New Craftsman Flat Full Polish Ratcheting Combination Wrenches?

[billymade]

Call me clueless but I ran accross a Craftsman Flat Full Polish Ratcheting Combination Wrench that I haven't seen before, guess what.... they have "SK" cast on the back of 'em!http://s7.sears.com/is/image/Sears/00942576000?qlt=90,0&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0
Single wrench $22.99
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00942576000P
Anyone seen these before; they do not have the reversable lever just like the Gearwrenches and they are MADE IN USA!
http://s7.sears.com/is/image/Sears/00942450000?qlt=90,0&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00942450000P?vName=Tools
Full set $89.99

I wonder how they stack up to the Gearwrenches; they look like the same design!

[DavidtheDuke]

Kudos to Craftsman for keeping them USA

[Blacknwhitepit]

Call me clueless but I ran accross a Craftsman Flat Full Polish Ratcheting Combination Wrench that I haven't seen before, guess what.... they have "SK" cast on the back of 'em!http://s7.sears.com/is/image/Sears/00942576000?qlt=90,0&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0
Single wrench $22.99

Anyone seen these before; they do not have the reversable lever just like the Gearwrenches and they are made in USA.


Full set $89.99

I wonder how they stack up to the Gearwrenches; they look like the same design!

I can't help but notice the USA is stamped all the way on the right side of the Open end portion of the wrench. I wonder if the ratcheting end should be stamped with "Taiwan" :bounce:

-BWP

[wilbilt]

I can't help but notice the USA is stamped all the way on the right side of the Open end portion of the wrench. I wonder if the ratcheting end should be stamped with "Taiwan" :bounce:

That does look odd. Extremely odd.

I thought S•K ratcheting wrenches were Taiwan?

[PoorOwner]

I wish craftsman would stop messing with us with the raised panel and full polish, just offer 1 version (full polush)..

what difference does it make.. even the cheap, never heard of brand tools have full polish for $20.. it can't be that hard to make. I guess they still need the very low cost raised panel stuff for those 50% off sales.. to attract customers

[wrenchr]

very different but cool!!!

[chappys4life]

someone needs to buy a set and compare them to the gearwrench. I wish they where reversible though.

[Stuey]

I wish craftsman would stop messing with us with the raised panel and full polish, just offer 1 version (full polush)..

what difference does it make.. even the cheap, never heard of brand tools have full polish for $20.. it can't be that hard to make. I guess they still need the very low cost raised panel stuff for those 50% off sales.. to attract customers
That's a terrible idea. There's something to be said about getting quality wrenches for less than a small fortune. Not everyone wants to pay the premium for full polish. Besides, there's no way anyone would pound on a full polish wrench when a raised panel is available. The greater thickness of the cheapos receive hammer/mallet blows well.

[eschoendorff]

someone needs to buy a set and compare them to the gearwrench. I wish they where reversible though.

That would be nice to see. Even the size indications are in the same font as the GW...

[eschoendorff]

That's a terrible idea. There's something to be said about getting quality wrenches for less than a small fortune. Not everyone wants to pay the premium for full polish. Besides, there's no way anyone would pound on a full polish wrench when a raised panel is available. The greater thickness of the cheapos receive hammer/mallet blows well.

:wtf: That's assuming that the raised panel wrenches are quality... I personally reach for my Taiwan/China GearWrenches before my Craftsman raised-panel wrenches...

[reversegear]

That does look odd. Extremely odd.

I thought S•K ratcheting wrenches were Taiwan?

SK ratcheting wrenches have always been made in Taiwan, but it's possible they started producing them in USA now. What I find less likely is that SK has somehow gotten a piece of the Craftsman ratchet wrench business away from Danaher.

Billymade, is the SK stamping on the back in the middle of the shank, or at an end? Is it 'SK' or 'S • K'? I'm inclined to think that it's a Danaher date code of some kind.

[MarkH]

The Craftsman Danahers I have a number, space GK space and then another character. These are the flat reversing and flex heads. I would agree more that with a new style we may have a SK as part of the code.

[billymade]

I did a "quick" look when I was at work but I think it was towards the middle/little to the right towards the box end with a "SK" script no dot; I will have to look again to be sure.

[Stanger]

That's assuming that the raised panel wrenches are quality... I personally reach for my Taiwan/China GearWrenches before my Craftsman raised-panel wrenches...
Same. I haven't used a raised panel since i got my GearWrenches and those are the only two sets of wrenches I have.

[vssjim]

I have a couple sets of these and they are US products but they are thicker on the sides than gearwrench wrench so they don't hurt may hand like the GR brands do, They sell both types 15 degree bent that are reversable and they straight wrenches that are single dirrection.

[Fedwrench]

I think the Armstrong branch of the Danaher tree makes these. I like them. I prefer them over the regular Gearwrench because they're a little longer and thicker. They have good balance and feel. I got mine on sale I think over a year ago. Here's a picture comparing a regular 1/2 Gearwrench with the Craftsman 1/2 version. The Craftsman version is the bottom wrench.:beer:

[billymade]

So, they really are longer? I would prefer that for leverage! I'll have to look at them closer, the next time I am at work....

