Craftsman’s USA-made hand tools are inching closer to reality.
Several readers emailed in about a new 2021 ETA for the made-in-USA hand tools that Craftsman has been promising for a few years now, ever since Stanley Black & Decker acquired the brand from Sears.
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I finally found the teaser, buried in an email newsletter promoting Craftsman’s paid awards program “innovations.”
New Factory Means More Craftsman Hand Tools will be Made in the USA
Craftsman “made in the USA with global materials” hand tools has been in the works for quite some time now.
First, Craftsman announced it to Stanley Black & Decker investors.
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Then, they teased to consumers that select tools and tool sets will be made with global materials in Texas, and that they were “chroming soon.”
We reached out to Craftsman Tools, asking for more information, but have not heard back yet.
To date, Craftsman has not yet provided any press or media information or updates about their Texas hand tools factory.
Dewalt discontinued their USA-made screwdrivers last year.
Dewalt Industrial-Focused USA-Made Screwdrivers Have Been Discontinued
I bought a sampling of this and another style of Dewalt USA-made screwdrivers a few years ago, and they’re quite good.
I also regularly buy Proto hand tools, expanding my tool kit and also replacing older imported tools with better USA-made ones.
My point is this – Stanley Black & Decker knows how to make great quality USA-made tools. But is that what we’re going to get with the Craftsman tools that will be made in Texas with global materials?
How will these new tools differ from existing Stanley Black & Decker screwdrivers, pliers, mechanics tools, and other products that are made in the USA?
In the several years since Stanley Black & Decker acquired and relaunched the Craftsman tool brand, what kinds of new tools have they come out with?
I bought two Craftsman tools this holiday season – magnetic trays because they were cheaper than the same style that’s sold on Amazon, and a wrench to compare against my identically-featured Facom wrench.
I’ve been waiting for Craftsman to make their big entrance in the USA-made hand tool market.
Craftsman hasn’t brought many new tools or innovation to market in recent years. Maybe this is what they’ve been putting their efforts towards, and what consumers have been waiting for.
One thing is for certain – 2021 is going to be an interesting year.
Milwaukee Tool has been expanding their USA hand tool production as well, with a big push into USA-made hand tools also expected to kick off in 2021.
Coming Soon: Milwaukee Made-in-USA Hand Tools Planned for 2021
Milwaukee manufactures select layout tools in the USA:
They also manufacture several lines of power tool accessories in the USA:
Milwaukee USA Factory Tour: How a Typical Sawzall Blade is Made
On top of Sawzall blades and Hole Dozer hole saws, and also step drill bits, Milwaukee Tool now has USA-made oscillating multi-tool blades, resulting from their acquisition of Imperial Tool.
Milwaukee Tool Acquires Imperial Blades, USA-Based Oscillating Multi-Tool Accessory Brand
And let’s not forget about Milwaukee’s new USA-made M18 Packout-compatible cordless vacuum.
Tekton has expanded their USA-made hand tool selections:
New Tekton Hard-Handle Screwdrivers are USA-Made and Look to Impress
And even Wiha is now offering USA-made tools:
The most exciting Craftsman hand tool from 2020 was simply a refresh of a previous Stanley FatMax design:
Meet the Craftsman 4-in-1 Adjustable Wrench and Pry Bar Demo Tool
I expected a big showing for the 2020 holiday season, but was left disappointed by both Craftsman and Lowe’s.
What do you expect to see Craftsman release as part of their first wave of hand tools made in the USA with global materials?
Are you excited?
Between my great experiences with Sears-era USA-made Craftsman and Craftsman Professional hand tools, Stanley Black & Decker’s USA-made hand tools under Proto branding, and leading brands’ and competitors’ USA-made offerings, I’m not quite sure what to expect.
Will they be cheap? Or will they be premium.
“More top-drawer tools are coming soon.” So… mechanics tools. Are we talking premium core offerings, or holiday-season promo sets with a “made in USA with global materials” sticker placed on a mix of tools of different origins?
