American Made Socket Recommendations

[Hotrod33809]

Hey everyone, pretty new to GJ but for the short time I have been here you all have been an immense resource so thank you!

Anyways, I just recently bought a house and finally have a garage and bought a nice tool cabinet that I have been gradually filling. I have been using the sockets from a DeWalt Mechanics kit and they have been fine but my next purchase to make is some sockets, I am a looking for some American made sockets. I'm just a hobbyist so I don't want to completely break the bank but understand that anything quality American made isn't cheap. I'm not a brand loyalist and have been looking at Proto, SK, Wright etc but figured I would get some input from you all. I will eventually be getting variety of shallow, deep, metric, sae etc( not all at once so I have no issue mixing and matching brands). Any sockets you guys have really liked? Maybe some you didn't like, maybe you like one brand's shallow set, but not their deep set etc. Just looking for some recommendations. I always enjoy buying new tools because who doesn't love shiny new chrome but am definitely not opposed to looking on ebay for some good deals.

 

[M6erfan]

Williams USA

 

[Mgdoug3]

I've been happy with my SK sockets especially the ones that come in a case. Handy to take with me and keep everything organized. I'm curious to see how SK moves forward after being sold.

 

[Kscardsfan]

Williams or Proto have been good to me.

 

[dmccjr201]

Can anyone recommend 1/4” drive impact socket SAE - 1/8” or 5/32” (Shallow/Deep)? Trying to find out if anyone carries or produces such a size in 1/4” drive impacts.

 

[GeoBruin]

I believe Blackhawk by Proto to be generally the most affordable US Made Sockets available. I have them in 3/8" and 1/2" and they're great. My only complaint is the size stamps are kind of small and hard to see.

Good luck.

 

[lardy1]

Personally, I went with SK. Things have changed a bit since then. But I'm very happy with all my SK sockets. No regrets at all. But I also believe that most domestic sockets are going to probably be superior to Asian imports although I can't provide anything scientific to back that up.

Wright, SK, any of the Proto family, Cornwell, etc. Yes....you'll pay more than for Asian.

There are also good European and Japanese options that I've never used but get great feedback from those that do.

 

[Mikeske]

Really it doesn’t matter with sockets as if you are home hobby type any brand is just as good as any other brand whether they are USA made or imported. Just name your price and buy to the price.

Personally I broke sockets from all the major brands and most of the imports from my 45 plus years of socket twisting. You name the brand and I could probably say yea been there and done that. For my personal experience I just hit the pawn shops and thrift stores and find a set of USA made Craftsman and go that way. You can fit out a set of those on the cheap but it will require a bit of time to fill out the socket tray and if you feel up to hit the socket bins in the independent pawn shops and dig out your set.

 

[seber]

Proto, Wright, SK, Snap-on, Williams-USA, Armstrong are all very good. I would avoid Craftsman. At one time I used them for backup until I got tired of breaking them. The guarantee is nice, but Making the trip to Sears every other time I used them was dumb. Check Marketplace for like new sets. In my local area, there is a set of SK 3/8 drive that look like they just came out of the wrapper for $30. At my semi-annual garage sale I sell sets for $15 but they don't look new.

 

[finn]

Really it doesn’t matter with sockets as if you are home hobby type any brand is just as good as any other brand whether they are USA made or imported. Just name your price and buy to the price.

Personally I broke sockets from all the major brands and most of the imports from my 45 plus years of socket twisting. You name the brand and I could probably say yea been there and done that. For my personal experience I just hit the pawn shops and thrift stores and find a set of USA made Craftsman and go that way. You can fit out a set of those on the cheap but it will require a bit of time to fill out the socket tray and if you feel up to hit the socket bins in the independent pawn shops and dig out your set.

I agree. My sockets were mostly Craftsman and SK that I acquired in my teens through my thirties. They served me well, but SnapOn seemed to be the in thing to have.

