Williams Vs. S-K
- Thread starter Chasej
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Downwindtracker 2
Well-known member
Are the Snap-On Williams sockets like Snap-On sockets ? I know the old J.H.Williams were brutes, like my Proto, Gray, or S-K ones.
Formerjeeper
Well-known member
Re: Williams warranty, on Toolsdelivered.com it says snap-on industrial brands have lifetime warranty against defects. Has anyone tested this? Seems like a no-brainer at first blush for anyone who doesn't need the tool truck to show up.
jgromada
Well-known member
I have a variety of both.
The SK warranty is very straight forward, there is an address you send broken socket to and a few weeks later you get a brand new socket. Excellent quality, the socket i sent off was very used and abused that i got it in a socket lot on ebay. The new stuff is brilliant.
I also have Williams both old stock Williams USA as well as new Taiwan made stuff. The chrome is amazing and has held up well on the T sourced stuff. Never did warranty claim on any Williams stuff.
Also a big fan of Proto. I think out of all 3 they Proto are my faves although marking on the SK is best.
The SK warranty is very straight forward, there is an address you send broken socket to and a few weeks later you get a brand new socket. Excellent quality, the socket i sent off was very used and abused that i got it in a socket lot on ebay. The new stuff is brilliant.
I also have Williams both old stock Williams USA as well as new Taiwan made stuff. The chrome is amazing and has held up well on the T sourced stuff. Never did warranty claim on any Williams stuff.
Also a big fan of Proto. I think out of all 3 they Proto are my faves although marking on the SK is best.
isb cornbinder
Well-known member
I have both brands. I prefer the SK. I would not buy anything made "over there" if I have the option. Sometimes I have to bite the fortune cookie.
Several decades ago, I bought an imported adjustable Crescent style wrench. It looked not too bad but the fit was so poor. There was a very good chance of rounding off any fastener. I put the wrench on a diet and thinned the jaws by 25% and I milled the silly SQUIREL BRAND off the handle. I reamed the adjuster nut out to accept a bronze bushing and I resized the fastener screw.
Was it worth the bother? It is my shop and there was some entertainment value in this, for me.
Several decades ago, I bought an imported adjustable Crescent style wrench. It looked not too bad but the fit was so poor. There was a very good chance of rounding off any fastener. I put the wrench on a diet and thinned the jaws by 25% and I milled the silly SQUIREL BRAND off the handle. I reamed the adjuster nut out to accept a bronze bushing and I resized the fastener screw.
Was it worth the bother? It is my shop and there was some entertainment value in this, for me.
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isb cornbinder
Well-known member
The big SQUIREL nut buster.
After the refitting it worked really well. I could open it wide enough to handle most of the hydraulic fittings we had at work. I do not remember the last time I used this wrench.
After the refitting it worked really well. I could open it wide enough to handle most of the hydraulic fittings we had at work. I do not remember the last time I used this wrench.
VolvoRyan
Well-known member
Quick note on SK's warranty: I needed a rebuild kit on a 30-40 year-old SK 1/4" ratchet. I sent SK an email to see if they were available.... they just responded with "Give us your address and we'd be happy to send you one!". No charge for parts or S&H. I was over the moon. Customer for life.
For impact sockets get what you can with the sizes knurled in them. The laser etched labels rub off.
-Ryan
For impact sockets get what you can with the sizes knurled in them. The laser etched labels rub off.
-Ryan
BigBoreFan
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2010
- Messages
- 311
I warrantied two SK sockets about 18 months ago. Sent them in, got new ones back. Took about 7 to 10 days I think. Was pretty painless. They were brand new sockets. The detents were super shallow or non-existent. Also, some of the size stampings were a little shallow and hard to read.
seber
Well-known member
I've broken dozens of Craftsman sockets but never a Williams or SK. Get the one that calls to you and don't worry about warranty. It could happen but is so far out as to be unimportant compared to other considerations.
kapster
Well-known member
You probably cant go wrong with either and like he said, get what calls to you. I'm a believer in no one brand can do everything best so I kind of pick and choose from brands.
I have 8ish year old William's supercombo wrenches in inch, and I finally bought a metric set showing up tomorrow. I really like them at least upto 1" or so, they are to heavy over that. I haven't seen any of the jaw spreading that people mention, I really like the open end jaw design and it can take alot of force. I really like the length which has stopped me from getting Wright or SK wrenches. If that doesnt bother you, any are just fine I'm sure.
I want to replace some of my craftsman socket sets with William's most likely. I dont care for the SK socket design but I'm sure in function they're just fine. I have SK crows feet flare nuts, they are beautiful and work very well. Most of my extensions are SK, no issues. Both of these are recent production. SK fit and finish, and quality I'm sure, have gone up and down over the years it seems. I'd say their current production is the best it's ever been.
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I have 8ish year old William's supercombo wrenches in inch, and I finally bought a metric set showing up tomorrow. I really like them at least upto 1" or so, they are to heavy over that. I haven't seen any of the jaw spreading that people mention, I really like the open end jaw design and it can take alot of force. I really like the length which has stopped me from getting Wright or SK wrenches. If that doesnt bother you, any are just fine I'm sure.
I want to replace some of my craftsman socket sets with William's most likely. I dont care for the SK socket design but I'm sure in function they're just fine. I have SK crows feet flare nuts, they are beautiful and work very well. Most of my extensions are SK, no issues. Both of these are recent production. SK fit and finish, and quality I'm sure, have gone up and down over the years it seems. I'd say their current production is the best it's ever been.
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Jeeper
Well-known member
I have been doing. No real reason as my Craftsman are perfectly functional. But I kept eyeing the Williams. Ended up getting the metric 1/4" & 3/8" shallow and deep at Christmas. I just ordered the SAE 1/4" and 3/8" shallow and deep. A little social distancing present to myself.
