Your thoughts on William's import socket sets

[Robinson1]

So I've had two small 3/8 drive socket sets from William's for 3 or 4 years now. They are sets 50665 (metric) and 50663 (SAE).

They've held up well although I dont use them everyday. In my eyes they are quality and a good value.

Last night I ordered William's set 50666 47 pieces 3/8 drive includes 5/16-3/4 deep and shallow and 6mm-19mm deep and shallow with no skips. I though this set represented a good value and matched my idea of what should be in a complete 3/8 drive set, as anything larger than 19mm or 3/4 I prefer to go to 1/2 drive tools anyway.

This is going to replace a mix match of Stanley and Craftsman USA sockets that ride on my service truck.

I had originally decided to buy SK set 94547 but decided this William's set fit my needs better. Also cheaper, got the William's set for $85/shipped while the SK brings $200+

So I've been told these are the same as Snap On Blue Point.

I know made in USA is always better but given the price difference what do you guys think of William's import line? I've used my small sets enough to form my own opinion, but on the other hand I've always had good luck and think highly of Stanley sockets from Wal Mart so I'm not exactly a socket snob.

If this set works out I'm likely to buy William's set 50661 to replace a similiar mix match of 1/4 drive sockets.

Here lately I've been on a big clean up and organize kick. It's been a good year for my business and I'm putting some money back into the business trying to make my work flow easier. The biggest mess I'm dealing with is random tool bags of handtools. And I'm getting pretty sick of having to dig through an entire tool box stacked full of random bags to find what I need. Not to mention that everytime I open the boxes on my truck something falls out!

 

[oldwino]

I have a set of 1/4" Williams Taiwan sockets in my "togo" box. They have been fine but rarely used so can't give an accurate assessment. They seem to be well made and finished and cheaper than BluePoint

 

[plinker]

Taiwan made, decent overall. Same as Blue point as mentioned. My only gripe with the handful of BP 1/4dr sockets I have is they are a bit deeper/taller then most US made sockets. But all Taiwan made sockets are like this for some reason, at least in 1/4 drive.

 

[Professional Tool User]

There's probably nothing wrong with them, but with the sheer number of Made in Taiwan options out there, you can get better value for money and be picky. The last time I checked, options like Tekton were half the cost of Made in Taiwan Williams.

 

[Tallpilot]

Williams Taiwan is as good or better than anything else from there. I wish they were fully stepped and I don't like that Asian sockets are taller than US.

 

[buckwheat_la]

There's probably nothing wrong with them, but with the sheer number of Made in Taiwan options out there, you can get better value for money and be picky. The last time I checked, options like Tekton were half the cost of Made in Taiwan Williams.

Because all stuff made in Taiwan is the same quality....

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

Details are what differentiate the various Taiwanese brands. Obviously, they are not all from the same factory . For what it's worth, Apex (Gearwrench) have their own factory and as such might have better QC. Only after some serious use would we be able to discuss the quality. Since we only get importers names and not factory names, as if we could pronounce them, how could we trace quality. They shift suppliers . So if you like the finish , fit and most importantly the price, you got yourself nice new tools. BTW, they might have better quality than the Snap-On made Williams, there is a earlier post on QC problems with Williams sockets.

 

[scubadoober]

Details are what differentiate the various Taiwanese brands. Obviously, they are not all from the same factory . For what it's worth, Apex (Gearwrench) have their own factory and as such might have better QC. Only after some serious use would we be able to discuss the quality. Since we only get importers names and not factory names, as if we could pronounce them, how could we trace quality. They shift suppliers . So if you like the finish , fit and most importantly the price, you got yourself nice new tools. BTW, they might have better quality than the Snap-On made Williams, there is a earlier post on QC problems with Williams sockets.

Those were Williams USA sockets with the "QC problems".

 

[2ndGearRubber]

My bluepoint sockets I bought nearly 10 years ago are still holding up - metric and SAE/deep and shallow in 1/4 drive. Aside from some chipped chrome and light rust from brake fluid on the rarely used stuff, they work as well as the day I bought them. I use them every single day. Extensions too, I think I may have warrantied one for a failed locking ball. The 1/4 universal joint broke after a few years, I have SK and Koken now. I have a few williams singles, and some impact sockets from the imported line, which also work fine.

I purchased a few of their ratcheting wrench sets as well; overall Williams imported and USA lines are good tools at good pricing to me.

 

[Robinson1]

There's probably nothing wrong with them, but with the sheer number of Made in Taiwan options out there, you can get better value for money and be picky. The last time I checked, options like Tekton were half the cost of Made in Taiwan Williams.

Do you feel like they are the same quality?

While I've been pretty impressed by most Tekton tools I've looked at. And the few wrenches I have from Tekton are good. I'd like to believe a company owned by Snap On would source a higher quality level tool. I mean it's the same as blue point after all

 

[Olafur]

It's story time, nothing else can explain why I believe good Taiwan made sockets are just as good as the top brands.
.......

A friend of mine runs a shop close by, he started over 20 years ago alone but his business has grown to staff of 20. They repair; semi trucks, farm equipment, construction and earthmoving machinery. Basically whatever the cat drags in. Needless to say this is demanding for tools considering our weather conditions and salted roads more than half of the year.

