SK Sockets & Accessoories Made In USA?

[scooby074]

I thought SK was dead as a doornail. I guess theyre is some life in the corpse yet.

Some pretty interesting comments from the GM of SK. Addresses the COO questions. But he does kind of downplay the contract manufacturing aspect. I do admit, I like the retro antique metal cased set. The full, deep and shallow all in one plastic set is a nice blast from the past as well. I got a soft spot for the hard plastic screwdrivers, I still have a few left from my OG set back in the day, and they were great drivers. Still hope SK can come back from the brink .

 

[hasco]

Good News ,I hope. Thanks for sharing.

 

[CHI_Tool&Die]

If their QC has improved to the same level as every other tool manufacturer and their sockets are still made in the USA with US steel, I’d gladly sell off all my other socket sets and just have SK. I really liked the sets I had outside of the QC issues and the lack of warranty help due to the move and acquisition by Great Star. I keep checking online but so far everyone has only reviewed the new Chinese-made socket sets.

 

[Fedwrench]

Is this old stock? Who's making the stuff for SK? There isn't an SK Tool factory in the USA, only a shop vac distribution center in PA. Maybe the peeps making the Olsa LP90 ratchet clones have added socket sets to their manufacturing
I find it odd that SK puts on the made in USA face at tool shows but, most of their Amazon stuff is rebadged Duratech tools made in the PRC. It will be interesting to see which SK version ends up at Lowes.

 

[KnurledNut]

I felt like I was taking a SK museum tour...

 

[CHI_Tool&Die]

Is this old stock? Who's making the stuff for SK? There isn't an SK Tool factory in the USA, only a shop vac distribution center in PA. Maybe the peeps making the Olsa LP90 ratchet clones have added socket sets to their manufacturing
I find it odd that SK puts on the made in USA face at tool shows but, most of their Amazon stuff is rebadged Duratech tools made in the PRC. It will be interesting to see which SK version ends up at Lowes.

I guarantee you it will be the Chinese made tools.

Zoro claims to have US made socket sets in stock. They’d have to be newly manufactured because they were completely out of SK stuff for so long. It’s being offered under SK Professional Tools. No pictures and no reviews from anyone online to determine how they are.

 

[VolvoRyan]

Is this old stock? Who's making the stuff for SK? There isn't an SK Tool factory in the USA, only a shop vac distribution center in PA. Maybe the peeps making the Olsa LP90 ratchet clones have added socket sets to their manufacturing
I find it odd that SK puts on the made in USA face at tool shows but, most of their Amazon stuff is rebadged Duratech tools made in the PRC. It will be interesting to see which SK version ends up at Lowes.

I'm definitely seeing old stock.... especially with the screwdrivers: They say USA.... but if they were USA, he would have pointed that out.

SK would do well to put COO on their website, at least when it's USA made. The "overseas tools" prices are pretty steep for what they are. SK has to do something to up the consumer confidence.

-Ryan

 

[Lt CHEG]

Honestly, it’s just not worth taking the chance. I was never a huge SK fan to begin with, but liked them well enough as a US manufacturer. With this whole reorganization, there are just too many unanswered questions. I’m unwilling to buy a US made tool, with corresponding higher price, only to find out that if an item is lost or broken and needs to be warrantied or replaced I can only replace it with a Chinese version. I’ll just stick to other options and continue to view SK as dead.

 

[Wamsutta]

Who owns SK as of late? Last I heard IDEAL owned them but spun them off to somebody else. SK gets passed around like a football.

 

[mikebaker1129]

Sounds like the round head ratchets are going to be import now.
I heard a rumor Wright was making the sockets.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I felt like I was taking a SK museum tour...

I like SK. SK was my first choice when I was a working mechanic. I have my Father's SK set he bought in Medicine Hat, AB in 1945. Dad got the SK set of sockets, ratchet and an extension, to celebrate because he had just become a father.
For more than a few years, I had several secondhand stores and pawn shops skim the SK tools for me. After a quick bath in my ultrasonic cleaner made most of these tools look like new. I discovered where many of the lost 10mm sockets were.

 

[KnurledNut]

I like SK. SK was my first choice when I was a working mechanic. I have my Father's SK set he bought in Medicine Hat, AB in 1945. Dad got the SK set of sockets, ratchet and an extension, to celebrate because he had just become a father.
For more than a few years, I had several secondhand stores and pawn shops skim the SK tools for me. After a quick bath in my ultrasonic cleaner made most of these tools look like new. I discovered where many of the lost 10mm sockets were.

I miss the S-K Facom era.

 

[Fedwrench]

Who owns SK as of late? Last I heard IDEAL owned them but spun them off to somebody else. SK gets passed around like a football.

Great Star Manufacturing

 

[micromind]

I've heard that Wright might be making sockets for SK, I'm not sure how I feel about it.

On one hand, Wright is known for making some of the toughest tools ever. This might help SK but why not just buy Wright?

On the other hand, Wright is pretty proud of the fact that nearly every tool they sell is made in Barberton Ohio from US steel that comes from US mines. If they make sockets that are rebranded SK, I'd really, really hate to see quality suffer because of it.

 

[woody 73]

I grew up with SK tools, I think Koon is a shill on his YouTube channel, so I tend to take things with a grain of salt coming from his mouth. Are they going to be made in the USA, only time will tell. Still any word is better than nothing at all, so thanks op.

 

[Wamsutta]

Great Star Manufacturing

That sounds Chinese as all heck and back.

 

[scooby074]

They acknowledged that it was going to be a mix of import and domestic, but said that the pear shape ratchets and sockets will be MIUSA. Close up showed stamped USA.

Extensions, at least locking are MIUSA. What surprised me was the statement that SO and all the others are getting their extensions from the same supplier, I figured SO made theirs in house.

