How good are SK tools socket and ratchet sets

Autoguy · Oct 12, 2010

Last year I bought SK combination wrenches , they are heavy and thick may be a sign of lower grade steel ?? I can not comment.

I found a 3l8 and 1/2 inch 27 piece socket set in SAE in grean old box for sale at local tool store.

My question is . How good are SK tools compared to the more popular Snap-on or Proto (common in KSA) or other famous US brands like Williams, Bnney...etc. especially their old socket and ratchets.

mrholeshot · Oct 12, 2010

As far as quality of the tool I'll go so far as to say on par with about any tool truck brand. Things are a little sketchy as far as whats in store for the future of SK but it's one of the few tools I'll buy if it had no warranty at all if it predates Ideal, In the Green Metal boxes would command a premium

mooman · Oct 12, 2010

Well, one thing is for sure, it'll cost you at least $5 plus shipping to get anything replaced as a warranty.

mrholeshot · Oct 12, 2010

mooman said:
Well, one thing is for sure, it'll cost you at least $5 plus shipping to get anything replaced as a warranty.

Unless you get it replaced at a SK dealer. I think the 5 dollar charge will stop a lot of bogus warranty claims. If they would warranty the Chrome and internals on my old SK 16 inch 1/2 drive I'd gladly pay the 5 dollars.

woody 73 · Oct 12, 2010

Autoguy Hi,

If you ever run across those nasty,filthy,beastly sk tools just send them to me and I will dispose of them in the proper way!!!
All fun aside they are very nice tools enjoy them. :beer:

HandyManny · Oct 12, 2010

Autoguy said:
Last year I bought SK combination wrenches , they are heavy and thick may be a sign of lower grade steel ?? I can not comment.

I found a 3l8 and 1/2 inch 27 piece socket set in SAE in grean old box for sale at local tool store.

My question is . How good are SK tools compared to the more popular Snap-on or Proto (common in KSA) or other famous US brands like Williams, Bnney...etc. especially their old socket and ratchets.

This question seems to get asked here about every other week. To give my opinion (again) - I own many good quality hand tools from makers such as Proto, Wright, MAC, New Britain, etc, etc. S-K tool are very good tools. The ones that I own are no less than about 10 years old and some as old as 40 years. I like them and I think they have made an excellent hand tool over the years. The company is being reorganized right now. Hopefully their new owner will maintain quality.

shotgunfatcat · Oct 12, 2010

Besides the warranty they should be great tools, I buy mainly snap-on, but I wouldn't think twice about picking up some SK stuff.

back2class · Oct 12, 2010

I own some, have owned a lot. My feelings are it is on par with Craftsman. Some is a little better. Heck, they made some of the Craftsman line. Thats not to say much of it is just as good as the truck brands. But overall price point and quality wise, I would say slightly better than Craftsman, more along the lines of Armstrong or NAPA Professional.

Davefr · Oct 12, 2010

Autoguy said:
My question is . How good are SK tools compared to the more popular Snap-on or Proto (common in KSA) or other famous US brands like Williams, Bnney...etc. especially their old socket and ratchets.

Just as good if not better then some of the other premium brands.

IMHO the ones made by Dresser were the best followed by Wayne and then Facom.

SK used to be good value but NOS and used prices are going through the roof.

Theloniousmonk · Oct 12, 2010

They ****, I'll give you $1.25 per pound. I have never cracked an SK socket, never opened up a combo. It is a brand I hold dear and will always support. Plus, their green boxes are pretty.

Lump · Oct 12, 2010

mooman said:

Well, one thing is for sure, it'll cost you at least $5 plus shipping to get anything replaced as a warranty.

Click to expand...

Look again. Autoguy is from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He would have to spend a little more than $5 to send those tools in for warranty. :lol_hitti

SK are fine tools. You will find them dependable and well made. Good luck!

