SK X-Frame Wrenches - COO & Design Changes

[CGarage]

Rustbelt Mechanic turned me on to these.

I believe they were initially made in USA.

Then COO changed to Taiwan and or China.

Question: Has the design or quality changed at all with the change of country of origin?

I like these X-Frame wrenches.


***December 2024 Update***

Lessons learned:


1) The marketing photos on websites are not actual representations of the product- both the original US version and the current version made in China.

2) The finish is excellent and the box end ratcheting mechanism on all of mine are smooth as silk.

3) These are very nicely made in China.

4) For $49 US for a set of 7, I am happy I bought these.

 

[Fedwrench]

I'm unaware that the COO changed from being made in the USA. Of course, anything is possible with the new Great Star owned SK. I'd like to see a photo of a not made in the USA X Frame if someone has one.

 

[dsaabm]

The ones that are at Lowes in new packaging with foam and lower price are quite suspect.....

https://www.lowes.com/pd/SK-Profess...bination-Wrench-Includes-Soft-Case/5014598871

 

[M6erfan]

The ones I saw on the Lowes website looked awfully lobster-claw-ee to my eye. I can't put my finger on it but they look different than the original SK USA X frame wrenches. Maybe not though.

 

[Firebrick43]

The ones I saw on the Lowes website looked awfully lobster-claw-ee to my eye. I can't put my finger on it but they look different than the original SK USA X frame wrenches. Maybe not though.

The beam cutouts look smaller as well

 

[M6erfan]

The beam cutouts look smaller as well

In the first pic, they look stamped lol

 

[Chrome Vanadium Cody]

Yeah that price is way lower than I've seen and the anti slip open end looks different. The originals had rows of teeth both top and bottom that aren't shown here. I hope I'm wrong and it's just the washed out publicity photo quality but for now I'm suspicious

 

[CGarage]

Who is going to take one for the team and try these Chynese-muthas out?

 

[BrandonV]

Who is going to take one for the team and try these Chynese-muthas out?

They're in stock at a Lowes near me. Maybe I'll snag some pictures tomorrow.

 

[CGarage]

My Lowe’s does not have them.
These do have lifetime warranty.
Not bad if the design was not changed from the USA made version.

 

[Dave455]

I noticed these when they first came out.

I must admit I liked the look of them too. The ratcheting mechanism looked to be quite innovative, and the overall quality looked to be excellent.

Here are the originals.

It looked to me as though the forgings were quite “sharp” - just as you would expect with new tooling, with just the right of rounding applied.

It also looked like they had optimised the finish of the tools ”out of the die” to minimise the amount of (variable) hand work needed. You can see this at the intersection of the flat and raised surfaces, and also where the cutouts are.



Even the smaller sizes looked good.


I’m used to looking at tools, and assuming the ratcheting mechanism, steel, and heat treatment were as good as reported, these just screamed “quality” to me.

I believe that S.K. had the ability to take the “top tier” for ratcheting wrenches away from Taiwan, or at least share it with Snap On.

However, it was not to be. S.K. were obviously woefully underfunded. I’ve been in that environment and it always translates to delays.

On to the “new” pattern.

I’m suspicious for a start. Given how good the original tools looked, you don’t need a new pattern.

Anyway, here they are. To me, these look like a totally different tool. Look how “soft” the edges are. Look at where the flat surfaces join the raised.

I suspect different (cheaper) tooling, probably a different c.o.o, and the raw forgings probably chucked in the rumbler with all the other stuff the same factory is producing.


I might be wrong, I might be reading too much into the original (enhanced?) images, and I would be delighted if these turn out to be as good as the originals, but I’m not convinced.

 

[KnurledNut]

I always felt like Ideal outsourced the original production of these wrenches and the LP90.
If so, GS could be continuing with that manufacturer.

 

[drtyler]

It wouldn't have hurt the Ideal SK or the Great Star SK to engrave an arrow for direction on the box ends.

 

[dnschmidt]

Why anybody gives a rat's *** about SK at this point in time is a mystery to me. If somebody can explain it to me please do. The only lamer brand of tool presently available is Craftsman.

 

[gmt]

You Tuber "Jeff's garage adventures" bought a set that had a mix of USA and china COO. Let's just say he was not impressed.

 

[CGarage]

You Tuber "Jeff's garage adventures" bought a set that had a mix of USA and china COO. Let's just say he was not impressed.

I watched a video like this.
It seems as if his mind was made up ahead of time. There was not a comparison between the tools from what I recall.

I would prefer if they were made in Taiwan.
The design of the original was good.
If the Chinese copied the USA made tool exactingly, hard to pass up for ~ $70 US a set.