Stanley Black & Decker acquired the Craftsman brand from Sears nearly 4 years ago.
They were interested in the brand for years before that, but have owned the brand for nearly 4 years. They’re playing the long game here.
Craftsman is not the standout hand tool brand that it used to be under Sears. Will these new tools help to change that?
I really like the idea of Craftsman hand tools being made in the USA again, even if they’re made with global materials, and also knowing that the initial offerings will likely only include very select SKUs or product types.
This might be enough to get people talking about the Craftsman brand again, but will it boost the brand image? Will the tools be aimed at enthusiast users? Will the tools be forged here? Finished?
We have so many questions, but there haven’t been any reassurances yet.
As of now, I am optimistic, but hesitant, not allowing myself to be too eager. I would rather hold my excitement in check than to raise the bar only to be crushingly disappointed again.
We’ll see what happens.
If you have any updates, please let us know – Craftsman PR has yet to send out any media communications about brand and USA factory happenings, and so you guys are our eyes and ears. I can’t help but shake the feeling that if this was a big deal, wouldn’t they be sharing more?
Andy
I might be in the minority, but I’m having a hard time getting excited over a bunch of crappy manufacturing jobs. More quality tools is great, but I’m not really convinced that’s what we’ll see.
David Zeller
I imagine that the people getting those jobs may have a different opinion. There are people who fit many types of jobs, just as there are people who fit well with academics (maybe high school wasn’t for them), outdoorsy types, extremely social types, etc.
My dad used to say “thank God for garbage men,” and meant that there are rolls and places for everyone, and people are to be appreciated regardless of what roll they fall into. I would say the same for most jobs (excluding those that are exploitative, etc). I think “crappy” manufacturing jobs are great for the people who want or need them and would have been worse off without them. And I’d prefer they be in the US.
Jim Felt
Having visited countless so-called blue collar manufacturing facilities in a myriad of industries I totally agree with your dad.
If we drill down they too are every bit as proud of their contribution as any more edumacated societal role might be.
In fact even in the clean rooms I’ve visited, bunny suit and all, show no more actual worker pride.
Tom
I did notice that the new SBD Craftsman 60v line of outdoor power tools is available at costco.com. I think that’s a new distribution channel for them
Jorhay
Huh, I thought those were completely killed when Lowe’s clearanced them out.
Mike (the other one)
I’m guessing this has been a slower spin up than initially hoped. Probably due to Covid.
Generally I prefer to buy USA-made or German-made tools, but I am not opposed to Taiwan-made tools, if the quality and price is right. I stay away from Chinese-made tools if possible.
I recently bought a few of the last Western Forge-made Sears Craftsman screwdrivers, and a few similar SBD-Craftsman screwdrivers, which are made in Taiwan. Both are the standard acetate handle drivers, and look nearly identical.
I can tell you this: The Taiwan-made drivers are much better. The WF drivers are sloppy, and the Phillips tips don’t even fit into screws more than halfway. The Standard tips are also incorrectly sized and poorly ground. The WF drivers will fail to work or damage screws. In contrast, the SBD drivers fit well, and the tips are better machined.
I’d love to see more USA-made tools, but I will not use tools that can’t do the job that they are intended. Plus, there are other USA-made brands, such as Pratt & Read (who also made Craftsman tools), Klein, and even Great Neck that work well, depending on your price range.
In short, I’d rather SBD focus on a small line of USA-made tools that knock it out of the park instead of a wide range of mediocre tools. The former would make a far better impression for most people. They can always expand their MIUSA product line later.
Bryan
Maybe it’s just me but the Craftsman ship has already sailed for me, USA made or not….
Dave P
X100. I’ve moved on…
Stamped/forged in the USA with (most likely)Chinese steel… like I said, I’ve moved on…
Dbob
Couldn’t agree more. They wouldn’t warranty a broken hex wrench of mine. They said i had to contact sears. After several frustraing email exchanges I was determined. I will NEVER buy a craftsman product again. Terrible quality now and worse customer service.
