SK Tools

[chargerjoe66]

I did a few different searches on SK tools and found nothing so guide me to a thread if there is already one on here. Anyway, I was looking at all the sockets that my dad has and he seems to have a lot of 'SK Wayne' sockets. These sockets have been used and abused like none other and they are still working. However I now want to add to the new tool cart starting with all new sockets and dad has me thinking about SK. So the question is, do you guys like the new SK sockets or not? They look very nice but let me know what you think. Thanks.

 

[domain]

SK tools was stagnant until recently. Ideal industries purchased the brand and are now turning out tools again. Another thread shows a brand new SK set and quality looks like it has not changed. Back then and now they seem to be great quality tools.

 

[omr]

i love all my sk tools , i think they are just as good as my snap on tools..

my favorite ratchet is an sk swivel ratchet ..

yahoo image

http://worthopedia.s3.amazonaws.com...709/18/1_5325ce58569b26ba2668a1cd9f995727.jpg

 

[dwm]

The new stuff looks like the old to me, but I haven't seen it in person yet. I think it's easily worth buying a set and deciding for yourself. I'd be stunned if it's not very good quality; there's no business sense in Ideal buying SK and opening a new plant in the U.S. if they're not going to churn out at least equal quality to the pre-Ideal SK.

There's also still quite a bit of new old stock floating around, and some of it can be had for very reasonable prices. Sockets, I'm not sure since I haven't looked, but I've seen new old stock combination wrench sets in the recent past (last week).

 

[Fedwrench]

No one really knows yet. There is at least a thread or two speculating that the new shipments recently sent out may actually be old stock. Time will tell. I like my SK sockets and ratchets. I'm not a fan of their superchrome combination wrenches though. They're too wide in the the hips by the boxed end but, that's just me. I would give it a couple of months more to see what shakes out.

 

[dieseldodge01]

I went to my local SK distributor last week to buy a 45179 long 3/8 ratchet. They said that they just received a new shipment that week. It seems to be the same quality as my regular SK ratchet. The knurling seems deeper than my 45170.

 

[Toolhorder]

Are they still warrantied for life? I have a 1/4 drive rat that's cracked from the side of the head to the handle. *****..

 

[Toolhorder]

No one really knows yet. There is at least a thread or two speculating that the new shipments recently sent out may actually be old stock. Time will tell. I like my SK sockets and ratchets. I'm not a fan of their superchrome combination wrenches though. They're too wide in the the hips by the boxed end but, that's just me. I would give it a couple of months more to see what shakes out.

I just added them to my Facebook and they have pictures of them making tools in April so that's promising.

 

[sk farmer]

No one really knows yet. There is at least a thread or two speculating that the new shipments recently sent out may actually be old stock. Time will tell. I like my SK sockets and ratchets. I'm not a fan of their superchrome combination wrenches though. They're too wide in the the hips by the boxed end but, that's just me. I would give it a couple of months more to see what shakes out.

if you are referring to my comments, i don't beleive sk is shipping out sets of nos tools.i think sets definately may have a mix of new and old stock but i doubt that any of them 100% old stock if it is coming directly from sk. from some other source it may be possible. as far as waiting for a few months to shake out, i suggest people put their money were their mouth is and give ideal the word that people are happy witth their decision. buy some sk stuff, buy it soon and get some cash flowing to a us tool maker.

 

[Elroy]

buy some sk stuff, buy it soon and get some cash flowing to a us tool maker.

Good advise

A company like Ideal who stepped up to the plate, making substantial investments in producing tools with a rich heritage deserves some support

 

[kc-steve]

. . . I like my SK sockets and ratchets. I'm not a fan of their superchrome combination wrenches though. They're too wide in the the hips by the boxed end but, that's just me. I would give it a couple of months more to see what shakes out.

Hi Fed; I'm just curious, what are you comparing the wrenches to that are "wide in the hips." They seem okay to me, but then again am only comparing them to Craftsman. The Craftsman are much wider.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Joelfke]

As soon as my local SK dealer gets in some 3/8 deep impact swivels im all over that and ill be sure to post em

 

[littletoes]

My co-worker just bought a set of 1/2" drive SAE deep sockets, and a couple of them don't fit the nuts they are marked at.

All shiny and new......of course, they will stay that way if they NEVER get used. Kinda ruined his belief in S-K stuff.....

 

[kc-steve]

. . I like my SK sockets and ratchets. I'm not a fan of their superchrome combination wrenches though. They're too wide in the the hips by the boxed end but, that's just me. I would give it a couple of months more to see what shakes out.

You got my curiosity up so I checked two 5/8" S-K box-ends against a 5/8" Proto box-end of combo wrenches and found that the S-K full-polish is actually better than the Proto and the S-K raised panel. I didn't even bother to show the Craftsman.

Although the photo isn't really good for comparison, I measured them using a caliper. The center full-polish S-K is a fraction of a millimeter smaller. So I am still wondering what you were comparing them to.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Joelfke]

My co-worker just bought a set of 1/2" drive SAE deep sockets, and a couple of them don't fit the nuts they are marked at.

All shiny and new......of course, they will stay that way if they NEVER get used. Kinda ruined his belief in S-K stuff.....

he should warranty em...maybe they were first batch? or got past QC? idk

 

[muddyjoe15]

I love my sk ratchets and wrenches! I dont think Ide is going to do sk wrong, like stanley with mac!

 

[justanengineer]

The newer SK stuff is nice, but I didnt know until recently that they had stopped production for awhile. One of the local stores before I moved always had a large stock of them.

Personally I think you will be disappointed slightly though if you compare them to the older SK Wayne.

 

[SMKS]

"SK" is too short for the search function to work very well.

Here's a better way.

In google, copy and paste this:

site:garagejournal.com sk

That will search for "SK" within the GJ website. You can replace "SK" with any terms you want to search for. It's pretty handy for searching forums that have useless search functions.

 

[Fedwrench]

Hi Fed; I'm just curious, what are you comparing the wrenches to that are "wide in the hips." They seem okay to me, but then again am only comparing them to Craftsman. The Craftsman are much wider.

Thanks,
Steve

You got my curiosity up so I checked two 5/8" S-K box-ends against a 5/8" Proto box-end of combo wrenches and found that the S-K full-polish is actually better than the Proto and the S-K raised panel. I didn't even bother to show the Craftsman.

Thanks,
Steve

I'm talking about two issues for me. First. if you if you place the wrenches on their side, you'll see that the beam on the SK wrench is flush with the bottom edge of the boxed end whereas, on other wrenches the beam is centered and bent or angled. Here is a Craftsman pro and an SK long 17mm wrench for comparison. Secondly, it's really only an isssue on wrenches say 18mm and larger but, the SKs have a different feel and balance than other wrenches. I don't care for the added heft. They're still good wrenches. It's just that I don't care for the added heft and their balance but again, it's just my personal preference. If you guys like them, by all means buy them. I have numerous SK tools but, I've thinned out most of their combination wrenches in preference to other brands.
On a side note, I have said this before but, if you want your favorite brand to succeed, you have to buy the tools from the retail market. New tools purchase at an SK dealer is what helps keep the plants open. Gararge sales, ebay, and flea markets may get you a sweet deal but, it doesn't help the brand's bottom line. Unfortunately, unless SK comes out with something new or brings back the semi deep sockets, I'm set for life where tools are concerned. I will look at buying their products for the community chest at work though.