Craftsman Hand tools made in China? (OT)

Was over at the local Sears about a month ago, and while I already knew the Craftsman "Evolv" stuff was made in China, to my suprise all the tools I saw were not Stamped USA any more

Fast forward to this past weekend, and my girlfriend was at her parents house and her father gave her 3 broken craftsman ratchets (1/4 3/8 and 1/2) to get the warranty on (her parents closest sears is about a 40 minute drive). So She brings the ratchets to me and I warned her if they don't have any rebuilt ones they might replace her dads USA made ratchets with New Chinese made. So I headed over to Sears and the kid at the tool counter gave me a refurbished 1/4 and 3/8 from under the counter and then he couldnt find a 1/2'' so he went and grabbed a new one. I told him i would go to another sears and try to get a refurbished one.

I'm not saying the new Cratsman tools made in China are crap, hell maybe they are just as good or even better?... but me personally and most of my friends who are car guys etc. want a tool made in the USA and If I break one of them I really do not want it replaced with a Chinese tool.. If I wanted that, I would have bought a Stanley tool from Walmart in the first place for half the price, and the same lifetime warranty as Craftsman...

Maybe it's time to start buying snap on? Sorry for the vent

 

I heard Snap on is having some of it's tools made in China also. Funny though how we complain about where the tools are made and yet the very computer we are using is made in Taiwan or China or Mexico . How about our T.V.s and DVD players? Cell phones?

 

I haven't seen that yet. I'll never buy another craftsman tool if it's true.

 

I've got some old Craftsman tools and some newer ones, and the old tools are better in every respect. The chrome on the new ones chip easily and the levers on the the rachets are now plastic instead of steel. I predict we will be hearing about a bankruptcy involving Sears and K Mart sometime down the road.

Don

 

Look up Element TV's

 

Not mine. But it does take a few well-dressed gals to operate it.

 

jcmarz - that is a good point, although a tool made poorly is a lot more likely to do damage/hurt you than a computer or a tv...

I want to be able to count on my ratchet/wrench not to give out and break my nose (or worse) when I'm trying to break loose a rusty bolt under my car or something.

henry29, unfortunately it is definitely true...

You can literally see the decrease in quality

 

hahaha!:d

 

I quit buying Sears ratchets a long time ago, they wore out pretty fast when they were US made.

 

Not all Snap-On tools are made in the USA and their BluePoint line is all imported.
I started using S-K Tools a while back because I feel they are basically the same as the good snap on stuff. They are gauranteed as well.

 

Until that overheated Nankang Dog Food And Power Electronics Ltd wall-wart sets fire to your house...

This may be true, but I much prefer my '50s and '60s Craftsman to newer stuff even if US-made. They went to thicker walls, etc. to reduce the potential for breakage, but it also makes them less able to fit in tight places.

Oh, and here's an interesting one:

I grabbed a newish Craftsman 7/16in 6-point socket from the drawer to put in a 1/4in capscrew. Slid the socket over the head and turned the wrench, but the bolt didn't turn.

Turns out there's a bolt-head-deep section at the bottom of the socket that doesn't have a hex...brilliant.

 

Most tools are made in China because the Chinese need tools since they are the only ones making anytthing anymore!

 

Rich -

Funny...I see NO decrease in quality. In fact,looking at the head, the main body is done cleaner and the ratchet mechanism appears to fit much nicer.
The forging shape looks a bit different...but inferior..!?

While 99% of my tools ARE Craftsman, I did buy a set of their new heavy handled (more squared off) ratchets. Don't recall a USA or China in the handle, but will look.
I do like the finer tooth pattern and the larger handle on the new ratchets.

As far as them wearing out...yea...right...! I have a 1/2 ratchet that gotta be the better part of 60 years old, been thru three people. Used and abused and still works just fine. Most of my stuff is well over 40 years old with no problems.

And yea...with 4 cars and 3 motorcycles...they do get used..!

Mike

 

This is old news!

I have a set of Craftsman metric wrenches that I've had for at least 20 years that are stamped Made in Japan and have had Craftsman torque wrenches that were made in China.

The good Craftsman wrenches use to be made by the J.H. Williams company in Buffalo, NY. In fact, if anyone has any J.H. Williams wrenches you will notice that they are a spittin' image of a Craftsman.

 

I hate Craftsman ratchets with a passion that burns hotter than [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]two rats having sex in a wool sock.[/FONT]

 

Haha!!!!

 

Good Point! It's true that U.S.A made products that were made 50 or more years ago is much better made than todays U.S. made products. That is why our old cars are still on the road.

 

Crafstman has really lost it. I had to replace one of my ractchets after 20 years . And as Don said, the lever on the new one was plastic. There is quite a bit of conflicting info as to who makes what and where. I believe that years ago, Stanley was making Craftsman at a plant in Dallas.

Not to go too far OT..but did Vizio quit making tv's in Cali and move them overseas ?

 

Its happening now! two of the local sears in Salt Lake will be closing or already have? they say its just downsizing in some locations but only time will tell?

 

This is not news either.

There has been talk as well as predictions about this for about a year now.

 

Thats funny right there!!!!

Isnt it nice to get a chinese shitbox in exchange for the dependable American one that wore out?!?!? Will they give you your money back if you refuse the chinese junk?

 

I just decided to skip the middle man and I went straight to buying Harbor Freight tools. At least with Harbor Frieght I expect them to break.

Like someone else said, why do we even need tools in the US, we don't actually build anything anymore.

 

I wonder if Chinese people complain about the quality of tools made in China?

Don

 

Just bought a new Snap On tool box recently, proudly stamped on the side of the box was 'made in china', alot of their Blue Point range is made there as well, seems like pretty soon we won't have a choice it will be china made or nothing!!

 

So we can fix the shit some 3rd world country fucked up!

 

Sears is now owned by Kmart, so price is King.

 

The 1/2" ratchets don't wear out, it's the 3/8" that I use most of the time that wear out. I started this stuff in the mid 70s, I guess I missed out on the good tools.

 

To the OP, i don't know you but i'm sure you are a great guy, but if you had to rant why didn't you just add to an existing thread? You say that the China made could be as good as the ones made in the good old U.S.A. but you would rather not have the China made tools? OT i hate China crap threads are getting so old, if you don't like the stuff they make don't buy it.

I have purchased Amercan made items of all kinds in my life time, sometimes the quality is good, sometimes not, being made here or exspensive for that matter does not mean quality. I like the quality of old stuff in general, funiture, car parts, tools etc. and it seems most if not all was made here with pride and a style that is long gone. Nothing is more constant than change, buy what is offered, search out old American made items or make your own...if you don't like it/them don't buy it/them it's that simple

Oops, i guess i could have added this to an existing thread.

 

Of course they do. They import all their tools from Korea and Japan.

 

If you want older craftsman tools, I'd be looking on CL. Lot's of people are selling for need of money these days. I'm currently downsizing my tools so I'll keep my good stuff and pass some along. As far as old craftsman tools go I have a patent pending fine tooth 1/2 rachet that I barely saved when they tried to pawn one of the newer ones on me about 10 years ago, I said no and luckly the young man behind the counter went in the back and found a old kit for it and put it in while I waited.