Posted on 01/07/2017 8:40:30 AM PST by brucedickinson
Since Sears bought the trademark in 1927, Craftsman tools have had a famous lifetime - and unlimited - warranty.
But after nearly 90 years, Sears announced Thursday that it's selling the Craftsman brand to Stanley Black & Decker Inc for $900 million that bosses hope will keep the company afloat.
The change of hands has caused some to question whether Craftsman's lifetime warranty will still apply to tools people own now or purchase in the future.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
For everyday use now (residential), I buy Harbor Freight at 15¢ on the dollar and it’s been a good deal.
I buy super cheap now. Why? Because all my good tools seem to pack up and move to my son’s place. I can’t “buy” good tools, only briefly “rent” them.
There is an ACE store like that in Tucker GA. If they don’t have it, it probably doesn’t exist. I noticed Craftsmen tools about six months ago.
I am not sure there is that much difference in quality with sockets and wrenches but for routers there is a huge difference between Craftsman and Porter cable and Bosch. In the Craftsmen the bit goes in and out a little and the fence isn’t stable.
“When I turned 15, my dad bought a Nash Metropolitan in “semi-running” state for $300. He gave me a set of Craftsman sockets and a few other wrenches and told me “when you rebuild it to my satisfaction, you can drive it”. So I did.”
Like the rest of us you couldn’t wait to drive a car when you were 16. Have you talked to teenagers lately - especially those from affluent homes? It’s bizarre. Many of them have little or no interest in getting their driver’s license. They have smart phones. Why would they need to go anywhere? Want to see a movie? We had to find a way to get to the theater. Now they just illegally download a bootleg copy off the internet. It’s pathetic. My friends complain about how difficult it is to get their kids to take their license test. My parents couldn’t stop me from taking mine! Cars meant freedom. Now all they want and need is a cell phone and Wifi.
And they have to change the name ‘Craftsman’ to CraftsPERSON!
another example of private equity adding zero value and basically destroying the company and thousand of jobs. No doubt Sears had its problems (as do all dept store retailers) but it was still competitive for hardware and appliances. Soon it will all be gone, replaced by amazon and wal-mart
Perhaps Husky.
You have heard of wiring for cattle fences....? Keep them tools from wandering off. :)
That’s the end of Sears. In my area, the main Sears in the mall is there, but I can’t find the entrance. It’s weird. There’s a dedicated “Sears Hardware” store in a nearby strip mall, but without “craftsman”, it will close.
I'm almost 70, so I'm kinda past the age of talking to teens. And all the nieces and nephews are the ones doing the talking. But yes, the loss of mechanical aptitude is unfortunate....although I suspect country folk still have (and need) the knack.
I too hope they continue the warranty. Most of my hand tools are Craftsman, either purchased myself over the past 35 years or inherited from my dad and uncle. In fact, I have a broken socket in my car right now - to take in as soon as I’m in town by the Sears again. 3/8 drive deep socket that I was applying way too much torque to, really my fault it split up the side. Only the second time that’s ever happened to me.
Ace Hardware has a lifetime warranty on their tools but you need the receipt to get it.
Im saying I have broken 3 Craftsman tools and the third return was the last but I am hard on tools and have outrageous expectations.
Target bought many of the ex-Zodys and Fedmart locations to the expand into the West Coast
It’s a different planet now!! I joined the Navy just before my high school graduation to get an easier life and I’m not kidding. Boot camp was easier than the farm and after boot camp it was like a continouos vacation. Now teenagers seem to know about as much about hard work as I do about brain surgery.
i remember and no membership fee
I remember Zodys
It always smelled like popcorn.
Never liked that one. Takes two hands to switch direction.
My 3/8” drive ratchet gave up after 40 years of use. I got it when I was 6. The word Craftsman on the handle was almost worn off. I took it back and they gave me a new one. I asked if I could keep the old one for sentimental reasons. They said, “No. I could either have the old one or the new one.” I took the new one. A tool is just a tool.
You’re both right but I think it is more than a lack of mechanical aptitude or fear of hard work on the part of teenagers. I’m not picking on either one of you when I say that either. It’s just that today’s teenagers seems to have little desire to truly become independent. Oh, they want their own money (from mom and dad, however), but aren’t willing to work a part-time job to get it. I worked all the time. I worked through much of college and graduate school. I worked two full time jobs at one point.
Not all kids are lumps on the couch - but far too many are.
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