David Zeller
Who is they that wouldn’t warranty it, how old was the product, and where was it bought? I’m curious because that could greatly affect how to interpret the story.
Ace, Lowes, Amazon? Do they currently carry a replacement? Did they ever? Etc. All come into play.
John
The thing is, none of that matters. It used to be a Craftsman tool was a craftsman tool, and if it broke you took it to Sears, any Sears and they gave you a new one. It didn’t matter if it had been decades or you’d found it at the side of the road. Craftsman tools were never the best but you could at least count on the warranty.
You can still get that type of warranty on harbor freight hand tools, Craftsman will need to do better than that if they want to build a real reputation.
Jim Felt
That’s entirely caused by the corporate raider that acquired first K Mart followed by Sears. Eddie does not care about any end user. Unless it’s him. Sorry.
DAVID
I typically look for quality and value, regardless of brand. If that happens to be Craftsman, great. If it’s American-made, great again. It hasn’t been Craftsman for a while now. But, that’s a function of my requirements and not brand prejudice. American-made also does not override my requirements, but Chinese-made often does. I’ll compromise on the value side to avoid Chinese-made. I guess that is a prejudice.
OldDominionDIYer
Put me squarely in the “I’m not looking back”, Craftsman is dead to me! Sorry but Sears thoroughly ruined the brand for me by clinging to it and essentially completely gutting any “quality and reputation” the brand once had. There is just no going back, ever, for me. It’s also a matter of timing as I have moved into other brands that makes me certain I won’t ever be in the market for these tools again in my lifetime. Maybe my grand children might find them worthy someday but not me. That’s not saying SBD isn’t going to make vast improvements to the brand, I think they likely will so perhaps some time in future Craftsman may once again garner a solid reputation.
Russell
On their job listings for the Proto factory in Dallas it says moving to Fort Worth in 2021.
James C
I bought some square drive Husky made in USA screwdrivers on clearance at HD a couple years ago. When I got home I discovered they were out of spec, like the #2 driver would not fit in a #2 screw. Fortunately, I guess, they were too big, but I’m not sure me in the garage with the belt sander is what I think about as “bringing the jobs back home.”
“You get what you pay for” is pretty universal.
Kentucky fan
Hopefully if they have new cnc machines and tooling these will be great quality. The question will be if they jack up the price.
Philip Proctor
I don’t really care for Craftsman hand tools any more. Their benefit was the easy warranty replacement at Sears. Now it’s one big pain in the ass at Lowe’s. Husky from Home Depot is way less hassle.
Tom D
Even harbor freight has a better warranty setup than craftsman now (for hand tools).
The old days of “if it has a craftsman logo on it you’ll get another for free if it’s broke” were the main glory of craftsman – now they’re just another brand and I consider them at or below the various “store” brands.
MI Dad
^^ This. The Craftsman Made in USA + easy swap out at Sears was something I learned as a kid and as an adult, that’s just not the case anymore. Quality went down to Pittsburgh level, and as you mentioned, HF has a better warranty setup. (That said, I won’t buy anything at HF that can potentially kill me, and though a $20 recip saw is occasionally tempting, buying quality and taking care of them was something else drilled into me as a kid).
If Craftsman is to really make a comeback, they’ve got some reputation rebuilding to do and I just can’t see that happening – SBD allowing one brand to have a no-questions-asked easy replacement policy and not the other 10 brands they own.
Thom
I agree. I always said the way SBD handles the warranty is going to make or break the Craftsman line. My local Lowes will swap out broken sockets and ratchets but I have to return the whole sets because they don’t sell individual pieces like Sears used to.
Tom D
Returning the whole set is an absolute dealbreaker as you likely don’t HAVE the whole set anymore – I guess you can buy a new set, put in the dead socket, and return it.
TimJ
Looking forward to rebuilding the Craftsman line.
