Looking for a good SAE brand

[Wamsutta]

TOPTUL calls their finish "Water Satin."

 

[popparoach]

i meant it jokingly.calm your ****.

 

[gdocktor3]

So, what decent brands offer satin or non-chrome tools?

Also, searching for K-D took me to the GearWrench site that also had a big link up top to Armstrong tools.... are those all made by the same company??

Just about every company offers satin finish. KD, Gearwrench and Armstrong are all owned by the Apex tool company. Along with many others. Allen, Crescent, Wiss, Xcelite, and many more. http://www.apextoolgroup.com/brands-faceting
Also, most of Matco's tools are made by Armstrong. Perhaps you should take a look at the tool truck equivalents page. You'll be surprised what you see. Possibly life changing. http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=249851

 

[Oberst Hajj]

Also, most of Matco's tools are made by Armstrong. Perhaps you should take a look at the tool truck equivalents page. You'll be surprised what you see. Possibly life changing. http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=249851

Thanks for that. I have looked at the tool truck equivalent thread... but it's been some time ago. That is actually what made me try the Armstrong and BAHCO ratchets.

 

[T45]

If you are european, or prefer euro style matte chrome, take a look at ebay.de. good deals on old SAE tools over there as they are mostly obsolete in local market. the people paying over the odds for hazet stahlwille etc in the USA all buying them for working on porsche/vw/bmw audi etc...so they are not competing for SAE stuff.

Also, there is alot of mil-spec Proto out there, which has matte as available finish. Here's one example for about 1/2 price of a truck brand, and not much more tha more basic usa brands.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Proto-10-Pc...tion-Wrench-Set-7-16-1-USA-MADE-/262577654101

 

[pdq67]

I am guilty of driving up to the great big, "Flea Market", at Rutledge, MO to buy used hand tools!

Here....

About Us - Rutledge Flea Market
http://www.rutledge-fleamarket.com/about-us.html
The flea market is held on the second weekend of each month from March through October, and the first weekend of the month in November. It is closed from ...

I mention this place because you can find almost anything that has ever been made and sold at one time or the other!

It is a hoot just walking around looking at all the stuff.

Sure, it is about a 135 mile drive to it from Columbia, BUT up through some of the prettiest country in MO... Take Hwy 15 north to get to it up a bit northeast of Edina.....

pdq67

 

[leg17]

But each tool will be at least a dollar; that adds up fast. There's got to be something cheaper than that.

???????

 

[Oberst Hajj]

I just ordered an Armstrong, SK and GearWrench (for comparison) all in 3/4" to see how I like the feel of them. I'll pickup one or two of the other ones a little later to compare as well. I figured I should find one that is comfortable before going off and buying a set.

 

[toyodajeff]

So, what decent brands offer satin or non-chrome tools?

Also, searching for K-D took me to the GearWrench site that also had a big link up top to Armstrong tools.... are those all made by the same company??

Wright, toptul and craftsman all have satin finish wrenches available. I've saw black non chrome wrenches from proto, craftsman, and Armstrong.

 

[gdocktor3]

I just ordered an Armstrong, SK and GearWrench (for comparison) all in 3/4" to see how I like the feel of them. I'll pickup one or two of the other ones a little later to compare as well. I figured I should find one that is comfortable before going off and buying a set.

It will be the Armstrong's, but why wouldn't you order 3 close, but different sizes? Now you will have four 3/4" wrenches when you decide on the set you want. If you bought a 7/16", 1/2" and 9/16" you could still tell which feels better in the hand, plus you'd have two wrenches in those three sizes. Good for "holding back" and stuff like that.

 

[Coach James]

Price range youre looking at is Asian stuff. Especially wrenches over 1''. Tekton is good for the price as others have mentioned. The larger wrenches you are looking at hf or northern jumbo sets. This set is re branded by a bunch of manufacturers and is decent. Should be around $100.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-Pc-Jumbo-Black-Oxide-Raised-Panels-Wrench-Set-SAE-Standard-Extra-Large-Tools/391217905526?_trksid=p2352135.c100338.m3726&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20150313114020%26meid%3D75c343ce450642848111c774fbeff7df%26pid%3D100338%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D131836150197

The rest of the stuff look at tekton I am pretty happy with it for the price. Thats pretty much your options in that price range. HF sockets and ratchets are actually decent as well. I dont care for their wrenches, though I do have a set of the jumbo ones I use sometimes.

