Is there a chance for a rebirth of the Craftsman brand?

[Silentrunning]

As a youth I loved tools. Other kids asked for toys for Christmas, I asked for tools. I always made sure that people knew this meant Craftsman tools. I still have most of these tools.

Years ago Sears Roebuck & Co. decided to make their profits off their stock instead of their sales. They became Sears Holdings. They joined Kmart and picked up most of their poor business habits. Sears removed their lifetime guarantee on Craftsman tools and shifted manufacturing to the cheapest overseas bidder.

Now Craftsman has become a major brand for Lowe’s. I have no idea if Craftsman is going to try to reclaim their former position as king of the hill in the tool world or if they are going to settle for being an also ran like Ryobi. I am ready for a new skill saw so I am going to give them a chance.

 

[Ian]

Sears removed their lifetime guarantee on Craftsman tools and shifted manufacturing to the cheapest overseas bidder.

It seems that many toolmakers are going down this route. I bought some Irwin vice grips a few years ago that were absolute junk - I really expected more from the name. The same thing has happened with plenty of well known UK tool brands too. I suspect tools just aren't expected to last as long for the average DIYer now, which is a real shame.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Time will tell Doug but it seems over the last ten years high quality has deteriorated to low quality now with DIY'ers accepting junk but then people now want everything for nothing.

I worked for a huge company with many factories manufacturing high end electric motors; I was there 24 years retiring 19 years ago; the motors were high quality but during my later years there the motors were trimmed back to bare minimum; if the yoke cooling fins had been made thinner (aluminium range) they would be razor blades and a simple knock used to break them. Both management and workers were to blame not pulling together for the benefit of the company as an whole; departments uncooperative and top management at each other's throats. In a meeting a shop floor member described the company as a rosy apple with a rotten core.

Only the headquarters now remain this being greatly reduced to a handful of staff operating distribution; the motors now made abroad and shipped in by container.

Most of the heavy industry has now gone here in the UK; if ever there is another war we'll be throwing McDonald's at the enemy; how sad when Great Britain is the home of the industrial revolution and we were world beaters now to sink to this.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Silentrunning]

If you still want a life time tool you have to buy SnapOn or Milwaukee. Just be ready to faint when they hand you the bill.

 

[Ian]

If you still want a life time tool you have to buy SnapOn or Milwaukee. Just be ready to faint when they hand you the bill.

My only snap-on tool (so far) is a pair of grips (funnily enough, to replace the ones I was complaining about above) - they're worth every penny. They work so much better, feel really well made and the reverse release level is a great mechanism .

 

[Retired]

Hi,

I must confess I don't own a single "snap on" tool which is unusual because I'm a bit of a tool junkie.

When I owned my own garage business over 40 years ago there wasn't the huge selection of tools available that are available these days; no electronics on cars either; spanner both ring and open ended were "Elora" and socket sets generally "Britool" in both AF and Whitworth; our cars weren't metric then at least not the cars I worked on many being side valve with white metal bearings; I converted a number of Ford 100E into shell bearings and most towns had engineering companies for rebores and crank grinding; decokes are long gone as are the oil changes which seemed to need doing every weekend; for odd sized nuts these gave way to hammer and cold chisel; oh what memories.

When did you last see a motorcycle with sidecar; these used to be very common indeed; I passed my motorcycle test on a BSA Golden Flash 650cc having a double adult sidecar attached.

Mid price tools are mostly good enough for home workshop use but top quality are best for full time use.

I do have a Skilsaw though Doug but seldom use it because I have floor standing saws which are more convenient.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Turbogus1]

I reckon the first to suffer this fate were Wood Planes, which I suspect that older ones (Bailey and the like) command such a price if they're in good shape.

 

[Silentrunning]

I think there are two reasons why planes fell out of favor - people weren’t taught how to properly use them and they didn’t know how to sharpen them when then got dull. Old wooden planes are a thing of beauty.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

I agree Doug and there could be a third reason; cheap power planes and routers two things that weren't available when I started woodworking? I still have my Stanley Bailey; Stanley Block and Stanley Shoulder planes which do get used occasionally and are kept sharp on an Arkansas 8" bench stone. I have Trend diamond bench honing stones but prefer the Arkansas for a really keen edge used with an honing guide.

I have an old very reliable ELU electric hand planer but most of my planing is done on either the 8"" planer thicknesser or just for thicknessing my 12" thicknesser.

ELU MFF80 planer still in as new condition bought well over 30 years ago and still with original knives installed; it's now mostly used for trimming doors to size.

Novices these days using a Bailey plane would soon find out wood has grain?

Kind regards, Colin.