Hey everybody...new member here

[Musclewagon]

I signed up a while back but this is my first post. I look forward to learning from all of you and will try to contribute when I can but I doubt I'll be able to tell you guys anything you don't already know; though I may be good for telling you how NOT to do something

Last summer I bought an older BMW as a second car and plan on doing as much work on it as my schedule/knowledge/patience/skills allow. My tool chest currently consists of older Craftsman ratchets and sockets and I just ordered a set of metric wrenches off Ebay. Trying to avoid the PRC garbage being offered by Sears and everyone else nowadays. Currently I'm looking for a set of deep well sockets. Question, are all SK sockets made in USA or should I beware of newer tools that could have been made elsewhere?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Mike

 

[iroc409]

Welcome to the site! SK is still all USA as far as I know.

 

[parnass]

...Question, are all SK sockets made in USA or should I beware of newer tools that could have been made elsewhere?

Mike

Welcome aboard.

The SK 1/2" drive deep metric socket set I recently bought through Amazon was made in USA. It was SK set #1945.

 

[thebeekeeper1]

Welcome!

 

[scaron]

S-K sockets are all US made and you will not be disappointed with them. as well, i'd say proto is at least as good; folks will probably argue which is better; but it can sometimes be a little less expensive than S-K. lots of used Bonney stuff out there which is very nice tho you won't see as much of it in metric.. and then there is wright tool, also very nice but the prices tend to be on the higher side. there's still lots of domestically made stuff to pick from without having to pay tool truck prices.

 

[Musclewagon]

Thanks guys...successfully bid/purchased a set of S-K 3/8 deep wells today on Ebay but I'm really just getting started and will consider the other USA brands you all recommended for future purchases.

 

[bcradio]

Welcome... yes the SK stuff should pretty much all be made in US.

 

[BK13]

AFAIK the only non US SK stuff is the no longer offered ratcheting wrenches.

 

[Hpozzuoli]

Welcome. I am a huge fan of SK and have a very large collection. Still made in the US by Ideal Industries. They still warranty tools thru the mail and with most snap on guys.

I copied the below from Wikipedia to show the timeline.

In 1962, SK, along with manufacturing partner Lectrolite Corp., of Defiance, OH was bought out by Symington-Wayne. That company was later bought out by Snap-On Tools. In 1985 SK became part of Facom Tools.[3] In June, 2010, the company declared bankruptcy. On August 23, 2010, it was announced that two days later, on August 25, 2010, Ideal Industries would acquire SK.[5][6]

 

[Outlawmws]

Never heard of SO having anything to do with SK...

This is the timeline as best I've been able to piece it together:


early 1900s; Sherman-Klove; Screwes, mortor housings, contract tools (Craftsman)
early 1930s; S-K Tools - Boxes had this in a Diamond logo (TM 1932 until 57/58?); Major contract Hinsdale banruptcy drive new tools business
50's?; SK Lectrolite; Partnership?
1958; S-K (No Tools)- ;Boxes had this in a Diamond logo
1962; S-K Wayne ; Symington- Wayne
1969; S-K ;Dresser buys Symington-Wayne
1985; S-K ;FACOM
2005; S-K ;Stanley
2005; SK?; Some tools were without the dash… Independent management buyout
23-Aug-10; S-K; bankruptcy
25-Aug-10; S-K; Ideal

 

[nicksnothereman]

I signed up a while back but this is my first post. I look forward to learning from all of you and will try to contribute when I can but I doubt I'll be able to tell you guys anything you don't already know; though I may be good for telling you how NOT to do something

Last summer I bought an older BMW as a second car and plan on doing as much work on it as my schedule/knowledge/patience/skills allow. My tool chest currently consists of older Craftsman ratchets and sockets and I just ordered a set of metric wrenches off Ebay. Trying to avoid the PRC garbage being offered by Sears and everyone else nowadays. Currently I'm looking for a set of deep well sockets. Question, are all SK sockets made in USA or should I beware of newer tools that could have been made elsewhere?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Mike

Guess where those parts you buy for your cars are gonna come from...

Anyway, sk makes good stuff but the warranty isn't walk into a store and get a replacement which means you'll need backup tools or wait two weeks to finish a project. That's the advantage of store brands (if they willingly replace stuff). Even the craftsman chinese deeps don't look like total **** but they're too expensive.

You bought 6 point sk sockets right? Where you're going to end up using them (where clearance is an issue) you're going to want 6 point.