Lowes and SK, no more...

[bobg03]

I read an article this morning that Lowes and SK have parted ways, I think that is one of their shortest runs ever.

I searched the 3 local stores here on the coast and each one returned zero results for products.

I like my older SK tools and will never part with them, but it's sad to see a once great American Named Icon fall from grace, again.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I never realized they had a partnership to sell SK. Cman not enough for Lowes or make SK the Lowes house brand and drop "kobalt" ?

 

[dclark2171]

The problem is that once you go overseas and offer the same tools as everyone else, you get buried in the mix. If a company like Wright Tool does the same, you will get the same result. A BIG name like Craftsman or a brand that is a major player for the big box stores (Husky, Kobalt, etc) can still sell tons of tools.

 

[rust in the eye]

Stocking even import SK would, I think, relegate Craftsman to second tier status, where it belongs these days.

SK could probably kiss their industrial customers (which I suspect provide a much greater profit margin than retail) goodbye if their product becomes widely available at big box stores. Lowes, like all the big box retailers will beat their vendors into submission, perhaps SK wised up.

The Craftsman brand has pretty much become discount store junk and milked for all its worth thanks to decisions made by bean counters that don't know one end of a screwdriver from another. This presents Lowes, HD, Menards, etc. a golden opportunity to put their name on a good quality, US made line of private label tools. Instead they grasp at fallen/ing reputations of others or persist in offering Chinesium made by the lowest bidder this time around.

I'm not sure how Lowe's' Kobalt brand is regarded these days but weren't they all US made and pretty decent at some point?

 

[Bubba Fett]

Average Lowe's shoppers were never familiar with SK in the first place. The ones that are familiar with them don't give a **** about overpriced Duralast tools in green.

 

[KnurledNut]

This was pretty obvious back in Dec 2023 when they clearanced out the handful of in-store offerings.
I started a thread about it:
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/sk-already-being-clearanced-at-lowes.526363/

 

[Davefr]

Stocking even import SK would, I think, relegate Craftsman to second tier status, where it belongs these days.

I disagree. The average consumer still has a pretty high regard/trust for the CM brand name. However SK is a now a nobody except for some of us "old goats" here on GJ. IMHO SK can't displace anyone since it's been so long since they were relevant.

 

[KSJeff]

That's too bad. I grabbed the Xbeam metric wrench set when it was on sale for $49. Should have got the SAE. They are a little chunky but they haven't given me any issues.

 

[m6z]

Outside of GJ I've never heard anyone talk about SK, other than perhaps a garage sale find. SK may have made good tools but they haven't been relevant since the 1970's.

 

[rust in the eye]

I disagree. The average consumer still has a pretty high regard/trust for the CM brand name. However SK is a now a nobody except for some us us "old goats" here on GJ. IMHO SK can't displace anyone since it's been so long since they were relevant.

You are probably right. Who are you calling an "old goat"? I prefer curmudgeon.

 

[Hakeem]

Average Lowe's shoppers were never familiar with SK in the first place. The ones that are familiar with them don't a **** about overpriced Duralast tools in green.

Basically.

I hate to say it, but if they really wanted this to take off then they needed to get their products into the hands of “influencers” and other people on social media. Think of what Flex power tools or Icon did … they sent tons of free product to the biggest tool reviewers and YouTube channels to get their name out and to get people talking about them.

if it was me, id get Eric the Car Guy, South Main Auto, AdamLZ—any car guy with 100,000+ followers—outfitted w SK stuff. Get green SK logos in every camera shot. You’d get millions of people watching their favorite mechanics using SK stuff everyday, unaware that they are essentially watching an advertisement.

Instead, they didn’t seem to market the rollout of SK tools at Lowe’s at all. Not that I saw at least .. there was significantly more hullabaloo over the return of Klein to Lowe’s. What a shameful end to a once-proud company.

 

[finn]

Much ado about nothing.

The SK tools seemed to be in a Holiday only cardboard display that took up perhaps two square feet of floor space, and none of the items were restocked as the tools in the cardboard were sold to consumers.

The tools themselves were in the seasonal area near the front door, and were slow movers. After Christmas, the portable / temporary cardboard display was relocated to the aisle passing through the tool department. There was never a permanent home on the regular permanent shelves.

