SK is unveiling new ratcheting wrenches
- Thread starter bimmer630
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Buckgnarly
Well-known member
Extra strength would be great, IF it came in a double box long pattern and double box long pattern flex with no fixed. THAT I would be interested in....until then I will say "Meh"......
dnschmidt
Well-known member
OK, super duper paw design. WHO CARES? Has anybody ever broken a Gearwrench model that they didn't abuse? Yes, it might be stronger but if what I've got has never failed so what. So let's recap.
Weird Looking
Non-Reversible
No-Offset
Expensive
Pretty thick box end head
Bottom Line: FAIL
Weird Looking
Non-Reversible
No-Offset
Expensive
Pretty thick box end head
Bottom Line: FAIL
shamrock12
Well-known member
Looking at those cutouts just made me cringe. Image if your hand slipped alongside the wrench and the tip of your pinkie gets caught ...
i am a little shocked at the response. a have heard on many occasions people wanting six point ratcheting wrenches. everybody wants six point sockets and wrenches because they are so much better on difficult fasteners they say.
i am actually kind of impressed. i love the v shaped open end and the cutouts look kind of cool. i think the new logo is nice also. i am pretty sure they had some on the street as i know somebody who saw them in development. he must remain quiet to keep his connections (he is on this board). we all knew they would not be cheap but that is what everyone ******* about now that they have seen them. there will be more versions in time i suppose and you have to start someplace.
pretty pumped to see new the ratchets and don't forget. sk is a us mfg committed to bringing new stuff to market. until a few people have put them to work maybe we should not be too quick to judge.
an odd comparison here. before most people ever set hands on the new pittsburgh pro ratchets people were raving about how awesome they are(i still think the flex heads look stupid and out of proportion). with the sk wrenches it is the exact opposite. it appears people are rejecting them without ever even seeing one.
i am actually kind of impressed. i love the v shaped open end and the cutouts look kind of cool. i think the new logo is nice also. i am pretty sure they had some on the street as i know somebody who saw them in development. he must remain quiet to keep his connections (he is on this board). we all knew they would not be cheap but that is what everyone ******* about now that they have seen them. there will be more versions in time i suppose and you have to start someplace.
pretty pumped to see new the ratchets and don't forget. sk is a us mfg committed to bringing new stuff to market. until a few people have put them to work maybe we should not be too quick to judge.
an odd comparison here. before most people ever set hands on the new pittsburgh pro ratchets people were raving about how awesome they are(i still think the flex heads look stupid and out of proportion). with the sk wrenches it is the exact opposite. it appears people are rejecting them without ever even seeing one.
BBC71Nova
Well-known member
We won't really know until they get in the hands of people who can actually use them. There was only so much we could get out of fondling them ha.
As for the comfort... They did say the beam was a bit thicker to improve the comfort. I didn't crank on one to prove it though.
Apparently the beam design came about because the beam was more of a weak link once they had such a strong ratcheting design. So they redesign the beam to be stronger. I didn't get the impression the open slots were purely aesthetic or for weight savings. Strength is what drove them to that design. At least that's what I got out of it.
Here is the slide covering the beam design. Have other pics but stuck on phone currently which is tedious to post pics with.
As for the comfort... They did say the beam was a bit thicker to improve the comfort. I didn't crank on one to prove it though.
Apparently the beam design came about because the beam was more of a weak link once they had such a strong ratcheting design. So they redesign the beam to be stronger. I didn't get the impression the open slots were purely aesthetic or for weight savings. Strength is what drove them to that design. At least that's what I got out of it.
Here is the slide covering the beam design. Have other pics but stuck on phone currently which is tedious to post pics with.
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Buckgnarly
Well-known member
i am a little shocked at the response. a have heard on many occasions people wanting six point ratcheting wrenches. everybody wants six point sockets and wrenches because they are so much better on difficult fasteners they say.
.
That's an easy one....you are not supposed to use current 12pt ratchet ends to break fasteners free. The new 6pt stronger design by SK might just eliminate that, hence the need for the 6pt box. I would love to have 6pt ratcheting that I can safely and reliably break the rusted fasteners I see up here, because the 6pt is better than 12 on rusted old fasteners IMHE.
As for the cosmetics I could not care less what my tools look like, so long as they work.... of course I do not speak for all on here.....hell, if they made them bright green some on here would be clamoring to get them at any cost.......
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I'm hoping that these are just the first in a series of ratcheting wrenches from SK. I'll likely not buy these, not because of the beam cutouts or six point design, but because I don't really need any more non-reverseable wrenches. When they come out with some with a reversing switch, I'll likely make the jump. Reversing with flex would be ideal!
That's an easy one....you are not supposed to use current 12pt ratchet ends to break fasteners free. The new 6pt stronger design by SK might just eliminate that, hence the need for the 6pt box. I would love to have 6pt ratcheting that I can safely and reliably break the rusted fasteners I see up here, because the 6pt is better than 12 on rusted old fasteners IMHE.