I’m a Festools/Bosch guy, but I have some Craftsman tools that I bought when I first got into woodworking a dozen years ago. I still have them and they are still working. More made in the USA tools is a good thing. I can’t complain.
John
While so many people are hell bent on made in USA tools, they continue to wear clothes made absolutely everywhere else. Only 2% of clothes sold in the U.S. are made in the U.S.
Funny how priorities and declarations of locally made are narrow and short sighted. There’s a long list of what we buy that is not made here and never again will be made here. But getting happy over screwdrivers and socket sets will somehow save us all, haha.
blocky
Fair point.
However, I don’t think individuals, conscientious or not, have remotely as much sway in the domestic velocity of money as policy makers, and so I don’t hold their purchasing decisions against them.
Greg
I for one would much rather see some sort of metric that gauges where all of the employees of a particular company are based/distributed and no so much where their widget is produced.. Most manufacturing (at least in the US) is robot driven anyway (ie capital investment) and not the labor focused employment that it used to provide. At the end of the day, its both the quantity and quality of jobs in the US that should be important and not where steel gets forged.
Scott
I try to buy American made clothes too. My jean purchases lately have been from Texas Jeans or Ely Cattleman , my shoes are Keens (built in USA ones), my jacket is a U.S. Made Carhartt, my belt is from Hanks…
John
What companies make clothes in the US still? I have tons of Carhartt, Dickies, etc and it’s all made overseas. Even more expensive stuff like Duluth trading isn’t made here. The only exceptions I can think of is boots, which luckily there still are plenty of.
Quality first
Most people are satisfied with the quality of their clothes, not so much with the quality of their import tools. Most people don’t make a living with their clothes or try to successfully repair a broken object with their clothes. Either way, you get what you pay for.
Greg
@John
There is plenty of U.S. made clothing if you look hard enough.
Round House jeans
Ely Cattleman jeans
Thoroughgood boots
Darn Tough socks
First Spear shirts, pants, and outerwear
Flint & Tinder clothing (some is offshored now, though)
The list of belt makers in the United States is pretty long.
None of it is cheap or generally available at your Big Box Inc., but if you really want it, it’s there. (Most of it far outlasts the stuff sold at Big Box Inc., so on average, it’s not that much more expensive.) I work in front of a screen most days, but I do my best to support American manufacturing.
Steve
I think they are holding back on any big announcements because we’re in kind of challenging time right now and making timeline promises can easily result in missed deadlines and disappointed customers. In not surprised they are vague on the timeline right now and what they plan to deliver.
Now, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if, in time, Dewalt hand tools will be made there too.
Harry
My fear is that Proto and MAC tools will be cheapened in any consolidation with the new Craftsman. It already happened to Dewalt mechanics tools. Dewalt long pattern combination wrenches used to have nice anti slip open ends, not any more. Current Dewalt chrome sockets lost their nicely machined cut outs for drive tool detent balls, switching to that horrible double detent crap that craftsman sockets have. I just can’t get excited over Craftsman any more. Besides, I have more tools than I’ll ever use.
Thom
I will buy the US made Craftsman Mechanics tools…and I be happy to do it!
Jared
I agree with the general sentiment. Not much new or exciting since SBD took over the brand. I bought a couple small things since the launch, but they don’t seem any better (or much different) than Stanley-branded tools. My impression was that giving existing tools a facelift was a way to get Craftsman tools to market fast – but I hope the Craftsman USA stuff will be a more comprehensive revamp when it comes.
A-A-Ron
Highly doubt there will be anything premium about whatever’s coming down the line, no matter where it’s made and where the components come from. Let’s be real, here: SBD Craftsman has been utterly forgettable with next to no true innovation of any kind. Just like with Porter-Cable, there’s a glass ceiling in place that won’t allow them to compete with SBD’s higher-quality offerings, perhaps with the sole exception of tool storage.
Chris
I’m actually really excited, and hopeful for this.
