Craftsman Tools at Lowes

[VaTom]

Stopped in my Lowes this am to get a part to fix sliding patio door. They were completely stocking tool section with Craftsman tool. Had seen a few earlier but now most of hand tool section was being restocked with Craftsman. Clerk said that they would be honoring life time guarantee.

Just in time for Christmas!! Glad to see this.

 

[ACORN]

I recently ordered a set of Craftsman screwdrivers on line. The ad said “Made in USA” but the package was marked “Made in China”

 

[GaryS]

They allege that they are not discontinuing the Kobalt line, but it sure looks like they are replacing that stuff with Craftsman.

Ace Hardware is continuing to sell Craftsman as well. At least for now.

It's funny that the tools are made in the US (by Stanley), but the packaging is printed in China. I've seen that before and it makes me laugh.

 

[chief38]

IMO the Kobalt (Lowes house brand) is better than the CURRENT Chinese Craftsman tools are.

 

[fiasconva]

Last time I was in Lowes the Kobalt brand also said made in China. I was not expecting that.

 

[tlawler]

IMO the Kobalt (Lowes house brand) is better than the CURRENT Chinese Craftsman tools are.

Yep...these are not your Fathers Craftsman tools...beware.

 

[g-dad]

Yep...these are not your Fathers Craftsman tools...beware.

Yep! My part retirement gig is the tool dept at Lowes. We don't have the individual hand tools yet, just the sets. I opened up one of the entry level (cheaper) sets and was reminded of the S&K tools of yesteryear. Hope the more expensive sets are better.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

I still like the Craftsman hand tools, but as they wear out, I replace the Craftsmen power tools with whatever is on sale. Sears refused to honor the warranty on, among other power tools, a Craftsman air compressor that simply did not work except to use electricity, the warranty on power tools is not worth much in my experience. My old Craftsman saws and power drills have worked so far.

 

[joe44va]

Part of America is dying here.

 

[tlawler]

Years ago (I think in the late 80’s or early 90’s), I tried to swap out a Craftsman stapler. I was told the guarantee only extended to “handtools”, not “power tools.” I even got a manager out there and argued with him as to how they could classify a hand operated stapler as a “power tool.” They wouldn’t relent and I gave up. Tossed it on a pile of clearance tools on my way out of the store. Bought a few more handtools over the years until the quality really went downhill. I still have a ton of Craftsman tools plus all the ones I inherited from my Dad (the real quality stuff) and I continue to buy older stuff at garage sales when I can find them.

 

[bamacisa]

The problem is that the powers to be at Sears and Lowes never use tools much and don't care about quality. They only care about dollars and cents. A lot of people who don't use tools won't or can't buy expensive tools. Cheap tools do sell. That is what they want sales.

 

[hittman77]

That's good info, I'll have to check out our Lowes.

This year we've lost our Bergners, Sears and KMart. Two or 3 years ago it was JC Penney that pulled out.

The 3 anchor stores in our local mall were Sears, Bergners and Penney ..... now all 3 are gone. Good news though (I think) .... a local medical clinic bought the Bergners building and is putting a surgery center there.

 

[chief38]

Last time I was in Lowes the Kobalt brand also said made in China. I was not expecting that.

I don't own any Kobalt tools but I have looked at the labels when in Lowes (can't stay out of a tool section - lol). The ones that I saw said "Made in Taiwan" which is a big step up from China IMO. Not arguing with you and they may well indeed have some that are made in China - - I just have not seen any marked that way but I may have been looking at different tools. Even Harbor Freight has a "better line" of some tools that are also made in Taiwan, not China.

 

[crazyphil]

I have a Craftsman hammer from Sears. Got it 56 years ago. The tools
from them days didn't break and they don't wear out.

By the way I just remembered I killed an elk, when I lived in Montana,
about 60 years ago. Went to Sears at Butte and bought a freezer,
butchered the elk and put it in the freezer. Went out to the shed a
week or so later to get some meat. The freezer had quit and all of
the meat spoiled. Called Sears. They replaced the freezer, got rid
of the spoiled meat, and paid us going rate for beef by weight.
Did someone say customer service? Don't expect service like that
now a days.

 

[bamacisa]

Regarding cheap tools that are made overseas......my Dad use to say that they were made to sell....not to use.

 

[loknload]

Most all of my tools as stated elsewhere are old time Craftsman.
As for the warranty on them, Had a salesman tell me I shouldn’t use an adjustable wrench on a flare fitting, that’s why the jaws rounded out. I said oh really what should I use and he said flair nut wrenches. I said oh I already have a set of those and they don’t don’t go down that far, only for bigger refrigeration fittings. I said I can’t carry every wrench I own on a service call. He still wouldn’t replace it? Had to get the manager out.
I had to explain to them as to what Craftsman’s return policy was and I expected this wrench to be replaced, I said furthermore I don’t expect a tool salesman that never worked in the trades before to be telling me what kind of wrenches I should be using. Needless to say I got my wrench, never saw that salesman again.
Took a screwdriver back once that had the tip snapped off, the salesman said you don’t bring a screwdriver back like this and he put the tip in a display vise and busted it off, he said you return them like this. I got my screwdriver!

 

[BigBoy99]

About 20 years ago, when I tried to return a cracked socket to my local Sears store, I was told the only way they would replace the broken tool is if I produced the ORIGINAL sales receipt along with the damaged tool. I tied another Sears store in a different city and the only way that store would replace a broke Craftsman tool was with a "Sears Brand" NON-Craftsman tool. With those experiences, I stopped buying Craftsman tools and going to Sears stores and haven't been in one since.

I sure hope Lowe's will honor the Craftsman warranty as I still have a bunch of Craftsman tools.

 

[Skeet 028]

Most of my hand tools are Snap-on but I have quite a few Craftsman stuff. Was at an auction last year and as it was winding down I got a big box of sockets and wrenches for $2.50 There were more than 300 sockets etc in that box. 180 were the old US made Craftsman. Never have broken a craftsman tool. I did break a 1/4 inch Snap-on ratchet a couple weeks ago

 

[Eddietruett]

My father was a mechanic and a die hard Craftsman user. He bought me my first set of Craftsman tools in the late 60’s. Now that he’s gone I have his and mine. You can hold the old wrenches and ratchets and feel the difference versus the **** made today. Thankfully since I have so many duplicates and triplicates that replacing under warranty doesn’t concern me. He always said “take care of your tools and they will take care of you “. It’s a shame it’s all about profit and not quality.

 

[kwselke]

What's so special about Craftsman named tools? The Sears of old went down the tubes in the 1980s and was dead in the water in the 1990s. I have a bunch of Craftsman tools that were given to me in 1972, they still work; but if one were to break today I do not expect a replacement from the current owner of the brand name. K-Mart bought/merged with Sears years ago and the death spiral of the two just continued. I went with Stanley tool purchases after the gift of Craftsmen when I was almost 16. Ghee, Stanley now owns the Craftsman brand name. Sears is most likely toast within a year.