SK tools vs others

[Dustin Crawford]

Hey guys. I have tons of craftsman tools and really just cant get excited about buying any more of them. I feel like I am driving to harbor freight and am just extra stupid giving them 3 times the cost.

Anyhow I will get selective Snap on and matco stuff but cant justify the cost for everything.

So for those things I am thinking about SK tools. From what I gather they seem to be 100% american made, better than craftsman (even USA craftsman) but not 'tool truck' brand that is 2 times the cost.

I was just wondering if you guys like SK and what other good options there are. Also do I find SK online only or are there retailers? I cant find any and I hate the idea of not holding a tool at least once before I buy.

Thanks Dustin

 

[Old Donn]

SK's good stuff, but is a little pricey if you pay retail. And IMHO, there's not enough of a quality difference to justify replacing my old C-man. Don't get me wrong, I've got some SK and like it fine. Tooltopia.com has a good selection of SK at reasonable prices.

 

[buffalobill]

sk tools is very good stuff. I am very happy with mine. if you shop around online, there is very little price difference between SK and craftsman. there have been threads about warranty issues, the biggest issue is actually finding a place that is an sk dealer. I just went through this with a 1/2 socket that i got in a set from someone on here. I ended up just mailing it to them yesterday. They were friendly on the phone though, and it was less painful than trying to get a gearwrench tool warrantied.

btw, SK tool is technically a tool truck brand, at least around here. I found out from the Matco tool truck guy around here that there is a guy that runs an SK tool truck around western New York, and he lives in the next town over from me.

 

[Davefr]

SK's mainstream tools are tool truck quality. Where SK falls short is breadth of product offering and distribution.

(ex: SO offers well over a dozen different 3/8" ratchets, SK only has a few. SO sells tons of specialty tools, SK doesn't, a SO tool can likely be warrantied locally from a dealer, SK will likely need to be mailed in)

If those aren't a big concern, then SK is an excellent choice.

I think a tech. could save a bundle without sacrificing quality by buying SK's hardlines and using the tool trucks for the specialty stuff.

 

[Dustin Crawford]

I think a tech. could save a bundle without sacrificing quality by buying SK's hardlines and using the tool trucks for the specialty stuff.

Thanks a lot guys. This is exactly what I had in mind. I wont replace my good old amer'can craftsman stuff. But I wont buy anymore.

Do any of you have experience with SK vs Snap on wrenches?

 

[buffalobill]

snap on has the flank drive, i think SK wrenches are still just made the standard way. I would imagine Snap on would therefore be better in design, not necessarily quality.

 

[85camaro]

The quality of SK's main line of tools is just as good as any tool truck brand. They are higher priced than Craftsman, but no where near the price of the truck brands.

IMO, SK and Proto main line of tools are the best choice for professionals when considering performance and cost. Tool truck brands are still needed for a lot of specialty items.

 

[Fedwrench]

snap on has the flank drive, i think SK wrenches are still just made the standard way. I would imagine Snap on would therefore be better in design, not necessarily quality.

SK has suregrip (their name for off corner engagement on the boxed end). I think every tool maker has their version of flank drive now days, surface drive, headlock, maxtorque, optitorque, knucklesaver, etc.

The main difference between SK superchrome combination wrenches and Snap on (aside from price) is weight and balance. SK Superchrome combination wrenches are wide in the hips where the boxed end meets the beam of the wrench. The larger the wrench size, the heavier the wrench. I've never cared for SK superchrome combination wrenches for this reason.

 

[buffalobill]

ok, i had no clue sk had anything like that, good to know i guess.

I have the standard sk wrenches, and a full set of proto ASD's. i do like the proto's, but i think its because they are a little longer, and i grip them better with the satin finish.

 

[sberry]

If I was short of hardline today I would find it hard to steer away from one of those Cman sales, like 300 pcs for 300$ or something, there is almost 200 sockets in one, not a lot of junk or could be used as duplicates, etc. Then I might supplement with some small flank drives, a set of wrenches and maybe sockets depending on if I had a real relationship with damaged fasteners, in the rust belt, working on farm stuff. SK is good, have some, fine tools, was nice at one point where the parts jobber was a dealer, could buy a few one off pieces when needed.
In todays market and world I would be hard pressed to warehouse expensive hand tools in full sets where I was likely to need one piece or commonly used one or 2, I would buy cheap **** and on the occasion I would upgrade where needed if it demanded it. I lost a set of torx bits, I really liked them, bought them off the shelf at an ACE store for like 15 dollars or less 20 yrs ago. I bought a couple lisles in a common size, for seat belts or something, like it was below me to use the Taiwan deals but after twisting the brand name off I lean back on the 15$set, never failed one.
I bought some metric hex Allen at Walmart in a pinch for a truck job, thinking I would need to do something better, did my work, still got them, still in serviceable shape, like 12 fricken dollars. As good as functioning tool as I ever use.

 

[sberry]

I add or replace impacts in sizes I lose or need from the parts store anymore. A half inch drive deep 9/16 is like 4$, 3/4 shallow 4$, lifetime, dropped off at the door if I want from the delivery truck, don't have to wait on anyone or Friday if he shows up. etc. Broke 2 or 3 where we really beat them bad over the years, the man drops a new one off, same day.
Proto has some specialty tools that are nice. line wrenches and their stuff is certainly under rated especially on the used market.

 

[woody 73]

You will never go wrong with SK tools; see if you can find them at a flea market or garage sales that way you can hold them in your hands and get a feeling for them before you buy them

 

[bobcatdan]

SK is a fine tool company, you will not regret buying anything SK, still the best chrome in the business. For hand tools, SK will give you just about every tool you will need. SK will fall short for automotive tools, but I never considered SK a auto indented tool company like the truck brands. They are of a general purpose tool brand like Wright, another great brand.

