Craftsman tools made in CHINA

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I noticed you can get quality tools and absoulte crap tools made in any country.
 
I started replacing all my crapsman stuff a few years ago. I don't even shop at sears and only go to kmart for socks and underware. When the first thing they ask is "do you want to PURCHASE the extended warranty" I would always respond with "Why, is it gong to brake right away?" They never had an answer and the tool would almost always break. I will pay more for tools from now on. I was thinking about Kobalt for an inexpensive brand. Any ideas on that?
 
I am more than happy to pay a premium to purchase quality products, that I can purchase once and once only, but I find alot of the world is only interested in how much cheaper jimmy jacks is over jonny macs. Well JJ's sourced offshore and jm's is north american. The whole scenario is brought on because people prefer to buy cheap and then complain about it being a lousy product and its made wherever. These are the same people that have to buy the product over and over again. Guess who wins the $$$ struggle at that point.
What I am saying is we have brought this upon ourselves!
A company is in business to make money. Capitalism at its best.
my 2 cents
 
I've always had craftsman tools, They have never let me down. That's because they were American Made.=D> But I too have noticed this. I believe This was a major mistake by craftsman, to have their tools made in china.:wack: It's not pride anymore like it use to be, It's all about money and profit and bonusus.:angry7: If quality slips, They have just destroyed the craftsman name. I know I'll be watching closely. Everybody in this country without a job right now can thank our sell out government. We need to put Americans to work first and everyone else second. Take care of our own! If you are unemployed right now, I'm sorry. Hang in there, things will get better. Keep your faith.
 
I've only had 2 failures of Craftsman tools ever. 1 ratchet and one socket I split open with extreme force.

They are 20 year old Craftsmans.
 
rumblefish360 said:
I noticed you can get quality tools and absoulte crap tools made in any country.
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Ain't that the truth! Could be the reason my tool box has MAC, SnapOn, Matco, Cornwell, Crapsman, Kobalt, Husky, NAPA, IR, Hutchins....you get the picture. Not all of them have been quality, not all of them have stood the test of time. I just need a tool that won't break in the middle of the job and leave me stranded as a technician, looking to make up for lost time and forcing me to lose my ***, especially if it's a "specialty" tool like a shallow 7mm flex socket perfect for getting the #7 coil off a 5.4 2V Triton. (The only reason that socket is in my tool box.)

As far as the "pro" line of tools, though, do they really belong in the conversation? Most of us here don't have access to the tool truck and are forced to look for store-shelf brands like Crapsman, Husky, Kobalt, Duralast, etc. For those of us who do have the ability to walk on the tool truck and run a truck account and spend the money for the convenience of having someone come to us, that's all fine and dandy, but in this case, I believe not really pertinent to the general population.
 
Ramenth, well said. Face it we live in a "Wal Mart" society. We all want to buy it cheap. And because of Government regulations, big union wages, greedy stockholders, and even more greedy CEO's, the manufacturers are forced to go elsewhere to produce their product. When one company does it they all follow just to compete.
Getting back to your last thought, most people don't have access to the tool truck and can't or won't spend the money for the extra quality and service. I don't blame them. The tools I sell are very expensive but are top quality and they buy a part of me when they buy the tool. I have been a Mac Tool dealer for 20 years now and that means a lot to a lot of people when they buy my products. When someone stops me on the street to buy a simple tool like a screwdriver or a socket they always get a big sticker shock when I tell them the price. They want the best for less. Mike
 
I place most of the blame on U.S. tax policies, free trade agreements, and corporate greed. Many of us seen this coming in the 80's seen it pick up steam in the 90's and results are coming in in the 2000's. It will be a long and painful time to turn this around, if we can. I don't think we'll ever see manufacturing back as we knew it. Our economy is based upon consuming things, not making things now.
Someone a few posts up asked "what's next"? It's your groceries. Do you have any idea how much of your food comes in from overseas? It's really quite scary. The U.S. is one of the largest chicken producers in the world. At this point we are very close to a trade agreement which will allow U.S. poultry companies to process that bird, then ship it to China where it will be cooked and returned to the U.S. for sale. How can that be cost effective? I don't care if the Chinese work for free, I don't see how it can be cost effective. But it is close to a done deal.

