Craftsman tools made overseas

I feel exactly the same.  Craftsman has a solid name yet it seems current Sears management could care less about its reputation as an American icon.  It will backfire on them if they continue down this road.  The question is, "Why buy Craftsman, if it's not made in the US?"  

The more Craftsman goes to China, the more Harbor Freight smiles--they'll be the only winners on that deal.

Excellent...

Craftsman still has quite a few hand tools Made Here.

Are you willing to buy metric tools, or is that a bad thing, too?

If the import tools are not an attempt to copy more expensive American made tools, but, new innovative tools that are NOT made anywhere else, would you consider purchasing them?

What does that mean? Of course we would purchase metric tools. As long as they are not imported? We all find the Craftsman name to be a staple that most of us grew up with. Something we knew was made in America for Americans. It's an American Icon not a chinese one. Cutting cost by outsourcing is a foolish move to a product with the reputation like Craftsman. I will be deeply disappointed and will buy from another tool company to get American products.

I also agree with the original poster. I was about to purchase some of the new wrenches the other day, had them in my hand ready to go. I thought nothing of looking to see where they were made because they are craftsman, made in USA....right? WRONG! the word China just happened to catch my eye as I set them at the counter, I was saddened by this and put the wrenches back. 

I spoke to the floor manager and she told me that numerous people had complained to Sears, and that the company had sent out an email to stores to let customers know they tools were still made to the same craftsman specs. I politely told the lady (who was very nice by the way) that they were not made to my specs and I went on with my day. 

How many people ever looked for the Union Label? How many people bought the "Made in the USA" clothes that were so strongly advertised during the great Japanese invasion in the mid-late 1980s? How many people bought American-made power tools during the 1980s-1990s?

Americans are far more driven by price than by patriotism. It's a noble sentiment, but American consumers would rather buy a product made elsewhere if its price is lower by as little as 20%.

Don't believe it? Compare the Craftsman locking flex-head ratcheting wrenches versus the GearWrench flex-head ratcheting wrenches. The Craftsman tool is a significantly better tool, priced at around $110 on sale versus the GearWrench set's price of $89.99. The GearWrench product sells at 2-3x the rate of the Craftsman product.

What accounts for this difference? Is it the brand name? Certainly not, as Craftsman is a far more well-known brand. Is it the packaging? Nope, as they are packaged almost identically. Is it the manufacturer? No, because both are manufactured by Danaher Tool Group, the same company that makes Craftsman ratchets. Is it the location? Not that, as they're side by side with each other. Is it advertising? Not that either, as the Craftsman wrenches receive equal, if not greater, exposure in advertising.

What, then, is responsible for this difference in sales performance? Price. The Craftsman product is, on its greatest sale, the same price as the GearWrench product when it's not on sale. The Craftsman, made in America, is outsold by a wide margin by the GearWrench product, made in China.

Faced with that kind of data, would you make your high-end innovative hand tools in America or China, when costs will be greater in America, resulting in lower sales and, thus, lower profits?

I'm sure others FEEL the same as you, but I'm extremely skeptical that many people are serious about living up to those feelings. It has never shown itself to be more than a momentary fist in the air that eventually admits that the price on the tag trumps place of origin.

EDS, let me know where to find a new drill, saw or sander made in America. There ain't none <sigh>.

The original poster is absolutely right. We all grew up knowing that if we wanted good quality American made handtools we could always count on Craftsman. 25 years ago, when I was a teenager working in the tool department of my local Sears store, we always considered our selling points to be the "Made in USA" label and the warranty. Today I am still using tools I bought back then as a teenager.

The Gearwrench vs Craftsman statistics listed above are kind of bogus. Assuming the numbers are right, it shows that 20-33% of people are willing to pay the 20% premium to get an American made tool. To me that is a significant percentage. It's not an election where 51% wins. If a quarter of your customers were to go elsewhere it is significant.

What is really happening is Craftsman is trading their good reputation for quick profits. People will buy Craftsman because of what they expect it to be for a while, until their expectations are lowered to match the new reality.

Americans are far more driven by price than by patriotism.

This one is more driven by quality. If Chinese castings are stronger than American, so be it. And if it costs less, 5 Stars. I don't want my kids working in foundries or mining coal, no way.

I like my Craftsman but I have looked at the Gearwrench set and though are they as good, I have not gone as far as looking at label and seeing were they are made but I am glad to pay more for and american product that is of good quality.

Well, how far does your boycotting patriotism go?

EVERYONE knows the U.S.'s standard is fractional sizes.

If you buy METRIC than you are supporting something made in ANOTHER place.

So, I ask again.

Are you buy'n metric?

Are you kidding?  What type of rational is this?  If I buy a $35 metric Snap-on wrench vs. a Craftsman 3/4" elbow ratcheting wrench, I'm supporting China?  I don't think so.  Quite the opposite.  Where the cash is ending up is what we are talking about here, not standards of measurement.  And many US made cars use metric anyway.

It has more to do with the fact that Craftsman would only move production overseas for one reason and that's a monetary one.  Craftsman will lose in the long run if they continue down this road.  That is a fact.  No need for me to try to convince anyone, time will tell that.  Craftsman will be relegated to the gas station tool aisle if they don't wise up.  

If you doubt me, look at Snap-on and the others who continue to make profits and find buyers willing to pay 5 times what Craftsman costs to get USA-made quality.  One thing that never ceases to amaze me is the way businesses forget that the American people will gladly pay a premium for high-quality, homegrown stuff.  Businesses think people want it cheaper when what we really want is better quality.  Craftsman quality has slipped and now they are going in the opposite direction; instead of improving quality, they are shipping production overseas.  