Those look nice wrenches, but the brand "Generic", I've never heard of it before. Anyone know anything about that brand?

Coach

 

[Oberst Hajj]

It will be the Armstrong's, but why wouldn't you order 3 close, but different sizes? Now you will have four 3/4" wrenches when you decide on the set you want. If you bought a 7/16", 1/2" and 9/16" you could still tell which feels better in the hand, plus you'd have two wrenches in those three sizes. Good for "holding back" and stuff like that.

Just wanted to do an apples to apples. I routinely need two 3/4" wrenches when working on the Jeep, so I'll really only have one extra one... well, besides the cheapo ones I already have.

 

[OutsideMachinist]

Those look nice wrenches, but the brand "Generic", I've never heard of it before. Anyone know anything about that brand?

Coach

They are sold under a few different company names coach. Grip and Neiko are two that I know of. You get what you pay for. They work just fine i beat the snot out of them. They arent nearly as nice as my USA wrenches those sizes. A USA wrench those sizes will be 100 bucks a piece however, instead of 100 for a set.

Ironton as well I believe. Theyre the same set Northern used to sell. They may still have them at Northern Tool.

 

[Gmonkee]

I got by on generic Asain for years. Currently using generic Indian and Taiwan with no problems.
It really doesn't matter if they get me paid when using the road kit.

That said I have German bling at home and some high end Asain but resold all the usa stuff just because it was easy profit compared to whatever else, i had to weed out something to get back to reasonable quantity.

Among the odds and ends sold was a long pattern Hazet combo I really like. If the market here carried them I'd go with all Hazet. The road kit would remain expendable but usable stuff.

The OP has the right idea to compare like sizes. Doing the same job with different weapons really brings out the details of how each performs. That is how I ended up with so much to resell.

 

[M6erfan]

I wish Hazet were easier/less expensive in the U.S too...

 

[BK13]

I wish Hazet were easier/less expensive in the U.S too...

Me three. For whatever reason Gedore or Stahlwille don't hold the same fascination...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dutchgray]

I wish Hazet were easier/less expensive in the U.S too...

I wish Hazet was less expensive here in Europe. Its expensive stuff wherever you are, is easier to get here though. Stahlwille is better for deals though I feel.

 

[M6erfan]

I wish Hazet was less expensive here in Europe. Its expensive stuff wherever you are, is easier to get here though. Stahlwille is better for deals though I feel.

I've been going to Japan more and more (Koken, Anex, KTC, Vessel). I feel that right now they're the best bang for the buck. Excellent quality and much less expensive than Euro equivelants.

 

[dutchgray]

I've been going to Japan more and more (Koken, Anex, KTC, Vessel). I feel that right now they're the best bang for the buck. Excellent quality and much less expensive than Euro equivelants.

I have done the same but it can be hard work to get what you want. I buy quite a bit of USA stuff as well and take advantage of deals that come up on Euro stuff.
I really don't care where tools come from if the quality is there. I avoid China for this reason and that they already get enough of our money off everything else, not that there isn't any good tools from China. Japanese isn't much cheaper here, but we still have an import tariff I believe at the moment which doesn't help.

 

[Gmonkee]

For me Hazet had something different in the feel when really reefing on stubborn bolts. I just knew that every time the bolt would give first.
And the few I have used all shared that.

I have used many brands from dreck to the top levels and others gave confidence but one inexplicably stood out. And then I sold it to my boss.
The Wurth/Stahwille are good too and those I could buy a set. But they lack that magic.

 

[Oberst Hajj]

So my test wrenches arrived...

GearWrench 3/4 Ratcheting Wrench
This one is going to find a place in my tool box mainly for the fact that it's a ratcheting wrench and those do come in handy. The rest of the wrench fine as well, just nothing special about it. I think I'll go with GearWrench to build up a set of ratcheting wrench because they have the largest line of these and while not made in the USA, they at least come with a lifetime warranty.

Armstrong 3/4 Combo Wrench (25-024)
I had high hopes for this wrench being that it is made in the USA and has a great rep. I also really like the ratchet I have from them, so thought I'd like the wrenches just as well. That turns out not to be the case It just does not feel right in my hands. The shank is just a little too thin and the edges a little to sharp. While the quality is there, they honestly don't feel a great deal better then the US made Kobalt wrenches I already have.

