Blackhawk Tools

[Downwindtracker 2]

After reading alloy facts, I learned Blackhawk tools were one of the early developers of the sockets we know today, but I'm not interested old stuff or for that matter the current Stanley imported, rather the Blackhawk Hand Tools of Covington Georgia. A local tool store 15 or 20 years back was selling a bunch made in USA Blackhawk. I guess they got a bulk lot at scrap prices. Any history, or quality comments of that time frame. Google wasn't helpful.

 

[californiaHank]

Blackhawk used to be sold as the second line to Proto tools. Not as nice as Proto sockets, but reasonable quality for the price. I've got a set of US made 1/2" drive deep sockets that are maybe 15 years old. Chrome's decent, and I've never broken one. They're in the same ballpark as later US made Craftsman. The Blackhawk brand is still around, but their newer ratchets are now imported (Taiwan?) rather than US made. I don't know about the sockets.

 

[Htscheg]

The current lineup is not much better than scrp metal in my opinion. The place I work for supplies them for the tool boards we use daily!!!

 

[Fedwrench]

Pictures?

They're solid mid grade, no frills, get the job done tools. They're fine just not fancy.

 

[Tallpilot]

Pictures?

They're solid mid grade, no frills, get the job done tools. They're fine just not fancy.

I have a few sockets. They are one of the few USA made options for larger >19mm 1/2” drive chrome in 6pt and about half the price of SK.

 

[Nineeightyone]

I went with the Blackhawk line wrenches as the Snap-On were out of my price range, and for the ~$80 they cost from Amazon they were a solid deal. Good fit and finish, and a little more confidence-inspiring than the Harbor Freight offerings.

I wouldn't hesitate to give Blackhawk a look for future needs.

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

Sorry, but pictures are difficult for me. I'm an old phart with few computer skills. And my granddaughter isn't old enough to do it for me.

The sockets were on the short side, but fully broached. The drive end was narrower with two lines. Very old fashion looking. Handy but not an industrial design like Proto, Gray or old J.W. Williams .

The wrenches I picked up were fully polished in the MAC style. But everybody does that now, I even have a Westward in that style, which I have no idea how I came into that one. The chrome had something of a blueish tint.

 

[Lisamelting]

I bought a set of Blackhawk wrenches sized 1/4-1" sometime around 1996. They're black industrial finished and have held up great during everyday heavy industrial use.

 

[kythri]

Not all current Blackhawk is imported. Pretty sure there's still a fair amount of US-made stuff.

 

[mikebaker1129]

Not all current Blackhawk is imported. Pretty sure there's still a fair amount of US-made stuff.

True and some sockets are very well made with great chrome and in my opinion equal to Proto and Mac.
Some are imported and well made others are imported and junk.

 

[Fialaja]

Got some made in USA Blackhawk deep metric impact sockets that seem to be a good quality