proto or sk for weekend use?

[outdoorspace]

Most of my hand sockets were inherited and I never had a complete range in metric. I treasured my father's SK-Wayne ratchets and saw an opportunity to fill in the gaps and support Ideal's commitments so I picked up the 91848 and 94549 sets. The ratchets were great stuff with the 1/4" 40970 in particular having a compact head with 60-tooth internals and very low backdrag. The sockets were cleanly broached and had deep chrome but the detents were shallow and very inconsistent which left a bad impression on me. SK's customer service is really something special though. I have been issued a rebuild kit for a discontinued Tuff-1 ratchet and a full replacement for a 40-year old 45170 I managed to crack the head on and both times had zero hassles and very quick turnaround. SK definitely will take care of you in the long term.

I also started picking up Proto socket sets after having such good experience with their flare nut wrenches and Duratek screwdrivers. Proto hand sockets are well finished with deep, consistent detents and excellent chrome (whether it's better than SK I can't say, honestly). Their premium pear head ratchets are solid but I find the 45-tooth count and head profile to be troublesome in 1/4" drive especially for automotive work. Proto is quality but the price can be hard to take in considering their poor resale value and how difficult Stanley can make warranty claims.

I ultimately sold my SK socket sets but picked up an SK 40972 1/4" flex head ratchet that has earned its place next to my father's. SK could be something great if they refine their processes just a bit. As is, I still think their full sets offer a tremendous value.

 

[John in OH]

You'd probably be very happy with either Proto or SK. I personally have SK sockets in the 1/4" drive size, and Wright for my 3/8" and 1/2" drive sockets; although, Proto is an excellent quality tool.

I'll pimp Wright here as another possible brand you should at least take a look at. US made in Ohio and probably comparable in cost to Proto. One feature that I really like about Wright is the large size stamping on their sockets .... very easy to read. Really beautiful tools.

 

[Fedwrench]

decisions, decisions, I would need more information as to what you really need. Like metric or SAE or both, 6 point or 12 point, shallow or deep, just sockets or do we also want drive tools, extensions, u joints, etc.

I think it's hard to pass up the SK blow molded sets in 1/4, 3/8, or 1/2 drive. You may have to augment the sets with some additional drive tools like a longer 3/8 drive ratchet or a flex head version, and their 1/2 drive set needs a breaker bar but, if you shop around, they probably offer the best value.

I really like Proto tools too. I think the chrome on their newer sockets is much better than SK's. However, if you want 1/2 drive deep chrome six point sockets, Proto doesn't make them. They make one of the widest ranges of metric deep impact sockets though. The Proto premium pear head ratchet may only have 45 teeth but, it's smooth and very strong. Proto's palm control ratchets are also sweet!!! Proto also has easy to read size markings on their sockets.

I own a lot of both brands. I know there's some hostility towards Proto's parent company Stanley but, Stanley also owns MAC & Facom which are nothing to sneeze at once you separate the wheat from the chaff.

I think my advice would be to buy some of each but, shop around as there are crazy prices for Proto and a wide price gap on SK stuff.

 

[AntiqueVises]

decisions, decisions, I would need more information as to what you really need. Like metric or SAE or both, 6 point or 12 point, shallow or deep, just sockets or do we also want drive tools, extensions, u joints, etc.



I think it's hard to pass up the SK blow molded sets in 1/4, 3/8, or 1/2 drive. You may have to augment the sets with some additional drive tools like a longer 3/8 drive ratchet or a flex head version, and their 1/2 drive set needs a breaker bar but, if you shop around, they probably offer the best value.



I really like Proto tools too. I think the chrome on their newer sockets is much better than SK's. However, if you want 1/2 drive deep chrome six point sockets, Proto doesn't make them. They make one of the widest ranges of metric deep impact sockets though. The Proto premium pear head ratchet may only have 45 teeth but, it's smooth and very strong. Proto's palm control ratchets are also sweet!!! Proto also has easy to read size markings on their sockets.



I own a lot of both brands. I know there's some hostility towards Proto's parent company Stanley but, Stanley also owns MAC & Facom which are nothing to sneeze at once you separate the wheat from the chaff.