SK Tools 3/4 Combo Wrench (88224)
Okay, I can see what all the fuss is about these wrenches! Out of all the wrenches I tested and all the odds and ends in my box, this one is the most comfortable. The thicker shank with it's rounded corners just plain feels good to hold. Despite being more then a half inch shorter than the Armstrong, it's a little over an ounce heavier do to the 1mm thicker shank. The only other wrenches I have that feel as good are my metric Wera wrenches. They feel totally different from each other and I like them both for different reasons. So I think I'll keep Wera as my metric setup and go with SK for my SAE setup. That will also make it easy to distinguish the two apart in the box.

Thanks for all the replies and help guys!

 

[drtyler]

SK also has their long pattern combination wrenches. For 3/4, the part number is 88424. Total length of the wrench is 11", versus 9.25" for the standard length.

Glad you found something you like. SK wrenches are very good, as are their sockets.

 

[Oberst Hajj]

I also just saw that SK does have some ratcheting wrenches. They are just not in their "complete catalog" yet.

 

[Oberst Hajj]

So I finally picked up a set of SK wrenches (set 86255) and I'm kind of disappointed with the quality control...

Several of the wrenches have burn marks on the chrome plating...

And the box end on the 5/8 wrench was not even cut...

Needless to say, for my first time buying these higher end, made in the USA tools, I'm not impressed

 

[B_Bimmer]

Wow those are some big pictures. If you were in internet picture quality control I would fire you.

 

[maxcarp709]

Call SK.They will warranty the wrenches for you.

 

[Derek420]

Try OEM tools it's the brands name snap on rebrands some of they're stuff but if you buy original brand they are cheap and top notch.

 

[Derek420]

That will scratch off really after you use them for a bit I'm sure mine get scratched all to he'll even rust if I don't take care of them.. But they will replace them for free but looks don't get ya down the road but for the money should be A1.

 

[gdocktor3]

Are they serious with that last wrench???? After seeing this, other posts, and my own experiences, I am convinced SK has the worst QC ever. That's pathetic.

 

[Oberst Hajj]

Wow those are some big pictures. If you were in internet picture quality control I would fire you.

Sorry about that! The forums I admin auto resize all the pics, so thought this one would too. I've now made them a much better size to view.

That will scratch off really after you use them for a bit I'm sure mine get scratched all to he'll even rust if I don't take care of them.. But they will replace them for free but looks don't get ya down the road but for the money should be A1.

I was more concerned that the chrome plating would start to come off since it appears there was an issue when applying it. And like you say, for the price of their tools, they should look almost perfect. Out of a 15 piece set, four of them have this burnt spot and the 5/8 was not even cut on one end. That's a 33% "failure" rate

Are they serious with that last wrench???? After seeing this, other posts, and my own experiences, I am convinced SK has the worst QC ever. That's pathetic.

It sounds like SK might have some serious QC issues. Since this was my first purchase from them, perhaps I should just keep looking for another brand.

 

[dutchgray]

That lack of chrome in the box end is from the rack they are hung on for chroming and is normal really.
The un broached wrench they will just replace, I wouldn't warranty the others.

 

[B_Bimmer]

That lack of chrome in the box end is from the rack they are hung on for chroming and is normal really.
The un broached wrench they will just replace, I wouldn't warranty the others.

I agree, they look like nice wrenches, obviously one missed broaching, those kind of things are generally sold on ebay for more than a new replacement would cost to people like me who find factory errors fascinating.

 

[M6erfan]

Are they serious with that last wrench???? After seeing this, other posts, and my own experiences, I am convinced SK has the worst QC ever. That's pathetic.

Sadly this is on par with expiriences I've had with SK tool purchases also. I'm routing for them but they seriously need to get their act together...

That lack of chrome in the box end is from the rack they are hung on for chroming and is normal really.
The un broached wrench they will just replace, I wouldn't warranty the others.

Wrong. That is not normal, at least to that degree.

Why is it that no other brand wrench in my tool box looks like that? And I have a few... Maybe they're "abnormal"?

 

[T45]

SK Quality control is out to lunch

The excuses keep piling up...

I almost can't comment on this.

 

[65k10]

This is concerning to see. I was planning on picking up either a Proto or SK wrench set during the next Zoro sale. Looks like the scale just got tipped towards Proto even if they are slightly more expensive.