Some Craftsman Industrial Socket Sets -

[goodfellow]

I bought these sets almost two decades ago when Sears was closing out all their Industrial lines to streamline their inventory management and to cut costs. Like most of you guys my age (boomer), the last thing I needed was more socket sets, but I just couldn't help it. That 1/2" drive SAE set was found languishing and dust covered underneath a shelf at the local Sears store, while the 3/8" and 1/4" drive SAE/Metric set was found at the local Sears Outlet. These were bittersweet times for guys like us. They both were purchased for pennies on the dollar. Many of us on the old GG with a few buck to spare purchased tons of Craftsman Industrial wrench and socket sets when they were bargain priced at the local Sears Outlets.

Sad part is that on the one hand we were ecstatic that we were able to score a few of these great bargains, but we also began to see the writing on the wall that Sears was in deep trouble and a big part of our "gear head" formative years was slowly going away. I really miss the old Sears and Montgomery Ward stores -- especially around Christmas time. Those catalogs and advertisement were a huge part of my car mechanic life back in the day.

[Highland512]

I remember when you guys were getting these...I was sitting in my dump apartment during my college years eating rice and beans, drinkin Schaefer's beer and only able to wish I could afford such stuff............ I don't miss those days   

[Muddy]

The industrial line was always nice.

[goodfellow]

I remember when you guys were getting these...I was sitting in my dump apartment during my college years eating rice and beans, drinkin Schaefer's beer and only able to wish I could afford such stuff............ I don't miss those days   

Don't feel too bad. CM industrial was just a line that offered better quality control over the regular CM wrenches and sockets. They charged a premium for that QC process and it only paid off for a few years. Most professionals either bought regular CM tools if they were on a budget, or they skipped the CM Industrial lines and completely and went straight for the more popular mid-tier brands (SK, Proto, Williams, Challenger, etc.), or the truck pro brands.

Once Harbor Freight Pro, Gray, Sunnex, and a host of other Taiwanese brands hit the market, CM Industrial was done. The Taiwanese imports were just as well made and cost much less than CM Industrial.

[j.a.f.e.]

I always wondered what the CM industrial deal was - thanks Goodfellow.

[bonneyman]

I remember when you guys were getting these...I was sitting in my dump apartment during my college years eating rice and beans, drinkin Schaefer's beer and only able to wish I could afford such stuff............ I don't miss those days   

Schafer beer? I haven't heard that brand in 30 years! MY dad loved it, but couldn't get it out West because it wasn't sold west of the Mississippi River.

[Highland512]

Schafer beer? I haven't heard that brand in 30 years! MY dad loved it, but couldn't get it out West because it wasn't sold west of the Mississippi River.

The local getting place always had some at the time. You could get a flat of 24 16oz cans for $5. It was the official beer of the guys paying their own way through school.

It was always good for mass consumption and a case of the shits the next morning. 

[skfarmer]

I remember when you guys were getting these...I was sitting in my dump apartment during my college years eating rice and beans, drinkin Schaefer's beer and only able to wish I could afford such stuff............ I don't miss those days   

Don't feel too bad. CM industrial was just a line that offered better quality control over the regular CM wrenches and sockets. They charged a premium for that QC process and it only paid off for a few years. Most professionals either bought regular CM tools if they were on a budget, or they skipped the CM Industrial lines and completely and went straight for the more popular mid-tier brands (SK, Proto, Williams, Challenger, etc.), or the truck pro brands.

Once Harbor Freight Pro, Gray, Sunnex, and a host of other Taiwanese brands hit the market, CM Industrial was done. The Taiwanese imports were just as well made and cost much less than CM Industrial.

i won't argue that they were supposed to be better.

in reality, i have some and can see no difference in quality. i would go so far as to say they are identical to the standard usa made craftsman with the only difference being the stamping.

for reference i have a 3/8 socket set and some black oxide sae wrenches. they wrenches are pretty cool, i don't know if there ever was a non chrome version of the cman wrenches

[AbiggerGarage]

There is one thing that makes them better in my mind, they included a breaker bar.

I wish more sets offered one instead of more of the bits or hex keys.

[goodfellow]

I remember when you guys were getting these...I was sitting in my dump apartment during my college years eating rice and beans, drinkin Schaefer's beer and only able to wish I could afford such stuff............ I don't miss those days   

Don't feel too bad. CM industrial was just a line that offered better quality control over the regular CM wrenches and sockets. They charged a premium for that QC process and it only paid off for a few years. Most professionals either bought regular CM tools if they were on a budget, or they skipped the CM Industrial lines and completely and went straight for the more popular mid-tier brands (SK, Proto, Williams, Challenger, etc.), or the truck pro brands.

Once Harbor Freight Pro, Gray, Sunnex, and a host of other Taiwanese brands hit the market, CM Industrial was done. The Taiwanese imports were just as well made and cost much less than CM Industrial.

i won't argue that they were supposed to be better.

in reality, i have some and can see no difference in quality. i would go so far as to say they are identical to the standard usa made craftsman with the only difference being the stamping.

for reference i have a 3/8 socket set and some black oxide sae wrenches. they wrenches are pretty cool, i don't know if there ever was a non chrome version of the cman wrenches

You're correct SK, they were exactly the same; in every respect. The only difference was the QC on the manufacturing line was higher than the standard CM products. How much higher? ... I have no idea.

[Uncle Buck]

I remember when you guys were getting these...I was sitting in my dump apartment during my college years eating rice and beans, drinkin Schaefer's beer and only able to wish I could afford such stuff............ I don't miss those days   

Don't feel too bad. CM industrial was just a line that offered better quality control over the regular CM wrenches and sockets. They charged a premium for that QC process and it only paid off for a few years. Most professionals either bought regular CM tools if they were on a budget, or they skipped the CM Industrial lines and completely and went straight for the more popular mid-tier brands (SK, Proto, Williams, Challenger, etc.), or the truck pro brands.

Once Harbor Freight Pro, Gray, Sunnex, and a host of other Taiwanese brands hit the market, CM Industrial was done. The Taiwanese imports were just as well made and cost much less than CM Industrial.

i won't argue that they were supposed to be better.

in reality, i have some and can see no difference in quality. i would go so far as to say they are identical to the standard usa made craftsman with the only difference being the stamping.

for reference i have a 3/8 socket set and some black oxide sae wrenches. they wrenches are pretty cool, i don't know if there ever was a non chrome version of the cman wrenches

The only black oxide version of CM raised panels they ever sold AFAIK was in their industrial line, never amount their regular retail outlets in my recollection.

Later, when CM offshored everything and cheapened their tools they did offer black oxide sockets, drive tools, and wrench sets.