Craftsman sold to Stanley/B&D

Blaze said:
Hope they still honor their warranty.
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The upswing will be that Craftsman will now become available in a lot more retailers besides Sears/KMart.
Now whether said retailers will be a cool/easy w/ replacements... unlikely.
 
I do hope they honor their warranty. The tools them self are good enough for weekend hobbyists like me but the warranty has always been a deciding factor rather than buying Kobalt or something else comparable.I sometimes find Craftsman ratchets at a yardsale or flea market for $5 and go trade it in for a new or rebuilt unit and basically get a $5 new ratchet. I've traded in many other tools that have broken or wore out and never had an issue.
 
i think its a good thing. Sears has become too hard to find, and not focused enough on the Craftsman brand. I saw it in 2002 when I last worked there. Even as a teenager, it was apparent to me that their quality was going to shit.
 
I don't see how they could avoid not honoring the warranty of the Craftsman tools, at least the tools sold in the past.
 
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Stanley/B&D also own Dewalt and Powers Fasteners.

As well as a few others, with possibly one or two more being added to the group within the next year or two. (all this is courtesy of our annual sales meeting info from last month with Stanley/B&D reps)

And to top it all off, almost ALL of the handtools sold under this megagroup are being sold with a lifetime warranty.
 
I miss the Sears hardware sections from years past. As they shifted their products to be Chinese and started slimming down inventory in their stores I simply stopped going there for tools. Now I go in once in a while for a pair of Levis because they usually have my size on the shelf. So sad.
 
The last time I had to get a 3/8" Craftsman ratchet replaced, I came into the local Sears with it and they handed me a refurbished one. THAT HAD SOMEONE ELSE'S INITIALS ETCHED IN IT. I was pissed. I showed the guy behind the counter and he said, "Sorry - that's all we have".
 
Back in the day I bought their tools a lot when they were on sale and had some replaced now and then and wondered how they could survive w the lifetime warranties. When I was 15-16 I worked in a small repair shop and one slow day the owner had me gather up all the broken tools, and break a few more that were about wore out. Then we took them all down to get them replaced and went to the Char-Grill.
 
ManglerYJ said:
The last time I had to get a 3/8" Craftsman ratchet replaced, I came into the local Sears with it and they handed me a refurbished one. THAT HAD SOMEONE ELSE'S INITIALS ETCHED IN IT. I was pissed. I showed the guy behind the counter and he said, "Sorry - that's all we have".
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I always went to the shelf and got a new one and then carried it to the counter w the broken one.Sears and Kmart have both lived longer than they should have. I'm not sure what have did wrong w their marketing but they've been goin downhill for years.
 
Guess I finally hit it right. I've had 2 ratchets that had bad gears for the last 3 or more years. Mostly I kept forgetting to return them. Then, as the Stores kept closing, I started trying to replace my ratchets. About 6 weeks ago, working in Pineville, I noticed a Sears Tool Outlet store. Next day I walked in there; TOOL Outlet Right? Place was Loaded with tools & other goodies!
I waited in line as the employee explained to a customer, why he had to take his non-working mower [right out of the box], to Rock Hill for repairs, even though several other Mall employees told him to come to the Outlet! Then it was my turn, "Sir you have to go to the Retail Store". Ok, even though This store is FULL of tools, I'll go to the Retail Store. So once there & showing my faulty ratchets, the Tool guy, reached under the counter, & gave me a new-looking 3/8 ratchet. The other, a 1/2 drive, he retrieved form the New display. Finally I have 2 new/like new ratchets. May I never need to again! I was Surprised, because last I ever heard, they Only replaced your gear, Not the ratchet.
 
Being a "car guy/tinkerer" from basically childhood aunts, uncles, grandparents and parents always bought me tools for any big occasion. Them realizing that I could tear up an anvil with a water gun they figured that Craftsmen was the best bet for decent readily (to them) available tools. I began my professional career as a mechanic @ North State Chevrolet in Greensboro in the mid 90s. I had a nice assortment of craftsmen tools so I naturally took them with me when I actually went on line and needed my own tools. I had a few broke odds and ends stashed in the truck for when I got by a Sears. Well just happened we went to restaurant next to one one day so we (a co-worker and I in all of our Mr Goodwrench uniformed glory, Just like the Earnhardt teams)(yeah I know, pretty badass) walked in. He was buying a few tools and I just set the box on the counter and walked back and picked up the new replacements for my broken stuff. When I get to the counter the cashier has called a manager over there and they have the little broken soldiers laid out on the counter. As I approach the manager takes my new replacements from me, puts them under the counter and informs me that none of their tools were warrantied for professional use and if I wanted the new tools I would have to buy them. WHY THE F*#$ WOULD I BUY YOUR SHIT TOOLS IF THEY ARE NOT WARRANTIED??? Well long story short same stupid m'efer replaced the same tools out of the same box the following Friday night after I took my girl to a nice restaurant and I have never bought shit else from them!! That's all I have to say about that.
 
I bought my first set of tools at about age 11,over 20years ago. It's was one of those black fold open kits from Sears with xxx amount of pieces. I figured since the craftsman stuff I had been using of my dad's was of nearly of the same quality as his snap on stuff, this is what I would spend my $ on. I didn't take into account that his stuff had been purchased in the late 60s. Boy was I in for a surprise. After getting all the pieces cut out of their packaging and put into their little spots I could hardly wait to use them the next day. I went to swap my rear 4 wheeler tires from side to side(88 250x) and pop went the ⅜ ratchet. Man you talking about a disappointed youngin. So I grabbed pops ⅜ snap on and finished up the job. Eventually got a replacement and guess what, yep broke it the same way. Fast forward about two years and that piece of shit ⅜ ratchet broke again cramming my knuckles into the A arm bolt of an 88 250r and I proceeded to walk out of the shop and throw that bitch over the shop and down the hill to the creek. Ma and Pa asked what I wanted for my b'day a couple days later and I said" a ratchet that ain't a POS". I got a standard length ⅜ snap on ratchet and that's all. Hell it was like $70 some bucks pops said. Still have it along with probably 25-30 more snap on ratchets.
 
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1-tonmudder said:
.Sears and Kmart have both lived longer than they should have. I'm not sure what have did wrong w their marketing but they've been goin downhill for years.
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They got rid of their great catalog and on line sales. So customers went else where on line like amazon. That started their death.
 
rodney eppes said:
Guess I finally hit it right. I've had 2 ratchets that had bad gears for the last 3 or more years. Mostly I kept forgetting to return them. Then, as the Stores kept closing, I started trying to replace my ratchets. About 6 weeks ago, working in Pineville, I noticed a Sears Tool Outlet store. Next day I walked in there; TOOL Outlet Right? Place was Loaded with tools & other goodies!
I waited in line as the employee explained to a customer, why he had to take his non-working mower [right out of the box], to Rock Hill for repairs, even though several other Mall employees told him to come to the Outlet! Then it was my turn, "Sir you have to go to the Retail Store". Ok, even though This store is FULL of tools, I'll go to the Retail Store. So once there & showing my faulty ratchets, the Tool guy, reached under the counter, & gave me a new-looking 3/8 ratchet. The other, a 1/2 drive, he retrieved form the New display. Finally I have 2 new/like new ratchets. May I never need to again! I was Surprised, because last I ever heard, they Only replaced your gear, Not the ratchet.
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FWIW those sears outlets are franchised and not factory owned. Thats why the dude wouldn't swap your ratchet out.
 
rockcity said:
Not entirely bad. They also own Proto so hand tools isn't exactly new.
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Proto was bought by Stanley in 82 I think. By far one of the best handtools EVER made.
 
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