Lowes started selling Craftsman tools

[pwd72s]

Hit the garage and estate sales guys...look for craftsman stuff marked "USA". Oh, and look for old style metal gas cans.

When I croak, somebody is going to end up with some decent level Caftsman tools with a smattering of high end (Snap-on, Proto, SK) mixed in.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by legion

3 years ago I was sure that Sears was going to die in the next year. Today, Sears is still in the local mall by Macy's, J.C. Penney, and Bergner's are gone.

Sears has been in fire sale mode for several years now, I'm sure selling the Craftsman brand bought them a little more time.

[rwest]

Originally Posted by sand_man

Bought my first set of Craftsman tools when I was in 9th grade ('83). Was the typical 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" bundle with ratchets, a smattering of sockets, and some combo wrenches. It was an okay starter set...an introduction. It was all forged and stamped USA. As I got more involved with wrenching, I started acquiring Snap-on, Mac, Hazet, Wera, Stahlwille, and Gearwrench. Though I still have those first Craftsman ratchets, I typically always reach for a Snap-on or Gearwrench 120XP. I just prefer the feel and ratcheting mechanism.

Got a set like that in a grey blow molded case, probably close to the same vintage as yours; love it, has almost everything needed to fix the Porsche. I leave it in the car as my emergency tool kit.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by RANDY P

PS the Gearwrench xp120 is bad ass. Check it out.

Just did. Thank you.

[RANDY P]

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

Just did. Thank you.

I use it more than the Snap On Dual 80. Feels like a swiss watch and I've beaten on mine pretty good. Very little drag- easy to undo slightly sticky bolts- you know, the ones covered in goop in deep areas that tighten when you try to swing back?



rjp

[Brian 162]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

Maybe I missed the announcement but I was not aware that Lowes would be selling Craftsman tools . Apparently last Monday was the roll out for Lowes/Craftsman . I know the Craftsman name was sold to Stanley with full rights to manufacture and sell to who they ( Stanley ) want to . I have to think this will hurt Sears walk in traffic and they will continue their swirl down the drain . I read online today that in its hey day Sears employed 1 out of every 204 working Americans !

I'm not sure what the Sears business model is but I was kind of hoping they would downsize to just selling tools and appliances . But if Stanley lines up a few more stores to carry Craftsman I don't see any chance for Sears to survive .

We were in Pittsburgh on the weekend. I popped into Lowe's just to look around. I noticed the Craftsman tool boxes. I have a Craftsman 3/8 swivel ratchet that's 40 years old. It's works like new.
Maybe Lowe's Canada will stock them as well.
I wonder what will happen to Kobalt tools?

[ckelly78z]

Originally Posted by rwest

Got a set like that in a grey blow molded case, probably close to the same vintage as yours; love it, has almost everything needed to fix the Porsche. I leave it in the car as my emergency tool kit.

I have the same grey case filled with only metric wrenches, all sizes of ratchets/extensions, sockets along with deepwells, and nut drivers. I bought it around 1990 to be able to work on Datsuns where no SAE hardware exists.

[sand_man]

Originally Posted by rwest

Got a set like that in a grey blow molded case, probably close to the same vintage as yours; love it, has almost everything needed to fix the Porsche. I leave it in the car as my emergency tool kit.

This is what I leave in my 993 "frunk", along with a few other roadside repair doodads. Has come in very handy when going to help someone with a car repair.

[rfuerst911sc]

Originally Posted by Brian 162

We were in Pittsburgh on the weekend. I popped into Lowe's just to look around. I noticed the Craftsman tool boxes. I have a Craftsman 3/8 swivel ratchet that's 40 years old. It's works like new.
Maybe Lowe's Canada will stock them as well.
I wonder what will happen to Kobalt tools?

I wouldn't be surprised if Kobalt are made in the same factory as Craftsman . You will probably see the Kobalt name go away at least in a Lowes store but may resurface somewhere else or be rebranded . It will be interesting to see if Stanley decides to make Craftsman tools a more upscale DIY quality tool . They have a chance here to really make a leap forward in the DIY market and possibly the pro market if they do this transition correctly .

[peppy]

I needed a 7mm boxed wrench to bleed the slave cylinder on my 911. I drove past the Sears store and went to HF. I had to buy an entire set just to get the 7mm. That set me back $6.99 plus tax and the wrenches were made in India.

[MRM]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

Maybe I missed the announcement but I was not aware that Lowes would be selling Craftsman tools . Apparently last Monday was the roll out for Lowes/Craftsman . I know the Craftsman name was sold to Stanley with full rights to manufacture and sell to who they ( Stanley ) want to . I have to think this will hurt Sears walk in traffic and they will continue their swirl down the drain . I read online today that in its hey day Sears employed 1 out of every 204 working Americans !

I'm not sure what the Sears business model is but I was kind of hoping they would downsize to just selling tools and appliances . But if Stanley lines up a few more stores to carry Craftsman I don't see any chance for Sears to survive .

Sears is owned by a hedge fund guy who bought it for its breakup asset value, not its value as an ongoing business. He is stripping it of its assets to maximize its value. Selling Craftsman was just part of the plan. Sears stopped being a viable long term business several years ago. Once all the brand names are gone he will shut down the stores and sell the real estate for his final payout.

[legion]

Originally Posted by MRM

Sears is owned by a hedge fund guy who bought it for its breakup asset value, not its value as an ongoing business. He is stripping it of its assets to maximize its value. Selling Craftsman was just part of the plan. Sears stopped being a viable long term business several years ago. Once all the brand names are gone he will shut down the stores and sell the real estate for his final payout.

I have no doubt this was the original plan, but the value of mall real estate has dropped significantly. He might not get the payout he thought he would when he bought Sears.

[MRM]

He may not get the payout he was hoping for, but he's still following the original business plan. He's running Sears to eek out whatever profit he can while stores cash flow without investing anything in the business. As stores stop cash flowing he shuts them down. Eventually he'll get to the point that the chain no longer cash flows and he'll shut down retail operations completely and liquidate what's left. Selling the brands is part of his strategy. The store brands are either sold or close to it, which means the end is near. Eventually Sears will exist only as a brand, like Polaroid, The Sharper Image or As Seen on TV. He'll probably sell the brand to people who want to slap it on some product and get whatever residual brand recognition is left.

[mreid]

This graphic should help, but every day that goes by introduces changes!

[mreid]

Btw, it gets more complex when you introduce the fact that many brand owners contract tool manufacture out to other owners on this chart. Here’s more info than you ever wanted:


https://pressurewashr.com/tool-industry-behemoths/#whoowns

[Brian 162]

It looks like Craftsman tools are at Lowe's in Canada as well. I saw some tool boxes (made in USA) and some wrench sets.