chasewilliams530
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Do pros use S-K?
Is S-K a professional brand?
- Thread starter chasewilliams530
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Ole Slewfoot
Well-known member
I don't usually use S-K, but when I do I make sure I get paid.
davethorik
Well-known member
My dad, who was a diesel mechanic for over 30 years, had some SK in his toolbox. So yes.
General Geoff
Well-known member
lincwelder225
Well-known member
Yes and no. Some techs do have them and use them. Their quality is on par with mac and matco. SK suffers from exposure. Very few SK tool truck are out there, very limited stocking dealers, their ratchets up until recently havent changed since the 50's or earlier, all which make a self fulfilling prophesy of limited exposure/usage at the pro level. When I worked as a tech, I used their sockets and wrenches That I ordered from a parts store to upgrade the ones I had. Lack of convenience to aquire/finance and 2arranty definitely hurts their usage.
OP
chasewilliams530
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- Oct 25, 2017
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- 38
I was curious because all the S-K I’ve used has been great!
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I am guessing that “professional line of tools” is more of a state of mind than anything other. If you can use it and really beat it up hard and it doesn’t fail, then I would think of it as qualifying as a professional tool. It is interesting that hf has actually correctly labeled their pro series impact sockets; they are the only thing in the store that I would think of as professional line. Mac and matco are definitely professional tools. I would think of sk as being a less well known and less well utilized professional line of tools.
Firebrick43
Well-known member
I use mostly SK ratchets and socket up to half inch. Work as an industrial mech and their smaller head allows for better access than some of my snap on ratchets.
Have a set of thier wrenches and they are fine but to short for my tastes.
Have a set of thier wrenches and they are fine but to short for my tastes.
Htscheg
Well-known member
Yes!! As previously stated!
cherrybomb
Well-known member
Absolutely!Excellent tools,American made,the company has a great corporate attitude to the consumer.They want you to be happy.
John in OH
Well-known member
I'm not a "pro" mechanic, but my experience is that "pro" mechanics will use whatever good quality tools will do the job.
The truck brands cater to the "pro" mechanics that work in garages that the trucks serve, so typically, a probable majority of mechanic's toolboxes contain truck-brand tools.
But, there are quite a few other brands that are of equal quality to the truck brands but don't use the truck-service business model. SK is one of these companies.
A better question might be, "Is SK a professional quality tool?" Yes, it is. As is Wright, Proto, Carlyle, Williams, and a few others.
Another thing to remember .... no one company necessarily makes the "best" tool of every style. For instance, Company A might make the best ratchets, Company B might make the best combo wrenches, or Company C might have the best screwdrivers.
I would think that a prudent pro mechanic would tend to search out the "best" tool from whichever company produces that "best" specific tool.
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^qft
bcradio
Well-known member
Pros use every brand under the sun.
Billy Jack
Well-known member
My late father was Dealership mechanic in the 50's into the 60's. Like many, he owed his soul to the Snap-On man. However, for his most-used ratchet, he preferred an S-K 45170. I still use it to this day, as it has a thinner, tapered handle, making it a bit lighter than the same one I bought in the 70's. Since I couldn't afford the truck stuff when I started assembling my own tools in my college days, I bought S-K at my local hardware store or Auto Parts store. Other than the raised-pattern wrenches, which were shorter than Snap On, I wouldn't have any issues using them daily. My long 3/8"flex ratchet failed from abuse, but that was the only piece I've ever had to replace in 40 years.
Bill
Bill
I started buying s-k when I was in middle school because that's what they sold, stocked and warrantied at local farm store in a town of 20 people. s-k makes some good tools some not so great but they always stood behind them and replaced what wasn't so great for me. Now that i'm on the back side of 40 and been working in a shop for years. I have found that they are still good tools but harder to warranty because our little store is gone and only one place in town sell them and doesn't stock a lot. So you have to wait for them to get things in if they don't have on hand. I don't buy a lot so snap-on doesn't stop I have to chase him down. I have found in certain sockets that I use daily snap-on will out last s-k about a year before they are completely worn out. But yes they have professional tools. I love their long pattern super chrome wrenches and use their round head ratchet everyday. Yes I have broken a lot of s-k tools over the years more when I was young and dumb but they have always been replaced no questions asked even when I went through 4 sockets in one day trying to remove a frozen exhaust manifold bolt. Great tools just need better marketing and more dealers which is hard to do when everyone wants to buy from internet for price and dealers to warranty tools they didn't sell.
