A while back I pieced together a tool kit for my car out of several Lowes/ Kobalt sets (SAE/metric combo wrenches, sockets, screwdrivers, etc.). I worked on my car last weekend and found somewhere along the line, I lost a couple of combination wrenches - 11mm and 14mm. No big deal, I say to myself, I got them from Lowes. It's not like Kobalt is going out of business, like maybe Craftsman might, after all....

So I go to Lowes. I find the 11mm combination wrench dine. But there isn't even a space in the bin for 14mm. It jumps from 12mm right to 18mm. OK, let's look online....

No 14mm combination wrench online. OK, not quite true - the 14mm one available is a shorty, not the full length one.

Apparently it's impossible to find replacement Kobalt combination wrenches! And I can't even find anyone to complain to! Both Lowes and Kobalt websites have phone numbers to customer dis-service, who can't help a bit!

Is Kobalt going away? Dammit, I don't want to have a set of wrenches with one "orphan" Craftsman! I actually like the little blue stripe on the Kobalts to signify metric too.

quote:

Originally posted by IntrepidTraveler:
A while back I pieced together a tool kit for my car out of several Lowes/ Kobalt sets (SAE/metric combo wrenches, sockets, screwdrivers, etc.). I worked on my car last weekend and found somewhere along the line, I lost a couple of combination wrenches - 11mm and 14mm. No big deal, I say to myself, I got them from Lowes. It's not like Kobalt is going out of business, like maybe Craftsman might, after all....

So I go to Lowes. I find the 11mm combination wrench dine. But there isn't even a space in the bin for 14mm. It jumps from 12mm right to 18mm. OK, let's look online....

No 14mm combination wrench online. OK, not quite true - the 14mm one available is a shorty, not the full length one.

Apparently it's impossible to find replacement Kobalt combination wrenches! And I can't even find anyone to complain to! Both Lowes and Kobalt websites have phone numbers to customer dis-service, who can't help a bit!

Is Kobalt going away? Dammit, I don't want to have a set of wrenches with one "orphan" Craftsman! I actually like the little blue stripe on the Kobalts to signify metric too.

If you stuck on Kolbalts tools, look for a SAE 9/16. Very nearly the same exact size as 14MM.

I just looked on ebay.

A Brand New Kobalt 14mm combination wrench, 12 point, standard size, is $3.00 Buy It Now with $4.00 shipping.

$7.00 total out the door!!!

The Seller has 403,931 feedbacks @ 99.9% Positive.

Go Buy It !!!!


EDIT: There are several for sale on ebay, as brand new standard size. Just pick your seller.

This is odd, the Lowes website shows this under the item.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobal...ation-Wrench/3386740

quote:

Due to local prohibitions, this item is not currently sold in your area

I am not sure what local prohibition they might be referring to.

My LOWE's now has a full compliment of Craftsman tools and no kobalt hand tools anywhere in their tool section, so my guess is lowe's is now switching over to/ selling craftsman. I liked the kobalt slightly better than craftsman.

As another poster said, 9/16" is so close to 14mm that 99% of the time you can get away with using it.

Well, flying fooey's on Lowes.

I was out running around and decided to stop in my local Lowes to check out a possible extra refrigerator purchase. I decided to look in the tool department.

It appears that Lowes is dumping the Kobalt line. There's hardly any Kobalt hand tools left. Craftsman brand tools are all over the regular tool department, and also in many other areas of the store, like on end caps and free standing carboard displays.

I asked the guy working in the tool department about it and he was evasive, he didn't want to talk about it. I asked him about a single 14 mm wrench. He pointed to 2 chests of drawers, and said they used to have 4 of them, they "had" single sockets and wrenches, but they're in drawers, not visible unless you pull out the drawer and see the contents. He said they just took out 2 of them. Go figure.

So I asked him about the Kobalt hand tools and the so called lifetime warranty, how Lowes was going to replace broken Kobalt hand tools? He had no answer for that. So I asked him if the plan was to replace them with a Craftsman brand equivalent tool? Again he had no answer, but I felt like he did but wasn't allowed to answer that. He was very uncomfortable.

Nevertheless, Lowes sold Kobalt tools with a LIFETIME WARRANTY, so they're going to have to do something!

I decided to buy a couple of 1/4 extensions, when I got to the checkout the cashier told me it was too bad I didn't get those 2 weeks ago when most all, in his words, the Kobalt hand tools were 75% off.

To me, clearly, I think, in my opinion, Lowes probably had a lot of pressure from Stanley Tools to sell their Craftsman Brand, and decided to go with it. In my opinion, now a days, in todays corporate world, guarantees and warranties don't mean much, the almighty dollar wins out, screw everybody else.

It's one thing to give a replacement Craftsman tool out to swap out a broken Kobalt, but it certainly won't match the current set of matching Kobalt tools in your box, especially if you, like me, have enough tool box storage to neatly arrange tools by drawer and have them nicely arranged so to grab something right away, see that it's not in it's assigned spot, and put it back in it's assigned place. I don't like that.

At least, for now, you can buy individual Kobalt tools on ebay to keep your set "right".