 

[Chris Adams]

I just asked my 'assistant' which wrenches I usually ask for.
SK, or Pittsburgh she tells me.
She would know as she usually hands them to me, or puts them away.

I have most popular brands, but my cheap Pittsburgh wrenches are extra long, thus easier to use, and my SK wrenches are shorter than my Craftsman, Toptul, Williams, SnapOn and Mac wrenches,thus better in close quarters.

If I could only carry one set, I would pick the SK's in their shorter configuration.


Don't like the feel of the raised panel Craftsman.
Don't like the expense of misplacing a SnapOn.
Don't like the expense of misplacing a Mac.
The Williams I have are mostly flank drive plus, and I don't like the way they chew up soft fasteners.
Williams are also too thick and heavy for light duty work.
Toptul is nice, but I don't have complete sets of those, and again, the SK standard is just a little shorter, thus more handy.

All will yank bolts till your hands bleed...

 

[GoBlue]

SK's mainstream tools are tool truck quality. Where SK falls short is breadth of product offering and distribution.

(ex: SO offers well over a dozen different 3/8" ratchets, SK only has a few. SO sells tons of specialty tools, SK doesn't, a SO tool can likely be warrantied locally from a dealer, SK will likely need to be mailed in)

If those aren't a big concern, then SK is an excellent choice.

I think a tech. could save a bundle without sacrificing quality by buying SK's hardlines and using the tool trucks for the specialty stuff.

I agree %100

 

[HandyManny]

snap on has the flank drive, i think SK wrenches are still just made the standard way. I would imagine Snap on would therefore be better in design, not necessarily quality.

Flank Drive is hugley overrated, more like a means of marketing to sell another set of wenches to every mechanic who already owns wrenches. I have an array of vintage (mid 50's through late 70's) Proto, New Britain, Wright, and SK combo wrenches that all have just basic broaching and inletting, nothing special, and they alway performed excellent for me.

Flank Drive......

 

[HandyManny]

SK's mainstream tools are tool truck quality. Where SK falls short is breadth of product offering and distribution.

(ex: SO offers well over a dozen different 3/8" ratchets, SK only has a few. SO sells tons of specialty tools, SK doesn't, a SO tool can likely be warrantied locally from a dealer, SK will likely need to be mailed in)

If those aren't a big concern, then SK is an excellent choice.

I think a tech. could save a bundle without sacrificing quality by buying SK's hardlines and using the tool trucks for the specialty stuff.

I agree with you on the quality of SK as I always had a high regard for them. As far as SO goes...how many different 3/8 drive ratchers does one really need anyway? For SO specialty tool...theres are other sources for the majority of specialty tool you'll need. As far as warranty on hand tools goes....I never really cared about that. If you breaking that many hand tools due to lack of quality and workmanship, then there's something wrong with the makers of your tools. The best warranty won't do you any good when you have a job to complete right now and a tool fails you and your tool truck dealer can't stop by for two days or more.

 

[CornwellTools]

S-k ratchets and sockets are fantastic. They hold up really well under heavy use, and if you need to rebuild a ratchet, just call the company and they will send you a repair kit at no charge. For me, that kind of service goes a long way. The fit and finish of their products is just as good as tools that cost 3 times the price. Go with S-K and you won't be disappointed
.

 

[bonneyman]

S-k ratchets and sockets are fantastic. They hold up really well under heavy use, and if you need to rebuild a ratchet, just call the company and they will send you a repair kit at no charge. For me, that kind of service goes a long way. The fit and finish of their products is just as good as tools that cost 3 times the price. Go with S-K and you won't be disappointed
.

10-4 on this!

Here's my set of 3/8" S-K sockets that I've had since the early 80's. They still get the job done.

Though I have a set of older G code Craftsman sockets and they work very well, too.

 

[CJM8515]

The cman sockets arent great but arent too bad either. The ratchets are what ****, horrible tooth count and Ive broken them taking regular stuff apart and not abusing them. Buy snap on or sk or whatever higher end ratchets to compliment your cman stuff

 

[wild cowboy]

all of these brands are "tool truck quality" - I own all of them and they seem to fail at about the same less than 1% rate!

SK
Wright
Proto
Armstrong
Williams
Snap-On
Mac
Matco
Cornwell
Gedore
Stahlwille
Hazet
Facom
old Blackhawk
USA made Craftsman
Koken
KTC-Nepros
Plomb
Mayhew
Wiha
Wera
Knipex
Channel Lock
Toptul

 

[snappy2288]

very good tool bought out by ideal tool corp still usa great cust serv call them they will give u info they do hav sk tool trucksout there

 

[BK13]

Love the sockets. The ratchets are good, but i'm just more of a pear head ratchet fan.

 

[azhatchback]

SK's good stuff, but is a little pricey if you pay retail. And IMHO, there's not enough of a quality difference to justify replacing my old C-man. Don't get me wrong, I've got some SK and like it fine. Tooltopia.com has a good selection of SK at reasonable prices.

I agree with this.

One thing to look out for, where I made a mistake that worked out very well for SK day here! I ordered some deeps. Deeps are actually mid length in certain sizes. Some folks really like this. I sent mine back to amazon and bought the extra deeps on SK day here.

 

[cgv69]

Without a doubt SK makes some good tools but I am not a brand loyal kind of guy meaning I like to pick and choose the best tools from each company. I like SK for their sockets and extensions. I prefer Snap On and Matco for ratchets. I like Snap On, Armstrong/Matco for wrenches (although I've been really tempting to get some Wright Grip wrenches). I still prefer Snap On for screwdrivers but there are a lot of options in that category.

All I'm saying is, unless you have an OCD compulsion that says other wise, don't get too hung up on making sure your tools all have the same name on them.