Stanley buys Craftsman brand

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Stanley is the Walmart brand of tools. Almost everything is built in China.

That might be true for Craftsman as well, but I know I have a 20 yr old socket set, pliers, screwdriver set...ect.. that have lifetime warranty and still work great.
 
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Stanley is the Walmart brand of tools. Almost everything is built in China.

That might be true for Craftsman as well, but I know I have a 20 yr old socket set, pliers, screwdriver set...ect.. that have lifetime warranty and still work great.

You're suggesting Porter Cable, Dewalt, Bostitch and MAC Tools are "Wal-Mart Brand"?? Yikes...I had no idea I could have been buying MasterForce all these years and get the same quality!
 
Stanley/Black and Decker has grown into a mega company that has many brands under its roof. It sells all levels from the occasional use homeowner tool to top professional tools like MAC, Bostich, Porter Cable and Proto. And that is just their tools division.They are also into commercial security, hospital and healthcare services, fasteners, and even infrastructure and pipeline services.
 
I have rarely if ever gone wrong buying Craftsman hand tools and if the tools did fail if was from abuse by me and up until this sale I couldn't beat the ease of them honoring the guarantee. Sure there are hyped brands that cost a lot more for marginal increase in quality (usually better deeper plating) but I expect that folks are buying these brands for the image more than real strength. Yes I know a few folks who have paid the Snap On guys mortgage a few times over by buying full sets on credit but I really haven't seen a functional difference.

I have had less luck with Craftsmen power tools that have been only average in durability. They work and you can usually order parts for a long time which is plus but I long ago when with other brands.

Craftsman has dabbled over the years on occasion with offshored tools. I have 30 year old set of Craftsman combination wrenches that are made in Taiwan. They definitely looked slightly different but have never failed me.
 
Have you been to Walmart? All the cheap stuff is Stanley.

As already stated Stanley BD is much, much bigger than just the Stanley brand tools. I wasn't sure if you were including their other brands in your comment. And no....I tend not to shop for tools at Wal-Mart. Nor Harbor Freight for that matter.
 
Well, that should be about the final nail in the Sears coffin.
 
It's a sad day that craftsman has become something else. I haven't bought a craftsman tool in 10 years, the ones I have are still prestine ! But I caught the Snapon flu in tech school, I have tried every brand under the sun and nobody's tools hold up like Snapon. In the professional world. I have a Stanley hammer that sucks and my bostitch nailers are sub par but work.
 
Craftsman ratchets don't impress me.
 
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The tools cant get worse. Last time I went in for a replacement when a older ratchet broke. The replacement lasted about a year which probably was 2-3 uses on the car.
 
Craftsman ratchets don't impress me.

Yea the ratchets were bad years ago. They would give you a rebuild kit. But for me, Craftsmen tools were great. Hopeful Stanley doesn't ruin them.
 
Yea the ratchets were bad years ago. They would give you a rebuild kit. But for me, Craftsmen tools were great. Hopeful Stanley doesn't ruin them.

It may depend on which Stanley line they use. Stanley has multiple lines of varying quality, From the "elcheapo" Walmart to Mac tools pro lines.
 
I bought some Stanley tools last year and was impressed. Craftsman has been getting cheaper for awhile now. I used to love Craftsman but lately they seem to be no better than the china crap at the box stores.
 
I bought some Stanley tools last year and was impressed. Craftsman has been getting cheaper for awhile now. I used to love Craftsman but lately they seem to be no better than the china crap at the box stores.

I'm not saying that Craftsman is an amazing line of tools, but comparing it to China junk like the stuff you see at Harbor Freight or Wal Mart is a gross exaggeration.
 
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I think selling it was the dumbest thing they could have done. The only reason my family or my fathers has been to a sears in years was to buy tools. What else do they make money from? Clothes? Might as well by Walmart. They are all made in some sweat shop regardless. The only think sears has now I guess is sports equipment and appliances? That's a damn tough market place with lowes / Home Depot and dicks sporting goods.


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Wasn't comparing it to H/F china crap and Walmart sells Stanley. Was meaning Lowes Kobalt and Home Depot Husky. Thinking about it I stand corrected. I guess I was comparing it to China crap. Same quality now for Craftsman new china crap made tools. But much better than the disposable China crap from H/F.
 
I bought a craftsman riding lawn mower last year. I could be wrong, but I do believe craft an law mowers are the #1 homeowner mower in North America. My particular mower is a rebranded and upgraded husqvarna, that while on sale was cheaper than I could buy from Husqvarna. As stated about tools, the warranty was actually better from Sears than buying from the dealer. I read the article as it is Stanley picking up a hurting companies best seller. Lawn mowers.
 
Are there any brands of you folks think are competitive in quality with SnapOn but not so pricey? I've mostly Proto Professional wrenches which have fared pretty well, other than their ratchets. I'm most recently looking to buy a set of taps and dies, some larger 3/4 inch drive sockets, as well as a set of metric sockets. I'm appalled at the decline in quality of so many formerly highly respected brand names such as Stanley's woodworking tool line and Delta products among others. I'm lately finding Dewalt power tools to be suspect too. SnapOn is one of the few names that you still trust. Maybe the revived Porter-Cable name and Milwaukee are still worth something too.

I honestly wouldn't purchase a Craftsmen product. I've inherited a number of tools from both my Grandfaher and father, some dating back to the early 1900's. The Craftsmen brand ones are usually the one's that didn't stand the test of time. You shouldn't need free replacements, if their tools didn't break in the first place.
 
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I don't think anything can compete. The price is stupid. Plain and simple. But I pay it and my dealer makes sure to lube up before bending me over. Haha. Cordless tools I have all Milwaukee fuel. Dewalt had a bout of garbage and I apparently bought all of it so I switched to red. Matco tools suck. Plain and simple. I wear them out 3-1 Snapon. I have a few Mac and they are ok. And corn hole tools. Just China
 
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