Warning about certain Craftsman Torx drivers

STR

STR

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I have owned a few of the Craftsman torx drivers from T-6 on up to the T-9 for quite a while. But at Sears the other day I decided to get some more so I'd have a set in my shop and my house to save me having to run to the shop everytime I wanted to make an adjustment. My shop is quite a ways from the back door and in the winter well, anyway, you get the drift.

Point is I got order numbers 45729 through 732 last time and these are great and high quality. Yesterday I bought the black 41651 through 655 series and everyone of them is off. For example the T-6 driver just spins like the screw is stripped when they get just a bit tight whereas my first one, the 45729 is rock solid and turns them further. Upon comparsion there is a naked eye difference in them, the black one being noticably smaller and not even flat on the top. Same with the others. I don't know if these are cheap China made copies or what but they are going back to Sears tomorrow morning.

Just a FYI to anyone looking at buying these. Check them close to make sure they are flat on top and that the sizes are true. All the black ones I bought the otherday are just enough undersized and off to make the screws they are supposed to turn seem like the heads are stripped.

STR
 
Thanks for the heads up.

I know what you mean about the need for redundant tools....
:)
Tom
 
When I went to our Sears tool store here, I took 3 knives in with me. The sales associate came around and asked if I needed help. I got to show him my knives as well as pick out the tools needed.
 
Yeah. When I returned six of their drivers the other day I took in my knife to show them how the old T-6 driver grips the screw and turns it and how the new one simply spins skipping over and turning freely inside the head of the screw instead of gripping it. Then I took three more off the shelf and they all did the same skipping freely in the head of the screw. Everyone of them was off on the shelves as well as the ones I returned. The ones that are replacing the old stock are black and go from sizes T-5 up to T-10. They are obviously inferior to the old ones that were silver or chromed color. You can see the difference when you look closely at them. Most of the new ones are not even flat on the tops.

They are pretty damn poor quality for Craftsman in my humble opinion. I've written them about them and brought it to the attention of several people in the store where I bought them. All I can figure is that it must be the result of a contract change to a different vendor to make them. Either than or the result of 'child labor' if you catch my drift.
 
so what brand do you all recomend? for some reason all my knives use t6 bolts and it makes me mad. Our Lows and Home Depot dont stock t6 drivers in the store, so I bought a driver online which was ruined after servicing my knife. The DRIVER stripped. I guess it was made of cheap metal. So, any suggestions?
 
Get the torx multi tool from Texas knifemaker supply. Its the best one I have and puts everything right there in one place.

I really like it better than anything else I use with the exception of the older Craftsman ones that had the green and black handle.
 
I swore off all Craftsman tools years ago when everything seemed to have a problem with fit and finish. Even their electric tools are not very good, IMHO.
The only thing of theirs that I like it the ratched magnetic screwdriver with the driver bits stored in the handle.
 
Check out Home Depot's Husky tools. The model 74502 torx driver has four interchangable double-ended bits (eight sizes total), is lifetime warranted and only costs like $6 or $8. I liked mine so much, I picked up one for my dad.
-Mark
 
I don't mind the fixed Torx drivers- the ones built like a screwdriver- but the ones with cheaper plastic handles and a rotating head just don't work.

I can second the shift in quality. My car uses T30s to hold the door trim on. A new T30 fits like a T25- much too small.
 
You can go to Home Depot, and buy the Husky screwdriver with 8 torx head bits. It contains all the sizes I've ever encountered in pocket knives (down to the reeeeaaaaalllly tiny ones CRKT uses in the Lak P.A.L. Had mine for about 2 years, and I've never had a problem with it. Plus, it costs about 6 bucks (or about 1/2 what the Benchmade little blue tool kit costs, with a lot more sizes in it).
 
I noticed this on the ones I have also that I tried to use on my Benchmade clip. They just spin. I also noticed while looking through things in the store that lots of stuff is now made in China.

Screw that.

I bought a couple of C Clamps only to find "made in China" on the back of the package.

What a ripoff.

What is this world coming to? Go to Sears to buy some Crafsman stuff and it says "Made in China" on it. No thanks.
 
I agree completely. You know, it's definitely worth your while to hit garage sales, estate sales, auctions, or whatever to find properly made tools that will last till your great grandchildren expire. Probably a full 90% of the equipment in my shop is second hand, most of it purchased for pennies on the dollar, and I couldn't be happier.
-Mark
 
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