On Mon, 28 Apr 2008 07:17:27 -0400, Al Patrick wrote:

Larry Jaques wrote:

If nothing else, you never bought anything from Searz branded Crapsman
in the late 70s or early 80s, or anything not branded Crapsman at any
other time. Then again, lots of that crap is Chiwanese or Indian, and
both those sources have been producing a MUCH better product in the
last decade or so.

I just about quit buying Craftsman tools for that reason. It seems that just about
everything that Sears sold was slightly modified so one had to go back to them for repairs
/ parts.

The clincher was an item that cost about $15. A Craftsman wire striper. Mine broke. I
took it back and they said they had "discontinued" that item. However, they had the
identical thing on the shelf - probably made by Ideal - with the following exceptions.
The handles had been dipped in yellow plastic instead of blue - or visa versa. Also the
wording on the little "hubcap" that covered the bolt holding the parts together had been
changed from "Craftsman" to "Sears".

I told the man I'd swap him if we could also swap the "hubcap" but he wouldn't allow that.
He told me this one was guaranteed also, but it carried the SEARS guarantee (whatever
that is) instead of the "guaranteed forever" warranty of the Craftsman name.

I bought his tool because I needed one on the job. I refused to trade him and told him
I'd hold on to that broken "Craftsman" tool as a "forever reminder" of what "guaranteed
forever" meant!

I probably still have that broken reminder laying around some place! That was roughly 25
years ago - early to mid 80s.

I may spend $25 per year with them now instead of the $500 plus that I spent with them
before. *Thanks Sears!*

Al
I don't spend that unless I'm broke down on the side of the road next
to a Sears store.

Pete Keillor