How's it going for your S-K tools searches?

[bonneyman]

Since S-K got bought out by the Chinese I started trying to assemble a second set of all the sockets and drive tools I already have. Just to have a spare set of everything. Within a year and a half all my local sources ran dry. Even my faithful pawn shop in Phoenix came up fairly empty (though I did find a good used 45170 3/8" drive ratchet).

Haven't looked at all for about a year, but I don't expect much of anything. Though we may visit up there this fall and I'll give that pawnie a whirl. Who knows? Maybe I'll find a complete deep metric socket set for $10. lol

Are you guys finding any such stuff in your area?

[Highland512]

Honestly the amount of SK I find out in the wild dropped off steeply after the last time they sold to Ideal. Most of the industrial suppliers switched to Proto or Wright and thats most of what I find now.

I have alot of SK but Im not buying anymore...As I find good deals on other brands, I have been replacing it. Most of what I have bought new is CAT hand tools available at your local Caterpillar dealers. Smoking deals on tools can be found a couple times a year (last year on black friday was 40% off). Awesome tools with lifetime warranty, Snap-On is the OEM on most of them.   

[skfarmer]

i haven't hit a pawn shop in long time. sk was never a top find for some reason. i would pick up decent old usa made stuff...... especially wrenches if i found some.

[Uncle Buck]

It's been years since I hit a hock shop.I buy tools weekly, but I am never looking for a particular brand. Most of my purchases these days are from my local Habitat store. I have made some killer hauls there. During summer weekly i hit a local open air flea mkt. Equally good luck there. CL is virtually dead, but I did score a 20 Ton press and I dont recall the tonnage of a HF porta pwr largest set they sell. Both purchases older but in like new condition, no visible wear on either item, $70 each. On marketplace now too. Made a couple good scores there at first, but not lately. Not a huge fan of marketplace. I don't like the platform as well as CL either. When I am looking for a particular brand or item, ebay is king. I am too old to think I will just encounter in the wild specific brands and items so I use ebay and aside from the shipping cost which kills many deals I very much like the convenience. Fortunately, lately I have been avoiding  ebay, way too addictive.

[Highland512]

The pawn shop scene is pathetic anymore. I used to be able to find quality tool brands at decent prices. Shop staff would wheel and deal to make a sale happen. Now I see mostly hobo freight tools at hobo freight prices and shop staff that are only interested in selling items for what they are priced at. Which makes me ask myself why am I even in here? If the item tag is almost unreadable since it's been on the shelf so long it's faded, I would think the shop owner would want to move it along.......guess not.     

I have been helping my son in finding decent tools for his new (my old) box. I was shocked how much extra I had in boxes squirreled away. We found an antique store with a vendor that's selling good USA made stuff, we take lists of what is needed and dig through the piles (and I mean piles) of wrenches, sockets, and pliers etc. The only way I find to get the good stuff now is to keep a list of what is needed and find it piece by piece.