Returned a Craftsman 3/8 ratchet

[HalfStack]

Long ago I bought a car and when I looked under the seat I found two Craftsman open end wrenches. The big ones like 1" plus and they were rusted pretty bad. I took them to Sears and handed them over for the new ones.

The clerk asked what's wrong with them? Look, they're rusted lady. She shrugged and said ok go get 'em.

ETA: I used to work as a mechanic for a living. On my first job back in the 60s I bought a Craftsman tool set. I still have one wrench from that set. Why I still have it I don't remember.

 

[MasterTech1960]

Craftsman warranty denied.

One year for Christmas my Mom gave me a Craftsman set of hand tools for use at home. She got the idea to get me them because she would call me to fix some thing at her house in the evenings and on weekends. I never had any tools at home. All my tools were at work in my Snap-on Box. Well it worked out pretty good for her. One day I went over her house straight from work to fix something and broke a socket while making the repair. No problem, I stopped at Sears on the way home. I was still in my work clothes . Took the socket in to get a replacement and was told they could not warranty it. I was informed that because I am auto-tech by trade that the warranty does not apply for professional use. Well I went home and cleaned up , put on my street clothes and took the socket back to the store that evening. Got it replaced no problem and no questions

 

[soFlaNative]

I have a 3/8 that skips a bit, but have a spare from another kit. I've returned more than a few screwdrivers and replaced square and round shovels no problem. Was given a Craftsman camp spade some years back (my favorite yard tool) and the plastic D-handle has a small crack. I'll soon see the policy in action when I go to swap the ratchet and shovel.

 

[psquarejr]

I've gotten new and rebuilt ratchets. Other hand tools were replaced with new ones off the shelf, except 1 time I had an old rivet gun that broke and went to exchange it, they said new rivet guns only have a 1 year warranty, therefore, I could not get a new rivet gun because mine was older than the one they sell at the time even though mine said lifetime warranty on it!!! Manager said lifetime warranty void if the item they sell now doesn't have lifetime warranty. I asked about my 30 year old tool chest that has a lifetime warranty and she said not anymore, toolboxes, chests, and cabinets now have 2 year warranty and that I would be out of luck and to call Sears corporate and complain!!!!

 

[chief38]

I insist on quality hand tools and have about half Snap-on and half Craftsman (older ones) with a few pieces here and there from Mac, Matco, Proto Crescent, Klein, etc. They were all USA built and have lasted me many many years with nearly perfect track records.

The current Snap-on line is NOT ALL built in America as they once were. I looked at a miniature set of Snap-on Torx drivers just last week and they wanted $80 Bucks for a flimsy set in a plastic box that was built in Spain. I bought what I believe to be the same exact set on line for $20 bucks that as far as I can tell is identical to the Snap-on set except that instead of a red box and red handles, they are green. Even Snap-on is NOT what they once were

Thankfully I have just about all the hand tools I'll ever need and they were purchased or inherited when tools were made correctly right here. If I had to replace them today I don't really know what I would do.

My experience with Craftsman has been OK and just last year I broke a 1/4" Ratchet and even though their new policy is to hand you a rebuilt used one, they were out of them so they did give me a new one. I pulled an old dusty one off the back of the shelf and I lucked out because it does say Made in USA on it.

 

[Zeman]

I have had to return broken Craftsman tools several times. No questions ever asked, and always replaced with new Craftsman tools.

Now, The Snap-on guy did not want to replace my 1/2" ratchet. He looked up the number and said it was made about 1950. I can't even remember where I got it, or when. He finally gave in, and replaced it with a new model that retailed for about $180. I was happy.

 

[BigBoy99]

I am totally done dealing with Sears. I live in a very rural are and my closest Sears store is over 65 miles away so I just don't "pop over" for every little thing. I had several broken Craftsman tools which were marked "Craftsman" that I took to the store for replacement. The store would NOT replace any of the tools I had. They said I had to have the ORIGINAL sale receipt for each item before they would replace them. I was told this was the "new" policy for Craftsman tools. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper.

