Hassle free lifetime guarantee, they say

[Car Nut]

 

[64 AAR Valiant]

Another is Ridgid
Broke a 36 “ pipe wrench
Warranty sticker is still attached
Local rep would not honor it
Had too many nicks in the head piece
(Lost handle in waste water clarifier @ paper mill). No luck with factory also
2 years later found handle when we drained the clarifier
Kept it as a souvenir lol

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Find a good welder.

 

[Inertia]

Back probably35-40 years ago, when my Sears rachet wrence broke and they wanted to give me a repair kit... was when I bought my LAST Sears product. I take full credit and responsibility for them going broke and selling their chit to Lowe's!!

I got the repair kit, still using it today, lol

 

[pa340dart]

@toolmanmike I agree if the warranty stated that misuse wasn't covered but the warranty label only states if the handle distorts or breaks, they will replace it
plus I didn't have the handle at the time.
But yeah, we were working on an old steam line trying to replace a threaded flange around 10 ft in the air, we put a 6-8 ft pipe on it and pushed it with a forklift.
It got the job done, mill kept running, boss was happy. We never told him how we did it though. lol

 

[dibbons]

Back probably35-40 years ago, when my Sears rachet wrence broke and they wanted to give me a repair kit... was when I bought my LAST Sears product. I take full credit and responsibility for them going broke and selling their chit

Same thing they did to me, it was a long, long time ago but still remember it.

 

[toolmanmike]

@toolmanmike I agree if the warranty stated that misuse wasn't covered but the warranty label only states if the handle distorts or breaks, they will replace it
plus I didn't have the handle at the time.
But yeah, we were working on an old steam line trying to replace a threaded flange around 10 ft in the air, we put a 6-8 ft pipe on it and pushed it with a forklift.
It got the job done, mill kept running, boss was happy. We never told him how we did it though. lol

I spent 3 decades in the tool business. I have seen pretty much everything. The reason why the manufacturers change the warranty is because of abuse and misuse. You also can't print all the warranty guidelines on a small sticker on a hand tool. You guys are lucky no one got hurt when that thing let go.

 

[Workingdog1]

Ugh, Blowe’s……

I must show a receipt or photo ID to exchange a Kobalt tool. When I point to the “Hassle Free” warranty sign, I’m being told that they don’t know if I bought the tool at Blowe’s. Despite my attempts of showing them it’s got Kobalt written on the tool… So, after exchanging a few broken tools throughout the year ( and showing Photo ID to complete the transaction) I get Red Flagged in their system and am actually denied future tool warranty exchanges….. My local Blowe’s has also changed their Lifetime Warranty to a Limited 90 day warranty on certain tools like tape measures. Any attempts to exchange a broken Kobalt tape measure that I purchased when the Lifetime Warranty was in effect on said item, results in an argument between myself and the Blowe’s employees as their warranty policy has changed ….

Needless to say, Blowe’s will honor and exchange Craftsman, Lufkin, Crescent, tape measures with Lifetime Warranty for another tape measure with a Lifetime Warranty.

How is it that Kobalt is Blowe’s line of tools and Blowe’s changes their own Lifetime Warranty on THEIR own products?

It appears you might be a little hard on measuring tapes.
I have always used measuring devices with the utmost care and still used efficiently.
If it is merely a pocket tape and properly used you would think it is only worn out.

I do have refill blades for Lufkin 10', 12' and 25' Engineer tapes graduated in inches / decimals of a foot.

 

[Caco2120]

What i find funny, is when you find the canibalized sets in the clearence section, where they have robbed screwdrivers or wrenches out of, they are priced downright awful lol missing 3 wrenches. $3 off retail. ($50 set of 10)

 

[bcschief]

I bought a large 3/4 drive Craftsman socket set in the early 80s made in Tiawan with a round head non quick release ratchet, about 10 years ago the ratchet broke and I returned it to Sears, and they gave me a replacement US made Quick release Ratchet. I looked at the price on it and it cost about what I paid for the whole set originally.