To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

What do you think about Gearwrench & SK tools?

L

lilflippy

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 25, 2014
Messages
127
Looking for input on these brands....would they stand up for professional use?

Currently my tool collection is Snap-on, Mactools and Matco
 
Last edited:
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
K

Kirbot

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 25, 2010
Messages
11,001
Location
New Jersey
Searching will turn up more info than you can ever hope to read....
I much prefer gearwrench ratchets, and SK wrenches. Sockets are fairly equal.

Neither brand makes any total lemons. Buying gearwrench at advance auto for 40% off is the best value in tools around at this point IMO.
 
I

ihateminimumwage

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 26, 2012
Messages
3,960
Both are excellent and hold up great in a professional environment. I've been buying a lot more SK lately (and have plenty of Gearwrench). My only recommendation is to be aware of the Chinese made 'big box chain store' Chinese GW and the China gimmick tools.
 
O

oldldh

Well-known member
Joined
May 22, 2012
Messages
3,700
Location
Fairhope, AL
Go to www.apextoolgroup.com and send them an email, requesting a free GearWrench catalog...

You will receive about 8 pounds of paper with everything GW makes...

As well as, Allen, Armstrong, Campbell, Cresent, GearWrench, HKP, Jacobs, Lufkin, Nicolson, Plumb, and Wiss....

I'm crazy about my GearWrench sockets and 120 Tooth, Flex ratchets...

The price is right... www.tooldiscounter.com has good prices on most GW tools, and is where Santa bought mine...
 

Attachments

  • 014.JPG
    014.JPG
    121.3 KB · Views: 32
  • 017.JPG
    017.JPG
    131.6 KB · Views: 31
  • 018.JPG
    018.JPG
    119.2 KB · Views: 25
  • 020.JPG
    020.JPG
    127.3 KB · Views: 25
  • 022.JPG
    022.JPG
    138 KB · Views: 48
OP
L

lilflippy

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 25, 2014
Messages
127
oldldh said:
Go to www.apextoolgroup.com and send them an email, requesting a free GearWrench catalog...

You will receive about 8 pounds of paper with everything GW makes...

As well as, Allen, Armstrong, Campbell, Cresent, GearWrench, HKP, Jacobs, Lufkin, Nicolson, Plumb, and Wiss....

I'm crazy about my GearWrench sockets and 120 Tooth, Flex ratchets...

The price is right... www.tooldiscounter.com has good prices on most GW tools, and is where Santa bought mine...
Click to expand...

How do you like those 120xp ratchets?
 
I

IFMJohn

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 6, 2014
Messages
990
Location
Tacoma, WA
I have the offset reversible standard and metric sets along with the stubby standard and metric sets that I use all the time in a shop environment. Hell, I used my 17mm today. They are awesome tools and I find myself reaching for them before my snap-on FD+ wrenches just for the convenience and I really only grab my FD+ wrenches if a fastener is really seized and I need to use an open end or if the fastener is all screwed up. I've put probably much more torque than I'm supposed to on the ratchet side and I haven't had any issues.
 
B

BK13

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 1, 2013
Messages
2,692
Location
PDX, OR
Can anyone who has had both comment on the 1/4" drive mid-length chrome sockets? I'm kinda leaning towards the SK for the made in America factor...
 
J

jonjon1

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 11, 2015
Messages
1,036
I prefer sk wrenches over every other brand, I have 100 or so of them and they all are great, I have some snap-ons too but there wrenches are just too sharp for my delicate hands, lol, or as I prefer to think about it my arms are too strong for human skin, lol...

As far as chrome sockets go, just buy something with a life time warranty that you can make claims on with out hassle., SK's are nice, gear wrench, matco, SO, mac, cornwell, craftsman, etc etc etc

Impact sockets, I like so, they seem thinner than SK, and of course matco swivel/universals...
 
Last edited:
B

BK13

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 1, 2013
Messages
2,692
Location
PDX, OR
I have a set of 3/8" SAEs and some singles in 1/2" deep SAE.

The 1/4" GW middies are about 1/3 to 1/2 the cost of the SKs, just curious if there is enough to justify the extra coin.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
A

Askme42

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 9, 2012
Messages
2,538
Location
Goreville IL
BK13 said:
I have a set of 3/8" SAEs and some singles in 1/2" deep SAE.

The 1/4" GW middies are about 1/3 to 1/2 the cost of the SKs, just curious if there is enough to justify the extra coin.
Click to expand...