Luckey Dodge
Sure do wish that SBD or Work or Dewalt or Bostitch would manufacture and sell a Carton Closure battery operated stapling tool!…………..This market is wide open for a reasonably priced stapler………..Just think, no more electric cords and/or no more hoses, just a battery……….The industry is already converting to cordless, so the technology is there……..
I would be the first in line to purchase Carton Closure battery operated tool. There are many home-based businesses that would be ready to purchase. This stapler could share a battery from some other tool…….clever huh!
OldDominionDIYer
https://kihlberg.com/en/cordless-carton-closer-c561b-a560b/
Enjoy!
Luckey Dodge
Hello OD, Thanks……..The Kihlberg is a good stapler, but $ 1,200.00 is a bit much……..The Bostitch was about $ 300.00 (but discontinued)……
Where do I go now? There are 100’s of Carpenter Staplers out there……..at great prices…….Why can not one of those makers make a Carton Stapler?
Luckey
Wayne R.
I’m sick of everything with all the value engineered out of it. Any hand tools I buy should live up to the expectation that they’ll still be welcomed & useful in 50 years.
I hope Craftsman is able to get back to that.
Stuart
Craftsman caters to consumers – DIYers, hobbyists, homeowners – and so there is pricing is bound to be somewhat value-oriented.
Consider this – Lowe’s is likely Craftsman’s biggest customer now. What does Lowe’s want to sell? What will they stock and promote? That’s what we’re going to see at first.
Irwin worked with NWS to offer made-in-Germany pliers at Lowe’s. It wasn’t long before they moved to a manufacturer in Asia for nearly-look-alike pliers. There was no official word as to why, but I would presume that pricing was a significant factor.
Craftsman will likely test the market, even if a lot of past performance data is available, and that will steer future releases.
Lynn Edward Mayhew
Hopefully, this isn’t the usual SB&D con of “Made In The USA with Global Materials.” That said, if at least the stamping takes place hear then that’s something. But if a nearly finished product, sans lettering, chrome, polish, is all done overseas prior, then this is no more than a marketing scheme.
A Marketing scheme which has fooled many generations into thinking “Made In The USA with Global Materials.” is acceptable.
Two things worse than not using American Steel, is the loss of Jobs and the DECEIPT perpetrated on an uneducated public.
Please SB&D… prove us wrong.
Dave the tool
Lots of great comments that I agree with!
Current replacement warranty stinks especially when they want to replace the whole set instead of individual tools like Sears used to.
Stanley took way too long on their USA made campaign and I am with the “ship has sailed and I have moved on” group!” For those of us that grew up when Sears had their Craftsman Tool Section, we will never forget the experiences and the pride of owning USA made Craftsman and Lifetime Warranty’s! The newer generations really don’t care where a product is made and our generation is dying out so I don’t know if Stanley’s original “bring back USA made tools” was just a pacifier thrown to us or an actual sentimental goal of revamping the Chinese Craftsman Lineup? I am thinking it was the former.
My local town closed 3 of the 4 Sears stores about 2 years ago. The remaining store’s tool section is an eyesore and an unorganized mess and I never go into the store anymore. If Sears still cared for their Craftsman Customers they would have used the remaining store as a “selling model” and totally revamped and updated it but it looks more like a flea market! Lowe’s has done a good job with their Stores but I see no advantage of choosing Craftsman over any other overseas tool manufacturer which is where the Older Craftsman Tool lineup shined especially with a USA made and lifetime warranty.
Goodbye Craftsman as I have moved on….
Luckey Dodge
Well, there was some value to me when the Port Charlotte Sears closed——–I bought every cardboard carton they had for 3-cents each. 4 tall stacks of assorted cardboard boxes in bundles…..Now I need a Battery Operated Carton Closure Stapler! Sure I can use the cellophane tape to close the boxes when i ship something, but a Battery Operated Carton Closure Stapler Gun would be nice and save some tape.
