Craftsman ratchets?

[melloelky]

I've had most of the ratchets we've spoken about here and the standard craftsman and snap on 3/8 jobbers have really gone down hill.between my boss throwing the tool guys out and sears closing their doors I'm down to lowe's and gear wrench.@least they're fine tooth..🙂

 

[Wraith]

Skinned my last knuckle on Craftsman ratchets back in 2002 and ponied up for three Snap-On 3/8" ratchets, cried a little but have never looked at another again, never had a problem. I have a 1/2" Craftsman that is guaranteed to skip a tooth whenever used, same for the 1/4" but my early 80's SK 1/4" is awesome and my new VIM 1/4" is one of my favorites no matter where it was built.

 

[joesregalproject]

I had a really nice fine tooth 1/4 Craftsman ratchet with thumbwheel from the early 80s. It skipped a tooth and I took it to Sears, and they offered to replace it with a teardrop ratchet. I took my broken ratchet and left. That was when I was done with Sears. All my other craftsman ratchets are teardrops and they don't get used often. Not long after I bought a set of used Blue Point ratchets from eBay that came with a 1/4", 3/8" and a 1/2" drive. They get used a lot. I have a flex head Duralast brand 3/8" ratchet that is basically a Snap On knockoff that is also pretty nice. I still use the Craftsman sockets.

 

[1badgbody]

I've been using craftsman tools for the last 15-20 years, no problems or complaints at all.

 

[Robert Leonardo]

I just researched ratchets about a month ago because my Craftsman's were all broke. An article said Kobalt was good, so I bought a high tooth one. It is already starting to slip and change positions. From now on, it's Snap-on or Matco

 

[el camino ss 84]

craftsman tools are what i been using for years but till lately when I need a new tool I been going with kobalt since I always around a lowe's store and the kobalt stuff seems better made vs craftsman.

 

[fleming442]

Interesting thread here as I'm in need of a new 1/2". My Snap Off 1/4" gave up the ghost a while ago, and I just replaced it with a NAPA or EastCo (can't remember which) that works beautifully. I'll see what my co-worker has at the swap meet next month. Come to think of it, I need a new 3/8" impact gun , too......

 

[TURNA]

The older USA made NAPA ratchets are real nice!!!

I believe they were made by APEX

Even the new NAPA Taiwan stuff is nice.......but pricey.

 

[RegalBegal]

Back in 94 i bought a Popular Mechanics 1/2, 3/8 and 1/4 set. Taiwan made stuff. Still have everything except the 1/2 inch rachet which gave up the ghost about 2 years ago. Abused the hell out of it. I bought a Craftsman 1/2 to replace it and now its slipping. Who whould have thought this stuff would have outlasted my Craftsman.

 

[denny]

Does anyone have anything GOOD to say about the current Sears Craftsman ratchets? I usually scour swap meets and Ebay for NOS ratchets made in the US. But prices are getting up there and inventory is drying up. The impending Sears bankruptcy is probably fueling that. When looking closely at some it seems they are made in Taiwan. Technically Taiwan is China but the quality is usually much better than mainland China. The reviews on Sears website are usually pretty good with the occasional "JUNK" rating. I am sure some of you have some stories so let's hear them.

the set of 1/2 drive i bought in 1963 is still very good. the 1/2 socket wore out about 5 years and sears replaced it. have no complaints with them but they probably were better back then.