I just purchased 3 of the 4 ratchets from the recent steals and deals and the 1/2” ratchet has these weird stains. Tried taking them out with microfiber but they’re still there. The stains dont protrude and seem like they are a result of extreme heat. Any ideas what this is? Is it a potential source of rust since the chrome seems to be disrupted?
SK - New ratchet with stains?
- Thread starter Dzmax77
- Start date
If those "stains" are not on the surface (and cannot be cleaned off), I'd guess it wasn't cleaned properly before chrome plating.
Not sure if it's rust under the chrome or just some form of contaminant (oil, grease, etc.).
See what SK customer service has to say about it.
Not sure if it's rust under the chrome or just some form of contaminant (oil, grease, etc.).
See what SK customer service has to say about it.
seber
Well-known member
It looks like the nickel bath was not dried properly before a chromate conversion process. If that is the case, it is purely cosmetic. Still, if it bothers you, SK should replace it.
gatewaysysop
Well-known member
Same kind of piss poor chroming job they sent me with the 1/4" extension set, you can find pics here.
When I complained on the phone to SK customer service, they made it a point to tell me, "No sir, we're not aware of any issues with the quality of or chrome plating lately or the finish of the tools we send out." She also told me that this was literally the first she'd ever heard of an issue with the chrome. What a total crock of ****.
I sent my SK stuff back to Amazon (who apparently sends it back to SK) and got a second set that was flawless. So they are capable of getting it right, just apparently not as often as they should.
I'd send that **** back in a heartbeat. Yeah it's cosmetic, but did you pay for blems or pay for brand new? I work too hard for my money to accept factory seconds when I paid for brand new, but to each their own.
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I just emailed SK but they rarely respond to them and I always have to call. We’ll see what they say.
I mean, I don’t want to be a jerk about it. If its not going to be a point where it starts rusting, I’ll live with it.
Anyway, I’ll be testing these out this weekend when I attempt to change cv axel boots on our VW.
I mean, I don’t want to be a jerk about it. If its not going to be a point where it starts rusting, I’ll live with it.
Anyway, I’ll be testing these out this weekend when I attempt to change cv axel boots on our VW.
Well, you had Amazon great and easy return policy to fall back on. I have never returned anything back to SK but Im sure its not as easy. I made an attempt, hopefully they’ll just send me a new tool no questions asked. However, if that makes it more prone to rust, I’ll be more aggressive with asking for an exchange.
Oh oh. I found another issue and this bothers me. I bought this back in March and didn’t notice until I bought these other 3 ratchets. The switch is really hard to flip and I was willing to live with it, but not this.
Notice one side is flush and the other side dips and exposes the back plate. You can see it protrude in the pics. I sent another email asking for a replacement on this one. I wish I noticed it sooner. Urghh.
Notice one side is flush and the other side dips and exposes the back plate. You can see it protrude in the pics. I sent another email asking for a replacement on this one. I wish I noticed it sooner. Urghh.
Attachments
Steals and deals pricing; actually was a good deal. Thats why Im on the fence about the 1/2. As long as it won’t rust, I’ll live with it. But this new issue I found on the 3/8”, that’s inexcusable. I don’t know if its a stamping issue or a machining one, either way, unacceptable. Even harbor freight ratchets get that part right.
gatewaysysop
Well-known member
That is going to be hard to ignore now that you've noticed it. Personally that would piss me off every time I looked at it.
You have to ask yourself, how common are SK factory imperfections/defects/flaws of this kind when you found this after having gotten the other one with the marks. What do the odds have to be that a random person gets more than one factory @#$% up in separate orders at separate times? I'm sure customer service will tell you this is the first they've heard of piss poor machining, just like they've never heard of bad chroming.
As I said in the post that I linked earlier, SK's quality control seems to be just as piss poor as MAC Tools. For the prices they charge, they can and should do better.
Were those ‘stains’ similar to what I have?
I’m realizing this.
Seems like they had an open position to fill, hired someone with limited experience, gave him ‘on the job training’ for a few days and thats it. Then again, most people lack attention to detail or general intellectual curiosity so I shouldn’t be surprised.
