im a guy that takes pride in his tools, like most other guys. the other day i broke my craftsman tape measure and brought it in. i asked the guy for a new one and he was quick to bring me one, reconditioned. i asked the guy why he didnt get me a new one. he said that craftsman doesnt give new tools away for warranty anymore, only reconditioned if they can help it. i was a bit upset but took it anyway since i needed one. got home used it a few times and the tape wouldnt retract. i went back and went off on the guy about the tape measure. so he brings me another reconditioned one that hasnt given me problems YET.
ever since craftsman sold out to china, their tool quality went down dramaticly. some of my other tools are snap-on, mac, matco, cornwell and some others that i really like but are freakishly expensive. plus when you break one, you gotta wait for the truck to come pick it up.
i know im not the only one that is having problems getting quality, affordable tools with a warranty like craftsman used to have. id like to know what brand tools some of the other people in this forum use. maybe help other people that are running into this same problem.

 

i gave up on quality tools and just started buying all stanely stuff. when it breaks or wears out i just go by another. And since theyre are cheap its not really much of a issue to me anymore, except for time lost on the job.

 

I have mailed Snap On and Mac tools back as I work in a corporate environment and the truck does not come by!! But some of the tools Fom Lowe's and Home Depot's higher end tools like Kobalt seem do be decent - and they don't keep reconditioned in stock - replacement has always been a new tool.

"Free trade" and exporting our manufacturing base has adversly effected quality. I hear that Channel Lock is still US made, but I am not certain. But good tools are getting harder to come by - unless you want to fork out Snap On quantities of cash....

 

Craftsman has seemed to really go down hill. I've broken a couple of 3/8" drive ratchets here recently and I've had them both less than 2 years.

Kobalt seems to think they're Snap-On quality with the prices on some of their stuff, but the durability seems to have surpassed Craftsman. Even their cases have gotten better. Plus, they do have the replacement warranty, which is usually hassle-free.

Unless it's a tape measure with dirt inside of it. Then they give you the run-around and bring you a pitiful self-lock tape measure.

 

Yeah, I have mostly craftsman tools at home. Quality did take a serious nose dive when they outsourced all their production to China. That was indeed depressing.... now, even the local sears store is gone...... nearest is in toledo, or Ann Arbor, neither of which I get to often. (don't remember the last time I was in toledo.....)

Used mostly snap-on tools at work, but, I most certainly cannot afford them for home use........

 

I still have crafstmand, snap on, and mac tools that I bought in the 1980's. Not as many as I did have (cost of raising boys......) So my son is beginning to experience the same thing....as one of the grandsons getsa started turning wrenches.....

 

I have mostly all craftsman. And I havent had an issue with their return policy or anything.. Went and bought a inch lb torque wrench the other week to fix the buick and returned it and told them it was the wrong thing that I needed the ft. lb. wrench.. And any other broken tools over the past couple of years they took back and gave me new ones.

 

Sounds just like my father in law. Anytime I gotta work on the Ram and don't have a tool I just call him up, chances are he's got it.

 

i pretty much buy all mastercraft brand tools. almost everything comes with a lifetime warranty and the kids working behind the counter don't care or question how they break. there is lots of Canadian tire stores that sell them. plus if you wait long enough you can get what you are looking for cheap. i picked up a couple sets of $125 wrenches for $40

 

And it appears that they are only available in Canada, eh?