From what I saw, the SK inventory was a one shot deal, although, I suppose, if the tools were flying off the shelves, the relationship could have been extended. Who knows, maybe they will be back for another holiday season. They certainly weren’t a regular stock item.

I bought an SAE set, but the last metric set was mysteriously missing the 10mm when I went back for it. Must have taken a concerted effort for a determined thief to get that 10 mm out of the relatively stout packaging.

This was in the Marana, Az Lowes store.

 

[Andres26tnt]

Basically.

I hate to say it, but if they really wanted this to take off then they needed to get their products into the hands of “influencers” and other people on social media. Think of what Flex power tools or Icon did … they sent tons of free product to the biggest tool reviewers and YouTube channels to get their name out and to get people talking about them.

if it was me, id get Eric the Car Guy, South Main Auto, AdamLZ—any car guy with 100,000+ followers—outfitted w SK stuff. Get green SK logos in every camera shot. You’d get millions of people watching their favorite mechanics using SK stuff everyday, unaware that they are essentially watching an advertisement.

Instead, they didn’t seem to market the rollout of SK tools at Lowe’s at all. Not that I saw at least .. there was significantly more hullabaloo over the return of Klein to Lowe’s. What a shameful end to a once-proud company.

SK actually did that, they gave adamlz the full hand tool catalog/ box. Didn't work out as those influencer don't actually wrench on cars, nor do they have a tool centric channel. Not saying they don't wrench on cars in general, they have another type of content where the tools are an afterthought. Nothing against Adam but i don't look At his channel for tools.

 

[Jtels85]

Basically.

I hate to say it, but if they really wanted this to take off then they needed to get their products into the hands of “influencers” and other people on social media. Think of what Flex power tools or Icon did … they sent tons of free product to the biggest tool reviewers and YouTube channels to get their name out and to get people talking about them.

if it was me, id get Eric the Car Guy, South Main Auto, AdamLZ—any car guy with 100,000+ followers—outfitted w SK stuff. Get green SK logos in every camera shot. You’d get millions of people watching their favorite mechanics using SK stuff everyday, unaware that they are essentially watching an advertisement.

Instead, they didn’t seem to market the rollout of SK tools at Lowe’s at all. Not that I saw at least .. there was significantly more hullabaloo over the return of Klein to Lowe’s. What a shameful end to a once-proud company.

I remember this tactic working several years ago with Teng Tools. Edd China had a full box on Wheeler Dealers and even in some of his YouTube episodes from what I recall. Teng became a hot topic for a brief moment before fading into the background.

 

[finn]

I remember this tactic working several years ago with Teng Tools. Edd China had a full box on Wheeler Dealers and even in some of his YouTube episodes from what I recall. Teng became a hot topic for a brief moment before fading into the background.

Junkyard Digs was another.

The mention of Teng tools faded away after the paid promotion funding stopped.

Personally the effect “influencers, aka paid shills” have on the market seems overblown to me. Look at HF and the Tool Bear. After I gave him a few thumbs down for being an idiot, YouTube no longer slots his videos on my home page, and I don’t miss him at all.

 

[Jtels85]

Junkyard Digs was another.

The mention of Teng tools faded away after the paid promotion funding stopped.

Personally the effect “influencers, aka paid shills” have on the market seems overblown to me. Look at HF and the Tool Bear. After I gave him a few thumbs down for being an idiot, YouTube no longer slots his videos on my home page, and I don’t miss him at all.

A few thumbs down is how to stop his videos from showing up in my feed? That guy is terrible.

Thanks!!

 

[dchawk81]

Basically.

I hate to say it, but if they really wanted this to take off then they needed to get their products into the hands of “influencers” and other people on social media. Think of what Flex power tools or Icon did … they sent tons of free product to the biggest tool reviewers and YouTube channels to get their name out and to get people talking about them.

if it was me, id get Eric the Car Guy, South Main Auto, AdamLZ—any car guy with 100,000+ followers—outfitted w SK stuff. Get green SK logos in every camera shot. You’d get millions of people watching their favorite mechanics using SK stuff everyday, unaware that they are essentially watching an advertisement.

Instead, they didn’t seem to market the rollout of SK tools at Lowe’s at all. Not that I saw at least .. there was significantly more hullabaloo over the return of Klein to Lowe’s. What a shameful end to a once-proud company.

Eric O suddenly being fully kitted out with SK would be so obvious of a shill.

Astro is already bad enough.

