Went to Sears last night..

[joe25DA]

I like craftsman tools, I have quite a few plus a some older sk sets, Mac and snap on too.
I know that craftsman has the evolv china line, I can't remember when they made an electric tool in the US.
But the good socket sets have always been USA. Well, it looks like sears finally sold out. Every set I found was Chinese. The loose sockets still said USA but I'd guess that's only till they've been sold off. I left kinda bummed out.

 

[Philbert]

Sears (and Kmart) has been on a downward slide for many years now. I was surprised to see their exclusive (and once hallowed) Craftsman tools sold at Ace Hardware store, and Sears ads promoting DeWalt brand socket sets. They have undercut the value of their brands, along with many other marketing and customer service failures. They still have some good tools and good values, but you have to be more selective now when you shop there.

Philbert

 

[SS Sniper]

I got the Max Axess set about a year ago and it's already trashed. I don't even go "nuts" (haha) tightening/unloosening with it either
Don't know where it's made, but I'm assuming China

 

[Guido Salvage]

The local Sears store here in Lexington closed a couple of years ago, I do not even know where the closest one may be. It has been years since I have been to Sears.

 

[fearofpavement]

Even some of the highest quality brands are from China now. Try buying a Milwaukee Electric tool and see where it's made. Nowadays, if someone says they're not buying anything from China, they're going without.
I buy Chinese goods like anyone else but I do draw the line at food (because I don't trust it) so we have stopped buying a lot of items that come from China. eg orange and apple juice, Tilapia, etc.
Chinese manufacturers can make things to any level of quality someone is willing to pay for so a blanket statement that stuff from China is junk is just silly. Yes, a lot of stuff from China is junk but not all of it. A Milwaukee brand Sawzall from China is going to be a better tool than a recip saw from Harbor Freight. One is $39 and one is $129. Just like many items, you can buy whatever quality you're willing to pay for and the country of origin is not the major determiner of quality.
Most products today are difficult to determine country of origin. eg, just bought some orange juice at Aldi about an hour ago. the juice is from: Belize, Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico and United States. Could be all from one of those countries, a little from all of those countries or who knows?
When you buy a chainsaw made in Virginia Beach, USA or Huskvarna, Sweden, one can't assume none of those saws contain Chinese parts. (most likely they do)
We are in a global economy these days and while it is difficult to accept perhaps, it is the reality of life.

 

[1Alpha1]

Yes, Sears / Craftsman has been in a down-hill slide for a few years. They sold out to a holding company some years ago, and that company is only interested in the bottom line, not quality of merchandise or customer satisfaction.

I have tons of Craftsman hand tools and power tools. The ones I have, are all made in USA.

I give Sears a few more years, and it will then go the way of Montgomery Wards. I still have some Power Craft hand tools.

 

[joe25DA]

The millwaukee sawzalls are still usa, a few other tools in there line are too. And yes, I refuse to buy Chinese tools for a premium price. Maybe I'm not a fan of the "global economy", fact is I find it hard to believe that some poor person making 20 cents an hour is going to put that much care into the job. I'll buy Japanese, German, Swedish . But I'll always pass on china, Brazil, India.
I'll also add that DeWalt has stepped up and started making a lot of there tools back here instead of Mexico, I'm the proud owner of the new 20v 1/2" drill. I am very impressed so far. Every guy I know would rather buy US tools and pay a premium. I bet that's a majority feeling too

 

[LumberJack1940]

Sadly a lot of great companies of past years have went downhill, Most of my tools are vintage good quality that I inherited and I buy tools made in usa, germany, japan, swedan and a few others of good quality when I find them. I like my usa made tools and also have to include the german, swedish, norwegian, and japanese tools I have as well. for example I like my knives to be quality made, here's my old Schrade uncle henry stockman made in usa compared to a newer one made in china. schrade sold out back in 2004 I believe and now the whole schrade comapny is made overseas. My old one has more weight, thicker spines on the spey and sheepsfoot blades, better handle scales and pins, and better bolsters, the chinese one is lighter, has thinner spines on the blades and the scales aren't aligned like the old one is, and the stamps are offset a little. one thing I really notice with the chinese ones are that they don't hold an edge well and the back springs don't have a crisp snap like the old ones IMHO and boots are another thing that need to be quality usa or canadian made ie wesco, whites, hoffman, viberg, red dawg etc

 

[1Alpha1]

A power craft ratchet almost killed me.
I was inside my one car garage on a creeper under my 68 3/4 ton ford truck trying to get the transmission mount bolts loose to change the engine. I was pushing against the passenger side frame rail with my feet, pulling the wrench with both hands when the head of the ratched exploded. I hit back side of both my hands on the sharp edge of the drivers side frame rail as I shot out from under the truck on the creeper and went head first into the garage wall. My wife heard the thud and came out to investigate. I was rolling around on the floor with blood gushing out of both hands, knocked silly and moaning in pain.

That is a bad time to ask "how is it going?"

Wards went out of business so I couldn't even take it back.

Sounds as if you might have been using a 1/2" drive ratchet. It can be quite easy at times, to over-load a hand tool if you use it improperly.