I have asked before, where does it make any economic sense for company A to buy out company B; split up and sell off all of the profitable pieces and parts of company B and then junk the carcass. Think about Chrysler. My answer, only in the bizarro world of U.S. tax policy which favors short term gain over long term profitablity and viability. That has to change before companies will adjust their business practices. But, that's not likely to change because who "owns" congress? It ain't you and me. And with the recent Supreme Court decision allowing companies (because a corporation is a person???) allows companies to run political ads. Hang on folks!
Rant off,
C
 
toolmanmike said:
Ramenth, well said. Face it we live in a "Wal Mart" society. We all want to buy it cheap. And because of Government regulations, big union wages, greedy stockholders, and even more greedy CEO's, the manufacturers are forced to go elsewhere to produce their product. When one company does it they all follow
just to compete. Mike
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I think it goes a little beyond, that too. Your points are well said and well taken. We as a whole are greedy. We want our cake and eat it, too. We want to make as much as we can and buy as cheaply as we can. The corporate greed spreads from that. Some would blame capitalism, but those are the ones who confuse capitalism with consumerism. Consumerism says we need the latest gadget. We need the coffee pot that won't just brew our coffee it will also steep the grounds to give us the rich, flavorful aroma. It says we need a phone that can't just talk on, but a phone which will allow us to surf the internet, connect to Facebook so we can stay in touch with our friends (um, you can't talk to them? It's a phone.) all at the same time we can text, look up youtube, and share tasteless photoes.

The greed starts early in us. It's the idea that our kids are told that they can't get ahead unless they go to college and get a good education. Forget skilled labor. Forget manufacturing or driving truck or being a mechanic or selling tools. Nope, you have to get a college education or you'll wind up just like all the slack jawed yokels. Ithaca, NY, probably has the highest per capita employment of master degree educated burger flippers because those kids fell for it and have no hands on knowledge of a skilled labor job. Because of the college education they demand a price range that skilled labor positions aren't willing to pay for little to no experience.

As an industrialized society we'll always need those folks who work behind the scenes to keep the country moving: the truck drivers and the mechanics who keep the trucks moving, the guys in the factories building the trucks and trailers and the goods the trucks move so we can eat and clothe ourselves. The road crew workers to make sure the roads are passable in the winter. The idea that we're "too good" for those menial tasks is what's opening the door for illegals moving in and the offshore movement.
 
So my lifetime warranteed Craftsman tools will be replaced by Chineese junk if I damage them? That blows.

Now I have to to check to see where they are made now, but ACE Hardware wrenches, rachets, and sockets used to be made in the USA and came with a lifetime warrantee. Inexpensive as well. I hope this has not changed too.

I always check the tool bin at pawn shops for quality American made tools. You can ususally feel the differernce when you pick one up. Problem is the pawn shops know this too and charge a different price for US and foreign made stuff.
 
You're right on the money! (no pun intended) LOL Mike
 
The real story is the unions. Always looking to start trouble.
We had a plant here that asked the employees to take a one
dollar cut in pay to keep the plant opened. These were people
that were making $13.00 to $17.00 to push a button on a
machine. The union stepped in and said no cut in pay. Guess what?
THE PLANT CLOSED. No more jobs. The union leaders don't care.
They still get there paychecks.
 
homecloned said:
the tool would almost always break. I will pay more for tools from now on. I was thinking about Kobalt for an inexpensive brand. Any ideas on that?
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I work at Lowe's part time while I go to school and we sell Kobalt. Kobalt are foreign tools too, and to be honest they are not great, I think I would trust a chinese craftsman before I would trust Kobalt.
 
Stop!!! Buying anything not made in U.S.A This will help. Not today or tommarrow but we would see a change sometime in our life. Don't get me started. Take this from someone who was told to learn spanish or loose your job. They gave me 30 days.
We did this and a year later the company went out of business, could not keep up with the repairs on the shotty work done buy non papered people. This is a little extream, if you don't speak english learn or be sent back to Country of orgin. They need to get rid of any automobiles not made in the U.S. NOW!!! This would make our work force shine in america, they would not have a choice. JMO Don :clock: Time is ticking.
 
This sucks because most of the hand tools and power tools that I have are Craftsman. A couple of weeks ago I finally broke my trusty Craftsman ratchet that is at least 20 years old. It has been one tough wrench. Now I have exchange it.
 
