Any trouble with the NEW SK socket drive ends?

[steelespeed]

So, has anyone here that has purchased new production SK sockets noticed any problems with the ball detent quality in the drive end?

I ask because a few months ago I came into a few loose sockets that had terrible manufacturing on that side of the socket. The groves for the ball were almost non-existent, super shallow or off-center. It almost looks like someone was just running a dremel tool in there with a grinding wheel attached. The sockets I have are just prior to the bankruptcy re-shuffle.

I have got to pull the trigger on a new set of sockets and was leaning this way but was hoping to see if SK could pull their fat our of the fire before sending them my money.

Thanks!!

 

[HandyManny]

Probably an isolated quality control issue due to lack of moral when they were about to be shut down. I've noticed even some high end makers have some ball detents missing all together. It's rare but I have a newer 1/2" drive 5/8th Proto socket that doesn't even have the ball detent inside. Simply missed in the process and never caught in quality control. It happens, unfortunately. I'd always had as much high regard for Proto as I have had for SK, so hopefully these are just isolated incidents.

 

[pipsters]

I have the 3/8" set at home waiting for me I'll let you know tonight.

 

[kippieland]

I just was at a shop that carries SK and the rep. said that since they were bought by Ideal they have scaled back the number of items they make and now have higher quality products. He said they have only been making them since last Jan. I wonder if those socket were the "older" SK.

 

[SMKS]

SK had some real quality issues before they filed for bankruptcy. My guess would be that they are sockets from the "old" SK.

 

[steelespeed]

Thanks guys.

The few sockets I have are definitely prior to the Ideal buy-out. Most likely from either the SK-Facom days or right after.

Just want to spend my money once and not regret my purchase. With Craftsman's move towards Chinese tools, it gets harder to do that. At this point, I have been more impressed with Taiwanese quality than some of the Sears products. Toptul and Kobalt don't seem like such a bad deal but I would prefer a US made product.

Pipsters, looking forward to your review. Will these be items from the new SK?

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

I agree with the poor morale theory. When everything is going downhill, it's easy to quit caring. I've got a flare nut wrench from the bankruptcy era that somehow got stamped upside down (it'll drive you batty if you lay them out like I do) but is otherwise perfect.

The Ideal era stuff I've gotten has been virtually flawless.