I bought a 3/8” drive shallow SnapOn set, but found that for hobbiest and homeowner use they didn’t improve my skill or enjoyment level: just drained my wallet faster.

I recently bought a set of Husky sockets for something like $69 for 200 pieces, and they work fine, too. Don’t have the patina of my well used Craftsman or SK, though, nor the feel of the SnapOn.

I also have some inexpensive imports. The 1/4” rail and small 3/8” drive sets of Crescents are some of my most frequently used sockets. They don’t get respect here, but they are perfectly acceptable for what I do, from assembling household goods, to rebuilding engines and working on old hot rods, muscle cars, dump trucks, excavators, CTL tractors and skid loaders, etc.

I would, in the case of sockets, recommend that you spend your availability funds on acquisition of a complete, well rounded set of shallow, mid length, deep, and specialty sockets, including impacts, extensions, etc,rather than concentrating on “American Made” or name recognition (tool polisher brands)

The SnapOn set sure looks pretty in the toolbox, though.

 

[Bradc1989]

proto

 

[drtyler]

Williams USA

This

Prices are reasonable through zoro.com if you wait for 10 - 20% coupon.

 

[never rest]

Williams USA is pretty affordable. That's the direction I'm going for my own socket upgrades.

 

[Walkers]

I bought a set like this, of Williams, in 3/8 and 1/2 to keep on my work truck. The sets were about 50 bucks each on eBay.

 

[Draftpick1]

I bought a set like this, of Williams, in 3/8 and 1/2 to keep on my work truck. The sets were about 50 bucks each on eBay.

Is that a USA made set?

 

[M6erfan]

I bought a set like this, of Williams, in 3/8 and 1/2 to keep on my work truck. The sets were about 50 bucks each on eBay.

^Those are imports, not USA made. Williams has two lines.

 

[Draftpick1]

This

Prices are reasonable through zoro.com if you wait for 10 - 20% coupon.

Williams with a 20% Zoro coupon is the best price on USA made from a retailer. Yes sales or SK steals and deals happen that might beat those.

 

[Draftpick1]

^Those are imports, not USA made. Williams has two lines.

Did you price Tekton vs those Williams?

 

[M6erfan]

Did you price Tekton vs those Williams?

I didn't. Why would I?

 

[Walkers]

^Those are imports, not USA made. Williams has two lines.

Huh, who knew? Apparently if the P/N starts with a letter it is US made and if it is a number it has foreign origin.

FWIW, I have had them on the truck and have been using them for some years and they seem fine.

 

[M6erfan]

Huh, who knew? Apparently if the P/N starts with a letter it is US made and if it is a number it has foreign origin.

FWIW, I have had them on the truck and have been using them for some years and they seem fine.

Yes, the P/N of the set you show is 50665. It's made in Taiwan. About $28 at ToolsDelivered

The USA made equivalent is P/N MSB-18HFTB and is about $130

 

[ive]

If it were me, I’d wait until Wright brings out its new blow molded kits.

 

[uncwstudent]

I really like my SK sockets and prefer those over any others that I have used. I would recommend that if you choose to get them, that you get them soon as who knows if they will continue to be manufactured in the US. You can find them on Amazon Warehouse for much less sometimes and if they are in "Like New" condition, they are usually pretty spotless. I also really like my old Craftsman -EE- sockets and you can find those at pawn shops or online for pretty cheap.

 

[Draftpick1]

I didn't. Why would I?

Both being imports I would view them about equal go for the best price. Both companies have a good warranty with Tekton being a little better IMO in just sending in a picture vs having to send the tool back to Williams. If it was say Toptul I would say that would be the better choice over both of the mentioned imports.

 

[M6erfan]

Both being imports I would view them about equal go for the best price. Both companies have a good warranty with Tekton being a little better IMO in just sending in a picture vs having to send the tool back to Williams. If it was say Toptul I would say that would be the better choice over both of the mentioned imports.