Honda 1 · Oct 12, 2010

I agree that the SK tools made by Dresser Inds. are very well-made tools. The sets I own are over 30 years old.

mrholeshot · Oct 12, 2010

The only thing that hurt SK other than the lack of a aggressive sales approach was the high price. They cost much more than the Great craftsman tools 30+ years ago. back in the 70's you would pay close to tool truck prices for SK. SK was mostly found in Farm Supply stores, Hardware stores and a few auto supply stores. Some of the best sockets I own are SK. To my knowledge I've never broke one, I've only broken several ratchets over my lifetime. One other thing that hust sales was in most Hardware and Fam supply stores was they were mostly only sold in complete socket sets. A few places carried open stock.

Mike Hipp · Oct 12, 2010

In my opinion SK hard line tools are better than Craftsman but not quite as good as Cornwell or Snap-On. I rank them as follows: Snappy, Cornwell, Mac, Matco and Craftsman.

No reasons just a personal prefernce based on price, features, durability, easy of warranty replacement and fit & finish

mrholeshot · Oct 12, 2010

Mike Hipp said:
In my opinion SK hard line tools are better than Craftsman but not quite as good as Cornwell or Snap-On. I rank them as follows: Snappy, Cornwell, Mac, Matco and Craftsman.

No reasons just a personal prefernce based on price, features, durability, easy of warranty replacement and fit & finish

While Craftsman still represents a good value they have so many differant lines it can be confusing where the quality is. In just tool quality alone I rate them right up there with Snap-On, better than the rest of the truck brands. Based upon everything the ease of warranty (only recently) and price drags down the overall rating. Based solely on tool quality I don't think Snap-On beats them out in the ratchet and socket catagory. I wouldn't hit a hog in the *** with any screwdriver they have ever had. The wreches are good but the best ones they had were the old raised panel.

Theloniousmonk · Oct 12, 2010

mrholeshot said:
While Craftsman still represents a good value they have so many differant lines it can be confusing where the quality is. In just tool quality alone I rate them right up there with Snap-On, better than the rest of the truck brands. Based upon everything the ease of warranty (only recently) and price drags down the overall rating. Based solely on tool quality I don't think Snap-On beats them out in the ratchet and socket catagory. I wouldn't hit a hog in the *** with any screwdriver they have ever had. The wreches are good but the best ones they had were the old raised panel.

I agree, my favorite too - the "Professional" Combos are a great bargin tool at that, cheaper than the "superkromemegablingbling" version, more comfortable too. I've used mine for quite some time and have never had a problem. AND, they are still available if you search.

I never had a problem w/ the suregrip green handle "France" made screwdrivers, I quite liked the blasted tips and shaft lenghts.

R-Savage · Jun 15, 2016

Well I just bought my first SK Tool. Skt4421 spark plug socket off amazon. This will be for my Hemi and my Jetta.

I know peeps here praise SK Tools. And found a few SK Wayne 3/4 drive Sockets in my dad's old tools. They must be good. I figured I'll give them a shot.

colin39 · Jun 15, 2016

I bought these last year and im really imprest with them

GeorgeFromPa · Jun 15, 2016

top shelf tools.. just as good as anything else out there.

1950mercury · Jun 15, 2016

This is a 6 year old thread!!!!!

There quality control can be hit and miss. In the last 6 months I bought 5 different sets and had to send 2 back. Some of the sockets didn't have a size stamping in one set

R-Savage · Jun 15, 2016

GeorgeFromPa said:
top shelf tools.. just as good as anything else out there.

This is what I keep hearing. Gonna try out my new socket soon enough, and proudly sport a new SK hat. :thumbup:

I did pull out an old school sk tool ratchet today. It worked really well. It was an old school 3/8 drive. It either was a sk Wayne or an sk tool. Can quite recall.

Lassen Forge · Jun 15, 2016

GeorgeFromPa said:
top shelf tools.. just as good as anything else out there.

