....anything but driving screws.

I have mostly Snap-On now, but if I were to buy a new set (if my Snap-On ever actually wears out) I really like the latest Matco screwdrivers.
 
Ah yes, the topics that come up with people who work on cars built in the last few decades and that have mostly been in California.

About the only thing that removes screws on my rusted out hulks is an angle grinder :p
 
TheRobSJ said:
Grips and tips. Craftsman is not so good with both. I've been able to spin the shank and break the handle plus the handles are just not very nice to grip very tight. One the other end, the tips just aren't very durable. Best just using craftsman screwdrivers to open paint cans, as a prybar, a punch....anything but driving screws.

I have mostly Snap-On now, but if I were to buy a new set (if my Snap-On ever actually wears out) I really like the latest Matco screwdrivers.
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Right on, I've broken handles on screw drivers before but they weren't craftsman, just some other cheap shit. I'll look into the matcos :thumbup

MrIncredible said:
Ah yes, the topics that come up with people who work on cars built in the last few decades and that have mostly been in California.

About the only thing that removes screws on my rusted out hulks is an angle grinder :p
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That may be it, I honestly can't think of that many things on cars that are held in by screws that I even bother working on. Even less so when you take into account 95% of screws on a car are probably in the interior of the vehicle. If most of that shit is rusted you picked up the wrong project car :laughing
 
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