I miss Sears and U.S made hand tools.

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peachhead's post remided me of days gone by when Sears was 'at the mall'; that's where I would go while my wife was shopping in the mall; when she was done, she knew she could find me in Sears' tool section.... those were good days in many ways.... Thanks for reminding me peachhead. :)

J.
Great memory, we had the spired and beautiful Sears Building here in NJ, and it had literally everything they carried. I still have a lot of their hand tools- a combination of my fathers' and my collections.
 
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"I was told Harbor freight made a decent drill bit.
Maybe not so much."
The picture indicates that SOMEONE has a much more powerful drill press and chuck than mine.:D
With a big need and a little fabricating, I could put about 50 horsepower into the drill head but don't know of any chuck that would hold.:unsure:
 
Craftsman oval head ratchets were never great. On the other hand the round head double pawl fine tooth ratchets were probably the best state of the art ratchets for 50 years. Big difference in the 2;designs! I also have tons of Wiha, Stahlwille &Wera (German) Gray (Canada) and American tools including Duro Chrome, Indestro, SK, Wright, Thorsen, original Husky, Williams, Proto, Easco, Allen, Par-X, Vaco, Xcelite. If my tools ever burn up or all stolen not sure what I'd do. It took a lifetime to get them all.
 
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This is maybe 25% of my tools.
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I remember when they stopped replacing the ratchets and just handed you a bagged parts kit to replace the innards.
 
I watch the local online auctions for tools. You can usually get them pretty cheap. Just have to make sure of the brand or manufacturer before bidding. I've also picked up a tool chest for my son.
I used to buy Snap-On ratchets that needed help, polish up the chrome, get the rep to rebuild them, then I'd put them back up for sale and make a little profit. Used to buy tools in lots off eBay, keep what I wanted, and resell the remainder for as much or more than I paid to recoup.
I remember when they stopped replacing the ratchets and just handed you a bagged parts kit to replace the innards.
I need that right now. Guess I need to call Snap-On. Our local rep retired (barely older than me) and the guy that took over his territory quit showing up over a year ago. My '80's era 1/2" drive ratchet needs a rebuild.
 
The picture indicates that SOMEONE has a much more powerful drill press and chuck than mine.:D
I lean toward the theory that is more like "Some Chinese prison labor dude needs to learn more about heat treating." :unsure: :eek:
Drill bits need to be hard to the point of brittle. They should never bend or ever, ever unscrew.
These look like they were made out of melted down recycled carburetors or somesuch. :ROFLMAO:
 
Craftsman oval head ratchets were never great. On the other hand the round head double pawl fine tooth ratchets were probably the best state of the art ratchets for 50 years. Big difference in the 2;designs! I also have tons of Wiha, Stahlwille &Wera (German) Gray (Canada) and American tools including Duro Chrome, Indestro, SK, Wright, Thorsen, original Husky, Williams, Proto, Easco, Allen, Par-X, Vaco, Xcelite. If my tools ever burn up or all stolen not sure what I'd do. It took a lifetime to get them all.
Yup.
 

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Exactly. Those are the best ratchets I've ever used. I can't even break the 1/4" drive one. I have replacement kits to rebuild Craftsman ratchets but in that style I've never needed one. Quick release, speeder ring, fine tooth,short throw, what more could a professional want? You can also find them made under the Easco name.
 
I miss our old big downtown Sears store (the one in the mall later, not so much). It was a wonderland of outdoor/sporting goods, guns, and tools, with candy and hot nuts just as you came in the front door.
I still have most of the Craftsman tools I got for Christmas when I was about 13 - this would have been early 70s. Only one that ever failed was the 3/8" ratchet - they replaced it several times and I finally gave up on it. The 1/2" ratchet is still going strong. I've bought some odds and ends of Lowes Kobalt brand in recent years, and while Chinese, they seem to be decent quality. But the, I don't use my tools every day to earn my living, either. There is a difference...
 
Kansas City Missouri had a massive Sears warehouse but it was also like a store and you could go there and buy pretty much anything in their catalog. I got my first Craftsman tool set back in the 1960s on sale for $100. It included 3/4", 1/2", 3/8" and 1/4" socket sets, box and end wrenches and assorted other tools: all SAE of course.
 
Yeah, but I don't think that the guarantee carried over with the acquisition of their name brands or assets. Lowes sells some Craftsman items under some sort of deal with whoever owns the brand.
Part of the deal when Stanley-Black&Decker bought the Craftsman name was that the lifetime warranty would continue. Lowes honors the warranty even on tools from Sears. The clerk at customer service may have to ask someone but I replaced some screwdrivers last year.
 
Snap-On called me after I emailed regarding the MIA rep. Got to give her and earful politely. Said he's on a call as needed basis. I told her that was funny as no one here has his number and I don't even know his name. Says he's in our area on Mondays. I bet he'll show up mad tomorrow.
 
Once upon a time I had very few tools. I did have a 1/2" drive ratchet and a 3/8" screwdriver that I used as a chisel and a hammer to remove the rivets on my upper ball joints on my car. It worked. The ratchet head was kinda beat up, but it lost the ratchet mechanism about halfway thru it. Poor screwdriver lost the round head on the end and the shaft had moved about 1" into the handle. It was a fun replacement encounter. 😁
Now that I'm retired, bottom pic is my favorite tool. Found that right before the shut down Sears.
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Sixty years ago I got a job in an auto-body shop and went to Sears for tools. I bought all the "standard" packages of sockets/ratchets in 1/4" and 3/8" drive, screwdrivers, "end wrenches" and a few other things . . . all Craftsman. I still have all of them and use them frequently. I did discover that the twelve-point 3/8" sockets will wear out with heavy shop use and replaced them with Craftsman six-pointers. And I twisted a Craftsman large Phillips screwdriver off by using my Craftsman locking ("Vice-Grip") pliers on it in an effort to remove a large, rusted-in screw.
 
" If my tools ever burn up or all stolen not sure what I'd do. It took a lifetime to get them all."
Trust me when I say "It's like losing a family member". I have no idea how many times I walk to the tool cabinet only to remember that whatever wrench I was going for is GONE never to return.
I had modified and one of a kind wrenches for tasks that over the counter wouldn't do.:cry:
 

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