BuffettFan
Well-known member
I've got more than a few S-K's from the '80s when I had my shop. A good sized set of metric combination wrenches and a bunch of sockets for sure. Small town, 20 miles from anywhere but we had a decent auto parts store that carried S-K tools, among others, so If I didn't have a particular tool and they did, I would buy the S-K.
If I'd break something, I couldn't wait for the truck, or the 40 mile round trip to replace a Craftsman pc.
Other local option was True Value which had less selection and lower quality, IMO.
S-K quality was good and prices were significantly less than Mac or Snap On.
If I'd break something, I couldn't wait for the truck, or the 40 mile round trip to replace a Craftsman pc.
Other local option was True Value which had less selection and lower quality, IMO.
S-K quality was good and prices were significantly less than Mac or Snap On.
I think you have consider how the tools are marketed. Some of the tool company's send trucks to the mechanics place of work. Other tool company's sell through industrial catalogs. Still others at retail hardware, farm, and parts houses. Personally I think to many in the mobile mechanics field see the trucks that cater to them as selling 'Professional' tools. What so many fail to realize is that they no where near make up the majority of people who make their living with a tool in their hand.
Different professions will have different opinions on what constitutes a 'Professional" tool. There are companies out there that cater to these different professions.
lg
no neat sig line
Different professions will have different opinions on what constitutes a 'Professional" tool. There are companies out there that cater to these different professions.
lg
no neat sig line
btdobie
Well-known member
I use a little of everything, but SK is one of my go to brands for any hand tools I will use regularly. Almost nobody where I work uses any of the big truck brands. As previously mentioned, HF isn't off limits for pros. I like the HF composite ratchets, and they are great for tools that are rarely used or will be used in an abusive environment.
Moose-LandTran
Well-known member
There are no "professional brands" only professional users. There are certainly professional-preferred or morepopular brands among professionals but that is down to personal preference.
Most professional users i know use what works best for them, regardless of brand.
I think everybody knows about SK. I think they are just not as widely distributed. When they went bankrupt, that probably turned off a lot of dealers. The company has passed through a lot of hands so the quality has not been consistent. The current owner, Ideal seems to be produceing a quality product with good support. They are re establishing themselves with new products. They got by with just the round head ratchet for many years.
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Nailed it! There are more Proto tools in hands right now, at this moment, than Snap-On. I'd bet a paycheck.
VinceG
Well-known member
By me not a lot Techs use them anymore. They just are not sold locally and that makes the warranty replacement harder. most techs don,t want to send in their for warranty. about 22ish years ago we had a SK truck that came to the shop I worked at. I liked most of the stuff I had but sold it off or traded it over the years.
derosa
Well-known member
Like the fact you kept best in quotes are it really is relative. Personally I much prefer wright wrenches due to the beam, can live with them being a little shorter as I can put more umph into them, others say SO or SK are better as they have longer beams.
Among top brands the knurled, comfort, hard, or contoured handles of a ratchet might separate one out as "best".
My old boss used to say the only thing that topped best was better, he was right. The best tool is the one you have that will do the job; better is the one that will do it most reliably, consistently, easiest and within budget.
SK makes true professionally quality tools as so many others have mentioned, your profession might help determine how often you see them or rely on them.
crewchief888
Well-known member
i used SK stuff when i 1st started wrenching over 30 years ago. the biggest "turnoff" was wrenches that were too damn short.
since buying and using other brands of ratchets, most of the SK stuff has been set aside...
i can look crosseyed at a sk 1/4" dr ratchet or breaker bar, and the drive breaks off....
FWIW
my dad purchased the SK tools sometime before i was born in '58, they served him well for 20 years, i used them after he passed away both DIY and professionally and still serve me well today....
buffalobill
Well-known member
The quality is professional, the marketing is amateur. Ideal has had years to figure out a good way to sell them, and hasnt. Its like they dont want to sell their tools. Grainger is the only place in the area that stocks them, and grainger prices ****. Waiting on warranty service ***** too.
