Craftsman

[mickeyd]

Around 1972 or so we purchased our first home in Charlotte, NC. As a housewarming gift, my Dad gave me pruning shears that he had purchased from Sears. As many of you know, Craftsman brand items have a lifetime warranty.

I just returned malfunctioning pruning shears to Sears and received my 3rd replacement for those 1972 shears. After 44 years the warranty still is in effect.

Have any of you had a similar Craftsman experience?

 

[FireBug]

I've taken back stripped screw drivers etc. Great policy. In it's heyday, Craftsman was THE brand. My dad loved the Sears tool dept. ..... way before the Home depot's of the world. I do believe their lifetime warranty only applies to hand tools however.

 

[samclem]

Nope, I've never had a Craftsman hand tool fail. I did talk to a guy who didn't bother to buy special sockets for his impact wrench, he just bought standard Craftsman sockets and returned them when they split/shattered. That struck me as both unfair to Sears and quite unsafe. He wasn't wearing an eyepatch . ..yet.
I'm still a fan of their 19.2V cordless tools because they have stuck with them and replacement pats and batteries are still available after about two decades on the market.

 

[marko]

Had a Craftsman socket wrench ratchet from the 70's. Nice one.

When it died the guy at Sears said: "I'll give you one of the cheaper ones but I won't replace this one for the same...it's too old and the new one is too expensive". I couldn't believe it!

 

[Ronstar]

All of my Craftsman hand tools still work fine. My brush cutter bit the dust after 18 years of rough use. I had a circular saw go bad about 20 years ago. I had a radial arm saw for each of my 2 houses, but I sold the last one after 20 years of use. Craftsman tools have been very good for me.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[Sunset]

I've taken back stripped screw drivers etc. Great policy. In it's heyday, Craftsman was THE brand. My dad loved the Sears tool dept. ..... way before the Home depot's of the world. I do believe their lifetime warranty only applies to hand tools however.

Darn, I was planning to buy a Craftsman house so I would have no maintenance to perform

 

[Sunset]

Had a Craftsman socket wrench ratchet from the 70's. Nice one.

When it died the guy at Sears said: "I'll give you one of the cheaper ones but I won't replace this one for the same...it's too old and the new one is too expensive". I couldn't believe it!

He should have replaced it properly with identical craftsman tool.

 

[Beldar]

I mangled a set of Craftsman punches (only ~I~ could do that). I brought them back & the sales guy just said to pick out a replacement set. He dropped the broken set into one of many slots under the counter, where they stored "bubba'd" tools. I suggested to him that Sears should mount some examples for display in the store to emphasize their warranty policy.

I believe the warranty policy only applies to hand tools, not larger items like compressors and so forth. Nevertheless, I try to purchase Craftsman tools whenever the option is available.


_B

 

[mickeyd]

I believe the warranty policy only applies to hand tools, not larger items like
compressors and so forth.

My dad told me he returned a rake and got a new one. I guess a rake is a hand tool.

 

[Dimsumkid]

I bought a big Craftsman socket set back in the late 80's. I had broken a socket wrench a couple of times over the years and would get a new one off the shelf. The last time around 2000-2002, I was told that my replacement had to come from a bucket of refurbished/repaired socket wrenches. That replacement sits in my tool box as it slips a lot unless I can't find an old original one. I don't really take their lifetime warranty to heart anymore. You may be better off getting a Husky brand hand tools from Home Depot as they carry the same warranty and will probably be in business longer than Craftsman.

Did you know that Sears considers Craftsman a separate company? If you ever do a store pickup and it takes longer than 5 mins, they give you a $5 off "Sorry" coupon that you can't use on any Craftsman items because they claim it's a separate company!?!? Really? I was told you can use it on mostly clothes and some kitchen items.

 

[target2019]

Craftsman 10" table saw purchased 1980 or so. Original motor. Originally purchased to cut hardwood plywood for custom cabinets. Has made 3 moves with the family so far.

