Bob's question

Your question about why is there a fascination with Sears tools sorta got lost in the shuffle in the discussion about union labor and teachers' salaries, but it deserves an answer and since I started the thread I will take a stab at it.

Sears hand tools: I am not a professional mechanic and I don't swear by or swear at Sears tools, so this is just my opinion based on observation. Sears is a successful mass marketeerin many areas. One of the things they sell in quanity is tools, so many people have experience with them and an opinion about them. The most successful marketing technique IMO for hand tools has been the lifetime guarantee. The first time I heard about this was about 1963 when I asked a professional mechanic which was the best tools to buy and he said Snap-on because if you broke one it could be replaced. Now I don't know when Snap-on started that, maybe someone on here knows. Anyway, in a few years Sears started guranteeing their tools and their sales increased. By this time Sears had stores in all large cities and as one mechanic I knew said, you didn't have to wait for the tool truck to come around to replace your broken Sears tools. Other U.S. tool makers followed in guranteeing their tools. Sears has kept their prices in line for a long time. The general rule is in Sears tools that if you buy a 75 piece set of tools, the price is about $1.00 per piece. This has been the rule for st least 10 years. A measure of Sear's success is that if you find used tools at a flea market or pawn shop, the majority of the quality U.S. made tools will be Sears. I have known professional mechanics who used them, and I have known professional mechanics who wouldn"t touch them.

Much the same thing is true of Sears electric tools. IMO the biggest thing holding back the acceptance of Sears electric tools is Sears' repair policy. They charge a huge price for repairs and in one case I took a router to be repaired, their minimum price was $50, and the price of a new one was $59. I put a new switch on it and it works fine, price less than $10. Looks like their system there could use some tweaking, but I'm not a professional manager either.

KEH

I have also purchased a large number of HF specialty tools, hand brakes, hand shears, hand punches, parts washers, spot welders, sandblasters, plumber snakes, and a whole lot more and have been satisfied with them, as I own apartments and they do not see daily use, so for my purposes, they are just fine. I must add that I take good cae of my tools and do not abuse them. The tools I bought 50 years ago when I was a high school kid are still in daily use, and still in shiney condition. I have about 40 roller tool boxes, so everything has its place for storage. (I have a most understanding wife who never questions me when I buy more tools)

I must have a good selection of tools, as my youngest son said I am going to miss one hell of a rummage sale when I depart this earth. I have so may speciality tools that he has no idea of their use and has asked me to start sticking tags on them so he has some idea of what to ask for them. I sure hope he is kidding, as I am only 65 and in good health and hope to be around for quite some time yet.

I see peole on this board from time to time talk down Sears tools, but as a fellow who has used them for 50 years, I have to assume they are speaking from their youth and lack of worldly experience.

Before retirement, I was a general foreman in a manufacturing plant where the Snap-on truck would stop by every week or two. He would give me a hard time on replacing some broken Snap-on tools until one day I told him he no longer would need to stop by, as I passed a large Sears store on my way home from work, and I would start buying there, as I could get broken tools relaced without the hassle. Because we bought a fairly large amount of tools he changed his tune and all of a sudden he could replace the tools.

I suggest you buy what you can afford and eventually you will find out on your own what you feel most comfortable using. As far as I know, both a Craftsman and a Snap-on wrench eventually do the same thing, that is to loosen or tighten a bolt or nut.

HOWEVER, I've gotten to the point I avoid Sears and their high-pressure floor help just like I avoid WaldoWorld, if at ALL possible.

The other thorn in my side is folks who ABUSE the Sears or Snap-On warrantys by demanding the exchange of old tools they've bought at rummage sales or pawn shops, or DEMANDING the replacement of tools they have simply DESTROYED with abuse. To me, the warranty should be to the original owner. You KNOW we all pay for their "FREE" tools each time we buy new tools.

If a tool is defective "out of the box", or fails with little use, YES, I expect waranty, however, if I break something with a big "cheater pipe", or other abuse, I take the loss, and don't demand replacement, or (like some folks), b**ch on here 'cause I didn't get something for nothing.

Sorry!

(End of RANT.)