Monday, February 16, 2026

I just read a good write up about buying vintage Craftsman tools




it's a fact that if you're earning a living from tools, you must have some good ones that won't let you down, and Craftsman were those for sure, Snap On if you were making really good money, same goes for Proto.

But, for the past decade or so, it's been a waste of money to buy craftsman, because the warranty thing is done, over and gone. https://www.geekbobber.com/2017/01/craftsman-tools-sold.html is the write up. 

I've been buying a tool box of old Craftsman now and then, because estate sales sometimes have a mixed box of whatever

The above is the latest box I got last spring or summer, that's a good bunch for about 100. I'm pretty sure that's about what they charge now for tools that don't meet my standard for quality, and I doubt I'll ever be earning a living from them again. Plus, I don't have any one who is inheriting my tools. 

I do know I have to figure something out about that. I have to figure out who I want to give them to, so far, I'm undecided between the boy scouts, McPherson College students, Piston Foundation, or something on those lines. 

It's been on my mind for a long time. About 15 years ago I made the acquaintance of Jay, a reader that has a Superbird but no kids. He told me about his decision to give it to the kid in town that has been nuts about it for a long time, who comes over to wash it, and change the oil, and impressed Jay so much, he talked to his wife and they decided to give the kid the Superbird someday, or if the Jay dies unexpectedly. 



And that came on the heels of a friend of mine dying young of cancer. Younger than I am now. That's gut punch, and a sudden adulting moment which caused me to no longer ignore my bucket kicking someday in the future. So, the 35 years of tools collected, and the R/T, and the rest of my stuff, are things I need to figure out what will happen to them when I kick the bucket. Hopefully my nephew wants all of it, and handles the whole thing. I know my sister is my estate executor, and does not want to come to deal with my stuff in the chance I die before her. Specifically because having the 1st time being in California should not be to run a burial. I get that. But because her son, my nephew, has no such lifelong connection, lived together, talked on the phone for decades, etc, I think it'd be cool for him to just grab a flight, show up, grab the keys, and suddenly have a commuter, a couple garages full of stuff and a cool R/T, books, blu rays, tools, etc 
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9 comments:

  1. Fabiani C Gargioni #2711:45 AM

    I'm brazilian fan, i'm ready to be a happy "heir" of this precious.

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  2. Robert M. Lindsey11:48 AM

    Being in Kansas, I vote for McPherson College. But it is your choice, obviously.

    Similar to my wife's uncle, who never married and has several thousand albums and 45s. None of the rest of the family is remotely interested in them, so he's giving them to me. Along with 20 boxes of books, many signed. And for some reason a Puch road bike. I'm free to sell whatever and he figures there's $100,000 in there, I just have to work for it. He was talking to me about where he was going to leave his money. He has a list of charities he's thinking about.

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    1. Jesse7:41 PM

      a record collection? Books? you lucky dog! Wow! ! ! I told my sister the same thing, between the books, blu rays, coins, tools, and the radios, Art books, coffee table books, and the plethora of odds and ends and the 69 R/T there's somewhere between 100k, and 140k, I suppose. BUT that's only if a person runs an Ebay store until it all sells. Yet, if no one does the right thing, nearly all of it gets tossed in the dumpster at the end of the garage doors, side of the building, and ends up in the city dump.

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    2. Jesse7:42 PM

      you have one hell of a retirement fund right there. Vinyl goes for money. Hard to tell about books, but music stirs the soul, and is WIDELY appreciated. Not many people take the time to read a book

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  3. Joe1:36 PM

    There has been some discussion on Garage Journal of people getting warranty replacements for Craftsman tools at one of the big box stores that carry the name currently. It seems to be hit and miss depending as much on employee and store manager whim as anything. And you often get new style tools to replace the vintage stuff, regardless of COO, for better or worse.

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    1. Jesse7:46 PM

      hell, if you break an old Craftsman, throw it away. Go on Ebay or a swap meet, and get another old one. I saw a LOT of GREAT condition Craftsman tools at Mopar Spring Fling Van Nuys

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    2. Jesse7:52 PM

      I wouldn't waste my time finding parking to get free new Craftsmans

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  4. Jack8:09 PM

    Great reply about the new Craftsman tools! back to the other subject. I just had this talk with my Dr. who is retiring and thinking about what to do with his family owned 1969 Charger R/T 440 4Spd. that I started restoring for his brother that passed at 40 from cancer, Doc had me finish the restoration, yet his children have zero interest, he has a nephew in Fl. that is "into" cars so it will go to that lucky guy because he has the same last name.

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    1. Jesse8:37 PM

      Thank you!! Ha! OMG... 69 R/T 440 4 Spd, that's the same as my car, just different headlights and tail lights, I kid you not. Except until I can afford the rebuild, I've got to use the 426 wedge and 440 6 pack that have been under the hood since before I bought it. The last owner spun a main bearing, and put that in there. It's just as powerful as a regular 440 4 barrel.
      Damn, I wish he'd realized you'd love that Charger, instead of giving it to the nephew who did nothing to restore it.

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