By the way, Gearwrench products are superior to Craftsman, I hate to say.  I know that Danaher produces both of them but pick up any Craftsman wrench and any Gearwrench wrench and you'll see a marked difference in quality.  Craftsman has to come out with a "Pro" line of wrenches to get the chrome as good as GW.  And even then, they don't succeed--I have returned several pieces of brand new Craftsman tools this year from chrome chipping, open-end wrenches not sized right, etc.  

I would love for Craftsman to return to a standard of quality.  My grandfather's Craftsman wrenches are superior to my new wrenches in every way.  I just don't see anyone at Sears caring enough make quality a priority.  Sorry.

 If I go to buy a Craftsman handtool and I see that is Chinese I will put it back on the shelf . I guess this will make the Snap on guy happy as my purchases will go up from him . I am not a pro , I only wrench on my own stuff ... but I dont want Chinese tools . 

I want a tool with a no question quarentee, if it breaks, to have it replace or repair, on site. Not mailed off. I dont mine paying a little more for that. Not everybody can flag the snap on dealer down.

To me and my family, Craftsman tools are always made in the USA.  Hand tools are different than a pair of pants or even power tools.  Hand tools are meant to last multiple lifetimes if they are cared for.  Every tool I buy today, I plan on using my entire life and then I want to be proud to give them to my son so he can use them for his entire lifetime.  That's not the place I want to save a little cash.  In the past, Craftsman Made in the USA tools have provided this at quite reasonable prices.  When Craftsman tools are made in China, why buy them?  Harbor Freight hand tools are cheaper and they also offer a no questions asked lifetime guarantee that's just as good as Sears.  When Craftsman tools are made in China, I'll buy another USA made tool.

I see Adam's point, you have to look at the big picture.  This discussion has been on going since my Grandfather was buying tools.

When I pay a premium for a tool with the name CRAFTSMAN on it, I expect it to be a quality tool and to give me good service.  I don't care where it's made - sorry people.  I will say I would be MORE inclined to purchase a Craftsman tool if it were made in the USA.  However, the "go to" 3/8 ratchet handle in my $1000 Craftsman tool box full of $$$$$ Craftsman tools is a $5 POS no-mane China item that I got at a swap meet.  It's outlasted six (6) Craftsman 3/8 ratchets.  I quit returning them because the next one was worse than the last.   There plenty of junk made in China and plenty of junk made in the US too.  Same on the other side - both can make quality items at a decent price.  I will not pay a premium just because it says "made in the USA" on the tag or because it's made with union labor.  I'll pay a bit more if I think it's a good tool and will give good service.  That's it. 

I think I heard the voice of reason/ common sense in a few of the posts.

People want QUALITY, at a reasonable price.

One poster mentioned the attitude of OWNING a tool for their lifetime and passing the tool onto his son - excellent.

Most of the Craftsman hand tools are life-time warranted, which means some folks never develop an attitude of taking the best care of their tools.

Maybe, the introduction of some non-US made tools will convince more people to take care of their tools better (rust), use the tools appropriately (hammer marks) and to use a DIFFERENT tool if there is a strong possiblity of tool failure (Break-Loose-Bars and large drive size tools).

Knowing how to sharpen cutting tools will do WONDERS for a tool's longevity (wood chisels, cold chisels, pruning shears, drill bits, etc.).

Once upon a time, their were some Craftsman tools that were made in Taiwan.

Then the OEM "went back" to the US.

That may happen with the "China made" tools, sold today.

I'm not waiting.

They appear to be quality made tools, that will be of service to me, now.

And, with their life-time Craftsman Mechanics' Hand Tools warranty, there is not much of a gamble in their purchase.

The ones I'm looking at have NO U.S. Made equivalents.

And, those supposedly U.S. Made cars are not riddled with foreign-made components?

Please.

If the item is truly American...

it has 1/4-20, 5/16-18 and 3/8-16 threaded fasteners.

Anything else is a TRAITOR to the U.S. of A..

And, the metric fasteners are all made of inferior quality metal - if not plastic.

Buy using metric tools, you are supporting Globalism, not Americanism.

Adam's implying that "Standard" is American, and metric is a European measurement. So, you're supporting those elitist liberal wine-drinking cheese-eating euro-spending Europeans by using metric tools (or anything that uses metric nuts/bolts/screws). He's yanking your chain.

The GearWrench brand products and the Craftsman products, quality-wise, are the same.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00944003000P?keyword=gearwrench+ratcheting+wrench+set

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00942405000P?keyword=craftsman+ratcheting+wrench+set

These tools have the exact same guts, exact same materials, exact same specifications, only a slightly different chrome formulation to separate them cosmetically. These are the exact same tools, except one is made in America (Craftsman) and is $99.99 regular price, while the other is made in China (GearWrench) and is $79.99 regular price. Apples to apples. There is no more cut and dried comparison that can be made. Given these criteria, which do you choose? Do you pay the $20 premium ($40 right now, because the GW is on sale for $59.99), or do you do like the vast majority of people do and go for the lower price? How many Americans are really willing to put their money where their mouths are?

And, to be fair, very few Craftsman hand tools are made outside the USA.

Break a screwdriver and see what the Snap-On guy does. He won't give you a new screwdriver. He'll replace the handle if it's broken or replace the blade if it's broken, but a new screwdriver? No siree.