Sears Selling Craftsman Brand

[MossRoad]

Kmart was sad 40 years ago. How they still exist is beyond me. :confused3:

I liked them up until about 25 years ago, when they closed the Deli's and brought in outside vendors....

Who remembers K-Mart subs? :licking:

 

[downsizingnow48]

For decades - basically my whole working life -- I only bought Craftsman tools. Only ever broke one kind. I used to buy their plastic handled wood chisels in the 1 1/4" size and beat on them rough. Originally those chisels came with a solid plastic handle. I broke those handles regularly, brought the pieces back to the store, they gave me a funny look but always replaced with new. Then one day the sales clerk gave me a grin and handed me a new one with a metal cap. That is the one in the picture. Never broke it despite being beat on for years with a framing hammer. I am sure that thousands of other guys did the same so they (or Stanley I guess) made a design change. Sears threw away one of their most valuable assets by wrecking the Craftsman brand. Same with Diehard etc. Too bad.

 

[Soundguy]

I have that same chissle!

 

[k0ua]

I have that same chissle!

I have a set of 3.. same ones.

 

[AllenBurns]

I have a relatively new (less than 10 years old) Craftsman tool set in the plastic carrying case with sliding drawers to keep in my truck. Im sure it was made over there. Luckily, I am inheriting my Grandpa's tools with the farm. 99% of them are Craftsman tools that are guaranteed to be twice older than I am (30). The only reason he ever bought a replacement is if something got lost. Some of his tools are so old they didn't have a brand name or it's been worn off.

If I'm in Sears and see a package that says Made in America, I try to snatch it up - even if I don't need it at the time. Sad to see the beginning of the end.

 

[slow84ta]

That's too bad, Sears was one of the few places still good to shop at the mall! I wonder if they'll still sell Craftsman?

 

[MossRoad]

Yes. They have an agreement with Stanley to still sell the tools and not pay royalties for 10 or 15 years, I can't recall. I linked to it earlier in this thread.

 

[dragoneggs]

Yes. They have an agreement with Stanley to still sell the tools and not pay royalties for 10 or 15 years, I can't recall. I linked to it earlier in this thread.

Stanley is getting huge internationally. Their product lines consist of US and foreign produced tools and fasteners. Stanley even makes the tiny M1 metric screws on the back of iPhones. My company has done business over the years with Stanley on the distribution side but we severed relations with them as they now just want to promote their own brands.

 

[2458n]

The two Rural King stores near me are both located in former Kmart stores. Had a chance at auction to purchase a old 3/8 craftsman ratchet and socket set that came in a wooden box. Lettering was a different script on the tools. Only one I have ever seen. Still remember the Kmart subs.

 

[tjkubota93]

I was raised in clothes from Sears. Mainly Levi blue jeans. Seams they had a program that if you could wear out a pair of their jean before you out grew them then they'd give you a new pair. Being a slow growing boy my parents got their money's worth out of that program. Some stores would even let you go up one size. This would have been during the 80's and early 90's.

Same here. Mom talks about it whenever they are in town these days.