SK Tools still made in USA?

[1foxracing]

At the 30:45 point Eric O says the Xframes break continuously, just found that interesting compared to all the reviews here.

 

[Lt CHEG]

At the 30:45 point Eric O says the Xframes break continuously, just found that interesting compared to all the reviews here.

I saw that too. Just another reason for me to write off SK. I’m at the point that if I really need a hard line tool, I’m buying US made if it’s an option, even if it’s 5 times the cost.

 

[bimmer630]

I got one 10mm x-frame for free as a promo at the SK booth at the sema show in 2015. I used it a handful of times and the black oxide box end drive piece got splits in it and the ratcheting unit inside jammed up. I warrantied it online and sold the new one..
They seem like overpriced junk

 

[Kloman]

First time, long time. I am a avid tool nut (23 tool boxes and counting) and been buying SK tools since the 70's. In that time I have only needed to warranty 2 items; a 12 mm 12pt. chrome socket that cracked on a head bolt and a ratcheting box wrench I dropped from a bucket truck. What Ideal (a family oriented company as stated on their website) did to Western Forge ( closing the last US manufacturer of adjustable wrenches) Pratt Reade and S-K (selling them to red china) was shameful and disgraceful. I guess those workers families did not matter.
Even though I have had good fortune with my tools I too am also fearful now of needing to warranty a item. All my SK impact sockets are currently being replaced by Proto, Wright and Snap-On, I refuse to accept a chinese made replacement. Chrome sockets are next on the list. When I spoke to SK customer service a couple months ago I was informed that a corporate decision was made to remove the USA stamp from all tools made in the US, you can see were this is going. You need to call up customer service for COO they have a list.
Good Luck and keep on ratcheting and wrenching,
Greg

 

[lardy1]

The bulk of my mainline tools are SK. I'm very happy with what I have but am sick to my guts about what has happened to the brand. I guess if there's a silver lining it's that I still like my SK tools and breaking them has never been an issue. I'm confident that they will take me out.

 

[Fedwrench]

At this point, I think SK for me is a distant memory. I still have a bunch of it laying around but, I don't plan on buying any of the new rebadged Duratech items. I think anything SK currently sells that's made in the USA is old stock. Going forward, I feel the whole line will be PRC made. That doesn't mean it's bad. It's not the SK I grew up with and there are just too many other choices to settle for PRC made SK.

 

[Chrome Vanadium Cody]

If SK stops stamping country of origin on the USA stuff that’s the death sentence to me. Bummer how USA tool options are disappearing. I feel lucky a place near me stocks Wright but for some things I really did like SK better.

 

[wolfinator]

If SK stops stamping country of origin on the USA stuff that’s the death sentence to me. Bummer how USA tool options are disappearing. I feel lucky a place near me stocks Wright but for some things I really did like SK better.

They have. I recently ordered a new 1/4" ratchet from them. It no longer says 'USA'.

In addition, there were subtle, hard-to-photograph differences that implied the handle was no longer forged exactly the same way. (Knurling was different, slight differences in shape at the end of the handle and where it was broached.) I am not certain if they changed manufacturing locations or just some processes, but I would bet money on the former.

I confirmed the differences by ordering a NOS ratchet off Ebay and then returning the mystery origin one to Amazon. For me the only point in buying SK was the domestic production. I have no idea why Great Star thinks I would pay old SK prices for a presumably Chinese ratchet.

I was hoping that the new owners would continue to produce their most common old ratchets and sockets in the US, and just add a 'value' line below them. That would have kept me a customer. Oh well. Thinking about getting more NOS while it's still readily available on Ebay...

 

[turnthewrench 2.0]

I gave up on SK when I "discovered" PROTO.

 

[gatewaysysop]

At this point, I think SK for me is a distant memory. I still have a bunch of it laying around but, I don't plan on buying any of the new rebadged Duratech items. I think anything SK currently sells that's made in the USA is old stock. Going forward, I feel the whole line will be PRC made. That doesn't mean it's bad. It's not the SK I grew up with and there are just too many other choices to settle for PRC made SK.

This is where I sit as well. I believe many saw this coming with the buy out, though a few fanbois and zealots denied reality. Of course now those folks are nowhere to be found in these threads. Funny how that works.

In all seriousness, I'm happy with the stuff I have, some older and some from the last US production, but I wouldn't buy anything new. Between the QC problems they had at the end and now the COO concerns, I'm sadly done with SK. I'll enjoy what I have but that's it for me.

 

[Mgdoug3]

I really like my SK tools. I'm probably in the minority but I really like my LP90 ratchets. The 3/8 need a little tweaking but it's more compact than my SO Dual 80s. Once I heard that SK was bought out by Great Star China, I had my doubts about SK staying made in the USA. I decided to hold off buying anything SK until I knew the direction SK would be going.

It appears Great Star wants SK to be made in China. Not having USA on the ratchets is a good indicator to me. The combination wrenches are already being made in China. The new SK sockets are just rebranded Chinese ones.

