Sears sells Craftsman to Stanley Black & Decker

Seems like Stanley Black + Decker and TTI are gonna be the two left standing pretty soon.

 

The problem is there will not be any competition, you think your purchasing for a different company but in the end its the same company, just under the Stanley rainbow of companies, so they can dictate pricing.

 

It will be interesting to see what happens with the warranties. I've been buying craftsman tools since 2001 and I've only ever had to warranty screw drivers that I've used as pry bars or chisels. I think it depends on how you use your tools. I never use ratchets to break bolts loose, I always use a breaker bar and hence all my ratchets are in great condition. All my sockets, wrenches, etc are also in great shape. I've always stayed away from the gimmicky tools as well.

 

The same guy that uses screwdrivers as pry bars and chisels also never uses a ratchet to break bolts loose?

My tools get used hard. Everything I own has either been used as a hammer or hit with a hammer (or another tool pretending to be a hammer). Craftsman used to hold up to the abuse but just doesn't anymore.

 

Kill me for bashing a 50 cent screw driver and not a $25 ratchet. Breaking 100ft-lbs with a ratchet is inefficient anyways.

 

I didn't kill you. All laughs buddy. I just thought it was funny that's all.

 

Yeah crapsman is no bueno now.... I do however buy my jeans from sears there own roebuck and company brand I'm gonna be more upset about that!!! They are 15$ a pair on sale and hold up really well!!! Harbor freight quality is up there with craftsman for half the price and they do have almost everything at the store!!!

 

Sad, but true. I think the ratcheting items are actually a little bit better at HF.

 

And Sears/Kmart to be going under in 3. 2. 1..... Craftsman was the only reason men even go to sears. Black and Decker is the cheapest crap Walmart sells...I won't be purchasing any Craftsman tools in the future,

 

Black and Decker also owns DeWalt which isn't exactly shit.

 

Seriously?? Damn learn something new everyday. I never woulda guessed.

 

Yup, they have owned the DeWalt brand since the 60's I believe, though they only revived it in the 90's. They also own Porter Cable, Bostitch, and merged with Stanley. They own MAC Tools, Proto, Facom, Helicoil and Gripco, and a bunch of brands that make fasteners that pretty much every auto manufacturer uses. They own Sargent and Greenleaf safes, and a host of security related brands including the HUGS baby security bracelets that are used in most hospitals to prevent baby theft. They make a good percent of automatic door systems too. It's a pretty diverse company with brands spread across all price/quality points. B+D just happens to be the one most people know.

 

Good lord, I'd say they have their hands in more than just the crappy tool Dept haha. We use mostly DeWalt at work. Some Milwaukee which I do like better but the majority are DeWalt.

 

Yup, they are a $12 billion company. You probably have to be pretty diverse to generate that kinda revenue. I hear they are bringing a lot of tool manufacturing back to the U.S.A. Should be interesting to see what happens with Craftsman in the long term (maybe 5 years from now after Sears is gone). Many of the Stanley tools, MAC Tools and some of the DeWalt is already being made here again.

 

Sounds like a monopoly on the tool industry to me. I also had no clue Dewalt was a subsidiary of Stanley.

 

Eh, not that much different of a company than TTI who owns Milwaukee, Ryobi and a bunch of others. Only difference is that Stanley Black + Decker is an American company and the other is not.

 

Most of my tools and boxes are Craftsman. Most of the tools are at least 20 years old. They are pretty good tools. I was in sears the other day (had a gift card) and looked at all of the Craftsman stuff..... all made in China. I'll buy Chinese tools, but I have a problem when those tools ride on the name of a company built by American hands.

 

Let's hope SBD decides to bring a lot of the hand tools back to the U.S.A. The press release said they are spending $800 million on a new manufacturing facility to make tools in the States. They already have plants and Ohio and Texas.

 

This could end up being good for Craftsman, time will tell.