Are Craftsman tools pretty much all Chinese now?

[Sheepdog Gear]

I just placed an order for the 540 piece Craftsman tool set just ASSUMING they are the same old "USA FORGED" tools I've bought in the past. I typically research everything and run it over with a fine toothed comb before I buy. Didn't think I had to with a company I thought was as American as apple pie.

After minimal online browsing, I'm learning most Craftsman are made in China now? Seriously? I feel dirty now. Should I attempt to cancel the order? Are there comparably priced manufacturers that are still US made? Does this mean my tools will not be "forged", and instead be some mysterious Chinese "metal alloy"? I feel like I just paid a truck load for Harbor Freight garbage.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I just placed an order for the 540 piece Craftsman tool set just ASSUMING they are the same old "USA FORGED" tools I've bought in the past. I typically research everything and run it over with a fine toothed comb before I buy. Didn't think I had to with a company I thought was as American as apple pie.

After minimal online browsing, I'm learning most Craftsman are made in China now? Seriously? I feel dirty now. Should I attempt to cancel the order? Are there comparably priced manufacturers that are still US made? Does this mean my tools will not be "forged", and instead be some mysterious Chinese "metal alloy"? I feel like I just paid a truck load for Harbor Freight garbage.

Truthfully, I've almost given up. I always considered myself a "buy American" guy. But it's almost impossible anymore. It's gotten to where it's almost a surprise when you see a Made in the USA sticker now.

With fewer and fewer Sears stores around now a days, I pretty much stopped buy Craftsman. I've been fairly happy with Kobalt stuff. At least there's a Lowes in my town.

 

[long coat]

A guy I work with picked up a Craftsman tool set, sockets & wrenches. When he was showing it to us I started laughing because I thought someone had returned the Craftsman box with Harbor Freight tools in it & the store never checked what was inside. We started looking at them and they said Craftsman. I went and got some of mine and showed him the difference in the way they were made. They added steel to the wrenches to make them stronger and the sockets looked cheap.

The Sears Hardware in Avon closed, so I had to go to Ace Hardware to have a breaker bar replaced. They can only do a same part # for same parts #. I told him it doesn't have a part # on it because it was made in the USA and not the cheap crap they sell now. They could only take my bar and have one shipped to my house, I said no.

Here is a video about the wrenches
https://youtu.be/JuymF1jgHFI

 

[K_W]

Sears still has a lot of good tools but they also have some really bad tools. There are still sets made in USA if you look for them.

 

[Expat]

I bought a pretty expensive torque wrench not too long ago and did some looking around. If you want American made they are out there. If you look on Amazon, it looks like there are still some Craftsman tools out there US made.

 

[Sheepdog Gear]

Then I wonder what the chances are of the set I ordered being US made. Debating just trying to cancel and not taking the chance. Then again, looks like finding all American is going to be tough / expensive anyhow.

 

[HubertGummer]

The last Craftsman socket set I bought was 5 years ago, a pass thru set. It is made in China but the quality seems like it is still there. The ratchets are actually smoother than my mad in USA ratchets. The sockets fit and finish is nice, but since they are pass thru, there is inherently less metal in them, so it's hard for me to tell if the metal they used is crappier. I have yet to break any of those parts yet.

You may check on the lifetime warranty. I seem to recall hearing that craftsman tools not made in USA do not have a Lifetime warranty, but I can't remember.

 

[Leadeye]

When the chinese have their civil war someday in the future, this country will be out of luck.

 

[HubertGummer]

When the chinese have their civil war someday in the future, this country will be out of luck.

Good. Maybe we can get back to making our own stuff again.

 

[KJQ6945]

I just had to go check my tool box. All USA.

The last thing I bought from Sears was a 24" breaker bar, 4-5 years ago. It's still US made.

 

[mom45]

I just saw something the other day that was saying the cheaper priced box sets of Craftsman tools are made in China and the ones sold individually are made in the USA. I believe they all have the same lifetime warranty. I got my son a starter set of tools a few years ago, but I don't know if they say China on them or if they were still made in the US at that point. We have several Sears stores in the area so replacing broken tools is still easy. There are also some hardware stores that carry Craftsman and exchange them if needed.

 

[SSGSAD]

Check your local NAPA, look in the tool catalog .....

MOST tools, are available, within one or two days ,

and no freight .....

 

[bwframe]

I have a breaker bar to replace, ball detent fell out. I've been wondering where to swap it out since our Bloomington Sears and Kmart has closed.

 

[87iroc]

I have just started buying Harbor Freight as I heard Craftsman was heading there a few years ago(about the time all of their power equipment had mysterious engines popping up on them). Harbor Freight has a lifetime warranty and are local. Maybe I'll give Kobalt a try...but I just assumed they change 'suppliers' periodically and were made in China as well.

 

[GLOCKMAN23C]

Check your local NAPA, look in the tool catalog .....

MOST tools, are available, within one or two days ,

and no freight .....

Napa has been globally sourced for several years,now. Much of it is better quality than what was made by Danaher/Apex (Craftsman) tools.

 

[chef larry]

Used to work at the Sears Auto Center in Merrillville and the tools I bought from Harbor Freight didn't break, only has the one socket with the paint wear off. YMMV

 

[chezuki]

I broke a 1/2" USA ratchet a couple years and noticed later that the one it was replaced with was not USA made. Honestly don't see a difference in quality. The new one broke just like the old one.

Same job broke a Matco 24" breaker bar, so I couldn't really blame the tools.

 

[CampingJosh]

Made in China =/= crap quality. It can, and it often does, but Chinese manufacturers are capable of high-quality production.

It's all about the standards held. If Sears doesn't check quality and keeps paying for bad products, then they'll get bad products. If they stay on top of QC, then they can get good products.

It's the same thing here, too. It's just easier to stay on top of it all when production is nearby.

 

[churchmouse]

I broke a 1/2" USA ratchet a couple years and noticed later that the one it was replaced with was not USA made. Honestly don't see a difference in quality. The new one broke just like the old one.

Same job broke a Matco 24" breaker bar, so I couldn't really blame the tools.

The front end work on the Honda...???

 

[chezuki]

The front end work on the Honda...???

Yeah. Finally cut the ****ing axle nut off.