Rusting Craftsman Spline Wrenches

DavidB · Jul 30, 2010

I was walking through Sears today while wasting time and came upon a display in the middle of the isle with the "new" spline wrenches they're selling now. You know, the ones that used to have CHINA in big letters on the back of the wrench and now don't? Anyways, all of the packs of wrenches that were on the front were starting to rust on the top and bottom near the open end of the wrench. Checked a few more out and they too were rusting. These weren't small spots of rust but dime sized patches of rust. I'd sure it could be removed fairly easily but that's not the point. Sad sad sad...

And no this isn't a knock against Craftsman. I like their tools and own a lot of them. This is commentary on the fact that they're starting to bring cheaper, manufacturing wise, tools in.

David

rsanter · Jul 30, 2010

because they are a black finish instead of the crome
just think what they will look like in your toolbox after a few years

bob

jeepnut24 · Jul 30, 2010

Last set of CMAN sockets I bought has several that were pre-rusted, and they were chromed.... Just a sign of the times really. They swapped them out for non-rusted versions without issue though.

rsieracki · Jul 30, 2010

must me COO, Must be because their crapsman... or in reality that its a ****** low quality tool reguardless of the coo or brand

mrholeshot · Jul 30, 2010

I suspect that the craftsman splines wrenches won't be around long. Whay POS those things are.

Lump · Jul 31, 2010

rsanter said:

because they are a black finish instead of the crome
just think what they will look like in your toolbox after a few years

bob

Click to expand...

Bob,
You make a good point. But, I won't need to use my imagination on this one...they won't look like ANYTHING in my toolbox. They won't be in it...period!

:thumbup:

alberto · Jul 31, 2010

mrholeshot said:
I suspect that the craftsman splines wrenches won't be around long. Whay POS those things are.

Can yhou elaborate/explain why they are? I've been thinking about getting a set for rounded nuts, but if they are not good I can use the $ for something else.

Thanks.

mrholeshot · Jul 31, 2010

alberto said:
Can yhou elaborate/explain why they are? I've been thinking about getting a set for rounded nuts, but if they are not good I can use the $ for something else.

Thanks.

First I don't like Spline wrenches or sockets. It's a Gimmick.
Next I especially don't like the craftsman because they have sharp corners on the spines. I like them even less because they arn't plated. just black dip and bare steel in the white. the made in Tiawan doesn't bother me as much as the other stuff but they are built very cheap looking like some of the 70's 80' Tiawan ****. They are so rough that our local sears has a huge table piled up with them at 15 dollars for a 7 pc set. Must be 1000 wrenches on that table. They are hanging up everywhere like they had everything in stock and trying to get rid of them.

kythri · Jul 31, 2010

mrholeshot said:
First I don't like Spline wrenches or sockets. It's a Gimmick.

Even for Spline fasteners?

mrholeshot · Jul 31, 2010

kythri said:
Even for Spline fasteners?

Well not for spine. Just someone used a spline wrench on something else on day and decided to see how many other bolts he could shove it over. A 12 point wrench will do about the same job on everything but spline. How many spline nuts do you really run into?

kythri · Jul 31, 2010

Oh, I haven't ran into any yet. I didn't even know about them as a fastener until a few years back when SK started promoting the **** out of their universal spline ratcheting wrenches.

I think I remember someone saying they were semi-popular in Europe?

If the Craftsman ones were their typical chrome finish, I'd probably buy a set, having had good luck with the last couple of gimmick wrenches they sold (the Crossforce and the rounded-bolt-remover ones).

The black finish doesn't do anything for me, and if it's even more prone to rust, no thanks.

supertooljunkie · Jul 31, 2010

I thought the spline wrenches are made in the PRC. That in itself is a Damn good reason not to buy them.
I like the black finish. I have a set of Proto combs in the industrial finish. I did have to shoot them with clear coat to stop the rust though because they were used in a wet environment.

mrholeshot · Jul 31, 2010

kythri said:
Oh, I haven't ran into any yet. I didn't even know about them as a fastener until a few years back when SK started promoting the **** out of their universal spline ratcheting wrenches.

I think I remember someone saying they were semi-popular in Europe?

If the Craftsman ones were their typical chrome finish, I'd probably buy a set, having had good luck with the last couple of gimmick wrenches they sold (the Crossforce and the rounded-bolt-remover ones).

The black finish doesn't do anything for me, and if it's even more prone to rust, no thanks.

I wouldn't go so far as to call the cross force a Gimmik. Not quite my thing because you can't add a wrenh for extra leverage

supertooljunkie · Jul 31, 2010

The "gimmick" behind the SK spline wrenches is you only need "one" set of wrenches to do everything. No need for 8 point if you are into farm machinery, 6 or 12 point for hex bolts, etc. But, really how many of the folks on this site are only going to own just one set of wrenches?? Haaaaa-haaaaaaa-haaaaaa-haaaaaa!

mrholeshot · Jul 31, 2010

supertooljunkie said:
The "gimmick" behind the SK spline wrenches is you only need "one" set of wrenches to do everything. No need for 8 point if you are into farm machinery, 6 or 12 point for hex bolts, etc. But, really how many of the folks on this site are only going to own just one set of wrenches?? Haaaaa-haaaaaaa-haaaaaa-haaaaaa!

Not much of a Gimmick really as it wont do metric and standard on the same wrench. A 12 point wrench will do a 4 point bolt or nut. Spline wrench won't do 8 point. It doesn't grab inverted Torx all that great either. If the SK spline sockets were all that great they would be fetching more on ebay. You can buy the 50 something peice set on ebay for 122 dollars. A 22 pc SK set in 6 point will fetch about the same money. If they were that great I'd still own my set of SK spline sockets. I love SK tools but hated these sets.

bonneyman · Jul 31, 2010

kythri said:
Oh, I haven't ran into any yet. I didn't even know about them as a fastener until a few years back when SK started promoting the **** out of their universal spline ratcheting wrenches.

I think I remember someone saying they were semi-popular in Europe?

If the Craftsman ones were their typical chrome finish, I'd probably buy a set, having had good luck with the last couple of gimmick wrenches they sold (the Crossforce and the rounded-bolt-remover ones).

The black finish doesn't do anything for me, and if it's even more prone to rust, no thanks.

I saw a set of S-K ratcheting spline box wrenches at the local warehouse, and I liked them. Just too expensive.
Now, if Craftsman would just combine their wrench features, I'd buy a set!
A Crossforce, ratcheting open end, ratcheting spline box end wrench set in chrome. :thumbup:

Rusting Craftsman Spline Wrenches

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