New Crapsman socket are garbage

[CJHeap]

I went in today to exchange a couple of busted sockets. They know me and told me to go back to the wall and get what I needed so I grab the first one off the rack (5/8 deep) and take a look at the quality. :barf: The finish is awful so I grab another and it is the same. The whole surface is beat up with dimples and dings to the point it looks used. It looks worse than the cracked one I am trading in that is 20 years old.

I will not even get into the fake laser etching they use that rubs off. :shaking:

On a side note, I did luck out with one broke socket I took in to exchange. They did not have the new (crap) 13/16 on the rack so the mgr went to the back and brought me out a new Old Style sockets. It seems that they took the old ones off the shelf and have them in a bin in the back . Ask if your sears did the same thing.

[jmhinescj]

don't even get me started on the new craftsman sockets. That damn laser etching stuff that you cant read if it gets the slightest bit of grease on it and rubs off if you roll it around the concrete a couple of times really pisses me off. I'm guessing they figured out they could make them for 4 cents a piece less that way or something. :shaking:

[nate379]

I usually just go grab what I need. Probably cause it's often a hottie running the cash that wouldn't know the difference between a hammer and a wrench :laughing:

One day the chick couldn't figure out the cash and she told me to just take it. Was like $75 worth of shit!

I've had my set for about 7 or 8 years and I broke maybe one or two. Wish I could say the same on the overpriced Snap On stuff. Course it's like pulling teeth getting the tool bastard to exchange them too.

[RJR99SS]

Ever since k-mart took over sears i've heard all kinds of bad things going on with their tools. The first thing they did is if you brake a ratchet, they give you rebuilt ones, not new ones. I havnt really noticed any quality change in their tools, probably because i havnt really needed to buy any new ons in years, and i never brake any unless i do it on purpose. Last thing i had to buy from them was a set of 3/8s impacts, i hear you on the stupid laser etching, a little bit of grease on there and you cant see what the hell it says, luckily they're smart enough to still stamp the size down on the bottom like normally.

Still...it would suck if they screwed up the craftsman brand, they're not the greatest tools out there but they're reliable and you can just stop in and replace them no questions asked....for now.

[CJHeap]

But they do not stamp them any longer on the normal sockets. After a bit of use, you have shitty chrome tubes.

Ever since k-mart took over sears i've heard all kinds of bad things going on with their tools. The first thing they did is if you brake a ratchet, they give you rebuilt ones, not new ones. I havnt really noticed any quality change in their tools, probably because i havnt really needed to buy any new ons in years, and i never brake any unless i do it on purpose. Last thing i had to buy from them was a set of 3/8s impacts, i hear you on the stupid laser etching, a little bit of grease on there and you cant see what the hell it says, luckily they're smart enough to still stamp the size down on the bottom like normally.

Still...it would suck if they screwed up the craftsman brand, they're not the greatest tools out there but they're reliable and you can just stop in and replace them no questions asked....for now.

[RJR99SS]

But they do not stamp them any longer on the normal sockets. After a bit of use, you have shitty chrome tubes.

Well thats fucking gay.

[yozsi]

or you can go to harbor freight and get the 2.99 number and letter punch set and punch your own sizes on em??? thats what i do with those retarded lazer etched things. i also usually take a white ink pen and paint over the stamps so the numbers can be seen easier.

[CJHeap]

or you can go to harbor freight and get the 2.99 number and letter punch set and punch your own sizes on em??? thats what i do with those retarded lazer etched things. i also usually take a white ink pen and paint over the stamps so the numbers can be seen easier.

That is a good tip.:smokin:

It just sux that you have to do that on a new socket. It also sux that a brand new socket looks like someone has been beating on the sides with a rock hammer.

[akabud]

Ya but the crap that HF sells is getting better.

[mkodish87]

Ya but the crap that HF sells is getting better.

Craftsman is just getting shittier thus making harbor freight shit seem better.

[CJHeap]

Craftsman is just getting shittier thus making harbor freight shit seem better.


Yep, at least the HF offerings do not claim to be great.

Someone stole my Craftsman kit for my truck last month so I replaced it with a Kobalt kit from the pawn shop. The tools are far better than the current crapsman even though they are made by the same company.

[Hackfabricaton]

As we all should know, Sears doesn't mfg anything. They buy it from people who do. No doubt, a condition of those contracts is that the mfg's will take back and credit the retailer for broken tools. Someone on this board certainly must have worked for Sears at one time or the other, perhaps they know how the individual store handles it. It would also be interesting to see how many tools Sears replaces annually.