 

[braumeister]

I had broken a socket wrench a couple of times over the years and would get a new one off the shelf. The last time around 2000-2002, I was told that my replacement had to come from a bucket of refurbished/repaired socket wrenches. That replacement sits in my tool box as it slips a lot unless I can't find an old original one. I don't really take their lifetime warranty to heart anymore.

I had the identical experience. After only being able to get inferior replacements a couple of times I quit buying Craftsman tools. Such a shame, because they really were the best. It has been hard watching the long, sad decline of a once great company.

 

[zinger1457]

Every couple years I bring back one or two of my Craftsman screw drivers for replacement, it's usually one of the phillips head drivers.

 

[Hermit]

I had to dig out a Craftsman 7/16 socket yesterday because the side walls on the Harbor Freight socket I was using were too thick to use. I bought the Craftsman mechanics tool set in 1965. I think I have replaced two sockets out of that set.

 

[travelover]

I took in a box of rusted and dull Craftsman screwdrivers and traded them in for all new ones. The salesman initially said that rusty and dull did not qualify, but I had sneakily printed off a copy of the Craftsman guarantee which plainly states "if at any time you are not satisfied, free replacement". By this time a bunch of salespeople had gathered including the manager. They almost wept as I carted off the new ones.

I've traded in numerous split sockets with no grief. They will always try to give you a crappy replacement ratchet if you let them. During slow times I think they make the staff rebuild them.

 

[rayinpenn]

When I bought my shinny red Sears a Craftsman lawn tractor I thought this baby is going to last me forever. When the warranty ran out and I was offered an extension for $300. I thought no way am I spending $300 for a warranty on lawn tractor that's 3 years old. I only paid about $1600 for the tractor. Shortly there after the cam shaft failed. I think I paid $450 to fix it. The thing is my lawn is just big enough to warrant a lawn tractor. Then the starter went, followed by the magneto, a leaky front tire and then there was the wiring harness, etc., In addition to my money it liked to eat batteries as well. I later learned my machine was designed for a two cylinder motor and for some reason they opted to go with an 18hp single cylinder Briggs and Stratton.

My hatred for that money pit tractor was shared equally by the Mrs. Then one faithful day my neighbor said hey my mother is selling her John Deere. I had that red Sears pile of junk sold and off my property in three days. People were fighting to get it too. The wife suggested we give it away. When the purchaser drove away with it on a little trailer. I was tempted to make a gesture to the tractor but I took the high road.

So far my John Deere is a delight, that 2 cylinder Japanese engine hums like a race car. It is heaven. In my house words craftsman and Briggs and Stratton are like talking sedition.

The truth is I love their tools but Sears and I have a score to settle.




Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum.

 

[aja8888]

I bought a Craftsman socket set in the 1970's (or maybe earlier). I was rebuilding VW engines for resale and broke (in half) an 18" breaker bar taking off a flywheel bolt. Got that replaced easily.

I have split a few Craftsman sockets over the years, most recently, an 11/16". No problem with replacements.

Two years ago, I was given a new 1/2" drive socket wrench as a Christmas gift. It didn't work out of the box. Brought it to Sears and they clerk threw it in a 5 gallon bucket full of broken wrenches. I was shocked. He said one word...China.

I also have a Craftsman 4 HP 230 V twin cylinder electric compressor in my workshop that is OE from the 1970's. Still runs good, has been serviced by me with a new belt, flapper valve rebuilding kits, and several oil changes. I still have the original owner's manual!

 

[folivier]

I have lots of Craftsman hand tools and have had quite a few replaced throughout the decades. And yes Sears now gives you a "refurbed" socket wrench. I've had to dig through the selection to find one that is slightly better than the one I'm returning.
But, I've also found that if you go to a really small town with a small Sears store they will usually just give you a new wrench.

 

[Texas Proud]

From what one of the salesman told me, there are Craftsman tools and there are other tools sold in Sears that are not Craftsman... he said that if it is listed as Craftsman it is under the warranty....

