SEARS Biting The Dust (1 Viewer)

[bigredmachine]

brining this thread back as I had to exchange some of my craftsman tools at lowes tonight. exchange was straight forward, if its on the shelf its a straight exchange no questions asked. new tools will get rung up as a return, credit will be given and credit used to "purchase" the exchanged tools. there is a craftsman number that ill have to call tomorrow as I don't know if one of the extensions is something ill be able to exchange as I don't know if they make it anymore.

lowes will not have the same selection the sears used to have but hand tools and boxes are available. some of the more specialty tools such as voltmeters and such I didn't see in store so you may have issues with service for those items.

 

[PAToyota]

I picked up a Craftsman set at Lowes last summer and have been pleased with it. It seems that it is slightly better quality than what Sears has had in recent years. My local Lowes does have a good selection of your basic wrenches, sockets, and such. But I agree that there isn't the broad range of other tools that Sears used to stock. My local Ace Hardware has Craftsman as well and a somewhat different selection than Lowes. You might have to try a few different outlets for an exchange of a specific item.

 

[bigredmachine]

I did forget to mention that they are at least listed as made in the us, not cheap chineasum

 

[gnob]

I recently purchased a crapsman ratchet from my local Ace. It literally fell apart the first time I used it. I reassembled it, then it exploded the thurd time i used it.
Took it back to exchange for a different model. Turned into a complete fűcko they ended up asking me seven times for a receipt and getting the manager before I lost my cool and chewed their azzes. Lol

 

[1911]

I recently purchased a crapsman ratchet from my local Ace. It literally fell apart the first time I used it. I reassembled it, then it exploded the thurd time i used it.
Took it back to exchange for a different model. Turned into a complete fűcko they ended up asking me seven times for a receipt and getting the manager before I lost my cool and chewed their azzes. Lol

Some people just need or deserve an ass chewing.

 

[LS1FJ40]

brining this thread back as I had to exchange some of my craftsman tools at lowes tonight. exchange was straight forward, if its on the shelf its a straight exchange no questions asked. new tools will get rung up as a return, credit will be given and credit used to "purchase" the exchanged tools. there is a craftsman number that ill have to call tomorrow as I don't know if one of the extensions is something ill be able to exchange as I don't know if they make it anymore.

lowes will not have the same selection the sears used to have but hand tools and boxes are available. some of the more specialty tools such as voltmeters and such I didn't see in store so you may have issues with service for those items.

The 800# should be able to help with stuff we don’t carry in store. I can check the exact process tomorrow and see what it says. I don’t deal with the retail side of things so much but find out easy enough.

 

[wapitimud]

Back in sometime like 1980, most Craftsman tools were excellent. You could buy a Craftsman lawnmower, table saw, socket set that were made by high-end manufacturers and sold as Craftsman, maybe at a discount to you.

Starting around 1992? Craftsman switched their handtool sockets and wrenches from a quality manufacturer, to the same maker as Kobalt, Husky, etc. Nothing special.

For much of the rest of their tool line, they've gone cheap over the last few decades.

I visited a closing Sears store in Miami, cash in hand, and noticed the tools at 20% off. Walking around, I couldn't part with my money and get any better price or quality than Harbor Freight.

I took my dollars over to the clothing area, and bought some Levi's Jean's at 75% off, way less than even the neighbouring TJ Maxx store.

So long Sears.

 

[Elbert]

I have some of the old-school craftsman stuff, a brand back in the day that had some measure of quality. I would often in the 80's spend a few hundred or a little less at the somewhat local sears store for some reasonable quality tools and other items (as mentioned above), as I tried to build up my tool selection. Then over time I noticed things just did not seem right as to quality, fit and function etc. At which point I only bought some craftsman stuff for my truck tool bag, such that I had something...but if I lost or whatever happened I would not have a freak out. As noted the brand has continually moved along the negative path.

 

[1MOA]

It just depends on when you got your craftsman tools and what they were. Craftsman just like Snap On,SK ,Klein. ect farm out their work to certain tool manufacturers.

 

[wapitimud]

I don't think that's true post 1992. Very few mechanic's handtools seem farmed out to high-tier makes. One exception is their Craftsman thread-chaser set, in the red case, it's the same as Mac and Snap-On, and is made by Lang Tools. Precision Tools makes several torque wrenches for Snap-On, they just cost more with the Snap-On lettering.

If your pre-1992 Craftsman sockets and wrenches have a WF ( Western Forge ), a V ( Moore Drop Forge), or several other markings on them, then they're probably decent. Some older sockets may have an X marking for S-K produced.

Most handtools I saw on the shelf at Sears a few weeks ago were either made in China or Taiwan. Few decent SK, Snap-On, Gray, Proto handtools are made there, most of those are made in US, and Gray in Canada.

To be of Taiwan production, those brands become BluePoint, BlackHawk, Stanley by the same manufacturers.

The decent US-produced Craftsman tool chests I've seen were likely made by Waterloo, and the Canadian Craftsman toolchestI bought here when Sears closed was made by SPG International in Quebec.

A reference here:
www.toolchat.net

 

[g-man]

Recently while visiting my local Ace hardware I asked if I could return a Craftsman tool. The clerks immediate response seemed defensive. "Did you buy it here?" I replied ..."no, I'm just asking a 'what if' question." "Well if you bought it here and have a receipt" is what he said next. Question answered. Don't think I'll be buying any Craftsmen tools from that store.

Oddly I checked the Craftsmen website here : Warranty Information | Craftsman today and found this info regarding the warranty:

Full Lifetime Warranty

If the product fails to perform for any reason, we will replace it. Return damaged product to a stocking Retail Partner or call 1-888-331-4569 for details. No proof of purchase required.

I can't envision myself coming up with some sort of life long filing system that identifies each tool I own with a particular receipt. The ink on most receipts fades after a few years so it would have to be scanned and put in my PC. Then when I printed off a copy of the receipt and brought it to the store I wonder if the retailer would question me for not bringing the original...would I need to scribe the receipt number into the tool?

I'll be checking with Lowes next.

 

[wapitimud]

I wouldn't bother asking around. The latest "Craftsman" hand tools are Stanley-produced, and they'll replace what they sold you with your non-Sears reciept.

I keep all my tool reciepts dumped in a folder on my workbench shelf. Proto, Milwaukee, HF etc. I wouldn't spend a dollar on new Craftsman though.

 

[g-man]

The Craftsman website says "A STOCKING RETAIL PARTNER" will replace any tool with with a # starting with CMMT or older model starting with a 9 NO PROOF OF PURCHASE NECESSARY.

This in not a discussion about Craftsman quality I just want to know if I can take a broken tool back no questions asked. Seems this policy has changed since 2017 see post #2 in this thread. I guess my local Ace didn't get the word.

 

[g-man]

Just went to Lowe's with a kobalt screwdriver to replace. Without a receipt they replaced it by tearing into a screwdriver set. One thing I did notice is that they seem to have a much smaller inventory of Kobalt hand tools. Looks like they will not be making Kobalt hand tools any more. If you want to replace a Kobalt hand tool better do it now while there is still some inventory.