Greed

The customer service person was rude to you and thats a fact.

If you have a Sears store in your area, go and see if they have the
blades you need and bring a measuring tape and check the length of the
ones in the store, so you dont have to bend over and look under the
mower.

Greed?

So you're saying that anyone that places an emphasis on money is
greedy?

Feodor, by your definition, you are greedy. It's greedy of you to
want to buy no-name blades for your lawnmower.

Not that I blame you. I'm all for buying the lower cost blades.

But it's not Sears' job to help you buy from someone else.

It's not a violation of your consumer rights, for crying out loud.
Just stop, because statements like this turn you from an "educated
customer" to an old crank.

If you can't do the measuring yourself, then ask a neighbor to help
you.

Better yet, go to wherever you buy discounted blades and tell them the
model of lawnmower you have. If they're a quality place, they'll be
able to match what they sell to model numbers.

If not, then you can whine how greedy THEY are.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/search_10153_12605?
vName=Lawn+%26+Garden&keyword=replacement+blades

(all one line)

There you will find replacement blades. It looks like you just need
your mower type. There is also a bunch of serial numbers there too.
There is delivery available. Try there.

Got the link by going to craftsman.com. Give them a try. Good luck!

Don't take this the wrong way, but you gotta help yourself first. If
you cant manage to find a way to accomplish something, then this is
how the rest of your days are going to be. Don't be so helpless, and
get someone to HELP, (theres that word again)

I'm with StoicGrrl below.

If there is any chance at all of customers going back to Sears wanting
a new mower, or medical bills, or the cost of replacing a new SUV, or
anything, because those customers used someone else's mower blades and
using someone else's mower blades caused a problem, they're going to
want to stop people using someone else's mower blades in Sears'
mowers. They're going to put stickers on the mowers they sell warning
that you should only use genuine Sears blades, and they're not going
to tell anybody what they need to know in order to easily replace the
Sears blades with someone else's blades when the old blades are done
for.

And you and I both know that there will absolutely be people who, if
using cheaper blades results in a problem, will be in court trying to
blame Sears.

That means that whoever you talked to probably does not know (and may
not even know how to find out) what the blade size is. If he doesn't
know, he can't tell anyone, and nobody can rely on him to provide them
with that information so they can do something the consequences of
which they're unwilling to bear.

I mean, he had the bad sense to tell you that if you want to know the
measurements you're going to have to get down on your hands and knees
and measure the blades and you're already telling them you want them
to pay for any medical bills you incur if you follow his advice. That
right there is why they're not telling you the measurements.

I don't think we need to attribute greed or lack of understanding to
the company in this case; we know they're liability-wary, and
liability-wariness alone would completely explain your experience with
them.

Maybe its just me but it doesnt sit right with me that Sears wouldnt
hand over the info. I understand they want you to buy the parts from
them, I understand they have to give you the whole "our blades work
better" lecture but after all that is said and done if the customer
STILL wants the sizes and STILLl wants to go elsewhere, tell them the
freakin size! What will it hurt? The person is going to do what they
want regardless so rather then being the pain in the ass who gave the
old guy a hard time why not be the nice young man who helped a senior
out? At least in the latter Sears hasnt lost a customer.

Even if you're not in the best shape, 72 years old isn't ancient and
you should be able to get down on your hands and knees to measure the
fricking blade. I love how people over 60 years of age use their age
in letters and their supposed "inablitity" to accomplish something as
added drama. Knock it off. If you can push the mower, or now ride
the mower, you can check the blade.

And it's tries, not trys! You should also know that by now at your
advanced age!

then you know several things. First of all, things change over the
years. Secondly, a DIY person frequently has to do it himslelf
in order to save $. That is the definition. I have no doubt at all
that as I age, I will continue to seek to do things myself, but it
will become harder for various reasons. Physical decline being one.

In order to find generic replacements for things, we often have to do
the homework ourselves. How is Sears going to benefit if they publish
dimensions (arbor size, length) so that everyone can go elsewhere for
parts? They aren't.

So, if this requires a little homework, maybe you can find a person
physically able who can find out the information for you. Or, perhaps
somewhere on the web lies an answer. I don't think it is right to
hold Sears responsible for not providing generic replacement
information for parts.

By the way, who is going to put those blades on the machine? That
person could measure them.

I understand your desire to save some money, but at the same time I
can see Sears' point. I don't know much about lawnmowers, so let me
give you an example from my own experience:

I used to work in a cell phone store. We sold only chargers that were
made by the manufacturer of the specific phones, because we found that
the quality of the "generic" ones was very low. Even though the
chargers made by the manufacturers were a bit more expensive, we felt
that they were a better value in that they lasted more than twice as
long, and were far less likely to "fry" the phones. Also, if you fry
your phone on a "generic" charger and your carrier finds out about it,
you may void your warranty.

Nonetheless, I had countless requests to order the cheaper generic
chargers, was told by several people that they would just buy a
charger at the gas station because it was cheaper, and, in the end,
serviced uncountable phones for electrical/charging issues which were
the result of a cheaply made, poor quality after market charger.
Because these people wanted to save $7.50, they often ended up buying
new phones out of pocket. I think the phrase is "penny wise, pound
foolish."

Again, I sympathize with your situation. But I can't help but feel
that the potential safety risk involved with a lawn mower equipped
with low quality blades is significantly higher than that involved
with a crappy phone charger.

Sears owes you nothing but a high quality part if you buy from that
business. You of course have the right to buy whatever blade you
choose from whichever business you choose, but that does not obligate
Sears to tell you what that part might be.

As for "greed", sir, might I point out that you also are showing a
great deal of interest in money and holding onto it? Making money is
the nature of our economy, so why are you faulting Sears for having
the same desire you seem to have?

I also have to wonder how you expect to be able to get down and change
out your lawn mower's blades (something that requires some twisting
and physical exertion) if simply getting down on your hands and knees
to measure the blades is going to land you at the doctor's office.

If you will incur medical expenses simply by "getting down on [your]
hands and knees," then how do you even get through life every day?

Geez, at least you could ask some younger/fitter person to do this for
you.

If you will incur medical expenses simply by "getting down on [your]
hands and knees," then how do you even get through life every day?

Geez, at least you could ask some younger/fitter person to do this for
you.

All you really need to know is the size of the deck. You have a 46
inch deck so you need blades that fit a 46 inch deck. I know Sears
sells blades for this lawn mower, but each one is seperate. I think
each blade is 13.99 and you have choices between one that mulches and
one used for bagging/discharge. I think the actual sizes are around 15
inches. But you really just need the deck size, which you know.

I don't think we carry a generic blade for a 46 inch deck. Lowe's
carries a couple of different three pack from Arnold for a 46 inch
deck. Depends on what you need. Check out lowes.com and search for
arnold and look at their selection of blades. Arnold makes blades that
can fit a craftsman.

Good luck.

Many products work alot better if you use the name brand equipment...
and last a long longer. And don't bring your age into this.