 

[Fedwrench]

Eric O suddenly being fully kitted out with SK would be so obvious of a shill.

Astro is already bad enough.

I don't know. I like seeing Eric O beat the snot out of Astro tools. To me, it illustrates real world field testing and means the tools will do just fine for me in Phoenix
I also like seeing the Toptul tools that have some age on them thrown into the fray.

I think Koon trucking probably had the worst You Tube infomercials on the post Ideal SK. I also think SK has an identity crisis. On Amazon, SK looks like largely rebadged Chinese made Duratech tools substituting green for the color blue.
In You Tube informercials or trade show coverage, SK clings to being the old made in the USA brand offering quality made tools for professional mechanics just not emphasizing where the tools are made.

I'm also confused as to the number of people that thought Lowes was going to sell SK fulltime I mean they only had a holiday end cap selling a few SK items. To me, that's a pretty long stretch to sell the SK line all of the time. SK & Craftsman are not what they used to be. Sometimes you just need to let go.

 

[Astro_Pneumatic_Tools]

I don't know. I like seeing Eric O beat the snot out of Astro tools. To me, it illustrates real world field testing and means the tools will do just fine for me in Phoenix
I also like seeing the Toptul tools that have some age on them thrown into the fray.

We've never paid or even asked Eric to show or use our tools on camera, most of which he's purchased mixed in with of course prototypes and early production samples we send to him to break just like we send to a list of our field testers.
Eric's not sponsored by anyone

 

[Hakeem]

SK actually did that, they gave adamlz the full hand tool catalog/ box. Didn't work out as those influencer don't actually wrench on cars, nor do they have a tool centric channel. Not saying they don't wrench on cars in general, they have another type of content where the tools are an afterthought. Nothing against Adam but i don't look At his channel for tools.

Holy **** you’re not kidding:

(from three years ago)

Junkyard Digs was another.

The mention of Teng tools faded away after the paid promotion funding stopped.

Personally the effect “influencers, aka paid shills” have on the market seems overblown to me. Look at HF and the Tool Bear. After I gave him a few thumbs down for being an idiot, YouTube no longer slots his videos on my home page, and I don’t miss him at all.

The paid promotions are just to raise brand awareness, the company still has to deliver a product people want to buy.

That video above has 475,000 views. That’s a whole lot of people exposed to a brand that they otherwise wouldn’t have heard of. Obviously it was too little, too late, but I’m honestly impressed at their attempt.

 

[rust in the eye]

One of the ~ popular tool reviewers used to be next door to my friend's auto repair shop. Nice guys but really didn't know how to evaluate mechanic's tools.
The delivery trucks were constantly at their door with freebies though and they did their best to evaluate stuff they often knew little about. Once in a while they'd ask for opinons from the neighboring shops' mechanics but these were never shared with their audience.
Nice gig if you can get it.

 

[Wamsutta]

You will never see American made tools at Lowe's for very long. Maybe 2 weeks.

 

[oldschoolcraft]

SK hasn't been SK in a few years since they sold to a hedge fund and outsourced all of their tools to China. In other news I don't give a **** about, the town drunk broke up with my ex high school girlfriend who is now fat.

 

[Andres26tnt]

Holy **** you’re not kidding:

(from three years ago)


The paid promotions are just to raise brand awareness, the company still has to deliver a product people want to buy.

That video above has 475,000 views. That’s a whole lot of people exposed to a brand that they otherwise wouldn’t have heard of. Obviously it was too little, too late, but I’m honestly impressed at their attempt.

Yep alot of exposure but for one video, after is basically back to norm using sonic and whatever his mechanics use. Like I said Adam lz viewers aren't looking for tool advise. Heck most actually advise him on tools .

 

[Hakeem]

Yep alot of exposure but for one video, after is basically back to norm using sonic and whatever his mechanics use. Like I said Adam lz viewers aren't looking for tool advise. Heck most actually advise him on tools .

I watched him a lot when he was primarily a bmx channel, it’s wild to see him get so big with the automotive stuff.

 

[Bubba Fett]

When Ideal owned SK, a good number of their pliers were made by Western Forge, and screwdrivers made by Pratt-Read. Those two companies were the biggest suppliers for Sears' Craftsman hand tool line. Towards the end of both brands, SK was more Craftsman than Craftsman was. Honestly, had Ideal forked over the money for the Craftsman name, they could have rebranded SK tools as Craftsman, and would probably been pretty successful. But Ideal never really marketed their tools to the public, since they were aimed more towards industrial clientele. Even people pretty knowledgeable about tools were unfamiliar with SK, Western Forge, and Pratt-Read despite likely owning many tools made by the latter two companies.