As for the cosmetics I could not care less what my tools look like, so long as they work.... of course I do not speak for all on here.....hell, if they made them bright green some on here would be clamoring to get them at any cost.......
i thought the spit icon revealed my tongue in cheek.
i seriously think it is a good looking wrench. i like the slide showing the the reason for the wide hips with cutout on the box end ( a little jab at those who complain about the regular sk box ends). i bet they look good in person with that superchrome finish and they probably come packaged in a bright green rail!
Loscaldazar
Well-known member
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That's an easy one....you are not supposed to use current 12pt ratchet ends to break fasteners free. The new 6pt stronger design by SK might just eliminate that, hence the need for the 6pt box. I would love to have 6pt ratcheting that I can safely and reliably break the rusted fasteners I see up here, because the 6pt is better than 12 on rusted old fasteners IMHE.
As for the cosmetics I could not care less what my tools look like, so long as they work.... of course I do not speak for all on here.....hell, if they made them bright green some on here would be clamoring to get them at any cost.......
Yup. I tried to count via the slide picture that was given (hopefully it is accurate), but these ratcheting wrenches will have at least around 26 teeth engaged at a time. Also, compared to gearwrench with a 5 degree swing, (if the 1/3 of competitors swing arc is also true), these will have just under 2 (1.6 actually) degrees of swing arc, making the 6 point acceptable as the gearwrench, with a 12 point box, would make the 5 degree swing in 2.5 if you removed the wrench and put it back one just one point offset from the original. With the massive amount of teeth engaged, this will be great for breaking free fasteners with the 6 point box end.
However, the lack of a reverse function still has me wondering. They will certainly add future designs (offset, double box, flex, etc) in the future, but I really want a reverse function....
Buckgnarly
Well-known member
To be fair on the lack of reverse, SK got this one right.....
The only time zero offset needs reverse is when you back a fastener off and get jammed in by lack of space to remove the wrench....yup, I did do that once removing something in an ****** engine bay, but rest assured I have never done that again, I plan now! Even the GW XL double boxes do not have reverse.
Offset is a whole different story though, that gives you forward and reverse at both angles.
The only time zero offset needs reverse is when you back a fastener off and get jammed in by lack of space to remove the wrench....yup, I did do that once removing something in an ****** engine bay, but rest assured I have never done that again, I plan now! Even the GW XL double boxes do not have reverse.
Offset is a whole different story though, that gives you forward and reverse at both angles.
Loscaldazar
Well-known member
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If that ever happens, just push the ratcheting wrench onto the threads of the bolt (hopefully it's not on a nut with a collar that prevents that), and get an open end on the nut/bolt and drive it back in a little. Saves you from having to cut the wrench or bolt.
ChevyEFI
Well-known member
Compared to what other ratcheting box end wrench?
I could live without the window in the tapered section but that's funny.
Travisnd
Well-known member
I'll stick with my Craftsman Industrial offset, reversible, Made in USA ratcheting wrenches...these do look funny and lobster clawish!
Loscaldazar
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He is a pretty avid hater of SK, don't expect facts when talking to him. He'd probably still be upset if they were the thinnest on the market.
The open end is probably just as thin as other brands, but the x beam design makes it look bulky. It has wide shoulders, but slim arms in other words, but yes, the lack of reverse and offset still stinks.
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NFH2740
Well-known member
I see the Fail Train made a stop in Sycamore, Illinois.
eborcim
Well-known member
How much is MSRP on these?
Those cut out flare the beam out. Could be an issue in thigh space. If they claim it is for strength, I don't see why they need it at the open end. The open end will spread before the beam fail. Aesthically, it kind of ugly. They claim it is 5 times stronger (stronger than other ratcheting wrench?). It is stronger than non-ratcheting box wrench? If not, the regular beam on a non-ratcheting box wrench doesn't fail before the box section fail, So the new x beam design is not necessary. For that price, I will get SO instead.
n8n
Well-known member
I'd like to try these. They look different but not *bad* IMHO the only reason I probably won't buy them is that they are too similar in form and function to the OG gearwrenches that I've had for years. I'd love to trade up for 6 points but I bet the cost of the SKs minus what I could get for my used GWs would be too significant to make it worth it...
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ChevyEFI
Well-known member
that must have been one stout bucket of abused swap meet junk they declined to warranty for him.
Well stated. I swore off non-reversing ratchet wrenches because I don't want triplicates of stuff. But I bet they come out with reversibles sometime.
he is probably mad that they are making them in sae sizes.
maybe he would like them if they were toptul.
warmpancakes
Well-known member
the holes are there because the wrenches are cheaper to make,
I think its great news they are coming out with some new pear head ratchets. Their round head is a timeless classic that we all probably have at least one of, but todays market requires a fine tooth replacement after losing the facom tuff/palm models.
Thanks for the update from those who attended.
Thanks for the update from those who attended.