I think my advice would be to buy some of each but, shop around as there are crazy prices for Proto and a wide price gap on SK stuff.

i am mainly looking for 3/8 drive deep sockets. 6 point in both metric and sae. later ill get regular length sockets. as for ratchets i watch ebay like a hawk for snap on dual 80's. im up to 3, but the only 3/8 i have is the F80. need a flex head version now.

from what you guys are telling me, Proto seems to have more consistent better quality, with worse customer service. decisions arent easy

 

[sk farmer]

i am mainly looking for 3/8 drive deep sockets. 6 point in both metric and sae. later ill get regular length sockets. as for ratchets i watch ebay like a hawk for snap on dual 80's. im up to 3, but the only 3/8 i have is the F80. need a flex head version now.

from what you guys are telling me, Proto seems to have more consistent better quality, with worse customer service. decisions arent easy

it will literally only cost pennies more per piece to get the standard and deep sockets in a large set versus just the deep. factor in what it would cost to buy deep sockets, then standards and you are off the chart more expensive. i bet buying the master sets with ratchet, sae and metric, shallow and sockets and extensions is barely any more than buying the sae and metric deep sockets on their own.

 

[T45]

This is easy, buy proto from zoro at -30% if you can wait for a sale

mid-deeps avail, probably better to buy carlyle for those but SK has em too

shallows I really like facom more than either (because of the undercut shape)

Any of the above brands are way beyond "weekend use" type tools

your looking at military toolkits, pro grade industrial tool quality and beyond

worth noting that warranty is not like sears for any of these options

esp. as a retail/civilian etc

 

[AntiqueVises]

This is easy, buy proto from zoro at -30% if you can wait for a sale

mid-deeps avail, probably better to buy carlyle for those but SK has em too

shallows I really like facom more than either (because of the undercut shape)

Any of the above brands are way beyond "weekend use" type tools

your looking at military toolkits, pro grade industrial tool quality and beyond

worth noting that warranty is not like sears for any of these options

esp. as a retail/civilian etc

thanks! i watch zoro daily for the 30% off, no worries there! ill check out facom, never heard of them

my weekend use consists of anything from occasionally tractor maintainence, a couple diesel pickups, and a few atv's. widely varies week to week.

i usually like nice things and overkill is never a bad thing! thats the only reason im considering a better brand than craftsman/kobalt, etc.

 

[gdocktor3]

Though I had a QC issue with my first 47 piece set from SK, I'd still buy them over Proto. Why? Because their sets are much cheaper and they're equally as good for weekend or pro use. A 1/2" sae deep/shallow set from Proto is 3x as much as a 1/2" metric/sae deep/shallow set from SK. Since you already have the Snap On ratchets, I'd say the choice is pretty easy. I keep my SK set in the blow molded case so I can bring the entire set with me under the hood, in the house, on the road, etc.

 

[BK13]

i take little stock in those that will not look at the sk sets because of the ratchets.

Why? We like what we like. I've never said SK made bad ratchets, just that I don't like them. He asked for opinions, my opinion is that I would look elsewhere for ratchets. I like my SK sockets just fine.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bob15]

thanks! i watch zoro daily for the 30% off, no worries there! ill check out facom, never heard of them

my weekend use consists of anything from occasionally tractor maintainence, a couple diesel pickups, and a few atv's. widely varies week to week.

i usually like nice things and overkill is never a bad thing! thats the only reason im considering a better brand than craftsman/kobalt, etc.

Zoro also sells SK tools. You can also find good deals on E-bay as well. Including many with free shipping.

 

[gdocktor3]

Zoro also sells SK tools. You can also find good deals on E-bay as well. Including many with free shipping.

I'd say 95% of my online purchases come from eBay. Tools, electronics, parts, whatever. I'll spend two days searching for one item just to find the cheapest price, with free shipping. Just this week I've purchased led reverse lights for my truck, lawn mower blades, a Parker 1/2" filter/reg for my compressor, a cd, bolt on D rings for my trailer, and some Oxyfuel welding/cutting literature. All were cheaper than anywhere else. I'd say 95% of the tools I buy also come from eBay. Every so often tooldiscounter.com or a similar site will have a better price than eBay, but it's rare. Sometimes I buy tools (Gearwrench) from northern tool or advance auto because you can use promo codes to knock 10% or more off the price, and even then the eBay prices are righ there.

For me, eBay is the first stop and then I compare all other prices to that. A lot of times I message the seller or add a message to the best offer feature and get things cheaper than they were originally posted. Example - the Parker filter/reg I just bought was posted for $70 something dollars. In the best offer section I offered $45 and explained that I need to buy a gauge separately to use it. The seller agreed and its on its way to me.