 

[CGarage]

Why anybody gives a rat's *** about SK at this point in time is a mystery to me. If somebody can explain it to me please do. The only lamer brand of tool presently available is Craftsman.

That is not what this post is about.
Capital of all kinds flows to where it is treated best.
If SK kept these tools “made in USA” and charged Snap-On prices, they would sell a fraction of the amount possible.

 

[M6erfan]

I noticed these when they first came out.

I must admit I liked the look of them too. The ratcheting mechanism looked to be quite innovative, and the overall quality looked to be excellent.

Here are the originals.

It looked to me as though the forgings were quite “sharp” - just as you would expect with new tooling, with just the right of rounding applied.

It also looked like they had optimised the finish of the tools ”out of the die” to minimise the amount of (variable) hand work needed. You can see this at the intersection of the flat and raised surfaces, and also where the cutouts are.



Even the smaller sizes looked good.


I’m used to looking at tools, and assuming the ratcheting mechanism, steel, and heat treatment were as good as reported, these just screamed “quality” to me.

I believe that S.K. had the ability to take the “top tier” for ratcheting wrenches away from Taiwan, or at least share it with Snap On.

However, it was not to be. S.K. were obviously woefully underfunded. I’ve been in that environment and it always translates to delays.

On to the “new” pattern.

I’m suspicious for a start. Given how good the original tools looked, you don’t need a new pattern.

Anyway, here they are. To me, these look like a totally different tool. Look how “soft” the edges are. Look at where the flat surfaces join the raised.

I suspect different (cheaper) tooling, probably a different c.o.o, and the raw forgings probably chucked in the rumbler with all the other stuff the same factory is producing.


I might be wrong, I might be reading too much into the original (enhanced?) images, and I would be delighted if these turn out to be as good as the originals, but I’m not convinced.

Well, they went from $300/set to $79/set. Something has to give. I highly doubt the new wrenches are on the same lvl as the originals. Would love to be proven wrong.

 

[CGarage]

Well, they went from $300/set to $79/set. Something has to give. I highly doubt the new wrenches are on the same lvl as the originals. Would love to be proven wrong.

I would happily buy them to be the test dummy, but, none in stock here.


From $300/set to $79/set is easily possible with Asian labor.

 

[M6erfan]

I would happily buy them to be the test dummy, but, none in stock here.


From $300/set to $79/set is easily possible with Asian labor.

Nothing like supporting good cheap labor, eh?

(not calling you out, just general sarcasm. It's what I do . . .)

I think we'll find that other liberties are taken in regards to original design and materials.

 

[CGarage]

Nothing like supporting good cheap labor, eh?

(not calling you out, just general sarcasm. It's what I do . . .)

I think we'll find that other liberties are taken in regards to original design and materials.

I pay expensive prices for US labor via Snap-On, and have items on order that I have yet to receive after a year +. Something has to give.

SK should have gone to Taiwan. I will support Taiwan much more readily than China.

However, if an exceptional tool design can be made in China and offered at a great price, it will help put SK back on its feet as a company. Hopefully word will spread and they will be the recipient of a windfall due to a smart management and production decision that will pave the way for a resurrection of the brand.

 

[Hohn]

The ones that are at Lowes in new packaging with foam and lower price are quite suspect.....

https://www.lowes.com/pd/SK-Profess...bination-Wrench-Includes-Soft-Case/5014598871

Still trying to wrap my little brain around the coexistence of "Lowe's" and "SK wrench" in the same sentence.

 

[CGarage]

Still trying to wrap my little brain around the coexistence of "Lowe's" and "SK wrench" in the same sentence.

It shouldn’t be that hard. It is a really smart marketing move.
There are three options for selling to the market, in my opinion:
1) Tool truck (product will always be sold at a premium and SK would have to compete directly with identical offerings)
2) Amazon / Web Online (they are starting to do more of this, which is necessary)
3) Home Depot / Lowes. Lowes is a much nicer and cleaner environment than most Home Dumps. There are nearly as many Lowes stores as Home Depot in the US. Consumers will remember SK of yesteryear and will have a good opinion of the brand. It is only us garageholics who will realize the SK of today is owned by China and not the same company as that of our grandpappy.

This is called economic evolution. Either change and adapt to survive, or die.

 

[Hohn]

SK should have gone to Taiwan. I will support Taiwan much more readily than China.

However, if an exceptional tool design can be made in China and offered at a great price, it will help put SK back on its feet as a company. Hopefully word will spread and they will be the recipient of a windfall due to a smart management and production decision that will pave the way for a resurrection of the brand.

Agree completely. I would have much preferred to see them go to Taiwan, where excellent hand tools have been made for a long time.

