The quality of Craftsman tools has declined over the years if my experience is typical. I bought a Craftsman socket set in 1956 when I was in high school. In the mid 1980s the 9/16 socket broke (split down the side) when I had a 3ft. pipe on the breaker bar and put all my weight on it. I took it to Sears, and they replaced it with the equivalent current socket. Here is a photo of the 5/8 old socket and the new 9/16 they gave me:
I complained at the time that they were not of equivalent quality, and was told that it was the best they had. Look at the thickness of the old and new and the depth of the 12 point grooves. The larger 5/8 socket is much thinner than the new 9/16, and I'll bet it's stronger. I can slip those old sockets over a nut where there is really small clearance around it.
Lew