 

[PJNJ]

Right now the 94549 3/8 set is back down to $164.82 on Tooltopia with free shipping and no tax -

http://www.tooltopia.com/sk-hand-to...tid=SKT94549&gclid=CKfb6rScr80CFUQvgQod4x0Ddw

The 91848 1/4 set is also back down to $135.20 on Tooltopia again with free shipping and no tax -

http://www.tooltopia.com/sk-hand-to...tid=SKT94549&gclid=CKfb6rScr80CFUQvgQod4x0Ddw

Proto deep metric 12 piece set 3/8 from Zoro is $75.57 plus tax ($5.29) with free shipping -
https://www.zoro.com/proto-socket-s...gclid=CNGw3vKdr80CFdgegQodciUAww&gclsrc=aw.ds

Proto deep SAE 10 piece set from Zoro is $75.48 plus tax ($5.28) with free shipping -
https://www.zoro.com/proto-socket-s...gclid=CNmJj-aer80CFUg8gQodbBwGjg&gclsrc=aw.ds

All of them are very good socket sets but you get the most bang for your buck with the complete SK sets - for a little more than the costs of the deep Protos you get a complete set SAE/metric, shallow/deep with ratchet and accessories.

Good wrenchin' whatever you pick.

 

[Davefr]

Go with Wright for wrenches and SK for ratchets/sockets. Or splurge and buy a SO 3/8" Dual 80 as your go to ratchet. (lots on Ebay at lower then MSRP).

Don't think everything has to be the same brand!!

 

[AntiqueVises]

Go with Wright for wrenches and SK for ratchets/sockets. Or splurge and buy a SO 3/8" Dual 80 as your go to ratchet. (lots on Ebay at lower then MSRP).

Don't think everything has to be the same brand!!

i have been looking at the wrightgrip wrenches, those are definitely my first option

as far as ratchets i have the snap on F80, S80A, and SLF80A. just need the long 3/8, and flex 3/8. been watching ebay for them. love the ratchets!

i bought the F80 and became a believer. this forum is a scary place

 

[OutsideMachinist]

Proto is better in my opinion but not significantly better. It costs more to reflect that. In any case SK are professional tools and more than capable for a diyer's needs. I dont mind the round head ratchets they work very well. Only beef I have with SK is their wrenches. They are shorter than the other brands and they have a very wide broach by the boxed end and cannot get into as tight spaces as a same size proto wrench. In any case I wouldnt hesitate to buy anything from SK they are great tools.

 

[AntiqueVises]

i found a 47 piece set of 12 points for $70 less than the exact same set in 6 point. wouldnt think that would be a big price jump!

tooltopia seems to be the best deal on the sk set

 

[zosk]

what makes you like the proto sockets better?

I should have probably specified this, but it's only for cosmetic reasons. I think the chrome on my Proto set is brighter than the SK set I have. I also like the cleaner look of the Proto lettering (although sometimes it isn't as easy to read as the SK).

I've never broken a socket from either brand and I think that from a functional perspective that you will be fine with whatever you choose.

 

[four.cycle]

Ltk since nobody mentioned this yet:
Unless you're stuck on "brand new", consider that there are loads of new and almost-new S-K and Proto sets listed every day on Ebay.
You'll want to make sure to compare prices with Amazon, ToolTopia.com, Toolup.com, Zoro.com, etc.
Every now and then there are cherries listed on the cheap - it's a matter of right place right time.

 

[Loscaldazar]

Only beef I have with SK is their wrenches. They are shorter than the other brands and they have a very wide broach by the boxed end and cannot get into as tight spaces as a same size proto wrench. In any case I wouldnt hesitate to buy anything from SK they are great tools.

Buy their long wrenches then if you don't like their short ones. Never understood why this is such a problem for people. The long pattern SK are pretty much the same length as Snap On or Proto.

Plus, here are some pictures of those "super bulky box ends" everyone talks about

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4112640&postcount=32

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3640974&postcount=37

Both sets of photos show that the SK is actually thinner, or roughly the same size as other wrenches.

 

[OutsideMachinist]

Buy their long wrenches then if you don't like their short ones. Never understood why this is such a problem for people. The long pattern SK are pretty much the same length as Snap On or Proto.