It used to be our "issue" tool at work. We had a contract with a supplier in IIRC LA for them, and the ones we got, well, we literally beat the chrome off them... took hammers to ratchets, cheaters on breaker bars, and threw chrome sockets on impact wrenches. I remember one (1) socket failing, and we were trying to impact off a nut that had been in place for at least... well... since WW2. The only other one was a U joint (with a socket on the end) we were reefing on with a breaker bar, a pipe extension, and 2 guys giving it hell (with a hammer on the end) and the U joint tweaked.

1950mercury said:
This is a 6 year old thread!!!!!

OK... two failures in way over 6 years of abuse! They may not be Snappy, but for what they are, they seem to be pretty tough stuff.

66354dream · Jun 15, 2016

I love SK tools I just wish they were easier to come by rather than relying on the internet for anything I want/need from them.

royesses · Jun 15, 2016

When I first started learning the auto trade in the late 1950's, early 1960's SK were on displays at every auto parts store. Many pro wrenchers preferred them over the other premium brands. They have always been a premium brand at a reasonable price point. I have some and really like them.

geartow · Jun 15, 2016

I believe S&K stands for Slip & Kill. But I own some and they are more then good enuff to use everyday in a professional setting.

R-Savage · Jun 15, 2016

1950mercury said:
This is a 6 year old thread!!!!!

There quality control can be hit and miss. In the last 6 months I bought 5 different sets and had to send 2 back. Some of the sockets didn't have a size stamping in one set

Google is my friend my good man! :bounce:

It was the first hit on google.

gdocktor3 · Jun 15, 2016

I also had to send a set back because of chrome finish issues. Other wise they're really excellent tools and they're very affordable. All of my SK stuff, new and old, is rock solid.

PJNJ · Jun 15, 2016

I have some old SK and SK Wayne sockets and ratchets from the 60's and 70's - the chrome may be worn but they still work fine. Because of that and because I wanted to get sockets in a box set that can be carried around, I decided to try the new SK.

About a month and a half ago, I bought a 3/8 set - 94549. It was $164.82 from Tooltopia. I wanted to be sure about the quality (or lack thereof) before I bought the 1/4 set. All of the sockets were fine with no broaching problems, no detent issues, plus the chrome is very good and any chrome "blemishes" turned out to be spots of the anti-corrosion paint. They came right off with 0000 steel wool. The ratchet, though a 40 tooth, is smooth with light backdrag. The thumbwheel ratchet is a 60 tooth design and also smooth with light backdrag.

As a result I bought the 1/4 set - 91848. It was $135.20 on Amazon. It showed up a couple of weeks ago and it is also the same and I am very happy with them. I will probably get the 1/2 24" breaker bar, the 3/8 15" breaker bar and the 1/2 18" flex ratchet in the future. And my Christmas list for the wife will include the X frame metric wrench set.

In addition, I read some reviewers (on Amazon I think) that complained about the cases being flimsy. Maybe I'm too gentle with them but I have carried them around a few times from the garage to the driveway to work on the cars and have had no problem with them twisting or letting sockets move around.

If anyone decides to purchase any SK sets they have a tendency to go up and down in price during the year. I waited until the price was relatively low before buying.

:beer:

bonneyman · Jun 18, 2016

Davefr said:
Just as good if not better then some of the other premium brands.

IMHO the ones made by Dresser were the best followed by Wayne and then Facom.

SK used to be good value but NOS and used prices are going through the roof.

HomeTheaterMan · Jun 18, 2016

I love SK. My Grandfather had a socket set that he used for years. I have no idea who made it at the time, but it's very good quality. If the quality of the new stuff is anywhere close to that, I wouldn't hesitate to buy them.

maximummax · Jan 30, 2020

Davefr said:
Just as good if not better then some of the other premium brands.

IMHO the ones made by Dresser were the best followed by Wayne and then Facom.

SK used to be good value but NOS and used prices are going through the roof.

I'm interested in buying a used S-K 3/8" ratchet. How do I distinguish the Dresser from the Wayne?

What's your opinion on the <S-K> (Diamond?) era 3/8" ratchets?

bonneyman · Jan 30, 2020

maximummax said:
I'm interested in buying a used S-K 3/8" ratchet. How do I distinguish the Dresser from the Wayne?