I worked at Sears in the early 90,s and some of the Craftsman tools were made in China then...........
 
with Kmart owning sears now, it was just a matter of time till there hand tools went to the dogs,,,

i have had 2 or 3 electric drills from crapsman over the last few years,, with hardly any use,,either the bearings have gone bad or the keyless chuck,,

no more tools of any type from sears,,,i bought a milwalkee drill what a nice piece,,my gas weekwacker from sears takes for ever to start,and did from day one,,,,

i guess ill have to buy hand tools from ?????? lowes?????home depot?? any one have experience with those hand tools???,
 
Yes I know that I been branded. But I'm not a liar. I posted a picture that someone was a fended by it and I'm sorry that I did. So when I logged on I was band for a week, no warning just band. so stupid me sign on under a different name to ask why. to make a long story short I found 3 pictures 2 that was nude a 1 that was border line. And that is when I got branded with Banned for pissing off the FABO Admin. I spoke my mind and truths. I do enjoy this site lots of great stuff here. I look 3-4 times a day. I will live with my brand I don't need to be reminded. Everybody makes mistakes and I did speaking my mind. Sorry for doing that.
Jim
 
muddacres said:
Yes I know that I been branded. But I'm not a liar. I posted a picture that someone was a fended by it and I'm sorry that I did. So when I logged on I was band for a week, no warning just band. so stupid me sign on under a different name to ask why. to make a long story short I found 3 pictures 2 that was nude a 1 that was border line. And that is when I got branded with Banned for pissing off the FABO Admin. I spoke my mind and truths. I do enjoy this site lots of great stuff here. I look 3-4 times a day. I will live with my brand I don't need to be reminded. Everybody makes mistakes and I did speaking my mind. Sorry for doing that.
Jim
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Sounds like you either need to move on or let it go. Some how I have managed to be happy here with over a thousand posts without even receiving a warning.
 
autopar3000 said:
They're probably just trying to stay competitive by manufacturing in China. You almost can't blame them; they're just trying to keep their costs down.

When is it going to stop? When people like me and you stop buying the Chinese made junk and insist on products made in North America. That's not to say that everything made in China is junk, but we have to support the manufacturing industries here in our own back yard.
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That's all it boils down to. None of us could come close to being able to afford to live the way we do if we tried to go all-American. We're the greedy ones, not the companies - we want everything for nothing. I'll stop buying Craftsman when the quality starts to slip. And I sure as hell won't go to spending $400 for a torque wrench that I use 5 times a year from Snap-on or Matco!

It's a global economy, you have to accept it, or find another planet to live on. Toyota employs more Americans than the Big 3! But they're foreign junk, right? (I won't refute that they're junk but it has nothing to do w/ the fact that they're a Japanese company).
 
I am an industrial mechanic by trade and we use only Proto tools. I don't know where they are made, but they are tough tools.
 
Badart said:
I am an industrial mechanic by trade and we use only Proto tools. I don't know where they are made, but they are tough tools.
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This is the right idea. If the tool is junk, don't buy it. If the tool is good quality, value for the money, buy it. It doesn't really matter where it comes from. Vote with your $s.

My gripes with Chinese stuff are open end wrenches that were given to me measure larger than stated across the board. They have a great, durable finish on them, however. They work fine on similarly oversize Chinese bolts and nuts. Secondly, I'd never use a Chinese sourced fastener in a critical application. I went through the big fiasco in the aircraft business when we found scrap being sold as Grade 8.

FWIW my wrenches are either Made in USA Craftsman or SK Tools. I've had the SKs since 1967. Replaced the worn out 9/16 and 5/8 sockets and did something stupid to split the head on the ½" ratchet handle. Each time, the dealer replaced them for free, no hassles.
 
Badart said:
I am an industrial mechanic by trade and we use only Proto tools. I don't know where they are made, but they are tough tools.
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For the most part they are made in the USA. You will notice "Made in the USA with Global components (or materials) We don't produce much steel here any more. The manufacturers get parts and raw materials from overseas to produce our products. Proto is owned by The Stanley Works (as is Mac, Bostich, Facom, Husky, and Black and Decker to name a few) We made tools for Sears in the 80's. We have manufacturing plants all over the US. and the world. I am surprised at how many companies that produce tools have products that are made overseas.
 
Quote from Toolman : I have been a Mac Tool dealer for 20 years now and that means a lot to a lot of people when they buy my products. When someone stops me on the street to buy a simple tool like a screwdriver or a socket they always get a big sticker shock when I tell them the price. They want the best for less.

Over my early years as a mechanic I left so much knuckle blood on equipment that I swore off a couple brands like Proto and Gray. Since moving to MAC for wrenches and sockets my hands have been much happier. I especially like the MAC wrenches, they just feel right and don't bite into my hands like Snap On. I'll continue to buy MAC mostly out of trust.
 
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