It would have been nice if Ideal got Craftsman, but those ships have sailed, and the SK one is listing pretty bad, if it hasn't sunk already.

 

[ohhimark]

I kept waiting for any local Lowes to get the ratcheting wrenches in stock but they never did

 

[Tiny Jackson]

Outside of GJ I've never heard anyone talk about SK, other than perhaps a garage sale find. SK may have made good tools but they haven't been relevant since the 1970's.

I disagree. SK was the house brand of Ace Hardware, Many independent auto parts stores and specialty tool stores throughout the 80's and 90's.

 

[Fixr]

Stocking even import SK would, I think, relegate Craftsman to second tier status, where it belongs these days.

SK could probably kiss their industrial customers (which I suspect provide a much greater profit margin than retail) goodbye if their product becomes widely available at big box stores. Lowes, like all the big box retailers will beat their vendors into submission, perhaps SK wised up.

The Craftsman brand has pretty much become discount store junk and milked for all its worth thanks to decisions made by bean counters that don't know one end of a screwdriver from another. This presents Lowes, HD, Menards, etc. a golden opportunity to put their name on a good quality, US made line of private label tools. Instead they grasp at fallen/ing reputations of others or persist in offering Chinesium made by the lowest bidder this time around.

I'm not sure how Lowe's' Kobalt brand is regarded these days but weren't they all US made and pretty decent at some point?

Kobalt at Lowe's and Husky at HD were both trumpeted as being Made in USA for the introduction and maybe a couple of years, and then they quietly started shifting to imported. They were pretty good tools while it lasted. I was able to outfit a bunch of field techs where I worked with pretty nice tool sets.

 

[Skellyii]

SK tools at Lowes???

If I didn't hang out on GJ, I would have never known.

I regularly got to various Lowes in my area and NEVER saw them. Piss poor marketing.

 

[oldschoolcraft]

I used to see SK at one of the local auto parts store chains, might have been Autozone.

 

[zendriver]

Maybe it was like the Cman - SBD debacle.

It seemed like a good idea, but it really wasn't.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I disagree. SK was the house brand of Ace Hardware, Many independent auto parts stores and specialty tool stores throughout the 80's and 90's.

Small town hardware stores included as well. Same with the Easco brand.

I think some Tool brands underestimate the value of YouTube channels, or pick the wrong ones.

They have to find channels where the user actually uses the tools and can get the correct placement.

I suggested to Hobart to get Dirt Perfect a welder and advised them the type of stuff he did in his shop along with fabrication and repair to his equipment. Get the welder in place then throw in the plasma cutter. They mention the ol' Hobart welder in many episodes and show it quite often in the shop.

$2500 investment for Hobart, I'm sure with write offs for I'd guess over a million views various episodes.

 

[bobg03]

Small town hardware stores included as well. Same with the Easco brand.

Before the internet is was "wish books" and what was available locally..

SK was in all the local hardware stores and the auto parts stores that sold Hi-Performance parts. There was no AutoZone, Pep-Boys, Advance or O'reilys just Mom and Pop hardware and auto stores and of course Sears.

I feel fortunate to still have some SK Ratchets and Sockets from the 70's and they work just fine. There's no products they make or sell today that I have any need for or feel the need to own.

I was just surprised to see the article that their relationship with Lowes was over. Seems to be the big box of preference that tools go to die at, could Klein be next?

 

[zendriver]

I feel fortunate to still have some SK Ratchets and Sockets from the 70's and they work just fine. There's no products they make or sell today that I have any need for or feel the need to own.

This pretty much says it all.

Tool buyers of today, might not be hung up on the brand names from 50 years ago, especially since there are now seemingly endless other choices.

 

[reader2580]

It would have been nice if Ideal got Craftsman, but those ships have sailed, and the SK one is listing pretty bad, if it hasn't sunk already.

Would Ideal have been able to come up with $525 million for the initial payment along with another $250 million after three years?

 

[Bubba Fett]

Would Ideal have been able to come up with $525 million for the initial payment along with another $250 million after three years?

Extremely unlikely.