[MAD]

Billymade, is the SK stamping on the back in the middle of the shank, or at an end? Is it 'SK' or 'S • K'? I'm inclined to think that it's a Danaher date code of some kind.


I have to agree that it is some kind of Danaher production code. The Craftsman tools that have been supplied by SK have never had SK stamped on them. The only time I seen that is when Sears uses the SK tool for their photo art and forgets to airbrush out the SK. I assume this is done because the Craftsman branded product is not available in time for the catalog deadline.

Example:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00943397000P?vName=Tools&cName=Mechanics+Tools&sName=Ratchets

[billymade]

UPDATE: At work I looked at the wrenches again and pulled the sticker off of one of them. These letters were on the back: "GK-G", I don't know if they are all that way but the one that I took the UPC code sticker off of did. I don't know if that means anything to anyone but I thought I would let you guys know...

[just_me]

So I think its a code. Mine are about a year old. They have apparently progressed from G to S.

They are very nice, nonetheless.

Grant

SK ratcheting wrenches have always been made in Taiwan, but it's possible they started producing them in USA now. What I find less likely is that SK has somehow gotten a piece of the Craftsman ratchet wrench business away from Danaher.

Billymade, is the SK stamping on the back in the middle of the shank, or at an end? Is it 'SK' or 'S • K'? I'm inclined to think that it's a Danaher date code of some kind.

[lauver]

Guys,

I hate to cloud the issue, but if you go to the sears link for the 8-piece set and zoom in on the wrenches, you can actually see stamped codes on 6 of the wrenches. Most have a E- stamp and a few have a D- stamp.

Billymade -- Do your wrenches have these stamped codes in addition to the GK-G? BTW, the GK-G series code is almost certainly Danaher.

[billymade]

The wrench I looked at today (I only looked at a single wrench in the "open stock" area displayed on hooks) only had the GK-G code on it; it was on the "back" side of the wrench while the other side had the "craftsman" logo on it.

[Ducroix]

Same. I haven't used a raised panel since i got my GearWrenches and those are the only two sets of wrenches I have.

I don't mind the raised panels, I always wear gloves when I am work so I dont notice the difference between the raised and full polish, although I imagine that the full polished wrenches are better quality.

[DavidtheDuke]

I noticed something good about the Craftsmans: I believe they're just the same as Matcos, where the box end is much thinner compared to gearwrenches.

[lauver]

SK ratcheting wrenches have always been made in Taiwan, but it's possible they started producing them in USA now. What I find less likely is that SK has somehow gotten a piece of the Craftsman ratchet wrench business away from Danaher.

Billymade, is the SK stamping on the back in the middle of the shank, or at an end? Is it 'SK' or 'S • K'? I'm inclined to think that it's a Danaher date code of some kind.

Guys,

GearWrench brands their wrenches for other companies, not just Sears. Now wouldn't it be a strange twist if Gearwrench made wrenches for SK that are rebadged as Craftsman?

[PoorOwner]

Guys,

GearWrench brands their wrenches for other companies, not just Sears. Now wouldn't it be a strange twist if Gearwrench made wrenches for SK that are rebadged as Craftsman?

This is not the case because I have gearwrench reversible and craftsman reversible side by side and they are not the same at all, the offset is also different.

Gearwrench is made in taiwan and Craftsman in USA

[Fedwrench]

Guys,

I hate to cloud the issue, but if you go to the sears link for the 8-piece set and zoom in on the wrenches, you can actually see stamped codes on 6 of the wrenches. Most have a E- stamp and a few have a D- stamp.

Billymade -- Do your wrenches have these stamped codes in addition to the GK-G? BTW, the GK-G series code is almost certainly Danaher.

My set has the part number, then GK, then F stamped on it in the center of the wrench on the back side. For example the 1/2 wrench "42563-GK-F-"

[le6920]

Will have to pick up a set to check them out.

[sjotis]

These are made by Danaher in Dallas, TX

[lauver]

My set has the part number, then GK, then F stamped on it in the center of the wrench on the back side. For example the 1/2 wrench "42563-GK-F-"

Fedwrench,

Thanks for the post, I hadn't seen the GK-F code before. I'll add it to the list on the "Craftsman: series time frame" thread. If memory serves, GK and GK-G are both Danaher series codes; I'm guess GK-F is yet another Danaher code. I don't know what the last alpha digit (-F, -G) signifies; could be a facility or production run code.

Do you remember what year you purchased your GK-F wrench set?

[lauver]

This is not the case because I have gearwrench reversible and craftsman reversible side by side and they are not the same at all, the offset is also different.

Gearwrench is made in taiwan and Craftsman in USA

PoorOwner,

Thanks for the heads up, that's the kind of detail that helps sort the tool manufacturer out.