Except the OP is asking about USA made. Why muffle up the thread

 

[belvedere]

I really like the Williams USA set I have. I also have some SK, and they are good, too.

 

[m6z]

You really can't go wrong with any of the current made in the USA options.

Used and NOS USA Craftsman stuff is still quite available at reasonable prices as well.

 

[danski0224]

Last I looked, I found it just about impossible to buy USA made sockets for the same price or less than Williams.

They are quite a bit heavier than comparable Craftsman that I have.

The broach on the Williams deep chrome socket isn't as deep as the vintage Craftsman stuff I have.

Not sure if Williams and SnapOn are identical in appearance.

SK was more money.

I'm not worried about warranty replacement. If I break one, I'll just go get one. With Craftsman essentially gone, and no Snappy truck cruising by my house, it seems that Harbor Freight or Menards might be the easiest place to exchange stuff at. Those 2 retailers aren't always changing the hand tool department.

 

[2Busy]

Williams USA for me, probably best value among all the US made sockets. I really like Wright also but you’ll pay up for ‘em.

 

[Hotrod33809]

Appreciate all the replies everybody! Price wise it does appear right now the "cheapest" new ones I can find are Proto or Williams. You guys put Williams on my radar, I knew they were affiliated with snap-on so figured the price would be well beyond my budget but was pleasantly surprised.

 

[bubinga]

Williams USA

Been very happy with mine.

 

[iagsxr]

Appreciate all the replies everybody! Price wise it does appear right now the "cheapest" new ones I can find are Proto or Williams. You guys put Williams on my radar, I knew they were affiliated with snap-on so figured the price would be well beyond my budget but was pleasantly surprised.

Think I have five Williams USA sets now. They're in my box beside Snap On, Mac, and Matco.

Like my Snap Ons a little better, can't really articulate why. About even with my Matcos. If I could find a buyer for my Mac sockets I'd replace them with Williams.

 

[Gunfighter556]

For my impact sockets all I use is MAC, but for everything else I went bin diving in pawnshops to build a rather nice set of Craftsman for sometimes 10 cents each. I even managed to find a few of the old circle H sockets. Was definitely worth my time.

 

[Keep]

I did this years ago, comparing Wright, US Williams and craftsman, this was around the time I upgraded all my Craftsman to Wright, Williams, with a couple snap on items in between. Might find it helpful, might not....

Socket compare - Wright, Williams, Craftsman x2

Since I cannot link the site here due to a filter, I will copy/paste the thread. Now this is not an end all be all thread, this is just me snapping some pics showing some differences. **** Alright I seem to remember reading a complaint that no one ever compares/shows "good" sockets. Well I...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[Xcursion88]

SK or Cornwell...easily 1(a) / 1(b)

Reason? You have no issues getting them off the ratchet as both have an undercut of sorts which aids tremendously when oily or greasy and needing to swap sockets.

Snap on fuctions fine but they're an absolute ***** to remove from a ratchet if oily.
Mac has a small knurl but it's very fine.

We have every brand at my shop (it's busy) and SK gets used the most and hardest of all chrome sockets for that very reason.

SK gets this label like they're good if you're a hobbyist. That's the biggest nonsense statement in the history of GJ.
We use them professionally here and zero issues. Period.

To add...
If the tool is used properly none of these things break.
Notice I said "properly".
Meaning don't put an 18mm chrome socket 3/8"dr on a 40" breaker bar and add a pipe to it as well.
Here you'd use an impact 1/2" and a gun.

Don't over think this and use your tools intelligently. They'll last you a lifetime.

Glad you're buying !!!

 

[Terra Nova]

I switched to SK when you couldn’t get craftsman USA sockets anymore. Been very pleased with them.

That said, I recently got a set of Proto deep metric sockets and they are top notch. They are more affordable than SK (zoro tools with 20% coupon code makes them almost criminally cheap ).

check out Wright tools too.

 

[DOUGD]

Professional mechanic, I have been very happy with Wright sockets in 1/4" and 3/8" drive.