Screw Lowes.

Good luck to you, OP.

There is some speculation on tool-review websites that Lowes will be replacing Kobalt with Craftsman. In my local Lowes, there is only one small wall of Kobalt hand tools - at the end of an aisle. And the amount of Kobalt power tools seems to be dwindling and I'm not seeing new stock. That's a shame. The 24V cordless Kobalt tools were very good and, IMO, on par with DeWalt. 24V 5AH batteries are going for $50 which is an excellent price for a high quality lithium 5 amp hour battery.

quote:

There is some speculation on tool-review websites that Lowes will be replacing Kobalt with Craftsman.

I was in a Lowes recently - having lost, you guessed it, a 10mm ¼" drive - and it appears that they did.

My local Lowes has already replaced pretty much all Kobalt with Craftsman. The guys at the contractor desk confirmed Kobalt is going away.

I stopped in another Lowe’s this afternoon, looking for a replacement 2nd refrigerator.

While there I talked to the guy in the tool department. He told me that Lowe’s is indeed phasing out Kobalt hand tools, it will keep the power tools.

I asked him what was Lowe’s policy on broken life-time warranted Kobalt tools. He reached in his pocket and pulled some laminated cards explaining their policy. If they don’t have a replacement tool they are to tell you how to contact Kobalt so you can deal with them. Well that sucks.

Something about the whole thing has been bothering me for a few days. I remembered being told by someone there was a rumor that Lowe’s might be bought or sold out. So I’m wondering if that might be Stanley? It’s just a rumor, but with the way big businesses behave nowadays, who knows? Time will tell.

But I do think there may be a backlash to Lowe’s. They advertised, sold, and promised a lifetime warranty. Now that’s not so.

quote:

Originally posted by IntrepidTraveler:


No 14mm combination wrench online. OK, not quite true - the 14mm one available is a shorty, not the full length one.

14mm is for M8 bolts with oversized heads. I have no idea where such bolts are used. ISO M8 normally goes with a a 13mm wrench. It`s the same with the 15mm wrench. It´s for the M8 bolt as well but for an evan wider head. The chance to come along such nuts and bolts is pretty slim, unless you really want to use such odd bolts or because you want to have it.

quote:

Originally posted by OTD:

14mm is for M8 bolts with oversized heads. I have no idea where such bolts are used. ISO M8 normally goes with a a 13mm wrench. It`s the same with the 15mm wrench. It´s for the M8 bolt as well but for an evan wider head. The chance to come along such nuts and bolts is pretty slim, unless you really want to use such odd bolts or because you want to have it.

Hondas use 14mm bolts and nuts in the engine compartment and on sliding door hinges. Most of them are 10mm, though.

Interesting. A 10mm bolt is normally ISO M10 which needs a 17mm wrench. 8mm is an M8 with a standard 13mm head, but less common with a 14 or 15mm head. Japan seems to be different.

quote:

Originally posted by OTD:
Interesting. A 10mm bolt is normally ISO M10 which needs a 17mm wrench. 8mm is an M8 with a standard 13mm head, but less common with a 14 or 15mm head. Japan seems to be different.

Many of the automotive industry uses a lot of 14mm bolts including Ford and Chevy.

My Toyota’s have had plenty of 14 and 15 mm bolts. I am surprised to read that 9/16 is good for 14mm. I’ve used 9/16 for 15 mm and vice versa. 13 mm for 1/2”.

This is why you have to read what is meant by “lifetime warranty.” It will always include wording to the effect of “replace with a similar tool, or refund the original purchase price.” It is not a commitment to produce a tool forever. Sucks.

As for using a 9/16 in lieu of a 14mm, does anybody believe that a person who’s OCD won’t allow an off-brand wrench would allow a SAE substitute? Not likely.

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:

My Toyota’s have had plenty of 14 and 15 mm bolts. I am surprised to read that 9/16 is good for 14mm. I’ve used 9/16 for 15 mm and vice versa. 13 mm for 1/2”.

9/16" = 14.2875mm

When you look at lifetime warranty, the company has to be in business to back it. So I would choose Craftsman over Kobalt. The brand has been around over a hundred years and even though sears collapsed, Lowes took over the brand, and if Lowes were to kick it to the curb, someone else will. Used to get Craftsman tools at Fastenall, not sure if they still carry them.

Not a fan of any china made tools including Craftsman when they where made there.

Will not substitute standard wrench, socket for metric except for 8mm for 5/16- it's just not right!

Isn't Kobalt Lowes' house brand?

I'm a little confused about the "Kobalt is going away" comments.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
Isn't Kobalt Lowes' house brand?

I'm a little confused about the "Kobalt is going away" comments.

Kobalt used to be Lowe's house brand. BUT, they never ever had quite the variety of tools that Sears/craftsman had/has in stock. Apparently Craftsman is now the Lowes house brand and at the stores near me, have at least double the variety of tools than they ever used to with Kobalt.

https://money.cnn.com/2017/10/...wes-sears/index.html


Lowes has the full assortment of Craftsman on their website, from lawnmowers to tools to etc.

https://www.lowes.com/b/craftsman.html