Plus, here are some pictures of those "super bulky box ends" everyone talks about

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4112640&postcount=32

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3640974&postcount=37

Both sets of photos show that the SK is actually thinner, or roughly the same size as other wrenches.

Yes I understand. It isn't ''super bulky box end'' rhetoric im regurgitating from reading this forum. Im talking about first hand real life use every day. Multiple times I needed the box end to fit in a tight spot and it would not. Whether it was too wide or too thick. However, the same size wrench of another brand fit just fine. Thats not assumption or speculation its reality. All that said, sk wrenches are still good quality.

 

[T45]

Those SK box ends have clearance issues because of the approach to the broach, IMHO not because of the thickness of the ring itself.

If you mess about with recessed fasteners this may end up requiring another tool, which means that money you saved buying SK is wasted, on account of you needing more tools.

For weekend warrior this is maybe no big deal but for more serious use these small details add up.

.

 

[bfm336]

I'm trying to decide on a complete set of sockets for 3/8" and 1/2" drive. Right now I've narrowed it down to Proto or SK, but can't make my mind up. Basically I'm looking for USA made, decent warranty, and I want them to last me forever.

I have a few cheap sets, random Kobalt stuff from Lowes so I'm basically starting from scratch. I already have 3 Snap-On ratchets, just cant justify buying sockets and wrenches from them.

Any pointers would be greatly appreciated! (and I've already searched the topic before you tell me where the search bar is )

SK all the way. About $150 for the 3/8" set (SAE & metric), not sure about 1/2". Plus great storage case as well. I'm thinking Proto will be more expensive.

Bonus - I've had great experiences with SK warranty.

I went with Wrightgrip wrenches and am happy as punch.

 

[shockwave]

I would probably say go with sk as there seems to be more easily warrantee and no nonsense

But it really matters to what you might like best see a service set 3/8 or 1/2 on which you like the best

 

[sk farmer]

Those SK box ends have clearance issues because of the approach to the broach, IMHO not because of the thickness of the ring itself.

If you mess about with recessed fasteners this may end up requiring another tool, which means that money you saved buying SK is wasted, on account of you needing more tools.

For weekend warrior this is maybe no big deal but for more serious use these small details add up.

.

money wasted on tools???? that is funny.

i have raised panel sk, full polish sk and sk made craftsman pro in metric and sae, all with the dreaded "wide hips" i use them right alongside my snap-on, bonney and matco wrenches. people always make that comparison and claim they gain so much more access with wrenches other than sk. in all of my years turning wrenches on farm machinery, trucks, cars, atv's and snowmobiles i can't recall one time ever having to switch out a "hippy" wrench for one of the others. maybe i have but i sure can't recall it.

if someone tells me they don't like like them because of how they look or feel i can go with that. if they are trying to tell me that access is going to be a big issue i call bs because in reality for most instances it just isn't going to matter. it is more hype and myth than fact. i know because i use them all.

if anything it is an advantage to have different brands of wrenches as you often need two of the same size and different brands have different lengths and angles of the offset. some even have the offset in different places. i find those subtle differences far more useful than the slightly narrower hip.

 

[AntiqueVises]

SK all the way. About $150 for the 3/8" set (SAE & metric), not sure about 1/2". Plus great storage case as well. I'm thinking Proto will be more expensive.

Bonus - I've had great experiences with SK warranty.

I went with Wrightgrip wrenches and am happy as punch.

im definitely going with SK, just trying to find the cheapest price right now. tooltopia seems to be, even compared to the 30% zoro coupon

 

[outdoorspace]

I noticed that Zoro has the 60-Piece 1/4" SuperSet (91860) for the same price as ToolTopia before discount.

 

[Davefr]

im definitely going with SK, just trying to find the cheapest price right now. tooltopia seems to be, even compared to the 30% zoro coupon

SK will be an excellent choice. Proto is good but their warranty is a PIA. Proto requires any warranty issues to be handled by a distributer and most distributers are pretty clueless and will give you the runaround.

SK is a simple phone call or email to their cust. service.

 

[B_Bimmer]

SK will be an excellent choice. Proto is good but their warranty is a PIA. Proto requires any warranty issues to be handled by a distributer and most distributers are pretty clueless and will give you the runaround.

SK is a simple phone call or email to their cust. service.