I have been following his business, helping him, working for him as subcontractor - on and off for all this time so I am quite familiar with his shop and tools. All tools are supplied by the shop as is customary over here.

The strange thing is he and his guys never got the hang of using impact sockets, they just use the chrome for the impact guns. And until very recently they only use 1/2" impact guns, mostly Ingersoll Rand. The shop compressor since 2007 is rotary screw 20hp set at 9.5 bars.

When he started out had mostly German tools, Wurth branded, but also Gedore and little bit of Stahlwille. He bought some Craftsman and also some Koken rollcabs with socket sets. All chrome of course.

In the past 10 years he has grown from 4-5 guys on the shop floor to 15. And all hand tools bought in the past 10 years are Toptul and Sonic brands but also some "Förch" In the context here it's worth mentioning all these brands use Taiwan made sockets.

So the guys in this shop have been hammering on various brands of chrome sockets with 1/2" I.R. guns from the beginning. And almost exclusively Taiwan made chrome sockets for the past 10 years. And believe me - I have been paying attention.

Craftsman didn't fare well under this abuse, and perhaps the Craftsman stuff he had wasn't the best vintage from craftsman so to speak. "G" sockets if memory serves me. The rest is similar. If anything I think Koken might be the winner in this ongoing stress test for chrome sockets. But the Taiwan sets have hold up remarkably well. I think it's amazing frequently used sizes like 17mm last 2-3 years in this environment, feeling the business end of air guns most days.

It's been annoying, I have zero pleasure spending money on sockets from my favourite brands anymore. Because I just can't see how I could go wrong buying the same Taiwan sockets these guys are using when I never use impacts on them. And I actually have plenty of Toptul chrome sockets. I estimate I will be long dead and buried before their quality becomes an issue. And quite frankly I think even mainland China is pumping out perfectly fine no-name sockets and has been doing it for many years.

Wanting to support your local community or country is a different matter altogether.

 

[Professional Tool User]

Because all stuff made in Taiwan is the same quality....

I did not say all Taiwanese tools are the same quality unless it's an obvious rebrand that just about everyone puts their name on. It really depends on whether or not whoever contracted out the work cheaped out. My Tekton 1/4 dr sockets just shined beautifully the first time I opened the case. The same level of finishing cannot be found on my Gearwrench ratchets and that small set of Harbor Freight sockets I bought where two of the sockets were pitted on the surface.

 

[Professional Tool User]

Do you feel like they are the same quality?

While I've been pretty impressed by most Tekton tools I've looked at. And the few wrenches I have from Tekton are good. I'd like to believe a company owned by Snap On would source a higher quality level tool. I mean it's the same as blue point after all

There's the possibility that Snap on had Taiwanese Williams made to a higher spec, but at the end of the day, is it relevant? Tekton lists what spec their tools are made to on their website. Sockets don't break that often. I'd be more interested in functional differences and whether or not those features are worth the extra money. For example, those Milwaukee sockets that are square instead of round at the drive end. Is it worth paying double for that feature?

 

[Mr_B]

Taiwan made, decent overall. Same as Blue point as mentioned. My only gripe with the handful of BP 1/4dr sockets I have is they are a bit deeper/taller then most US made sockets. But all Taiwan made sockets are like this for some reason, at least in 1/4 drive.

Not all Taiwan, I got premier branded taiwan and they differ from my Koken 1/4 sockets by something like 15thou in height and Koken about shortest/thinnest I got out of selection of various coo's including usa .
Is more details/pictures in another thread .
Hell of a lot of good pro usable socketry out of taiwan in brands like premier, toptul, japanstyle, jubilee tools, hallmark, welzh, carlyle etc .

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

I don't know the quality of the steel and it's heat treatment of the Taiwanese tools, but I am impressed by their finishing details . Olafur suggests the steel and it's heat treatment is pretty good.

Filling out my socket sets, I bought some 1/2 deeps. The K Tool one is much better finished than the NOS Bonney. Everybody has had to up their game.

 

[Robinson1]

So I took delivery of my new William's set Monday. It looks good. Everything finished out beautifully. Fit and finish is good. Case nice and compact and doesnt waste a ton of precious truck space. Overall I like it. Did some PM on my skid steer and used a few of the sockets last night. Time will tell but impressed so far. Ratchet is super smooth. Only gripe is I wish it included a 12 inch extension. I managed to fit one in between the rows of shallow sockets

 

[Fluelikesymptoms]

I have both William's usa and taiwan. I tried my best to avoid their Taiwan line at first because I liked the idea of them being made in SO factory. However I couldnt find 6 pt 1/2 drive chrome sockets that weren't made in Taiwan by William's. I almost went with another brand but my OCD came down to, do I want them all to be William's branded or do I want them all to be made in USA.

I ended up getting the Taiwan and they honestly seem just as good as their usa line. Size markings are better and the finish seems just as good, if not a bit better.

I frequently find myself wondering if the Taiwan is actually better than the usa because of quality control. I had a few minor issues with my USA orders but zero problems with my taiwan orders. To me isnt a big deal I can be patient, but I can see how some would be annoyed with William's usa.

 

[CR888]

I just don't see the value in Taiwan Williams, or even USA for that matter. I'd look at some of the other top Taiwan choices that are both well designed & good quality. Carlyle, Topul, King Tony etc.