If the buyers at Sears continue to purchase this crap (I too hate the laser 'engraving'), then I've got to wonder about their qualifications to evaluate and purchase tools.

It's probably pointless, but ya never know, perhaps a few thousand letters to Sears might get them back to selling the stuff we want.

[nate379]

I worked at Sears for a while but worked in the shop, not on the sales floor. Most of the tools we used in the shop weren't from the store :laughing:

[CJHeap]

I worked for them 20 years ago when they still had a catalog department and sold everything. The tools were top notch and they did not worry about sending broken ones back . They were made to Craftsman specs by the Stanley tool works. Once a week, I got to take the broken ones to the shop and crush/ bust them up and dispose of the pieces so that they could not be traded in again.


Now, they are manufactured by danaher who also makes Allen

Armstrong Tools

GearWrench

Holo-Krome

Iseli

K-D Tools

Matco Tools

Sata

[Wicked_S10]

or you can go to harbor freight and get the 2.99 number and letter punch set and punch your own sizes on em??? thats what i do with those retarded lazer etched things. i also usually take a white ink pen and paint over the stamps so the numbers can be seen easier.

Man, the craftsman sockets must have really gone down hill if those piece of shit harbor freight number punches are harder than the sockets...

I really have a hard time buying this. Show us pictures... My HF number punches wouldn't even mark a $.10 HF socket.


Later,
Jason

[Hackfabricaton]

I worked for them 20 years ago when they still had a catalog department and sold everything.

Well, I miss their Sears Hardware stores. I had one 2 miles from my house, always had a good supply of 'stuff', never had any problems taking screwdrivers I turned into chisels -prybars back to them. I only wish they had a Tool Superstore, that would stock all the available products in the catalog. There are times when I really want to physically see something before I spend the money on it. Like I posted, the only way to get the fine tooth rachets is to order them from the catalog. I've went through two of the cheap ones, but have never destroyed on of the fine tooth models.

[TBItoy]

I tend to prefer the "better" Stanley sockets at wal-mart for a cheap lifetime warranty tool. The stanley wrenches are my favorite wrenches bar non, and I've used them all (worked as a diesel/heavy equip mechanic with 4 other guys witf fully stocked tool boxes) they are shot peened and you can hold onto them with grease on your hand, not like the polished chrome that everyone else has, or the sharp edges on a craftsman wrench

[RJR99SS]

Well, I miss their Sears Hardware stores. I had one 2 miles from my house, always had a good supply of 'stuff', never had any problems taking screwdrivers I turned into chisels -prybars back to them. I only wish they had a Tool Superstore, that would stock all the available products in the catalog. There are times when I really want to physically see something before I spend the money on it. Like I posted, the only way to get the fine tooth rachets is to order them from the catalog. I've went through two of the cheap ones, but have never destroyed on of the fine tooth models.

There's actually still sears hardware stores around here. Although, they're not really anything better than the regular stores. The one nearest to me actually doesnt sell that many tools, the regular sears store closer to me actually has more tools. The hardware store mainly just sells dishwashers and lamps and vacuum cleaners and garden stuff.

[Murph]

There's actually still sears hardware stores around here. Although, they're not really anything better than the regular stores. The one nearest to me actually doesnt sell that many tools, the regular sears store closer to me actually has more tools. The hardware store mainly just sells dishwashers and lamps and vacuum cleaners and garden stuff.

There's a Sears Hardware about a mile from the job. Used to be stocked quite well for a Sears - the folk that worked there is another matter :laughing:, but I knew what I needed and what aisle to find it. Until two years ago they redid the whole place and now it's 80% appliances/paint, with the tools being secondary and the hardware aisle shrinking.


Andy

[ironpig70]

i worked for sear but in lawn and garden and somebody other than sears makes their stuff but while it may be by a top notch company making similar stuff sears is to another spec. for example sears(craftsman) brand chain saws, poluan saws are made by H.O.P which is husqvarna outdoor products. yes husqvarna makes the saws but it's not the same specs as a husqvarna saw. same with tools the sockets may be made by the same company that makes snap on or mac but the quality all around is alot less.

[Hackfabricaton]

There's actually still sears hardware stores around here....The hardware store mainly just sells dishwashers and lamps and vacuum cleaners and garden stuff.