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kapster
Well-known member
I know, I'm struggling with replacing them because they're really ok. The 1/4" drive me nuts because they have the double ratchet detend with one going to the edge of the 1/4" hole. It happens to fit the 1/4" ratchet end in this detend, so if your not looking you can be 45 degrees off and the ratchet feels like it's in the square hole but it isn't.I have been doing. No real reason as my Craftsman are perfectly functional. But I kept eyeing the Williams. Ended up getting the metric 1/4" & 3/8" shallow and deep at. I just ordered the SAE 1/4" and 3/8" shallow and deep. A little social distancing present to myself.
How do you like them? Some complain the sizes are small on them, non issue?Also that they dont have the straight knurl on metric sockets to identify them from inch like Snap on. I didn't even realize this till recently so dont think it matters for me.
Yep, I look at it as we're helping out giving an order to some good made in america companies. I got some William's, Ridgid and Mayhew.
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The sizes are harder to read with old eyes on all of their USA tools that I have vs my S-K's are much easier to read. It's not just the size, it's also the depth of the imprint. Having said that, personally, the fully polished Williams tools are much "prettier" than the S-K's were when new BUT my S-K's are from the mid-late 1970's so I can't comment on their new products. For the record, I was thrilled with every S-K tool back when I bought them. I thought they were the best for the money spent.
Jeeper
Well-known member
Overall I like them but what happens, I buy metric and my projects (mostly cars of friends/neighbors) ends up needing SAE.
Got the new batch in yesterday. So i am covered for 1/4" and 3/8" drive shallow and deep for both SAE and Metric.
I do think the criticism is valid for small writing on the socket and for not having the knurl on the metric. I like that but not a deal breaker. I have found that marking my socket holder with the size is actually the best solution. Unless you go with a Matco socket that has the size in color then even the bigger writing all that much easier to read.
The chrome looks good, quality looks good. These sockets also have the hex broach only at the top on deep wells so a nut won't slip all the way down. I know my craftsman the broach on the bigger sockets is almost the whole length, while the smaller sockets are just the very top. The thing I like on the Williams is the smaller sockets, especially the deep are very narrow. Should be good for getting in narrow spaces.
Again, this was a nice to have for me. But I am too cheap and only a DIYer so true Snap On aren't a good investment so thought Williams would be a good second. Now the question is do I start replacing 1/2" drive chrome Craftsman? Probably not cause I have SK shallow impact and Williams Deep impact. All made in USA.
Another note...i have some GearWrench sockets. Mainly 12pt. They are still good sockets. Both very functional, they have the knurling on the metric and the stamps are easy to read. I wouldn't look down on buying those.
Got the new batch in yesterday. So i am covered for 1/4" and 3/8" drive shallow and deep for both SAE and Metric.
I do think the criticism is valid for small writing on the socket and for not having the knurl on the metric. I like that but not a deal breaker. I have found that marking my socket holder with the size is actually the best solution. Unless you go with a Matco socket that has the size in color then even the bigger writing all that much easier to read.
The chrome looks good, quality looks good. These sockets also have the hex broach only at the top on deep wells so a nut won't slip all the way down. I know my craftsman the broach on the bigger sockets is almost the whole length, while the smaller sockets are just the very top. The thing I like on the Williams is the smaller sockets, especially the deep are very narrow. Should be good for getting in narrow spaces.
Again, this was a nice to have for me. But I am too cheap and only a DIYer so true Snap On aren't a good investment so thought Williams would be a good second. Now the question is do I start replacing 1/2" drive chrome Craftsman? Probably not cause I have SK shallow impact and Williams Deep impact. All made in USA.
Another note...i have some GearWrench sockets. Mainly 12pt. They are still good sockets. Both very functional, they have the knurling on the metric and the stamps are easy to read. I wouldn't look down on buying those.
Jeeper
Well-known member
Jeeper
Well-known member
kapster
Well-known member
That's cool on the snap on socket. Now they dont match but makes a cool story!
Well, I got my William's stuff and I cant say I'm impressed. The two 8 point sockets I got are good, no complaints and what I expected. I would order more socket sets from them. The supercombo wrenches, I am bummed on. Not the quality of my 10 year old supercombo sae's. They look fine on the outside except for 7,8,9 and 10 having really small size and stamped to deep, makes it super hard to read. Actually, most except for 22 and 24 are hard to read. My sae are much larger font and spaced apart because of the / between letters. Three of them have really nasty open ends, I have chinese wrenches that dont look like that. And overall, not impressed with how oversize the open ends are. My older ones are much tighter tolerance, these are all over the place. So, out of 17 wrenches, I'm not thrilled with 7 of them. Haven't decided if I want to get them swapped out or just send em back. I looked at proto before but got these because I liked my sae set.
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Well, I got my William's stuff and I cant say I'm impressed. The two 8 point sockets I got are good, no complaints and what I expected. I would order more socket sets from them. The supercombo wrenches, I am bummed on. Not the quality of my 10 year old supercombo sae's. They look fine on the outside except for 7,8,9 and 10 having really small size and stamped to deep, makes it super hard to read. Actually, most except for 22 and 24 are hard to read. My sae are much larger font and spaced apart because of the / between letters. Three of them have really nasty open ends, I have chinese wrenches that dont look like that. And overall, not impressed with how oversize the open ends are. My older ones are much tighter tolerance, these are all over the place. So, out of 17 wrenches, I'm not thrilled with 7 of them. Haven't decided if I want to get them swapped out or just send em back. I looked at proto before but got these because I liked my sae set.
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