Craftsman tools

[scrappy]

I finally rounded out my craftsman colletion and thought I would do a mini review. Smallest to largest.
the craftsman 45505 was made in the usa by saber (now IDL tools. new models are made in china.). it reatailed for $30 and comes with pliers, wire cutters. in one handle tweezers, bottle opener/mini screwdriver, and file. in the other handle knife, phillips driver, and medium screwdriver. I beleive this is the rarest craftsman multitool. next is the 45509 made by schrade. I believe it retailed for around $20. it has scissors instead of pliers. one handle has removable nail cleaner/file, tweezer, tooth pick. the other handle has lanyard, knife, phillips driver, medium screwdriver, bottle opener/mini screwdriver.

next is the craftsman 45201. one handle has phillips driver, can opener, and awl. the other handle has knife, large screwdriver, lanyard, medium screwdriver, and file. this tool retailed for $40 and had multiple variations over the years. below are three variations. The plier head got wider of the years and eventually craftsman was dropped from the plier and just on the handle. on some of the models the phillips is more like a #1 and on others it is #2.

next is the 45521. Identical to the 45201 but the impliments lock. there is some difference in how the plier connects to the handle. on the 45201 the hardware is around the handle at the plier connection. On the 45521 the hardware is inside the handle. both tools are made by bear cutlery. the oldest of the tools has a very narrow plier head like an old time PST. I have never seen a bear branded tool with such a narrow plier head. 

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next is the craftsman evolv. it has been sold under the evolv name but recently is named craftsman evolve. It does not have the same great warranty all the other creaftsman tools have. costs $20. one handle has a light, the other has knife, bottle opener/mini screw driver, medium screwdriver, awl, and fish scaler.

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now the craftsman 45471 is made by schrade and has an adjustable plier head. one of the pliers rotates completly inside the other plier. the head is laminated sheet metal. one handle has a hook scrapper? and bit driver. the bit driver locks in horizontal or vertical positions. It comes with an adapter and two reversable bits. 4 bits total. two phillips (#1 and#2) and two straight (small and medium) screwdrivers. later models came with one large reversable 5/16 bit. phillips on one end and a straigh screwdriver on the other. both bit types are shown in the photo.
the other handle has file, saw, partially serrated knife, wire scrapper, chisel, and can opener. retailed for $60. this is one of my favorite tools from any manufacturer.

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last is the craftsman 45516 pictured above. It is made by kershaw and retailed for $70. the pliers lock. one handle contains a one handed knife and the the other handle has, phillips driver, can opener, file, hack saw, and medium screwdriver. a replacement part kit could be purchased seperatly.


the cool thing about craftsman tools as that when they broke you got a new tool no questions asked. Once they discontinued the tool I was given leathermans as a substitute when I retuned a couple craftsman tools. thanks for looking.

[Mr. Whippy]

Is that locking pliers Craftsman made by Kershaw (or was it?).  I have the Schraede Craftsman tool.  Really solid pliers, but hard to use the handle tools.

Nice collection (wish I had the replaceable kit for my Kershaw A100  )

Edit to add: Missed the Kershaw reference first time through 

[Chako]

A nice ode to Sears you have there scrappy. 

[David]

Nice collection you got there scrappy.   

[jzmtl]

Is that an earwig in the first and last pics?

[GotUCovered]

Is that an earwig in the first and last pics?

He's just demonstrating the most overlooked aspect of a professional quality multi-tool:  Pest Control.

[scrappy]

I don't think so... I will have to take a look at the photo on my computer. Even bugs pay homage to the great craftsman brand.

[sawman]

So are these multitools they sold previous years before they picked up the Leatherman line?

[J-sews]

Great summary of the Craftsman multitools scrappy! I like how back then they took and rebranded the best tools from several different manufacturers. Odd though that they never carried Leatherman tools back then. Must be Leatherman would not allow rebranding, which killed any Craftsman deals?

[scrappy]

Yeah, I don't remember seeing leatherman until after they stopped rebranding tools. The only model still sold is the evolv.

[Grant Lamontagne]

It's fascinating to see so many re-brands.  I wasn't aware there was a Kershaw rebrand.  This (and the locking plier thread!) really need to be added to the Multitool Encyclopedia, as this is info you won't likely find anywhere else.

Def

[scrappy]

Since my major access to the internet is my phone I tend to stray from projects like this...

[J-sews]

Since my major access to the internet is my phone I tend to stray from projects like this...

We need to get you hooked up with high speed internet access Scrappy!

[gregozedobe]

It seems the Craftsman 45471 (rebadged Schrade ST5 with adjustable width plier head) are becoming quite popular these days.  After some "spirited" bidding by several people this one sold for $150.28 (just a bit more than I was willing to spend  ) 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=181147921974&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBUAA:AU:3160

Seems I arrived at the "collecting odd/different multitools" a bit late, as these were selling for a lot less some years ago.  Oh well, if I want them badly enough I'll have to pay what it takes (or just keep looking).

[Nhoj]

I'm not sure about their rebranded multitools, but I love Craftsman! Their warranty is awesome and getting Leathermans in return for broken tools sounds pretty nice. My sears does not have Leathermans though. What a shame!

[David]

Check out this blue handled 45471.      First one I've ever seen. No I didn't win it. Went to high for me.            

[gregozedobe]

Check out this blue handled 45471.      First one I've ever seen. No I didn't win it. Went to high for me.            

I didn't see that one at all (so many different Craftsman tools that aren't multi-tools so I use a lot of filtering in my searches and obviously filtered that one out too).  Oh well, I doubt I would have bid that high anyway.  I'll keep on looking for an unused Craftsman 45471 (and 45516) ....

[David]

Check out this blue handled 45471.      First one I've ever seen. No I didn't win it. Went to high for me.            

I didn't see that one at all (so many different Craftsman tools that aren't multi-tools so I use a lot of filtering in my searches and obviously filtered that one out too).  Oh well, I doubt I would have bid that high anyway.  I'll keep on looking for an unused Craftsman 45471 (and 45516) ....

I hope you find one. Prices on the 45471 seem to be all over the place at the moment. I felt very fortunate when I got mine as prices were funning $100 t0 $125 and the seller listed it with a BIN of $45. Needless to say that BIN button got pushed real quick.     

[gregozedobe]

I hope you find one. Prices on the 45471 seem to be all over the place at the moment. I felt very fortunate when I got mine as prices were funning $100 t0 $125 and the seller listed it with a BIN of $45. Needless to say that BIN button got pushed real quick.     

Yes, sometimes you can get lucky. I snaffled a new ST5 (the Schrade version) for BIN $49.00 and the seller then put another one up for a BIN of $58 so I grabbed that one as well, and I also bought a couple of Schrade/Vice Grip 6LCs toolboxes (locking jaw MTs) fairly cheaply. No such luck with the 5WR Toolboxes though, they cost me a lot more (as did my Kershaw A100s and Al Mar 4x4).

I suppose the unpredictability and the possibility (hope ?) of a bargain helps make the search more interesting ....