Is there any maker out there for Battery Operated Carton Closure Stapler Gun? Bostitch has ceased making these…….Bummer! That company would be a natural to bring it back.
OldDominionDIYer
https://kihlberg.com/en/cordless-carton-closer-c561b-a560b/
Uses Bosch 12V batteries
PJ
Made in USA is a big deal for me. The deindustrialization of this country killed our middle class way of life, and I do what I can to avoid contributing.
Like so many others, I grew up with Craftsman tools as the default choice. My father still has Craftsman toolsboxes filled with Craftsman hand tools dating back decades. When I struck out on my own and needed basic mechanics tools, Craftsman was the obvious choice.
Yet somehow this blurb leaves me cold. In last 10 years I’ve moved on. Craftsman’s dive in quality and move overseas made me look elsewhere and learn about other options for high-value, decent quality tools at prices I can afford.
I guess I don’t see what they’re going to bring to the table. If I want USA made, there are a few remaining options. If I want value, there’s a lot of excellent Taiwanese brands out there. If I want excellent consumer warranty support, I can get that from say Tekton. They need to bring all 3 to the table in force to convince me to bother, and I see no evidence they will.
AngryDrumGuy
The first ad says “lifetime warrantied”, not limited lifetime, so let’s give them a chance to prove they understand where Craftsman messed up years ago.
For me, it started a while back when I warrantied a 1/2 ratchet with a snapped anvil where they pulled a new one off the rack, then only a few months later, attempted to warranty a 3/8 ratchet with a broken switch and they reached into a box under the counter, attempting to hand me an older, clearly used, but repaired one.
A polite conversation with the manager yielded a proper new replacement, but since then, I’ve purchased one craftsman tool, from Lowe’s, in a time-constrained situation.
Life rarely offers a second chance. If SBD realizes the customer draw of USA made tools, let’s give them the opportunity to also recognize how the warranty used to sell tools to people for generations.
Chad W
I can’t see Craftsman offering anything that I might need in the future. I’ve never been a fan of anything from SBD (no experience with PROTO). While I appreciated the ability to easily warranty with Sears, I haven’t had to warranty a hand tool in 20+ years. I’ve moved on to SK, Wright, Tekton, Crescent, Lisle, Bondhus, Wera, and Wiha. While, also holding on to my old Bonney, and Armstrong tools.
Nathan
I was firmly in the craftsman = crap stop resurecting it camp. But now I have a slightly different opinion.
ONe I am in the market for a few hand tools. With the industrial parentage that craftsman sold at LOWES has – I do expect great things. Namely more of the MAC tool line at prices I can get my hands on. ANd warranty though the LOWES store like they handle Kobalt sold next to it.
So yes an American made 1/4 drive ratchet – craftsman branded price competitively with return it if broke warranty. I would buy easily. Not competitively priced – well I might get a tekton then.
Sockets same, etc I need a set of ratcheting wrenches. etc etc.
a few other things – why do you think it will be chinese steel – if stamped, knived, rolled in TX? Now I’m assuming here they are saying they will form the tools stateside. seems that way. OK so yes it might be internationally sources materials – guess what they make steel in South America and Canada too. Say for example it came from Mexico. Still has to be marked as international materials.
OK now for the other bits. For the love of pete give me the mac locking flex head ratchet in a craftsman price range. K thanks.
Also I’d like a cordless 20V 3/8 drive power ratchet but that’s a odd desire.
I have hope but not alot. Look forward to seeing it. OH and a versstack drawer device without tools please.
Big Richard
Nathan, you silly goose, Craftsman does have a 20v 3/8″ ratchet.
https://www.craftsman.com/products/power-tools/impact-wrenches/cmcf930b–v20-cordless-3-8-in-drive-ratchet-tool-only-
Eric
To be able to go into a store and buy American made tools again is very exciting to me.