I would like to see SK prosper, but it's going to be difficult to bring to market something compelling vs just another Chinese-made wrench. The metallurgy alone will take awhile to sort out and even then it's much harder to get consistent raw materials in China (almost always sourced from within China because of gov't crony rules).

These days, Chinese labor is hardly the super cheap thing it once was. That's why you're seeing more India-made products show up.

 

[Hohn]

The ones that are at Lowes in new packaging with foam and lower price are quite suspect.....

https://www.lowes.com/pd/SK-Profess...bination-Wrench-Includes-Soft-Case/5014598871

The box end looks MASSIVE in terms of space claim relative to the fastener. I can see these not fitting many places where I'd need them to.

Hard pass from me.

 

[CGarage]

The box end looks MASSIVE in terms of space claim relative to the fastener. I can see these not fitting many places where I'd need them to.

Hard pass from me.

Ever thought that it just may be the picture online and not the actual tool?




Time to get the thread back on track.

 

[CGarage]

“Made in USA with global components” as stated on the packaging

 

[BrandonV]

“Made in USA with global components” as stated on the packaging

One potential issue is that video is seven months old. With SK now, the entire set might be manufactured in China. Many items I ordered a few months back, like screwdrivers, SK was blending their old USA stock with new stock from China.

The packaging of the set in the video seems to differ from the one available at Lowe's.

I visited Lowe's right at opening today, and it seems the SK display isn't out yet. Planning to check another Lowe's on my way home.

 

[JradM]

“Made in USA with global components” as stated on the packaging

What?! That's a surprise. I presumed the price drop MUST signal offshore production.

 

[CGarage]

One potential issue is that video is seven months old. With SK now, the entire set might be manufactured in China.

I visited Lowe's right at opening today, and it seems the SK display isn't out yet. Planning to check another Lowe's on my way home.

1. Agree……But that is also the point. It seems the USA made set was made in USA with global components. So my guess is that the ratcheting box end was Chinese components to begin with…..

2. Thanks, and let us know

 

[CGarage]

What?! That's a surprise. I presumed the price drop MUST signal offshore production.

It was offshore production for some of the parts to begin with…..my guess, it was the ratchet mechanism made from global components.

 

[Bubba Fett]

My inclination is that if the new wrenches really are made in USA (even with global components) then there would be stars and stripes all over every picture. The lack of patriotic imagery suggests otherwise.

 

[CGarage]

My inclination is that if the new wrenches really are made in USA (even with global components) then there would be stars and stripes all over every picture. The lack of patriotic imagery suggests otherwise.

Why would you post this?
SK admits they are “Made in China”.

 

[T45]

I would happily buy them to be the test dummy, but, none in stock here.


From $300/set to $79/set is easily possible with Asian labor.

None of this means anything other than you need to buy them and test them yourself.

My personal preference is get a high quality bolt (eg, a 13mm, with known good dimensions) and test the wrench vs bolt fit. Do with with another set at the same time, one you know good quality wereches. A/B test how easily it goes on/off, how much slop, how precise the feel (or lack thereof) and.... then its pretty easy to make a call on the wrench quality.

You can do all this in you living room or on your workbench on a rubber matt, and send them back if they don't work out.

 

[T45]

One thing I will say about the SK is the 6pt end box is going to **** if you have clearance issues. In theory you can use the very small arc to align the 6 points. But that requries pre-rotation of the ratcheting end, and in practice, you typically would need to put your finger on the box end, on top of the fastener, twist it a bit, then drop it on...

That all sounds good on paper, but when you need to do it in the real world...The issue is going to be that alignment process requires like a finger-width (or two) of clearance at absolute minimum. This also means you have to be able to reach all the way to the fastener at the start and at the end (ie to remove it).

There are going to be times when you are working one-handed and have awkqard angles, or space limits, reach, you're gonna be pissed off you need to put your finger on top of that fastener both before you can get the wernch on it as well as after you get it off

Its alot easier with a 12pt box to put box ends on/off fasteners from fruther away with crappier angles.

Again, just my two cents...some take with a grain of salt.

 

[CGarage]

None of this means anything other than you need to buy them and test them yourself.

I think you missed the part about my Lowe’s not carrying them…..

 

[BrandonV]

I think you missed the part about my Lowe’s not carrying them…..

I will take the plunge !

 

[ChevyEFI]

I am willing to strength test an X-frame against Craftsman V-series in-store, live.

. . . . when they actually stock both in a Lowe's near me.

 

[T45]

I think you missed the part about my Lowe’s not carrying them…..

I think you missed the part about them being available online?

here ya go>

 

[BrandonV]

I think you missed the part about them being available online?

here ya go>

I feel like one could be so disappointed by the physical appearance of them not to even risk it .