How many of you have kept the original sales receipt of Sears tools which were purchase many years ago? With the thermal printer receipts Sears now uses, they are blank pieces of paper after about 6 months anyway.

 

[Shootbrownelk]

I returned a non craftsman ratchet to sears and got a craftsmans ratchet. This was of course because I didn't pay attention when I grabbed the ratchet from the tool box and the cashier wasn't paying attention and just threw it in the box and said get a new one.

And after realizing the mistake, you didn't take the craftsman ratchet back to the store, and make it right? Hmmmm.

 

[chief38]

A few years back when I broke a black Snap-on Screwdriver handle the Snap-on guy said to me that the handles were NOT covered under their "lifetime warranty" - that's outrageous to me and a load of BS if I ever heard one. After seeing that I was getting upset and telling him that even Sears would not have given me that line of BS, he finally found a used orange handle and stuck it on for me. Not what I wanted and certainly not what I expected from a screwdriver manufacturer that sells ridiculously pricey tools but at least it is now serviceable again. Snap-on "ain't" what it used to be either............ YMMV

3 years ago I inherited a full set of old Yankee (Stanley) wooden handled screwdrivers (circa late 1940's or early 1950's I believe) that are better than any screwdrivers made today by anyone! Don't know what steel they used but it is just fantastic! For all Gunsmithing tasks I only use either Brownells Hollow Ground or Acme Hollow Ground Bits.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Didn't have a lot of extra money when I was a kid. I would go the San Jose flea market and in the back was old junk. I would scrounge for bent, worn or broken Craftsman hand tools that I needed and then return them to Sears for new. I thought that was such a deal! The tool guy at Sears got to recognize me and I think he kinda liked the idea of seeing a kid interested in tools. No matter what Sears has become, they did good by me.

 

[johnjohn]

I returned a 1/4" drive ratchet I got in 1960 or so. The clerk gave me a rebuilt one which is fine (made in USA) and told me the one I brought in was so old he couldn't get a rebuild kit for it anymore.

 

[speedyquad]

the two that i have taken in were rebuilt while i waited. i'm guessing that the rebuild kits were junk because they lasted about 2 months before needing rebuilt again. and they still need rebuilt. i've been using my other ones.

 

[MORSNO]

Hate to ask but have you guys with slipping ratchet wrenches tried taking them apart and cleaning them? The innards gum up just like a revolvers innards and also just like a revolvers need a little clean oil occasionally.

I have to second this. I had a 1/4" and 3/8" ratchets that slipped occasionally until I took them apart and cleaned/re-lubed them. The drive gears were not worn at all, they were just full of grime. Cleaning them worked great and I still have quality ratchets...they don't make them like they used to (mine are over 30 years old)!

 

[Eagle 477]

When my neighbor John was on his landscaping quest, his yard was so full of huge rocks. he returned so many Craftsman shovels, with both wooden and fiberglass handles that they knew him by his first name and cringe when they see him coming. Once he returned 2 wooden handled and 1 fiberglass in 1 week...never was denied but sure got his moneys worth

 

[M1Garandy]

I've broken so many modern 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" drive Craftsman ratchets over the last 20 years or so that I don't use them anymore. Snap-On, Armstrong and SK these days. I have a box of new and rebuilt units on a shelf that I'll never use.

That said, I have rebuilt my fathers and my grandfathers vintage 3/8" Craftsman ratchets and I expect that they will outlast me. Sears discontinued the rebuild kits I needed years ago but I found a few kits on eBay recently and gladly bought and used them.

I've not had too many issues swapping out broken tools but the local Sears almost never has what I need on the shelf when I break something.

 

[PlaytheAces]

Don't much work on autos any more since it usually ends up with me hurting for a few days afterward, but I recently made an exception and did some suspension work on my jeep.

Both my grandad's 1935 Snap-On and my own 1970s Craftsman 1/2" ratchets were slipping and annoying me to no end. I ended up taking both apart. No tooth damage, but I have to admit they both were getting a little crusty inside. A good cleaning and lubing, and both seem to be working just fine again. Somehow I suspect that's the last time I'll be taking either apart. Next time it'll be up to one of my nephews.