Where would 'around here' be? (Since you didn't fill out your profile)...:flipoff2:

Gotta agree on the last part, before my local Sears hardware closed up they had expanded. Although the tool section didn't suffer, the store was flooded with major appliances. I don't know if they were trying to compete with HD or Lowes when they did that. On a side note: They also have a store called The Great Indoors, which is loaded with home appliances and furnishings. Some very 'upscale' from the basic Kenmore products.

And Murph, ditto on the average kid they got working there. Some days they've got people bumping into each other. Other days it's like a ghost town. On certain days it's like being in New Delhi, or a nursing home, or a high school lunch room....Wish they would post that information in their ad papers.

[Static-XJ]

Ever since k-mart took over sears i've heard all kinds of bad things going on with their tools. The first thing they did is if you brake a ratchet, they give you rebuilt ones, not new ones. .

I worked for Sears for a coule years before the buyout. That was always policy. Ratchets and 25' tapemeasures were rebuilt. If a rebuilt wasn't available for the item, or if the customer insisted on new, then they got new.

[Static-XJ]

Like I posted, the only way to get the fine tooth rachets is to order them from the catalog. I've went through two of the cheap ones, but have never destroyed on of the fine tooth models.

The thin profile ratchets are fine tooth, and available in store.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00944995000P?filter=Drive+Size%7C3%2 F8+in.%5EPrice%7C%2430-60%5E&vName=Tools&cName=Mechanics+Tools&sName=Ratchets

[RJR99SS]

Where would 'around here' be? (Since you didn't fill out your profile)...:flipoff2:



NE ohio. I worked for sears auto for a while, and i remember they closed all the sears hardware out west and you can only find them in a pretty small area now going from like new york to iowa. Or something like that, i dunno, it was years ago.

[CJHeap]

NE ohio. I worked for sears auto for a while, and i remember they closed all the sears hardware out west and you can only find them in a pretty small area now going from like new york to iowa. Or something like that, i dunno, it was years ago.

We still have Sears Hardware here in Houston but they are not like they used to be.

[Hackfabricaton]

Yep, I think it's all part of the 'master plan' by Eddie Lampert (who runs Sears holdings-disclaimer I own 25 shares of SHLD). Retail isn't where the money is...He'll continue to sell off the real estate, or sit on it until the market improves.

With SHLD: The Sears/Kmart stores are just going to eventually be a smaller part of the total structure. It's no longer about the retail business.

[RJR99SS]

I was out that way so i stopped by sears to take a look at the new sockets. I dont think the dinging or dimpleing or whatever you want to call it is as bad as cjheap says, but...i can see what he's saying. The one thing that made my jaw drop was the inside surface of the socket, if you look inside them there's all kinds of burrs and uneven surfaces and pits, it's kind of disturbing to see a craftman socket be made with that low of quality.

So that sucks, i might have to start phasing my craftsman stuff out and replacing whatever breaks with another brand. I looked at those kobalt tools, they look pretty decent, only i cant really find any other brand that offers such a large range in a retail store as craftsman does.

[CJHeap]

I expect a quality tool to have a fine finish like craftsman used to have. Not the appearance of a tool that has been rolling around the bed of my truck. My decades old and well used sockets have a better finish. I also expect them to have a precision fit, not the fit of the $9.99 china sets sold at flea markets.

I was out that way so i stopped by sears to take a look at the new sockets. I dont think the dinging or dimpleing or whatever you want to call it is as bad as cjheap says, but...i can see what he's saying. The one thing that made my jaw drop was the inside surface of the socket, if you look inside them there's all kinds of burrs and uneven surfaces and pits, it's kind of disturbing to see a craftman socket be made with that low of quality.

So that sucks, i might have to start phasing my craftsman stuff out and replacing whatever breaks with another brand. I looked at those kobalt tools, they look pretty decent, only i cant really find any other brand that offers such a large range in a retail store as craftsman does.

[RJR99SS]

I expect a quality tool to have a fine finish like craftsman used to have. Not the appearance of a tool that has been rolling around the bed of my truck. My decades old and well used sockets have a better finish. I also expect them to have a precision fit, not the fit of the $9.99 china sets sold at flea markets.

Yeah...well you notice they didnt drop the price of the tool, just the quality. So....thats going to suck for them, they probably think a lot of people just buy craftsman stuff for their non-functioning wannebe mechanic husband or boyfriend or cousin who will never actually use them, but a lot of professional people use them, and once word gets out about the suckage....yep they're screwed.