No. With Proto you mail it in and they mail back new. It is easy and hassle free, other than the post office, which Stanley does not control.

 

[M6erfan]

Yeah, I don't think Proto forces you to go through a distributor for warranty.

 

[1950mercury]

Yeah, I don't think Proto forces you to go through a distributor for warranty.

I've mailed tools to proto no problem, the same with sk.

The only difference is I've never had to mail new defective proto tools, buy have had to with sk a few times.

They both make good tools and I don't think you could go wrong with either.

 

[M6erfan]

I've mailed tools to proto no problem, the same with sk.

The only difference is I've never had to mail new defective proto tools, buy have had to with sk a few times.

They both make good tools and I don't think you could go wrong with either.

My experience as well...

 

[Fedwrench]

Those SK box ends have clearance issues because of the approach to the broach, IMHO not because of the thickness of the ring itself.

If you mess about with recessed fasteners this may end up requiring another tool, which means that money you saved buying SK is wasted, on account of you needing more tools.

For weekend warrior this is maybe no big deal but for more serious use these small details add up.

.

To best illustrate the bulkiness or wide in the hips comparison view, you need to shoot that picture from side of the wrench. it gets worse as the wrench size increases. I think anything over 15mm is pretty bulky. It's that there's no setback. The bottom edge of the boxed end is the bottom edge of the wrench's beam. I own many SK tools but, I'm not a fan of their combination wrenches for this reason.

 

[ihateminimumwage]

as far as ratchets i have the snap on F80, S80A, and SLF80A. just need the long 3/8, and flex 3/8. been watching ebay for them. love the ratchets!

i bought the F80 and became a believer. this forum is a scary place

I bought a 3pc set of Snappy 80s with my student discount in school, and no matter what other ratchets I work with (Williams, SK, Gearwrench, Matco, MAC, Cornwell, Older Snap-on, Kobalt, Craftsman) I always go back to the Snap-ons (and same as you, keep getting more through eBay).

While I haven't used any of the current Proto offerings (except for the Duratek drivers, which are excellent), I switched all my 1/4" & 3/8" home sockets over to a pair of recent production SK sets, and couldn't be happier. Fit, finish and broaching have been excellent.

The cases are extremely handy (I even bought an extra for my 1/4" Gearwrench impacts at work) and the old school ratchets are great, even if the 3/8" is a little bulky. The 1/4" round head ratchets are right up there with the 72 tooth Snappys.

The only hiccup was a 2nd 7/16" socket in the 3/8" set in place of a 12mm. I emailed SK and had a replacement 12mm within the week.

I just keep waiting for an update on the dual pawl kits for the ratchets (especially for the 3/8"), or the pear head ratchets they've alluded too a year or so ago (as long as they keep the old school look, and not go over the top modernizing like MAC did with their 90 tooth ratchets).

 

[Loscaldazar]

To best illustrate the bulkiness or wide in the hips comparison view, you need to shoot that picture from side of the wrench. it gets worse as the wrench size increases. I think anything over 15mm is pretty bulky. It's that there's no setback. The bottom edge of the boxed end is the bottom edge of the wrench's beam. I own many SK tools but, I'm not a fan of their combination wrenches for this reason.

10MM and 24MM next to Craftsman USA RP respectively

They aren't "tiny" wrenches, but the whole they're really bulky is exaggerated I believe. I know you have a set of Sk wrenches Fedwrench (or at least did), so if you don't like them, totally get it.

 

[ihateminimumwage]

They aren't "tiny" wrenches, but the whole they're really bulky is exaggerated I believe. I know you have a set of Sk wrenches Fedwrench (or at least did), so if you don't like them, totally get it.

I can see how they'd be called "bulky" when compared to Snap-on, since the Snappys have such thin beams.

SKs seem thin to me now after years of using Williams Superwrenches

 

[OutsideMachinist]

10MM and 24MM next to Craftsman USA RP respectively

They aren't "tiny" wrenches, but the whole they're really bulky is exaggerated I believe. I know you have a set of Sk wrenches Fedwrench (or at least did), so if you don't like them, totally get it.

No one is saying sk wrenches are junk or arent worth buying. I only mentioned it because its worth considering. Most people wont have four wrench sets like us some people only have one. The differences get worse as the sizes get bigger. Look at two 1-1/2'' wrenches side by side and you'll see what we mean. If the biggest wrench you use is 3/4'' may never be an issue.