Doing what you described, I would have used a long breaker bar. Probably even a 3/4" drive at that. If I have to use my legs and feet to stabilize myself while I try and break something loose, I'm NOT going to use a ratchet. It's always going to be a long, appropriately sized, breaker bar.

 

[mountainlake]

Just the nail in the coffin for Sears. Steve

 

[zogger]

I'd be interested to know if sears maintains their own parts warehouses or just has things shipped to them and then onto the customer. They still have a lot of old craftsman/poulan parts for example, in their system.

So say they go bankrupt..someone is gonna wind up with those parts....I hope they don't get dumped/scrapped for some bogus suit tax writeoff.

 

[1Alpha1]

The millwaukee sawzalls are still usa, a few other tools in there line are too. And yes, I refuse to buy Chinese tools for a premium price. Maybe I'm not a fan of the "global economy", fact is I find it hard to believe that some poor person making 20 cents an hour is going to put that much care into the job. I'll buy Japanese, German, Swedish . But I'll always pass on china, Brazil, India.
I'll also add that DeWalt has stepped up and started making a lot of there tools back here instead of Mexico, I'm the proud owner of the new 20v 1/2" drill. I am very impressed so far. Every guy I know would rather buy US tools and pay a premium. I bet that's a majority feeling too

When it comes to hand and power tools, I always buy quality. Sure, it's going to cost you more initially, but the long-term payback can be substantial. Cheaply made tools can get you injured, and don't hold their value either. There will come a day when I get to be too old to work with my tools. When that day comes, I will have no trouble selling them and recouping most of my money back. Quality hand and power tools are a good investment, as long as you care for them, keep them clean, and don't abuse them.

Years ago, I wanted to buy a 1 hp bench grinder with 10" wheels on it. I was willing to pay some good money, but I didn't want to go over-board. I looked and looked for an American manufacturer. I found a couple, but the prices were well over $600.00 and up for one.

I ended up buying a Delta grinder. It was made in Taiwan I believe, but it appeared to be solid. All ball bearing, cast iron construction, weighs 70 lbs., and works like a charm. I paid right at $200.00 for it at the time. Still works today as good as the day I brought it home.

 

[Guido Salvage]

When I lived in Richmond there was a Sears warehouse that sold "scratch and dent" furniture and appliances. It also had a repair facility as well as a parts inventory for appliances and lawn and garden products.

 

[super3]

Stopped buying craftsman sockets in the 80's. I got tired of retuning the broken ones for a new one only to have to have it happen again.

 

[computeruser]

Had that same thing happen when I went in to get some nut drivers. Walked out, went online, and ordered some Wiha ones - one screwdriver style, one t-handle style. Money well spent.

Sad, since I have a Sears that is a 10 minute walk from my house. Such is life...

 

[MuskokaSplitter]

I agree american made tools are great but are now extremely expensive. Im a mechanic for a living and i have a hard time buying on the snap-On / mac tools trucks. I spend about 4grand a year on these trucks and its well spent. But a lot of stuff especially on the mac truck is just rebranded.....snap on too but not as much.

I buy hand tools like husky/craftsman/mastercraft for the home and they work well

Power tools i buy dewalt.

Do i know where this stuff is made? No.

Usually it says assembled in usa with global components.

 

[lone wolf]

Stopped buying craftsman sockets in the 80's. I got tired of retuning the broken ones for a new one only to have to have it happen again.

Snap On now?

 

[1Alpha1]

I had a Craftsman 1/4 sheet palm sander that I bought many years ago. Worked like a charm. One of the levers you use to secure the sandpaper went bad and made it tough to keep the sandpaper on the sanding pad. My wife used it primarily to restore old sewing machine cabinets.

Anyways, we decided to go buy a new one. We looked at many different brands at different stores. Sears quit selling this particular model some years ago, and the new ones were junk. Of all the ones we looked at, they were either very expensive or cheaply made.

We ended up buying a Black & Decker at Walmart for like $25.00 or so. My wife used it the next day for under two hours. The pad the sandpaper mounts / rests on, literally wore away at the edges. Back to Walmart it went. Got a refund with no problems.

Then, I went on E-Bay and found the exact same model Craftsman sander that we had. Seller had two of them, both still sealed and NIB. I bought both for $22.00 each (discounted) + shipping. All ball-bearing construction and 100% proudly Made In The USA.

Ya gotta love E-Bay at times.

 

[LumberJack1940]

ebay is where I usually go to find tools and other stuff not made anymore. I thought this picture was pretty funny and sums up some stuff

 

[lambs]

I used to love Sears because they'd replace a ratchet or socket if it broke. For me, one deal breaker was when they decided to launch the Discover card and refused to take any other card. More recently, I ordered a washer and dryer from them for delivery in Florence, SC to her appartment. Called the night before to confirm, and they confirmed. After driving 2 hours to meet the delivery guy the next day, he was a no show. Sears said they did not have a delivery in their system for it. I guess they just postponed it because the truck wasn't full. They somehow managed to deliver to her 5 days later.

I'm done with Sears.