The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Tool Chest Sears and Made in the USA tools.

I'm not condoning any company that takes jobs out of North America, it's a major irritation to me that even traditionaly American brands are outsourcing. From a point I can understand why they do it, but doesn't mean I like it.

However, I still have to buy tools from time to time and I am giving Craftsman a shot again. I bought a set of Metric & SAE universal wrenches. I'm not a fan of the fact they are made in China, but they are real solid tools, heavy on the open end and can fit a 12-pt, hex, worn hex, square, Torx & 12-spline items. these wrenches are MUCH heftier than the last set I bought.

Something to note, a company I have been looking at for engine parts on my car went to Chinese made steel some time back. What they did was send thier engineers over there to live and work to ensure the metalurgy was correct, the castings & forgings were done right, all the important parts are dead on, just cheaper labor & process costs. You can buy parts that are machined in China, or for a little more they ship the forgings to the US and finish them here for people that are paranoid and willing to pay a little more for essentialy the same product. Through their testing and real world usage the company has confirmd that the parts are just as durable and relaible as anything they ever made in the US, they just cost less.
Now if EVERY company manufaturing things in China were as vigilant, maybe it would give Chinese products a better reputation.

But still, I would rather see people at work in North America.