Count me as a fan of King Tony hand tools!
We have an Agri-Supply here in Statesboro, GA, and whenever I've need a particular socket and I can't wait for shipping, I head there. I've also bought a King Tony 1/2" drive breaker bar and ratchet there, as well.
The only other "real" tool shop we have in town is Fastenal, and I general find them to be overpriced (although they've helped me out in a pinch or two.) And we have a Lowe's, but I'm not generally a fan of Kobalt hand tools, although they are also fine in a pinch (and it's easy to warranty their stuff).
Bottom line, I've found King Tony products to be as well-made and as durable as any of the USA industrial brands.
Below is a pic of some of what I have. I have a few more sockets than this, but this kind of represents their offerings:
The 15 inch breaker bar has been a lifesaver. No bolt stands a chance against it, some PB Blaster, and my iron cheater pipe! Can't remember what I paid for it, but I'm sure it was under $20.
At one point, I needed something better than my no-name 1/2" ratchet, and I headed to Agri-supply and found this for about $20. I simply can't believe the quality. 72 teeth (I counted!). It was completely dry when I bought it, so I opened it up and applied a little Super Lube to the gears and pawl. It's a "Facom style" round head with the funny, heart-shaped spring in it. Took me a while to figure out how to put it back together. It's pretty smooth but it's got a little backdrag. Not too too bad, though, considering the typical applications of a 1/2" ratchet. It's nicely finished and as strong as can be. It's a standard length, but I've rarely had to resort to the breaker bar because it cracks loose just about any bolt or nut. Below are the handles. The knurling on the breaker bar is really nice and well executed. The soft handle on the ratchet is very comfortable:
I can't say enough about King Tony sockets. There are two lines. The standard, which you get at Agri-Supply, and the KT Pro line, which I've only seen online. The Pro line has super shiny chrome plating (think SK, and such). The regular line has a combination of satin finish and lighter-polished chrome. All the Pro line sockets have a rubberized "GRIPSTRIP" at the base, whereas the regular sockets only feature this on their 1/2" drive deep sockets, as far as I can tell. It's a nice feature. I can't speak to it's ultimate durability, since I don't use sockets every day, but the strip on the sockets I have that feature this are holding up just fine.
I have found their sockets to be precisely finished and extremely durable. I've got some older USA industrial sockets that are starting to rust, especially on the insides, but the KT sockets show no sign of this, despite heavy use and exposure. Below is a closer shot of the sockets, including the inside of a deep socket:
I've found that – in practical use – King Tony tools are as fine as any of the USA industrial tool brands. They are made in Taiwan and are
at least comparable to GearWrench in quality, except they are even less expensive.
The downsides? They are not widely available. Agri-Supply, if you have one in your town, is the best source. They carry sets and lots of individual sockets for sale. They will warranty them, but I've never had that occasion.
You can find the KT Pro line at Amazon. I really think their heavy chrome finish makes them comparable to SK, Proto and other USA industrial brands. I'm sure many on this board might challenge me on this, but I'm basing this opinion on experience. Just one guy's informed opinion – take it for what it is.