I can just imagine such a position in Germany or Japan would have a more extensive and rigorous apprenticeship program.
gatewaysysop
Well-known member
Yeah that or maybe at least an IQ somewhere above "fruit fly".
measuredtwice
Well-known member
I think you need to take a step back and relax. I'm not excusing the imperfections but you are getting riled up over a "stain" and attacking Americans and American manufacturing in general.
Did you try removing the cover plate and checking the seating? Did you check the cover plate flatness?
bsaint
Well-known member
Once you use your tools the stains will go away.
Some of my sockets have similar spots, and pretty much every wrench in my X-frame set was covered in spots. I wasn't super-miffed, but called to make sure that if the chrome ever failed it would be covered. They replaced the set with one that has a few small spots but overall was good. I've been getting a couple sockets a month as part of the "socket of the month club" and some have been a bit spotty. Honestly, I not super worried about it. I agree with whoever that side some 0000 steel wool would probably remedy most or all of it...
Fedwrench
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Unfortunately, many chrome SK tools have spots or blemishes these days new out of the plastic. To me the steel wool with a little brakecleen is easier than messing with customer service. I also feel that using the tools will take care of the stains with nicks, grime, and wear. However, I also feel that you pay good money for the tools even if on sale, and since SK claims to be a professional tool company, they should be perfect in the packaging. 
SK makes it hard sometimes to continue to support them.
SK makes it hard sometimes to continue to support them.You need to read more of my posts and get a feel on where I stand on issues pertaining to local manufacturing and the vital role consumers play on its success.
With that said, can’t be a hypocrite either. When it’s ****, it needs to be called out - for their own good, so they can perfect and be better. Otherwise the CCP will happily buy them out and take away our countrymen's livelihoods.
That’s why I come on here, because I dont know a lot and these guys do. I defer to the experts in hopes of learning from them.
I removed the plate, lubed the gear with a few dabs of tool grease. Drop of oil on the switch. Its recessed on that end as if they ground it hard on the belt sander. Plate is flat. Either way, over sanding or bent plate, still shouldn’t have happened.
I get where people who say "it's a tool, use it and you won't notice it" are coming from, but at the same time, food becomes ****, and if someone served me a plate of ****, I certainly wouldn't eat it. People who accept the plate of **** are the reason that they continue to serve it.
measuredtwice
Well-known member
Reread the stuff that I quoted. They were insults about Americans and American manufacturing, not the criticism of the tool. The insults aren't helpful or warranted. You were just angry. I think you know that. I'm not making generalizations about you as a person. I just thought you needed to take a step back. Lets move on.
Since you are "learning" I'll point out that your generalizations about America and Germany are not true. There are also posts about chrome imperfections on German tools too. Best to look at specifics rather than make generalizations. But there are some really nice tools from the USA and Germany.
I don't know if CCP bought them already or if they are negotiating or if it's just rumors.
If the face plate was seated poorly or on debris then it would be really simple. I was just checking. It's sort of like restarting a computer and seeing if that works before calling Dell customer service. If the body is ground unevenly then you would need to return the whole ratchet.
As for the spots... I would either use the ratchet or return it. I would not polish it.
They sure looked the same.
pizza
Well-known member
i agree, and if the body is uneven, that would not be acceptable to me even at the discounted price. the spots idk, but i'd hesitate to use steel wool on the chrome to try to fix it. i'd probably ignore or exchange it.
i almost got a 1/2" LP90 on this S&D sale since i don't have a 1/2" ratchet yet, but i'm glad i didn't with the stiff selector switches and spotty QC. if i ever need one, i'll probably grab a koken 4750N or 4750P (~$50). i'm sold on their stuff.
This thread and the forum in other threads contains testimonials of like kind results. Critique of 1 company and their employees abilities is not a criticism of a country or its manufacturer as a whole. Based on these testimonials, the criticism appears to be warranted. Insinuating otherwise is dishonest.
3 industrial countries with significant tooling presence going back decades; which has experienced the most decline the past 20 years? Why? Labor Cost? They’re still selling at a premium and thriving with domestic production. A complex problem with complex answers but most centered around management and labor skill.
Photos and evidence given clearly show a depressed point as was explained in the post where I also stated I opened and lubed. Having capacity to perform basic maintenance would usually suggest ones ability to also be able to troubleshoot other possibilities for the issue.
