About Us

100 YEARS OF INGENUITY 

SK Tools USA, LLC was founded in the early 1900s as the Sherman-Klove Company by Mason H. Sherman and Noah Grover Klove. In the early days, we specialized in contract work, producing tools and parts for other companies. After a brief period producing munitions and mortar shell casings during WWI, we returned to our true love and what still drives us today – manufacturing quality tools for the American technician. From the original Round-Headed Ratchet to the SK® X-FRAME® Ratcheting Wrench, we’ve been innovating for American professionals since day one.

Today, SK Tools USA, LLC manufactures over 1500 products and continues our commitment to providing quality innovation to the toughest professionals in the world.

A HISTORY OF SK

  • The SK in S-K Tools stands for the Sherman-Klove Company.  The Sherman- Klove Company made munitions for the first world war and screw-machine products. By 1932, S-K Tool division of Sherma- Klove Company was established.
  • The S-K Tool brand wasn’t a planned endeavor for the Sherman-Klove Company. Hinsdale Manufacturing, a major customer of the Sherman-Klove Company closed during the depression leaving Sherman-Klove with a large inventory of unsold goods.  S-K Tools was formed to handle and sell the inventory.  Fortunately, S-K Tools quickly developed a reputation for quality tools and by the early 1940s had a significant share of the market for sockets. 
  • The S-K line of knurled-base sockets was introduced in the early to mid-1930s and was part of a very successful line of tools, allowing S-K to control a significant share of the socket market by the early 1940s. The sockets combined a number of desirable features, including strong construction, tapered walls to reach tight places, and an attractive appearance with contrasting polished and matte chrome.
  • In 1934, an S-K engineer and inventor by the name of Theodore Rueb developed the landmark patent for the first fine-tooth round-head ratchet. He continued to use this design to develop a successful line of ratchets from ¼” up to ¾” drive sizes.  S-K filed for 8 patents between 1934 and 1943.  Six of these were round head ratchet designs and 2 were for sockets.  All of these were invented by the engineer Theodore Rueb.   
  • The S-K round head ratchet has remained one of the most popular ratchet styles since its inception in 1934.  Many modern ratchets are still modeled after this early design today.
  • If you have an S-K socket marked with “S-K Chrome”, there is a good chance your socket was produced in the 1940s.  During this time, S-K marked their sockets with a stamping of “S-K Chrome”.  
  • S-K formed an alliance with another tool company in the 1950s called Lectrolite Corporation.  Through this alliance, S-K began producing and selling drop-forged wrenches that were stamped “S-K Lectrolite” from 1953 to 1962.
  • On April 4, 1961, S-K was issued the patent for the Rotating-head ratchet wrench also known as the “Roto-Ratchet”. 
  • In 1964, S-K and Lectrolite Corporation were purchased by the Symington-Wayne corporation, and the tools produced during this era were marked with the “S-K Wayne” trademark.  

SK Tools USA, LLC is now a sister company of Shop-Vac USA, LLC in Williamsport, PA USA. We have relocated our manufacturing and distribution from Sycamore, IL to Williamsport, PA USA in November 2021. This move allows us to leverage the facilities and technical capabilities of Shop-Vac who also shares our pride of quality, precision, innovation, service, and country. 

Under the ownership of GreatStar Industrial USA and its portfolio of brands including Arrow Fastener, Pony Jorgensen, Goldblatt we now have far greater resources and global scale to improve our service and innovate while building on our 100-year reputation. We will continue to manufacture many products in our new Williamsport facility while leveraging the experience and resources of Shop-Vac and our parent company, GreatStar Industrial. This blended approach will allow us to focus our manufacturing, procurement and innovation while improving our service and maintaining our reputation as the premium tools for American professionals. 

YOU LIVE LIFE UNDER THE HOOD

With ice in your veins and steel in your hands, there’s nothing you can’t fix. All you need are SK Tools USA, LLC: Premium quality, precision-crafted tools and backed by a lifetime warranty.