Im assuming all the MIUSA will be contract manufacturing. Maybe a final QC at SK HQ Still a lot to learn about GS future plans for the brand.

They didnt say it, but I figure all the impact sockets etc, will be import. Only chrome will be MIUSA

One thing they GOT to do is get tools out there to the brick and mortar stores. With all the "online brands" selling the same stuff,, its going to be a hard fight to get business, especially at a higher price. And of course, the future of the brand re: warranty etc. is also a huge question regardless what spin they try and put on it in video.

 

[CHI_Tool&Die]

I've heard that Wright might be making sockets for SK, I'm not sure how I feel about it.

On one hand, Wright is known for making some of the toughest tools ever. This might help SK but why not just buy Wright?

On the other hand, Wright is pretty proud of the fact that nearly every tool they sell is made in Barberton Ohio from US steel that comes from US mines. If they make sockets that are rebranded SK, I'd really, really hate to see quality suffer because of it.

If Wright were making SK sockets to SK’s specs, they’d have a really shallow broach akin to the Williams/Snap-on sockets but with better size stamping. They’d also be turned down over the majority of the deep socket’s length. And that would make me purchase them over the Wright sockets.

 

[AEAdam]

SK was never an awesome tool company. They invented the round head ratchet in the 1930s then rested on their laurels for the rest of the century. They didn’t innovate or improve. The owners just milked what they could out of the company.

Ideal, having no experience with tools like these, bought the brand name only. They set up a new factory and arrogantly believed they could compete with Snap on, get tool trucks and sponsor race car teams. Only, the tools they made weren’t good.

They needed to do what Koken did. Engineer, test, innovate, manufacture to a high standard. But that’s not what Ideal does. I saw the handwriting shortly after they started and the reviews started rolling in. They had an annoying rep here named SKEric.

Now a Chinese company has once again bought, what can only be described as, a lackluster brand name in hopes of milking the SK brand one more time. Pass.

 

[RavenHawk]

I have a soft spot in my heart for once iconic US tool manufacturers, and especially SK due to their Chicago origins. That said, I would never purchase a new SK tool, regardless of where it is made, as I prefer not to send my money back to the PRC when it can be avoided.

 

[Steve_P]

.....Extensions, at least locking are MIUSA. What surprised me was the statement that SO and all the others are getting their extensions from the same supplier, I figured SO made theirs in house....

They didnt say it, but I figure all the impact sockets etc, will be import. Only chrome will be MIUSA

One thing they GOT to do is get tools out there to the brick and mortar stores. With all the "online brands" selling the same stuff,, its going to be a hard fight to get business, especially at a higher price. And of course, the future of the brand re: warranty etc. is also a huge question regardless what spin they try and put on it in video.

I believe that the locking portion was made by another vendor, who probably has a patent. I know someone named the company when this was discussed here years ago. I have a bunch of the SK locking extensions, and the chrome portion, the extension, is an SK part. I don't know if they added the locking portion in-house at SK, or at the other vendor.

As far as brick and mortar sales, the only places that sold SK towards the end that I knew of were specialty type tool stores. Home Depot, Napa... aren't going to waste the space to try and sell a $10 socket when there's an import on the hook next to it that sells for $2; because they know that >90% of Americans are going to buy the $2 socket. Same with trying to sell a Malco Eagle Grip to the masses...

 

[Etchase]

IIRC it was reported that the last years SK was manufacturing tools before they were bought by Hangzhou Greatstar their sales were under $30 million. Pathetically small.

 

[scooby074]

I believe that the locking portion was made by another vendor, who probably has a patent. I know someone named the company when this was discussed here years ago. I have a bunch of the SK locking extensions, and the chrome portion, the extension, is an SK part. I don't know if they added the locking portion in-house at SK, or at the other vendor.

As far as brick and mortar sales, the only places that sold SK towards the end that I knew of were specialty type tool stores. Home Depot, Napa... aren't going to waste the space to try and sell a $10 socket when there's an import on the hook next to it that sells for $2; because they know that >90% of Americans are going to buy the $2 socket. Same with trying to sell a Malco Eagle Grip to the masses...

Interesting about the locking ext.

Napa here in Canada has the house brand Ultrapro (Carlisle) and now, more recently Craftsman and Milwaukee has appeared. I dont think they ever had SK, even way back.

Back in the day, 25-30ish yrs ago, I remember SK in a few places. The small, independent auto parts and industrial supplies had them, the independent tool truck that came to work had them, SK and Sunex were his main brands. I think thats what they need to do, get back into B&M with a salesman to push them.

But since then, Milwaukee has REALLY stepped up their game in hand tools, let alone all the china brands. Where there once was space for SK, I see it gobbled up by Milwaukee. Milwaukee is everywhere these days, including the independent tool trucks and autoparts, and especially the industrial suppliers all are pushing Milwaukee, over Gray or Proto even. Milwaukee offers the complete package, hand tools and power tools, so great if youre the one making the purchasing decisions for a retailer. Love them or not, Milwaukee has really won the hearts and minds of both retailers and workers in the last 10 years.

I agree that some are price concious to a point, but I dont see SK in that value "homeowner" or non-professional market. . The big issue I see with SK is getting people to give them a chance again. SK was never a big player, like SO, so theyre starting from a disadvantage in name recognition alone, plus theyve been basically out of the game, with no retail presence for 20 yrs here, basically they are an unknown. Just as unknown as Tekton to the general public but at a price 2-3+ times as much, right beside Milwaukee, for about the same money, who has kick *** warranty and has been pushing out product, doing promotions, has the reps on site all the time etc.etc. Its a huge hill for them to climb.

Its an interesting hypothetical discussion. I dont really see an easy way for them to claw back.