Thanks for the recap but I already read the advice given from other members; I knew they’d know.
Koken for $50? Where?
measuredtwice
Well-known member
His post is hyperlinked. Click on his link.
measuredtwice
Well-known member
You could get a new F80 for around $60 on Ebay, probably. Maybe less. I've gotten them for around $50 shipped. You could also buy used. The F80 and T72 are the easiest to find for cheap on Ebay.
Have you tried removing and replacing that spring on the Williams? It's not easy to keep the ball bearing from shooting across the room when you compress the super loooooong spring. Snap-On made a special tool to help. They were around $2-5 including shipping from Snap-On but I think they may have stopped selling them. They're more on Ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/284185412274 The Snap-On and Williams 36 tooth rebuild kits use a nob instead of the ball bearing so that it locks into the spring and makes replacement easier.
gatewaysysop
Well-known member
Unfortunately, many chrome SK tools have spots or blemishes these days new out of the plastic. To me the steel wool with a little brakecleen is easier than messing with customer service. I also feel that using the tools will take care of the stains with nicks, grime, and wear. However, I also feel that you pay good money for the tools even if on sale, and since SK claims to be a professional tool company, they should be perfect in the packaging.
100% Agree.
The sheer frequency with which this apparently happens speaks volumes about their quality control. If they can't get plating right, what confidence do you have in the rest of their manufacturing? It beggars belief that they could be unaware of these problems, which then begs the question of whether they even care.
I really do like my older SK stuff, some of my favorite ratchets, but I honestly don't see myself buying anything else new of theirs. Plenty of other options from folks who take more pride in what goes out the door with their name on it.
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I always liked and supported SK. But for the last ten years all I've seen is higher prices, less availability and almost no innovation coupled with what appears to be very bad QC. I could go into all it entails to buy a manufacturing outfit that has been sold multiple times to entities that did nothing to modernize or innovate. But I won't. I'll just continue to support them when they can provide me with what I'm after and go elsewhere for the rest. I won't give up on them because they are still an American company and I continue to support the domestic manufacturers.
My biggest hope is that it's bought by someone with the resources to rebuild and rejuvenate, not just use up what's left of a proud old American tool company.
My biggest hope is that it's bought by someone with the resources to rebuild and rejuvenate, not just use up what's left of a proud old American tool company.
Thats funny you mention that $&@! spring. Curiosity got the best of me last night and I opened the 3/8 up and the pawl spring and ball came flying out. I have yet to be able to put it back in. Working from home today and tried to give it another go over lunch and nearly lost that ball.
You must have psychic powers because I came on here to search for ideas on how to get that damn thing back in and luckily, you came to the rescue. I think I can make that tool by myself - or atleast attempt to. Id buy it but I need it now!
Many thanks on the advice.
Unfortunately, many chrome SK tools have spots or blemishes these days new out of the plastic. To me the steel wool with a little brakecleen is easier than messing with customer service. I also feel that using the tools will take care of the stains with nicks, grime, and wear. However, I also feel that you pay good money for the tools even if on sale, and since SK claims to be a professional tool company, they should be perfect in the packaging.
To me Ko-ken or used Snappie is easier than messing with SK.
AceofSpad3s
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2014
- Messages
- 1,808
I read most the thread, and it's like many I've seen before on the topic, and my thoughts are the same as I've had before.
Yes, cosmetic problems don't affect the usability of something, and in use, probably wouldn't be noticeable. But as someone buying a new product at a premium prices, it absolutely should be criticized. If it was a chinese tool it'd be used as more evidence of low quality manufacturing, but increase the price tenfold and say it's made in the US, too many seem to think it's the buyers fault for noticing and they should be grateful to been bestowed the ability to even buy one of their products.
Expectations should be raised, not lowered when buying a high end product from a first world country.
Yes, cosmetic problems don't affect the usability of something, and in use, probably wouldn't be noticeable. But as someone buying a new product at a premium prices, it absolutely should be criticized. If it was a chinese tool it'd be used as more evidence of low quality manufacturing, but increase the price tenfold and say it's made in the US, too many seem to think it's the buyers fault for noticing and they should be grateful to been bestowed the ability to even buy one of their products.
Expectations should be raised, not lowered when buying a high end product from a first world country.