K-119 Tools & Equipment

K-​119 has been open for 38 years, and it’s no wonder. I went in looking for a Festool cordless drill, and was helped by a clerk who goes regularly to the Festool Center in Vegas for training. He walked me through my options, answered all of my questions, made appropriate suggestions, and never rushed me. I had arrived feeling apprehensive about dropping $ 600 on a drill set, but I left feeling happy, relaxed, and excited — not only did I feel confident about the drill I purchased, but I found a store I can go back to again and again and actually feel good about spending money at. I don’t have to be a big man in paint-​splattered Carhartts to be taken seriously by the staff. Seriously the nicest folks ever.

OK, this is a crazy story.
10 years ago I was running a landscape company on the peninsula, cutting a lot of stone. When it came time to buy my third 5″ hand cutter in 2 years I went to K-​119, and the salesperson convinced that the extra $ 100 (nearly double the price) for a metabo grinder was absolutely worth the cost. He was so convincing, I bought two. Fast forward 10 years, and after a 2 weeks of heavy rains in Seattle I went to use my hand cutter… and found it completely submerged in a bucket of rain water. Tragedy! … so I took it apart, cleaned it out and blew it off with a hair dryer, 3 hours later I am back at work with that grinder. Go metabo!, and thank you to K-​119 for the advice.
Even aside from this story, I always went to K-​119 when I actually needed a tool that would work– great advice, great tools. It has been a while since I shopped there (having moved several years ago) but when I used to buy tools for jobsites, I found these guys were always the least costly. Maybe the cash price would be a bit higher than other places, but I could walk in, buy exactly what I needed, maybe get some excellent advice, and get back to work. No lost time, no wasted time, no nomadic drifting from store to store. Come here, get what you need, and get to work. What else is there to say?

Good quality products. Great customer service.
I went in to get a Veto Pro Pac MC, they had a showroom display of the bags, but I thought that was all they had. The bag was scuffed up in several places and I was almost going to pass until they asked me if I needed help, asked if they had more «in the back», it turns out they do! This is actually a place that has inventory in the back, they brought out a freshly sealed one, and helped me get a dewalt hardcase. Very good service and help you solve your problems. This product was also not even available at big box stores. I walked through their store and noticed they only carry the top brands, best quality versions of things. So instead of 10 kinds of tape measurers, there are just a few kind, but they are good stuff that the pros use, not garbage.

Definitely one of the best places to get all your tools ! Everyone here is very knowledgeable and has a lot of experience in the trade. They even repair the tools !

I just stumbled upon this place after making a wrong turn trying to get home from the airport, and I am now thoroughly ashamed of myself for not knowing it existed for the past 15 years I’ve lived here.
Every aisle is packed full of so much stuff you can barely turn around, but NONE of it is low-​end useless filler, and somebody there knows what each and every single item does. Never again will I stand at a Home Depot counter for 20 minutes because a vacuum hose adaptor doesn’t have a UPC code on it and nobody has any idea how to ring it up.

I bought some power tools here today and I’m very happy. The service was top notch, I knew what I wanted going in, and they spent a lot of time to explain everything in detail and share some tips while I was waiting for them to put it all together.
The selection of products they have in stock is great, much better than any other place in the area I’ve seen so far.

A major corollary to Murphy’s Law is «If you know exactly what you want, you can never find it». This place breaks the Law. I had researched a special security wrench; online for $ 17 plus shipping, or an entire set of sizes I won’t ever need for $ 40, or at normal stores you get a blank look and «You want a WHAT?». Walked in here, described it. Before I finished a paragraph they guy pulls an organized tray of various sizes from under the counter and finds exactly the bit I need — no special tool needed, just a bit fitting many of your tools. $ 4.36 and returnable if not used.
The place is a bit old and dingy, but it has a nice sized parking lot. Reminds me of the mechanic’s garage in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle maintenance. This is the Secret Source for tools used by many of my boat buddies, etc. They even have a guy come on Thursdays who can sharpen saws and bits (dunno if it’s cost effective — replacement being the norm these days) — my father must be smiling in his grave. Be careful before going here, because you’re going to find all those things you wanted but couldn’t find in mass pseudo-​hardware stores (Lowes, Home Depot). But if you’ve got a job to do, you’ll find just the Right Stuff at good prices and save a lot of time.
I’m not giving anything 5 stars until it’s repeatedly excelled for me, however, this place comes recommended highly (even Lowe’s staff sent me here). From now on it’s my first stop.

manly man here.
this place has everything you need.
even a gold plated, limited edition, wise gripe.
i came in for a honda 3000is generator. staff was helpful, knowledge. price, while you could get things a little cheaper online, you just dont get the years of experience and knowledge and service.
big fan.
will be back.

Awesome tool place, from the home owner to the contractor. Friendly service with employees that remember your name. They also do on site tool repair!

The best for power tools and equipment hands down. Laura gave me the red carpet treatment. It was the best!!! I will always go here for my power tool needs

It couldn’t get any better than this — a locally owned business, experts in everything you need, and sales staff who take the time to ensure you not just get the right tool for the job but that you know how to use it. I already knew what I wanted but they took the time to ask me all the right questions to verify it. Then they went out of their way to assemble it and *train* me how to use it properly with all their tips and tricks. If I had gone to a big box store I would have felt lucky if I actually found a sales person who could point me to the right aisle. There I would have been on my own to select and purchase. Finally I’d arrive home with a big box of parts I’d have to assemble and figure out how to actually use.
I’ll never go anywhere but the San Bruno store with the funny name — K119!

the customer service here is unreal… or should I say nonexistent! In one visit I bought a drill and they sold me a bit set that didn’t even go with it! Then when I realized a few weeks later… they wouldn’t exchange it?! I spent over $ 5k and this is the run around I get…
Today I called to locate a part and simply got a no and then a ring tone… I WAS HUNG UP ON!

This shop can get any tool. Alot of specialty tools sold here.
I know they can also get some pretty expensive tools as well.

This place is the ultimate tool store. If you’ve ever been in a situation where you’re grinding, drilling, unscrewing while swearing, sweating and wondering why you didn’t pay someone to do the work for you, these guys have an awesome little something-​or-​other that will make it easy.
Aside from having every tool in the known universe, they sell only high quality hardened stuff that’ll last you for years, and their people are sharp and know the stock very well. Helpful and friendly, they will even downsell you (not kidding!) if you only need a tool once so you don’t end up buying that $ 90 ratchet that will end up going for a fiver at your garage sale years later.
Avoid the big box stores and their cheaply made tools, and have a look at this locally owned business.

This is the best place for a Pro to buy tools. They stock everything you could possibly need to run your business. I’m always amazed that such a small store can carry such a large stock. Sure, You’ll pay more than you would going to a big box store but the convenience of walking up to the counter and telling them what you need and getting it from someone who knows what they’re talking about and going back to your jobsite versus going to the chain store and not getting any help at all pays off quickly.
Five stars for customer service.
Five stars for a small business carrying such a large inventory.
Expensive but worth it.