JDon99
Well-known member
After looking at that pic of the ratcheting mech, I don't see how they can make them reversible w/o going to a "traditional" mechanism, At least w/o adding more bulk around the ratcheting end.
I don't really need these wrenches as I have some fixed non reversible gear wrenches, but it is great that there is one more option out there now. Plus, I'm sure there will be more designs to follow. That six point setup looks like it would be awesome for a long pattern wrench.
Under_Pressure
Well-known member
I thought that too. However, it was suggested that the upcoming pear head ratchets will be based on that design as well. Will be interested to see what they come up with.
I would think it would cause vastly more problems with quality control, plating, and polishing than whatever that raw piece of steel that gets punched out is worth.
Loscaldazar
Well-known member
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Also, if they made a traditional beam, wouldn't it take roughly the same amount of material as the V on each side does (imagine them just being squeezed together) anyway? Highly doubt this was a cost savings measure.
I think they look pretty good. I think it is great that another U.S. manufacturer is coming out with new ratcheting wrenches. I am a bit disappointed with the fact that they won't be offering an offset version at first.
Fedwrench
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Actually, they come on a dark green almost black plastic wrench rack with the SK X Frame logo in the middle and raised triangle shaped pegs on each side of the rack to fit in the wrench cutouts.they gave us the wrench racks along with gloves and pocket screwdrivers.
I think the issue here isn't that the wrenches aren't good, it's that everyone wanted more than they've seen in the new X Frame series.
I do know that patriotism and flag waving only go so far, techs want a quality tool that will serve them well and will get that tool regardless of where it's made similar to all those foreign cars on the road today.
You know it took more than a few years for Gearwrench to come up with all of the various shapes, styles, and types of ratcheting wrenches they currently offer. We need to give SK some time to see how these wrenches perform.
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Actually, they come on a black plastic wrench rack with the SK X Frame logo in the middle and raised triangle shaped pegs on each side of the rack to fit in the wrench cutouts.
I think the issue here isn't that the wrenches aren't good, it's that everyone wanted more than they've seen in the new X Frame series.
I do know that patriotism and flag waving only go so far, techs want a quality tool that will serve them well and will get that tool regardless of where it's made similar to all those foreign cars on the road today.
You know it took more than a few years for Gearwrench to come up with all of the various shapes, styles, and types of ratcheting wrenches they currently offer. We need to give SK some time to see how these wrenches perform.
Its just too bad their R&D department didn't say to themselves "well lets see, everyone and their brother has this style wrench, then start with ** styles first". Granted the design looks like it might be problematic to make reversible, but then why not start with something like a good length double box version, fixed and ratcheting, instead of basic combos? Dropped the ball there in my view. Its not that its isn't a nice product, its just that most people aren't going to need them because they already have 2-3 sets in brand XYZ which work fine.
KSB
Well-known member
I don't really see any problems with them. They look different but that ok, different is good.
Personally I don't like reversible offset or flex head ratchet wrenches. I have never found a need for them.
I like the idea of the 6 point on the ratchet end. There have been a few times I could have benefited from a 6 point wrench and did not have one so I may have to give these a try.
Personally I don't like reversible offset or flex head ratchet wrenches. I have never found a need for them.
I like the idea of the 6 point on the ratchet end. There have been a few times I could have benefited from a 6 point wrench and did not have one so I may have to give these a try.
GreaseMonkey45170
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Idk about this guys. Call me old school but i like a more traditional looking wrench. You cant solely judge by looks but thats enough to not make me want to buy these. Like others have said, i think sks gonna lose money on this deal. Hats off to them for making them in the USA!!
I think the x-frame design is just to make SK stand out from the crowd. I don't think it is necessary. We all know space is a premium in modern day vehicle. Any tools that are bulky will not be effective as less bulky tools. The new SK ratcheting wrench seem bulky. I can envision putting the wrench in a blind spot and something get damage from going in the slot while rotating the wrench.
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quattroJoe
Well-known member
When I first saw these I wasn't thrilled with the design, but after thinking about it I may pick some up eventually. When they were announced/teased, my thought process was "What will they come up with to justify replacing my Gearwrenches?" but now I'm thinking they may complement my GWs nicely. I'd be more confident in these for higher torque applications and breaking fasteners loose, while the GW can still be of use in tighter situations. I often hesitate to grab a GW when I think the situation could damage the ratcheting mech. Curious to see the pricing though, I probably don't need a second set of ratcheting wrenches *that* bad...
abvw
Well-known member
I've broken enough 10mm GW I stopped warrantying them. Nothing abusive, battery terminals, fenders and ground cables, general automotive 10mm applications. The poor flex head GW is floppy and the mechanism got so worn you can barely feel the clicks.
nicksnothereman
Well-known member
6 point? I guess I'm the target demographic. Hahahahaha. These are certainly not phoned in clones of traditional wrench designs.
Might be more for the old school guys...price is king though.
Might be more for the old school guys...price is king though.