Craftsman Ratchet repair kit

[Button Pusher]

My Craftsman 3/8" teardrop ratchet wore out, needed the rebuild kit.
Stopped at the tool dept. showed the kid my 3/8" ratchet and asked for the rebuild kit.
He says they don't rebuild them anymore, what size is it? He can't see it is a 3/8" ?

He pulls out box full of new ratchets, (all made in China).
Told him I'll keep the one I have had since 1985.
I found the discontinued kit on ebay.

Updated: Back in NY my local Sears did not rebuild for you but handed you the kits.
The kit I needed has been discontinued about ten years ago. I like my classic teardrop wrench.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

Huh.

Throughout my life, here's what the Craftsman rebuild kit has always been like for me:

ME: "My Craftsman wrench is broken."

SEARS: "Let me see it." (Looks at the wrench, walks over to the shelf and grabs another.) "Here you go, sir! Have a nice day!" (Drops broken wrench in the trash can.)

ME: "Thanks! This Craftsman tap is broken, too."

SEARS: (Walks over to the shelf and grabs a new one.) "There you go, sir! You can drop that broken one in the trash."

ME: "Thanks!"

 

[Bailey Boat]

Huh.

Throughout my life, here's what the Craftsman rebuild kit has always been like for me:

ME: "My Craftsman wrench is broken."

SEARS: "Let me see it." (Looks at the wrench, walks over to the shelf and grabs another.) "Here you go, sir! Have a nice day!" (Drops broken wrench in the trash can.)

ME: "Thanks! This Craftsman tap is broken, too."
we now discover that we were lied to
SEARS: (Walks over to the shelf and grabs a new one.) "There you go, sir! You can drop that broken one in the trash."

ME: "Thanks!"

That's the way it should be, those were the conditions under which we purchased the Craftsman brand.... But like most other things in life we now discover that we were lied to, repeatedly......

 

[Burt Gummer]

That's the way it should be, those were the conditions under which we purchased the Craftsman brand.... But like most other things in life we now discover that we were lied to, repeatedly......

And apparently a torque wrench isn’t considered a hand tool. I bought one of their 1/2” torque wrenches years ago and it lasted about 3 uses before it broke. Craftsman basically said suck it. I’ve been buying kobalt stuff since. Piss on sears, and craftsman

 

[BigWaylon]

And apparently a torque wrench isn’t considered a hand tool. I bought one of their 1/2” torque wrenches years ago and it lasted about 3 uses before it broke. Craftsman basically said suck it. I’ve been buying kobalt stuff since. Piss on sears, and craftsman

I found that out about the torque wrenches as well. It was something like a 30/60/90 day warranty. Bought mine at HF instead with a lifetime warranty. Price difference for one of them was $79.99 (Craftsman) down to $9.99 (HF on sale).

 

[9outof10mms]

I found that out about the torque wrenches as well. It was something like a 30/60/90 day warranty. Bought mine at HF instead with a lifetime warranty. Price difference for one of them was $79.99 (Craftsman) down to $9.99 (HF on sale).

I don't usually kick HF too badly because they serve a market that needs them...BUT...if you're using a torque wrench, you're doing something relatively important. The old saying "get what you pay for" may be in full force with that one.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

That's the way it should be, those were the conditions under which we purchased the Craftsman brand.... But like most other things in life we now discover that we were lied to, repeatedly......

Really? It's been a few years, but I've never had a problem with hand tools.

 

[rotorhead]

Really? It's been a few years, but I've never had a problem with hand tools.

It's true.

About ten years ago or so they started keeping rebuilt ratchets behind the counter. When you brought one in they would give you a rebuild instead of a new one off the shelf.

Strike one.

About 4 years or so ago, they started contracting out the manufacturing of Craftsman tools to Chinese factories. No longer were new tools made in the USA.

Strike two.

Last year's Sears announced that the sold off the Craftsman brand to Stanley and that they may or may not continue to stock them. As of right now most Sears stores (what's left if them) still carry the brand but by now, most of the old made in USA inventory has been rotated out and the Chinese crap is on display.

Strike three.

I'm steadily replacing my Craftsman tools with Snap-on, etc. I'm done with Craftsman.

 

[1911gobang]

I am a Kobalt fan for hand tools lately.

This^^^.
All the Kobalt stuff I have is tough as woodpecker lips, and I’m telling you the truth, tower hands beat the everloving piss out of hand tools.

DeWalt, Kobalt, Greenlee, Klein, and Milwaukee...hard to beat those brands...


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[Button Pusher]

I don't usually kick HF too badly because they serve a market that needs them...BUT...if you're using a torque wrench, you're doing something relatively important. The old saying "get what you pay for" may be in full force with that one.

Mona Lisa: Because I used a Craftsman model 1019 Laboratory edition, signature series torque wrench.
The kind used by Cal Tech High Energy physicists, and NASA engineers.
Vinny: In that case, how can you be sure THAT'S accurate?
Mona Lisa: Because a split second before the torque wrench was applied to the faucet handle,
it had been calibrated by top members of the state and federal Departments of Weights and Measures,
to be dead-on balls accurate. Here's the certificate of validation!
Vinny: "Dead-on balls accurate"?
Mona Lisa: It's an industry term.

 

[9outof10mms]

Mona Lisa: Because I used a Craftsman model 1019 Laboratory edition, signature series torque wrench.
The kind used by Cal Tech High Energy physicists, and NASA engineers.
Vinny: In that case, how can you be sure THAT'S accurate?
Mona Lisa: Because a split second before the torque wrench was applied to the faucet handle,
it had been calibrated by top members of the state and federal Departments of Weights and Measures,
to be dead-on balls accurate. Here's the certificate of validation!
Vinny: "Dead-on balls accurate"?
Mona Lisa: It's an industry term.

The next time you step into my discussion, you’d better be wearing a suit made of some sort of...cloth.