That really does suck though. Sad times we live in...seems like everything is in a state of decline anymore huh?

[CJHeap]

That really does suck though. Sad times we live in...seems like everything is in a state of decline anymore huh?

Tell me about it. We are starting to sound like our grandparents. :D

[frank_c]

that's the first step...next you'll be writing letters to newspaper editors. :D

[Bmf24]

just an FYI
i was in sears a couple weeks ago exchanging some broken tools and the guy told me the new sockets are all going to be etched. they removed all the punched ones. the new sockets have a lifetime warranty like they always had, but the lifetime of the sockets are untill the etching wears off. i scratched the etching in the store with my fingernail and some of it wore off. :shaking:

[fj40charles]

just an FYI
i was in sears a couple weeks ago exchanging some broken tools and the guy told me the new sockets are all going to be etched. they removed all the punched ones. the new sockets have a lifetime warranty like they always had, but the lifetime of the sockets are untill the etching wears off. i scratched the etching in the store with my fingernail and some of it wore off. :shaking:

Sounds like a pile of crap to me.. Let me guess, you take a good socket without etching, they replace it one with etching?

[CJHeap]

Sounds like a pile of crap to me.. Let me guess, you take a good socket without etching, they replace it one with etching?

Yes, They did that with one of mine.

[Bmf24]

Yes, They did that with one of mine.

yep. the guy that day was cool enough to give me an older one, but there werent many left, so by now they have to be gone

[Tool Pimp]

I worked at Sears for a while but worked in the shop, not on the sales floor. Most of the tools we used in the shop weren't from the store :laughing:

The Sears I go to is one of my better customers..... It really pisses off the mgrs when I pull up in the tool truck :D

[BMB]

Just an FYI,

I went into a Sears today and a K-Mart yesterday and looked at their sockets. Sure enough the finish on the insides was rough and uneven on the laser etched ones.

They both had some of stamped socket sets (11 piece inch or metric) and they were much better, but still not as good as they should have been.

I went ahead and picked one up, on sale, after getting a set with the best interior finish.

If your still looking for the stamped sets you might try K-Mart over Sears, as I think their inventory moves slower and the store I was in appears to have some older Craftsman products.


BMB

[4x4mike]

Not the sockets but the pliers. I picked up a set that has slip joint, needle nose, lineman, side cutters, etc (8 pieces I think). They were on sale and I needed them, OK only 2 of them. I busted them out of their blister pack an began to wipe them off. They looked like they had dried cosmoline on them but it was kind of like a cheap clear coat. Most of the set was hard to open, I had to use both hands to open the action so to speak. Inside of all the pliers except the slip joint there was what looked like welding spatter. I think it's from the cutting of the 'grip' on the jaws. Maybe they didn't clean them before they clear coated them. The tools are fine, finish was poor. By handling them it almost seems as if they need to be broken in. Just an observation.

[hross14]

Just adding to the thread--Has a long handle swivle head ratchet and stripped the gears already--lets see how many i can take in there before they get a clue

[oldjeep]

I just got a couple 1/2" drive sockets to replace a couple that I had lost. They work fine, but after a couple weeks the "chrome" is already chipping off at the end of the socket. The rest of my sockets which are about 10 years old never had this problem.

90% of my stuff is craftsman, but I'm going to be looking a lot closer before I buy their stuff now.

[jam0o0]

damn it. i buy all my hand tools from craftsman because of the combination of price, quality and the warranty. if the warranty AND quality go away what the hell is the point of craftsman tools at all? there are plenty of places to get crapy tools. i wanted one easy to get to place to get quality. damn it. does anyone know if they have a kinda customer oppinion form or something? i would go in ever few days and fill one of those out if it made them change back.

[Chili Palmer]

99% of my sockets, ratchets, etc. are Craftsman but I've been looking for a set of sockets for my son (Christmas!) and I'm seriously considering the Stanley's at this point. The only thing that I'm worried about is exchanging a broken one, I like that you can just walk into Sears and get a new one, not sure if it will work that way at Wally World or any where else with the Stanley's. If I could afford Matco or SnapOn I'd probably head that direction and give my son my old Craftsman's (which would probably still last him most of his life).

I know one thing for sure, I won't be buying those "etched" sockets, I've looked - and they aren't anything like the ones I have (stamped).