Luckey Dodge
Since I have moved to Huntsville from Torrance, I sold all my Power Tools. Did not want to haul them…….Now I am sorry! I sold my Craftsman Floor Drill Press, Craftsman Band Saw and Baldor Grinder, plus a few other good tools. Woe is me!
Now I need a few good replacements and can not buy those quality tools again. Therefore could someone advise some good imports for a Bench Grinder–Drill Press and Band Saw? Now days I use infrequently and can down grade.
I am looking at WEN. Equivalents are OK. Of course Lowes and eBay have the run-of-the mill low end power tools. Any suggestions? Or should I take a chance on Used Power Tools from Ebay? I do not use every day, just for projects now.
High & Mighty
It would be worth the hype if it weren’t for the fact of knowing that craftsman will never be 100% American made under sb&d ownership. Not even hand tools. And just because they are going to have a facility here in the US doesn’t mean they made good on their pledge if the tools themselves are imported and the last part of the process is done here so they can be sold.
I’m trying to figure out which part of a box wrench or a socket or a pair of pliers or a breaker bar or ratchet is going to be global materials and which part of the manufacturing process is going to be done in the US.
The likelihood of any of these tools comprising American steel or any part of the actual forging or any steel making process taking place here in the US is slim to nil.
There could be some electroplating going on in the facility, but that’s a maybe. Along with pliers assembly. I’m leaning towards this facility being a labeling and packaging plant and not much else. Stamping laser etching etc.
Elliot
All great points and I totally agree. Too much ambiguity. I switched to Wright Tool ratchets a couple of years ago because I saw some litereratrue that they are sourced, forged, and finished here in the US. Only problem is, I can’t go into a store and feel before I steal (not literally steal). Gotta do it all online . But it’s been worth it since I don’t often need to expand my tool collection.
Joe
That ship has sailed for me as well. I can’t even go into Lowe’s tool department and look around without being hounded and watched by employees. Judging by the amount of SB&D/Craftsman tools for sale by pawn shops on eBay and Marketplace, I’d say Lowe’s has a huge theft problem. However, that’s NOT my problem. I prefer being left alone when I shop. Lowe’s treats their customers like criminals so therefore, count me out.
Michael Moscicki
As to the global materials, if something is made from recycled steel then SBD labels it global materials because that steel could have been a car made in Japan, fridge made in Mexico, etc. even if the steel was recycled and meleted into new steel in the US.
I don’t remember where I read this, and can’t find it on Craftsman’s social media, but to my understanding the Craftsman tools in Ft. Worth, TX will be cold forged at their plant. So forged in the USA with globally recycled steel would be appropriate.
I for one am terested how they will be priced compared to their current foreign offerings and what constitutes a mechanics tool. Does that mean only sockets and ratchets will be made in Ft. Worth, TX or maybe screwdrivers, nut drivers, hex keys, pliers, adjustable wrenches, hammers, etc.
Russell
It was on their instagram story where they showed the cold forging machine.
I think they are going to replace Blackhawk with Craftsman. Currently Blackhawk sockets and wrenches are made in USA and their ratchets are made in the USA with global materials. So hopefully that’s what it will be with Craftsman
Elliot
When Craftsman switched to oversees sourcing, manufacturing, and finishing and I needed to expand my ratchet wrenches, I looked at Wright tool and was glad I did. In at least one catalogue I’ve looked at, they were proud to say that they source, forge, and finish their tools here in the USA. A couple years later now and those ratchets have taken some *serious* abuse and still function as new. They cost more than Craftsman ever did but way less than SO.
Since Craftsman is proud to announce that basically everything they “assemble” is done so with “global materials”, I’m pretty much done with the brand. I, and plenty of others, can afford a bit more for 100% US tools. And they’re rock solid, not just a name.
I’d be willing to try out a new US manufactured ratchet. But I doubt I’d ever be a big fan like I used to be.
Glenn Underwood
Is there any new information on the timeline for the new US Craftsman factory in Fortb Worth?
Stuart
None, or at least nothing I have come across or has been provided to me.