I bought a water pump to pump out the hot tub... I paid bit extra for the Craftsman....



BTW, the warranty will probably be no good soon... Sears is going down (as it has been for many years) and is close to being dead... probably a couple more years and it will be gone.... anybody remember Montgomery Ward?

 

[aja8888]

.... anybody remember Montgomery Ward?

Bought by Mobil Oil in the early 1970's and then LBO financed by GE Capital, both bad deals....eventually filed bankruptcy.

 

[Bamaman]

When I bought my shinny red Sears a Craftsman lawn tractor I thought this baby is going to last me forever. . . . . . .

My hatred for that money pit tractor was shared equally by the Mrs. Then one faithful day my neighbor said hey my mother is selling her John Deere. I had that red Sears pile of junk sold and off my property in three days. People were fighting to get it too. The wife suggested we give it away. When the purchaser drove away with it on a little trailer. I was tempted to make a gesture to the tractor but I took the high road.

So far my John Deere is a delight, that 2 cylinder Japanese engine hums like a race car. It is heaven. In my house words craftsman and Briggs and Stratton are like talking sedition.

The truth is I love their tools but Sears and I have a score to settle.

Truth is that old Craftsman lawn tractor was probably made by Murray Ohio. And they went out of business owing Briggs and Stratton $40 million for engines. Briggs liquidated the assets and inventories and made another fortune. They were always inferior products.

 

[Cat-tirement]

My dad told me he returned a rake and got a new one. I guess a rake is a hand tool.

A number of years ago I managed to split the wooden handle of a Craftsman shovel. When I took it to the store, they told me that model with the wood handle wasn't made any more, and offered me a Sears brand wood handle shovel. I pointed out that there was a fiberglass Craftsman model, but they didn't want to give it to me because it cost significantly more. After I made a stink about it, they reluctantly gave me the better Craftsman one.

 

[Bamaman]

From what one of the salesman told me, there are Craftsman tools and there are other tools sold in Sears that are not Craftsman... he said that if it is listed as Craftsman it is under the warranty....

I bought a water pump to pump out the hot tub... I paid bit extra for the Craftsman....

BTW, the warranty will probably be no good soon... Sears is going down (as it has been for many years) and is close to being dead... probably a couple more years and it will be gone.... anybody remember Montgomery Ward?

Add KMart to that list of Sears owned companies. We have a top 10 Walmart and 1/2 mile away the KMart is like a ghost town. They're a sticks and brick corporation that's days are numbered.

Better get those adjustments on Craftsman tools while they're there to give you a replacement.

 

[pb4uski]

Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard brands are actually owned by a separate entity that could be sold or spun-off and might preserve those brands even if Sears goes under.

The New Alchemy At Sears - Businessweek

From Sears Holdings 2014 Form 10-K:

....In May 2006, a subsidiary of Holdings contributed the rights to use the Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard trademarks in the U.S. and its possessions and territories to KCD IP, LLC, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Holdings. KCD IP, LLC has licensed the use of the trademarks to subsidiaries of Holdings, including Sears and Kmart. Asset-backed securities with a par value of $1.8 billion (the "KCD Securities") were issued by KCD IP, LLC and subsequently purchased by Sears Re, the collateral for which includes the trademark rights and royalty income. Payments to the holders on the
KCD Securities are funded by the royalty payments. The issuers of the REMIC Securities and KCD Securities and the owners of these real estate and trademark assets are bankruptcy remote, special purpose entities that are indirect wholly owned subsidiaries of Holdings.

 

[CRLLS]

Ahhh Montgomery Ward. I worked there when I was 17 yrs old. I still have my Powercraft combination wrenches, Some of them anyway.


I bought a Craftsman Table saw in the 70's that I still have and use. The only thing replaced on it was the blades. I just sold, yeah I said sold, a Craftsman compressor that I got about 30 years ago. that poor thing!


Sadly, I don't think anything I buy today will last me 30-40 years. Heck, I probably won't last that long!