Right now, i have 4 napa stores within 25 min, with good selection, we have a commercial account at the closest one, i can get things delivered and warrantied as needed, quick. We have multiple industrial vendors coming in, and i have access to wright, proto, sunex, and genius, all at good discounts. I have 2 harbor freights, both close. I have 2 snap on trucks, a mac and matco truck, and an independent used tool truck.
With all these options, ideal is so far flushing sk tools comeback (how many years now?) down the toilet.
Right now, i have 4 napa stores within 25 min, with good selection, we have a commercial account at the closest one, i can get things delivered and warrantied as needed, quick. We have multiple industrial vendors coming in, and i have access to wright, proto, sunex, and genius, all at good discounts. I have 2 harbor freights, both close. I have 2 snap on trucks, a mac and matco truck, and an independent used tool truck.
With all these options, ideal is so far flushing sk tools comeback (how many years now?) down the toilet.
BDT/NWMN
Well-known member
No it is not a professional brand.
It is a high quality brand that is suitable for use by Professionals.
The word "Professional" is used to describe the person using the tool.
ProTo has a "Professional" line of tools that I have been using for years.
One of these days; I will have a long talk with them, and straighten this matter out .
SK is "very good stuff" to say the least... Speaking with a Salesman from an area tool and equipment chain store; I was told strained attempts to rebuild a distribution network that would again trust SK is the main reason for the lack of SK products in more retail stores. I trust that Ideal will resolve the distribution issues, so We can see more of this "Very Good Stuff" in local stores, as We have in the past.
It is a high quality brand that is suitable for use by Professionals.
The word "Professional" is used to describe the person using the tool.
ProTo has a "Professional" line of tools that I have been using for years.
One of these days; I will have a long talk with them, and straighten this matter out .
SK is "very good stuff" to say the least... Speaking with a Salesman from an area tool and equipment chain store; I was told strained attempts to rebuild a distribution network that would again trust SK is the main reason for the lack of SK products in more retail stores. I trust that Ideal will resolve the distribution issues, so We can see more of this "Very Good Stuff" in local stores, as We have in the past.
buffalobill
Well-known member
Ideal is carried in home depot, seems like an ace in the hole to offer top notch tools from a good quality manufacturer to prepare taking on lowes with sbd/craftsman. Put husky in the middle, keep their garbage economy tools for economy, put sk master sets in a locked cabinet.
I cant see ideal not being able to exploit that relationship.
I cant see ideal not being able to exploit that relationship.
earthmover1980
Well-known member
SK is definitely a Professional Brand. Every mechanic I know uses some of them. Most guys including myself aren't loyal to one specific brand. I like a mix of top quality American Made tools. A FEW gearwrench tools are in my box. No Chinese tools allowed. Period.
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mikebaker1129
Well-known member
Good bit of Klein in my Home Depot,I do not recall Ideal. Lowes has a small selection of Ideal. CED electrical has Ideal. I would like to see SK somewhere in a brick and mortar store, but let's face it most people purchase online these days!
HJE, Cripe or Zoro are my main sources for just about everything I buy.
buffalobill
Well-known member
Online isnt good if i need something within a day or 2, its just hard to ignore the other options that are more accessible today. If you want great tools there are the tool trucks, if you want good tools the industrial and auto stores have them, and if i want dirt cheap right now i have hf. Sk should be figuring out a way to get in the middle of that, or they are going the way of armstrong and bonney.
I like my sk stuff, but i dont like the way they are handling marketing their tools.
I like my sk stuff, but i dont like the way they are handling marketing their tools.
anndel
Well-known member
I know of an excellent Tech that uses mostly HF tools.
JJ_From_NC
Member
I'm an industrial mechanic and I use SK so yes, I love this stuff 
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lincwelder225
Well-known member
Agree 100%!!! Their marketing or lack of isn't just a new phenomenon with ideal tool, it's predates the ideal/western forge/sk merger.
Empty Pockets
Well-known member
SK is good stuff, I've never been disappointed by them, When used as designed, they preform well. As a professional, now retired, I used a goodly number of SK tools.