[CJHeap]

99% of my sockets, ratchets, etc. are Craftsman but I've been looking for a set of sockets for my son (Christmas!) and I'm seriously considering the Stanley's at this point. The only thing that I'm worried about is exchanging a broken one, I like that you can just walk into Sears and get a new one, not sure if it will work that way at Wally World or any where else with the Stanley's. If I could afford Matco or SnapOn I'd probably head that direction and give my son my old Craftsman's (which would probably still last him most of his life).

I know one thing for sure, I won't be buying those "etched" sockets, I've looked - and they aren't anything like the ones I have (stamped).

Get him a Kobalt set, just walk into Lowes and they will exchange out any failure.

[RJR99SS]

I goofed around on the sears site and found a customer service feedback form, sent them this...

I'm very concerned, well rather i'm pissed, about the recent quality of the craftsman brand hand tools. I'm a professional mechanic, and regularly buy tools all the time, i've always been a fan of craftsman just because of the convient retail locations, and the good quality. Unfortunatly, i've noticed that the quality of tools has dropped drastically. The new craftsman sockets that are being sold are quite frankly, a joke. Their size is "lazer etched" on them, which actually isnt etched at all and just a cheap spray, and the second they come into contact with any dirt or grim, it's impossible to tell what size the socket is, plus the "etching" can be chipped off with a fingernail anyways. The finish of these sockets is pathetic, the outer surface looks like the sockets have been bouncing around the bed of a dumptruck for a couple years, and the inside surface is startling. There's uneven surfaces, burrs, pits, i'm fairly surprised that the socket can actually fit onto the the size nut or bolt it's designed to. In all honesty, i've seen taiwanese tools with better quality. It's also interesting how you've drastically dropped the quality of the tool, but the price remains the same.

But whatever, you know as well as i do the quality issues of these tools. I doubt i even have to tell you that i wont be buying any craftsman tools anymore. What angers me is that i have a lot of craftsman tools, which are backed by a lifetime warrenty, and if any of them break i'll be forced to exchange them for an exceptionally low quality product, which i certainly would not pay for if given the choice. Dont you find that shows a certain amount of contempt for your customers?

And what were you thinking!? You realize that there's literally thousands of cheap "throw-away" brands out there (that cost MUCH less than craftsman tools) that people can buy? The bottom line is your quality is now on their level, yet you still price them as a quality product. You realize thats suicide right? You're basically trying to pull a fast one over on the consumer, and they're not going to appriciate it once they figure out what you're doing. Which...they already have as word is out on the internet about these cheap tools.

So, as a customer who feels rather offended and betrayed by your company, screw you too.

Yeah, i'm sure they'll be shocked to hear that and make everything better, :shaking:. But ah well, screw it, i was bored, needed something to bitch about.

[andyr354]

I have had good luck with the ACE harware brand sockets and wrenches. No problems with the few waranties I have taken into the local store.

I gave up on craftsman for ratchets. Nearest store is an hour drive and I got tired of them crapping out in a couple of months. Still looking for my preffered replacement. I have nothing close but ACE, Walmart, and Orchelns farm store.

Andy

[roverjohn]

I fail to understand the logic behind buying lesser tools just because you save a few bucks and there is someplace close to replace them. How much free time do you guys have? Even 15 minutes each way and 30 in the store means you've wasted an hour plus whatever costs you incurred driving there. Warranties are never as valuable as they appear to be if you need to put out any effort to enforce them. Either buy the best stuff so you'll rarely need replacements or buy used at a discount and then assume the risks yourself. You'll come out ahead in the long run.

[RJR99SS]

I fail to understand the logic behind buying lesser tools just because you save a few bucks and there is someplace close to replace them. How much free time do you guys have? Even 15 minutes each way and 30 in the store means you've wasted an hour plus whatever costs you incurred driving there. Warranties are never as valuable as they appear to be if you need to put out any effort to enforce them. Either buy the best stuff so you'll rarely need replacements or buy used at a discount and then assume the risks yourself. You'll come out ahead in the long run.

Yeah, cause the best stuff never breaks....:shaking:

[roverjohn]

Yeah, cause the best stuff never breaks....:shaking:

Since when is never the same as rarely?

[chris1044]

Yeah, cause the best stuff never breaks....:shaking:

Hate to say it, but I've used my snap on chromie's with an impact numerous times - no issue at all.....

