Will Craftsman’s famous lifetime warranty still apply after $900M sale? (Leaving Sears) Ed. Tr.

Daily Mail ^ | 1-06-2017 | Jordan Poore

[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.

[wally_bert]

I bought a Dewalt 1/2 drill and 90 degree head a couple of years ago. They work great.

Last week I bought some of their impact bits to remove 1982 era Torx screws from a CJ7 windshield frame.

As for Craftsman, I buy vintage stuff off Ebay usually.

The Kobalt stuff from Lowe’s does ok.

I have a large assortment kit of Stanley black finish sockets that I use as much as my Craftsman stuff.

[PCPOET7]

the most common tool found at garage sales is craftsman

[brucedickinson]

I remember Zodys

[morphing libertarian]

There was a store in soCal that pre-dated Zody’s. White Front. During the watts riot the two stores in south central were burned and heavily looted. Unfortunate name. I think Zody’s bought the WF stores after the riot.

[American in Israel]

Best ratchet on the market, if it won’t click you can turn it by hand. Proto’s round chrome handle is way too slick with greasy hands, a real knuckle buster.

The only reason I go into sears these days is to browse Craftsman tools. I will be sorry to see sears go..

[USCG SimTech]

When tool shopping at flea markets I always look for the Craftsman name on them. Regardless of the condition they are when you buy a lot box of them you bring in the bad ones to get new ones. The massive Brimfield, MA flea markets is famous for offering stuff like this.

http://www.brimfield.com/

[DakotaGator]

Used to be “Sears Has Everything”. Now it’ll be “Sears Has Nothing”.

Guess I’ll be around long enough to bid farewell to another American institution.

[CodeToad]

What lifetime warrantee? I thought they dropped that long ago.

[SoCal Pubbie]

One of my brothers worked for Zody’s for a while back in the 1960s.

[Wonder Warthog]

"I assume you will still be able to buy Craftsmen tools from Sears. It won’t be an exclusive like it used to be."

It hasn't been inclusive for a while now. Passing through my local Ace Hardware, I noted Craftsman branded tools on display. Don't know when that started, but it well pre-dates this latest deal.

I gotta give Kudos to my local Ace (Gig Harbor, WA). I can almost always find what I want, even some things that are "odd" for a normal hardware store. They have a FAR more varied selection than my local Home Depot.

[wally_bert]

I have one ike it 5hat still works like new from the 80s.

[Beagle8U]

“An updated version of the warranty in 2014 further eroded the company’s reputation by noting that tools must be returned to the store ‘from which it was purchased’.”

With so many Sears stores closing, that warrantee isn’t worth a pinch of...snuff.

[Mad Dawgg]

I have mostly Snap-on and Craftsman most bought in the 70s and 80s. Like an idiot I left my large toolbox in our business warehouse and many tools have gone missing. I went to replace the craftsman at sears and was shocked when I found many were made in china now. I gave up and went to Wal-Mart if I am going to by cheap Chinese tools I figure the price should be cheap as well.

[A CA Guy]

Rosie O’Donell I think prefers snap-on.

[Larry Lucido]

Does the “lifetime” warranty apply to the life of the owner or of the tool?

I’m thinking that in event of a zombie apocalypse, there could be a lot of undead folks with unexpired warranties.

[Wonder Warthog]

"I have one ike it 5hat still works like new from the 80s."

Ditto that, except from the 1960's. 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. I still have the sockets and wrenches, though a few wrenches have gotten lost over the years.

[Clay Moore]

I have a few Montgomery Ward wrenches that appear to have been made by Proto. I love them!

Used Proto stuff does not tend to command even the price of Craftsman but I will take it over Craftsman every time.

[4yearlurker]

Montgomery Wards tool line was Powr-Kraft. I buy all I find at yard sales and flea markets. They had a square shaft screwdriver you could put a wrench on for extra turning power.

[Mad Dawgg]

"Rosie O’Donell I think prefers snap-on."

I think you are confusing the terms "Snap-On" and "strap-on" hahahah

My Snap-on tools were mostly gifts from my Mom who was an instructor for our local State Run Special Needs Employment Firm. They would have the clients do jobs like strip electronics equipment of gold and palladium from electrical contacts and disassemble casings of electronic equipment all of which was sent to a local firm to recycle.

The state required her to buy from Snap-On so the Snap-On guy would show up weekly with the truck and he was always giving Mom awesome tool sets because of all the business she did with him. My Dad and my Grandpa and me ended up with them all. I shudder to think how much they would cost now to replace.

[bikerman]

I had a ratchet from my fathers tools which I had taken from his tools after he passed away that broke I bought it to sears the salesmen looked at it and said boy haven’t seen one of them in a while he exchanged it on the spot and out the door I went still have it and working fine, no questions asked.