In 1964, I was a 16 year old standing in the tool dept at Sears lusting for a tool set that cost $49.95 and had at least a million wrenches when an old man asked me if I wanted to buy his tools....he had just retired from the railroad and didnt need them any more. I went to his house and he showed me a complete 3/8" drive socket set, a 1/2" socket set including a long handled ratchet, a box end wrench set up thru 1 1/4", a combination wrench set up thru 1 1/4", a hip roof craftsman box, and some screwdrivers.....he wanted $16 for all so I bought it......he said the tools were new in the 1950's.

Those are still the best Craftsman tools that I own......I converted to Snap On about 12 years ago and seldom buy a wrench or socket at Sears.....and dont use their stuff anymore. We use their shop vacs....I just bought 4 a month ago but they suck....we have 20 year old Sears shop vac that pulls more air.

As bad as their wrenches are, they are still better than HF.....and the Sears store doesnt stink like the HF store does (from cheap Chinese plastic).

Even Snap On seems to be cutting corners these days...just not as much.....yet.

mike in tucson