Put a shit ass crapsman socket on there and it'll break the first time you touch the trigger.

And I'm with you guys....most of my sockets were craftsman when they had the stamped sockets....now that they've phased in this painted "laser etched" shit, I've stopped buying them - WTF is the point if, in two years when it breaks, I can't get the socket replace because the laser shit wore off:shaking:

Kinda sucks balls for people who have a decent amount of craftsman stuff and actually use it

[CAC91]

I can't get the socket replace because the laser shit wore off:shaking:


Wow that is a good point I never considered. Does Sears just tell you they don't have proof it is a Craftsman socket and refuse to warranty it then?

[Urban Wheeler]

If Lowe's offered a trade in deal for Craftsman stuff, would you do it?


:nevermind: On the Kobalt website they have "laser etched" sockets too. :(


Looks like SK is still stamped.

[andyr354]

Somebody mentioned the stanley stuff.

Looked in walmart over lunch and..... they are stamped quite nicely. Finish looks good and smooth as well.

Andy

[CAC91]

If Lowe's offered a trade in deal for Craftsman stuff, would you do it?


:nevermind: On the Kobalt website they have "laser etched" sockets too. :(


Looks like SK is still stamped.

I wouldn't trade Craftsman for Kobalt brand. I am keeping my fingers crossed that Craftsman realizes the quality has slipped badly (and hopefully sales too, don't buy this new junk they make) and will step it back up. I doubt it will happen, but I'm hoping.

Craftsman is an American institution as far as I am concerned. They used to build very nice stuff, even power tools.

[Bmf24]

, even power tools.

maybee in the 60's

i havent seen a crapsman power tool made in the past 29 years worth 2 shits. their power tools are all just re-labeled junk just like the rest of their junk.

[the_experience3006]

i havent seen a crapsman power tool made in the past 29 years worth 2 shits. their power tools are all just re-labeled junk just like the rest of their junk.

The "real" tool companies like Snap-On, Matco, Mac, etc are just as guilty and charge even more. Ever seen anything with the Bluepoint label, power tool or not? They leave something to be desired...

[CJHeap]

Wow that is a good point I never considered. Does Sears just tell you they don't have proof it is a Craftsman socket and refuse to warranty it then?


If this is the policy, they are playing the game of putting a definition of Lifetime on the tool itself.:shaking:

[DpSyChO]

One of the first tools I bought for myself was when I was in high school was a craftsman professional 4 1/2" grinder, Made in the usa, lotta $ for me then. I later got into metalwork and fabrication and wanted more grinders for cutoff wheels, flap disk, wire wheel, ect... so I wouldnt have to be changing tooling all the time. I've used and abused the grinder I have, and its still going strong, plus it was a paddle switch which I have to have. So I desided to get a couple of more like it. Nope, now made in china I think it was. :( I did not buy one there due to that. If I'm gonna buy ching chang grinder I'll get it from HF. K-mart/Sears you listening?, some people such as myself would rather pay a couple extra $ for USA made stuff. I had a hella time finding a shoe store with USA made metatarsal guard work boots in stock so I could try them on.

[Bmf24]

If this is the policy, they are playing the game of putting a definition of Lifetime on the tool itself.:shaking:

its the new policy. put a time limit on the lifetime of their tools

[Travis Waldher]

Hate to say it, but I've used my snap on chromie's with an impact numerous times - no issue at all.....

Put a shit ass crapsman socket on there and it'll break the first time you touch the trigger.


Not mine, but then again, my newest socket is 5 years old.

I have a hard time seeing a quality difference between craftsman and kobalt to warrant the difference in price I would pay.

Snap-on, Matco, etc... their tools are WAAAYYY too $$$ for me, the weekend wrencher. If my living depended on my tools I might feel differently.

Craftsman tools have been swirling the drain for a long time. It sounds like they are just going down it now. I guess I'll be looking much closer at harbor freight sockets.

[fj40charles]

I have a hard time seeing a quality difference between craftsman and kobalt to warrant the difference in price I would pay.


I'm guessing the Kobalt is made by Danaher Tools just like sears. The Kobalt wrenches look like the KD Tools and Matco.

My old craftsman sockets and ratchets (ratchet from the 1980's which was made by Stanley) are in good shape.

I guess calling their tools, "Sears Crapsman" is now appropriate.

It would not surprise me if a Stanley tools you buy at wally world is better quality than Sears Crapsman.