I have been wondering who's been making LP90s. I'm not sure if SK is. Olsa sells rebranded LP90s. I have a feeling SK outsourced the LP90 so there's a chance that ratchet will still be made in the US.

 

[merkyworks]

Olsa flex head ratchets are made in USA, interesting. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BKCYXZC/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Mgdoug3]

Olsa flex head ratchets are made in USA, interesting. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BKCYXZC/?tag=atomicindus08-20

That's the ratchets I'm talking about. The handle has a different grip but the head is exactly the same.

 

[Bradc1989]

If you’re in the market for a 90 tooth ratchet and are in the price range of the lp90, buy the proto 90t, it’s a much better built ratchet. I made a thread a couple of years ago with pictured of both opened up side by side

 

[Lt CHEG]

If you’re in the market for a 90 tooth ratchet and are in the price range of the lp90, buy the proto 90t, it’s a much better built ratchet. I made a thread a couple of years ago with pictured of both opened up side by side

I love my Proto AXIS ratchet. I only have 1 and it’s a half inch drive flex head and the last few times I’ve used them, I actually grabbed it more than my SnapOn dual 80. Part of that was probably because it’s a few inches shorter than my SnapOn half inch drive flex head, but it’s a great ratchet.

 

[VH5150]

Have not bought anything. SK recently. If you want a good US brand, I would go Wright tool. And I have a set of the X frames when they first came out. I still have them, but we’re always kind of disappointed. A few of them locked up out of the box. They sent me a replacement right away, this is probably one of the tools that I definitely recommend Snap On if you are going to use them constantly. I have different brands and use them as well but if you don’t want the hassle of warranty in them throw them away when they break and get another one. I got the metric set and standard set in Milwaukee for $70 each when they had a deal of the day on them. Use them in my road box at work.

Hi there.. I’m in the market for 7/16 and 9/16 .. USA Stamped. Any chance you could be willing to sell to me .. please ???

Thanks. -Ryan

 

[908Jim]

They have. I recently ordered a new 1/4" ratchet from them. It no longer says 'USA'.

In addition, there were subtle, hard-to-photograph differences that implied the handle was no longer forged exactly the same way. (Knurling was different, slight differences in shape at the end of the handle and where it was broached.) I am not certain if they changed manufacturing locations or just some processes, but I would bet money on the former.

I confirmed the differences by ordering a NOS ratchet off Ebay and then returning the mystery origin one to Amazon. For me the only point in buying SK was the domestic production. I have no idea why Great Star thinks I would pay old SK prices for a presumably Chinese ratchet.

I was hoping that the new owners would continue to produce their most common old ratchets and sockets in the US, and just add a 'value' line below them. That would have kept me a customer. Oh well. Thinking about getting more NOS while it's still readily available on Ebay...

In case anybody finds this thread like I did: I really want another SK round head ratchet and noticed the 42470, 45170, and 45183 all have the USA stamps removed. I emailed SK customer service and was told "Handles are made overseas, ratchet mechanism is made in USA and Ratchet is assembled in USA". I might still buy one if the price gets a little closer to other imports.

Amazon listings now list COO of some of the original SK Roundheads (45170) as China.

 

[SQ7Patrick]

The SK tools on Amazon are a "different" line of SK tools.--all import--and are soley distributed by Amazon (for now). Most of those part numbers should have an "A" in the beginning, IIRC. I don't know the entire strategy here, but that's what I have come to understand thus far.

As many of you probably already know, SK was bought by Hangzhou GreatStar Industrial Co., Ltd. in 2021 and they also acquired ShopVac shortly thereafter. Everything SK USA and ShopVac was moved into a large facility in PA. From what I understand, GreatStar makes a lot of hand tools for various companies throughout the world. A lot of SK is still being made here in the USA, but over time, that will not be the case, as most of the manufacturing will be slowly moving overseas. This is just another long-time American brand that's been hollowed out by a foreign company. With all of this said, and as most of you know very well, SK does indeed made some great tools when compared to all the import brands that are out there.

 

[Jtels85]

This isn’t your father’s SK.

 

[M6erfan]

Wonder if OG SK USA hand tools will skyrocket in price on eBay like C'man USA stuff has, and to some extent Armstrong. Could be retirement money with the size of some member's collections here.

 

[roofdweller49]

Wonder if OG SK USA hand tools will skyrocket in price on eBay like C'man USA stuff has, and to some extent Armstrong. Could be retirement money with the size of some member's collections here.

You joke, but complete SK sets have been commanding commanding a premium for a while on eBay ...

I tried getting a nice 1/4 and 3/8 socket set together, and it's either all ancient stuff that's incomplete, or full sets going for $$$. Forget about getting anything metric.

At least the ratchets are cheap and plentiful

 

[ecotec]

A local industrial tool store bought a metric **** ton of SK after Facom sold SK. Because of this, and because of estate/garage sales, I have a lot of SK.

I am “done” with SK, as a company. They can **** a fart out of my ***.

I would, absolutely, still buy SK on the secondary market.

To be fair and honest… I have only bought three sockets from SK at retail.