What's your opinion on the <S-K> (Diamond?) era 3/8" ratchets?

Wayne era tools will say "S-K Wayne" on them. The Dresser Industries era will have look like this (my 1981 3/8"er).

Pretty much any era 45170 is gonna be a quality tool. Older ones have finish (and maybe some tooth) wear. If you suspect tooth wear ask to pull the gear head out (if a face-to-face buy) and inspect the head teeth before committing.

DwightS · Jan 30, 2020

It may be different in CA, but I found a couple of the 45170 ratchets a couple of weeks ago at a local flea market and only paid $3 each. They show honest wear but not abused nor rusty. They were smooth, but I could tell that they would be better with a little cleaning.

Keep your eyes open and be patient, you’ll find one in the wild. When you do, to check, put a socket on the ratchet and turn it and make sure it turns smoothly without catching or skipping. Check both forwards and reverse, any glitches could indicate gnarled teeth which can’t be fixed. If the action is smooth, even if it’s noisy or slightly stiff, and you can get it for a few dollars, get it. You can clean & lube it up.

Here’s the inside of a 45170 so you can see the teeth in the round body.

View attachment 972555

As long as that body is in decent shape, the guts can be “upgraded” for around $25.

Good luck and happy hunting.

Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

maximummax · Jan 30, 2020

DwightS said:
It may be different in CA, but I found a couple of the 45170 ratchets a couple of weeks ago at a local flea market and only paid $3 each. They show honest wear but not abused nor rusty. They were smooth, but I could tell that they would be better with a little cleaning.

Keep your eyes open and be patient, you’ll find one in the wild. When you do, to check, put a socket on the ratchet and turn it and make sure it turns smoothly without catching or skipping. Check both forwards and reverse, any glitches could indicate gnarled teeth which can’t be fixed. If the action is smooth, even if it’s noisy or slightly stiff, and you can get it for a few dollars, get it. You can clean & lube it up.

Here’s the inside of a 45170 so you can see the teeth in the round body.

View attachment 972555

As long as that body is in decent shape, the guts can be “upgraded” for around $25.

Good luck and happy hunting.

Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

Thank you. The attachment you posted won't open for me.

Rileysan · Jan 30, 2020

bonneyman said:
Wayne era tools will say "S-K Wayne" on them. The Dresser Industries era will have look like this (my 1981 3/8"er).

Pretty much any era 45170 is gonna be a quality tool. Older ones have finish (and maybe some tooth) wear. If you suspect tooth wear ask to pull the gear head out (if a face-to-face buy) and inspect the head teeth before committing.

I highlighted in bold Bonneyman's point as it bears repeating. The ratchet design is more than 80 years old, and quality has not been an issue in any era; SK's design has stood the test of time and will endure well into the 21st century.

Used SK ratchets are cheap and abundant. They can be had for $10 or less on eBay every day of the week, so you're not risking much by just buying one and trying it.

Davefr · Jan 30, 2020

Rileysan said:
I highlighted in bold Bonneyman's point as it bears repeating. The ratchet design is more than 80 years old, and quality has not been an issue in any era; SK's design has stood the test of time and will endure well into the 21st century.

Used SK ratchets are cheap and abundant. They can be had for $10 or less on eBay every day of the week, so you're not risking much by just buying one and trying it.

In addition, SK hands out rebuild kits like candy even if you offer to buy one.

TrashGrabber · Jan 2, 2023

I know this post is old but I thought I would chime in on S-K tools. I can't say anything about the newer tools since I've never used them but the old ones are as good as anything out there. Mine are all 50+ years old and I've never broken a single one. I have the same 7-piece socket set like in the picture and it's nearly 90 years old and I use them quite often and they're all still perfect.

How good are SK tools socket and ratchet sets

Well-known member

MEMBER EMERITUS

Well-known member

MEMBER EMERITUS

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

MEMBER EMERITUS

Member

MEMBER EMERITUS

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Banned

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Banned

Well-known member

Well-known member

Member