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Remember when CRAFTSMAN tools were built in AMERICA ?

Craftsman who? I tried a few back when everyone thought they were great. Was not impressed then. S-K was always a junk tool in my opinion. Just do not like tools with the cheesy little handles. Snap-on included gripping that little ratchet handle all day long makes the hands tired.
 
Yeah, how would a Crescent wrench be parted out?????

Forging in one location, machining in another, and plating in yet another.
 
Yes and I lost a good USA manufactured Crescent wrench. It could be wheeled to the correct size and would stay there. The new crap needs to be adjusted every time it comes off a nut or bolt. A 3-d copier can make a better quality tool than todays machining.
 
I have Craftsman wrenches, sockets, and ratchets from 1980. They are good! No complaints.

I have Craftsman wrenches, sockets, and ratchets from 2002. The sockets are terrible...flaking plating and I had a 15 mm 3/8" drive socket split lengthwise. I was not abusing it. The wrenches and ratchets are a sloppy fit.

I have a set of Craftsman sockets and ratchets from around 2005. Horrible. Maybe they would be good fishing "sinkers".

Aside from my good 1980 Craftsman tools, my "go to" tool sets are from HAZET, Gedore, and Stahlwille. I have some NAPA tools from 2004 and they are pretty decent.

Anyway, it's great to see jobs coming back to Ft Worth after the employment catastrophe that began in January 1991.
 
Remember when CRAFTSMAN tools were built in AMERICA ? lol
I have Craftsman wrenches, sockets, and ratchets from 1980. They are good! No complaints....

1980, ......That's after I bought my Japanese Craftsman combination wrench set...………
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Craftsman who? I tried a few back when everyone thought they were great. Was not impressed then. S-K was always a junk tool in my opinion. Just do not like tools with the cheesy little handles. Snap-on included gripping that little ratchet handle all day long makes the hands tired.


So who's wrenches & ratchets do you like?
 
Remember when CRAFTSMAN tools were built in AMERICA ? lol


1980, ......That's after I bought my Japanese Craftsman combination wrench set...………
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I definitely bought mine in 1980; forged in the USA. Maybe mine were old ones sitting in the store... Richardson, Texas.
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IMG_20190519_185017.jpg
 
Craftsman was always the “homeowner” quality tool company. The product consistency was never good, as they put the manufacturing of the tool lines out to bid periodically. Whoever was the low bidder, got the job to make the tools for X amount of time.

That said, I buy a lot of “V” (-V-) series stuff on eBay. It’s good quality stuff IMO. I don’t care for their ratchets at all. Cheap feel. I like Wright and Snap-on ratchets.

Good to see them opening some sort of manufacturing here.
 
I'll never forget on my 15th birthday when my Dad took me to Sears and bought me a $300. Craftsman tool set. This would have been 1981. We didn't have much money, so it was a huge deal to me. It was all USA made and I still have all of it even though I have switched over to SnapOn years ago. That set got used a lot and held up very well. I agree that none of the newer Craftsman sockets are built nearly as well. Chrome chips off easily, and I have broken quite a few sockets. And I wouldn't even consider buying the overseas made combination wrenches.
 
Like hunt2elk, My dad gave me my first set of Craftsman tools in 1974. Still use them to this day..He also gave me a set of the Wright industrial slugging wrenches. Slugging wrenches ? They are designed as box wrench on one end and on the other a area to hammer against.He brought them home when the Steel mill closed. Never had a use for them,just have them hanging on the wall.
 
all my old Craftsman tools have the
Made in the USA either/or Forged in the USA on them
I also have Matco, Snap-on,
even a lot of older Thorsen & Cornwell Tools also
some were my dads, some were my granddads too
I have some old Craftsman power tools also,
bench grinder, bench drill press, old 1/2" hammer drill
some 50-60+ years old
stuff I kept for sentimental reasons, still work fine too

IMO some of the old Craftsman feel better in the hand
some of the wrenches by the hi-$$$ brands are thin/small
but still good, just a different feel, some work better in tight places

I have some from the 60's, maybe earlier,
I got a few from my Granddad, he had for who knows how long

good to see & hear some co.'s are coming back
I guess that magic wand & real capitalism or patriotism works,
better that outsourcing of the previous parties, selling US out

Repatriating is a good thing...

Jobs everywhere, well almost anyway...
 
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Thorsen,They made Montgomery Ward hand tools. I still have a set of wrenches from when I worked there during high school.
 
Industro, I dont think they are in business any more. They made a standard and industrial version. In 1972 I bought the industrials and still use them today.
But they were crude.
 
I was a Mac Tool dealer for 28 years. Most of Snap On, MAC, Matco, and Cornwell are made in the US. In fact, most of the Mac forged tools are made at the Dallas plant where the Craftsman tools will be made. There are a lot of other brands made there. The plant is owned by Stanley (As is Mac, Proto, Bostich and many other brands) The major brands have cheaper line offshore tools to compete with Craftsman and the like. "If they don't buy it off the truck where do they buy it?" was always the question. We never wanted to lower ourselves to compete with Sears but I did sell a lot of cheaper line tools. It worked!
 
This thread made me go look at the old Craftsman catalogs from 20 years ago both Canada and from the States. Saved them all. I use to make day trips down to Bangor Me. and buy all the Craftsman tools I could afford about once a year. They had so much greater selection stateside back then. The Canadian border tools used to give me a hard time bringing "Sears tools" back to Canada. What's the matter? We don't have Sears in Canada?
I remember back in 1982 when I was taking MVR I bought a complete kit of mechanics tools for around $275. If memory serves me correctly it came with around 400 pieces. Both standard and metric. Sure I put a few kits in the ratchets and even had the sense to buy spare rebuild kits. Still have the kits waiting. But they were all GREAT tools and used them all the time when I ran semi's. Did ALL my maintenance. All. Blew up a 3/4 ratchet one time with a 6 foot cheater. (beaver tail bolts) The look on the guys face when I handed in my 4 piece ratchet for a exchange. lol
 
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