 

[Loscaldazar]

No one is saying sk wrenches are junk or arent worth buying. I only mentioned it because its worth considering. Most people wont have four wrench sets like us some people only have one. The differences get worse as the sizes get bigger. Look at two 1-1/2'' wrenches side by side and you'll see what we mean. If the biggest wrench you use is 3/4'' may never be an issue.

All I'm doing here is providing pictures so people can make their own judgements.

I'll also hopefully be doing a Williams, Wright, Proto, SK, and Snap On wrench comparison in the next few months to get some good pictures to demonstrate (and maybe even measure) differences between them as well as use them for a while and determine which brand I would like to keep.

I'm not here to say the OP (or anyone else) needs to buy SK, and that anyone who disagrees with SK is wrong. I'm here to say they deserve more consideration than just being dismissed as bulky, as the photos I posted show. The second photo (a 24MM) looks hardly thick at all in the beam taper section.

I'd also welcome you to post some of the larger sizes I don't have next to a craftsman RP or the proto wrenches (I believe) you mentioned earlier. Put the two box ends flush to each other so we can get a good look at them. More photos only help people make purchases they will be happy with.

 

[T45]

This is a tool with box ends designed for flush fasteners. Notice how they don't look like an SK box end at all.

 

[Loscaldazar]

This is a tool with box ends designed for flush fasteners. Notice how they don't look like an SK box end at all.

To be fair, the box ends of that wrench you posted don't look like any combination wrench. It's a zero offset instead of a 15 degree offset box and the beam meets the box at the top, not the middle of box like a combination wrenches. Just placed an order for those Snap On High Performance DBE wrenches a few days ago too.

The beam thickness of a 14MM snap on combination wrench is roughly 5MM and the box end depth is 9MM in total. Since the beam meets the box end in the middle of the box, that leaves 2MM on each side of the beam to access recessed fasteners. Good luck removing a fastener only being 2MM (or less) of contact.

For comparison, a 14MM Snap On High Performance Zero Offset wrench has similar thickness beam that meets at the top (5mm), with a deeper box (9.8MM), that gives you 4.8MM of access to get to a recessed fastener. That's a good amount there.

Moral of the story, for recessed fasteners, a combination wrench is the wrong tool to use. With the amount of effort people are spending trying to find situations where the SK wrench won't work, I'm surprised people aren't doing the same for the Wrightgrip wrenches. I mean, they are only a 10 degree (woodtockVA claims it's a 7-8 degree, but others have said 10) offset and not a 15 degree offset like most combination wrenches. Never know when having those 5 less degrees of offset will leave you completely unable to perform a job and you have to buy another set of wrenches to do it.

Honestly what it comes down to with wrenches is which one you find most comfortable in your hands. No design feature of a wrench has as much bearing on its usability as that. Especially when you are talking about Snap On, Armstrong, Wright, SK, Williams, Proto, Cornwell, etc. They're all very strong and well built wrenches, but different people like different things. It's hard to make a wrong choice with so many good wrenches out there. It's not like we're talking about Harbor Freight flare nut wrenches from India vs Snap On flare nut wrenches.

 

[T45]

The point is not to illustrate the 'best solution' but to highlight that the problem you are denying exists. The broach shapes of box wrenches matter for fastener access. You cannot simply dismiss people when they point that out. The flush fastener friendly box ends come in 15 degree offsets, so that is no the issue.

The real issue is whether or not these problems show up in your workflow. Some people work with flush or maybe more often semi-flush or partially recessed fasteners. So they are very aware of the limitations of box-end broaching. Brand X,Y,Z may not all work as well for semi-flush placements, and rather than having duplicate sets its sometime better to invest in the tool with wider (more reliable) range of applications.

As far as I can tell the SK shape is just brand identity--its not an engineering solution--you can see this as it was carried over into their latest ratcheting wenches.

On the topic of ratcheting wrenches, most people are familiar of course with the inability to use them in many places because of the shape of the broach is much closer to SK type combos.

On the OP point about sockets of course, none of this really matters. Sk sockets as far as I am aware have good clearances. They are more than suitable for DIY use as many people have noted above. The situation with combo wrenches is more just don't leap into buyink based on brand without studying your needs and the suitability of the tools.

edit: see the facom combo wrench box ends for similar illustrations