Then along came Home Depot
Sort of. Then along came the cheapening of Craftsman tools. Electric tools were being made by the cheapest international manufacturer that guaranteed the tool wasn't going to last very long. And when the tool failed, it was impossible to fix because Sears had no idea who made the tool in the first place.
Plus, Craftsman mechanics tools used to be an industry standard, but they decided to cheapen those as well. The last time I bought Craftsman sockets they were about the same quality I'd find at the dollar store.
what’s the best quality tools now if not craftsman?
Over a 15 year period I replaced about thirty, 100 foot metal craftsman tape measures on one $20 purchase.