Depends on how much country of origin is worth to you.
 
4

454ragtop

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 24, 2008
Messages
5,011
Location
Carver, MA
I have the Gearwrench 1/4" dr mid length in SAE and Metric, bought them from a member here out of the classifieds. Like them a lot, use them all the time. I have SK 3/8" dr mid length, in SAE and Metric. Currently have 2 cracked SK's here, from use with a hand ratchet only.
Jim
 
S

stage20

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 5, 2013
Messages
3,722
Location
pcola FL
there are several gearwrench items that are on par with sk and are a fair amount cheaper.
that being said, there are tools id rather have in sk that feel better and are easier to read.

socket wise, i would go with sk. its easier to read the sockets (what i grew up with) than gearwrench. also, gearwrench sockets are heavier than other brands, IMO. ive never weighed them on a scale, but hand in hand i can feel the difference.
doesnt mean they are better or worse.
 
D

defektes

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 24, 2014
Messages
547
Location
Arizona
lilflippy said:
Looking for input on these brands....would they stand up for professional use?

Currently my tool collection is Snap-on, Mactools and Matco
Click to expand...

I am a industrial mechanic, and the majority of my tools are SK. Yes I have some Proto and Snap-On, SK holds up just as well as them. A few of the items I actually prefer, unlike Snapon the SK wrenches aren't paper thin.

SK's chromed tools are excellent.

I don't own gearwrench since they are Asian, so I cant give you input on those.

IMO it is enough to justify more money, you'll be helping out Americans at work. Warranty is a piece of cake now too with SK. I occasionally warranty the bit sockets I abuse, no hassle.
 
Last edited:
Z

zkling

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 23, 2007
Messages
16,939
Gearwrench tries to stay on top of the latest and greatest to compete with Snap On. On the other hand SK keeps their tried and true classic design series of tools.
 
T

thightower

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 4, 2011
Messages
497
Location
oklahoma
I have the offset reversible gearwrench set to 1". It's been riding around in a service truck for 3 years. No major complaints yet. Except for the 15/16 locked up about a year ago. The 9/16 likes to switch directions on its own but it is the one that gets used all the time. The last job I had provided the same set in snap on. As far as I'm concerned they are pretty comparable.
 
C

ckblum

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 20, 2013
Messages
143
Location
BC, Canada
I like GearWrench stuff. I use all GW sockets at my work. I would actually love to buy SK stuff but I have no access to SK in BC, I don't even know if we get SK in Canada at all.

COO doesn't matter too much to me if the quality is good, also I warranty all my GW stuff through my local tool supplier so never any problems with that.
 
A

AceofSpad3s

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 1, 2014
Messages
1,808
ZRX61 said:
I stopped buying GW after a 1/4in ratchet crapped out & it took them THREE months to replace it under warranty.
Click to expand...

Took 2 months for me to get a replacement for my allen pos ratchet as well, apex takes it's sweet time to send stuff out. On the other hand sk is really quick and nice, needed a rebuild kit for one of my 45710 and I got it in a week or so, I also picked up a 1/4 drive one with a selector switch that had chrome coming off and they send me a rebuild kit for that as well. Even sent me some 6ish stickers for free when I asked.
 
A

Adam.C

Banned
Joined
Jan 29, 2013
Messages
1,490
lilflippy said:
Looking for input on these brands....would they stand up for professional use?

Currently my tool collection is Snap-on, Mactools and Matco
Click to expand...

Gearwrench and SK are a step down from Snap On and Mac. Some gearwrench are probably comparable to some Matco (similarly Taiwan) tools. This is a generalization, and obviously guys have personal preferences.

Gearwrench really developed the modern ratcheting box wrench. I believe many firms get their box ratchet mechanisms from GW or a related Taiwan supplier. There have been questions about the origin of snap on's version, but I believe snap on now manufactures their own version which is different from others and excellent.

I think in general it is safe to assume you get what you pay for. There are other premium tools that can compete with snap on, but they are often as expensive. I think Stahlwile and Koken are excellent tools.

As a pro, I would recommend you choose tools based on the likelihood of warranty service and probability that Snap On will be the most likely tool truck at your facility. But that doesn't mean buy all Snap On. I don't know how people break or wear out combination wrenches. Buy them from whomever you wish. Ditto chrome sockets, ratchets, etc. Be sure to have easy warranty service for screwdrivers, bit sockets, ratcheting wrenches, hammers, pry-bars, impact sockets, lights etc.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom