The rise and fall of Craftsman

Thanks to Homebase for sponsoring this video! Managing your team shouldn't eat your whole day — Homebase handles scheduling, time tracking, and payroll all in one place so you can focus on running your business. Get started for free at https://yt.link/T2n0AjC What REALLY happened to Craftsman Tools? For generations, Craftsman was synonymous with affordable, American-made tools and a lifetime warranty you could actually count on. But somewhere along the way, everything changed. In this episode of "What Happened To?", I'm tracing the history of Craftsman from its beginnings at Sears in 1927 to the decline of American manufacturing, the switch to imported tools, and Stanley Black & Decker's failed attempt to bring Craftsman mechanics tools back to the USA. I've collected several generations of Craftsman ratchets, including a pre-WWII New Britain Machine ratchet, an American-made Craftsman 44808, its nearly identical Chinese-made replacement, and a rare Fort Worth, Texas-made ratchet set. We'll compare the actual tools, examine the differences in construction and design, and explore why one of America's most trusted tool brands lost its way. But there's more to this story than outsourcing. Craftsman was built on an enormous network of American manufacturers, an unmatched retail presence, and a warranty that made customers loyal for generations. When that system collapsed, the Craftsman name survived, but something important was lost. And with Stanley Black & Decker continuin