Apex bits

[mikebaker1129]

While looking for some 5/16 shank replacement bits . I searched for Apex a well known mfr.,known for producing high quality bits in Dayton,OH.
1st hit turned up some super cheap prices ,but they are now imported from Taiwan and packaged for retain sale. I had no idea they went overseas,but I wonder if the quality is the same?

https://www.circlecsupply.com/apex-amset-38-38-piece-impact-rated-fastening-set.html

 

[neophyte]

Apex is part of Apex Tool Group, which is now owned by Bain Capital.
The Apex Tool Group brands such as Lufkin and Crescent have been offshored completely or mostly, and other Apex brands seem to be migrating offshore as well.

 

[measuredtwice]

Apex still makes bits in the USA. Zoro and Omegatek and many others sell them.

https://omegatec.com/apex-screwdriver-bits-3.aspx

The cheapo import bits often have a part number that starts with "AM" or "AMB" but I don't know if that's always the case.

 

[Wamsutta]

If it's not in the APEX catalog, then it's not real APEX. Yes I'm aware of Bain Capital owning APEX and calling the brand APEX Tool Group."

I looked in the catalog part number index for "AMSET-38" and it's not in there. Until the APEX catalog gets infected by Taiwan made stuff, I'm not worried about it. The Bain Capital executives couldn't possibly be that stupid, hopefully.

https://www.apex-tools.com/sites/www.apex-tools.com/files/Apex-Fastening-Tools_TC-100-EN.pdf

 

[mikebaker1129]

If it's not in the APEX catalog, then it's not real APEX. Yes I'm aware of Bain Capital owning APEX and calling the brand APEX Tool Group."

I looked in the catalog part number index for "AMSET-38" and it's not in there. Until the APEX catalog gets infected by Taiwan made stuff, I'm not worried about it. The Bain Capital executives couldn't possibly be that stupid, hopefully.

https://www.apex-tools.com/sites/www.apex-tools.com/files/Apex-Fastening-Tools_TC-100-EN.pdf

I am also aware of the ATG or Apex tool group and Apex bits are also part of that group. I really hope you are correct about them not being that stupid!

 

[neophyte]

If it's not in the APEX catalog, then it's not real APEX. Yes I'm aware of Bain Capital owning APEX and calling the brand APEX Tool Group."

I looked in the catalog part number index for "AMSET-38" and it's not in there. Until the APEX catalog gets infected by Taiwan made stuff, I'm not worried about it. The Bain Capital executives couldn't possibly be that stupid, hopefully.

https://www.apex-tools.com/sites/www.apex-tools.com/files/Apex-Fastening-Tools_TC-100-EN.pdf

The two main problems are that
Bain/Apex has been outsourcing tools and brands that were produced in the US for decades, and which didn’t seem to have any issues with US production that would cause offshoring, like Nicholson, Crescent pliers, and Lufkin, meaning that practically any of the US brands could wind up getting offshored.

The other issue is that if a tool is produced or sold under one of the Apex Tool Group brands, some distributors might simply list the item as “Apex” or “Apex Tool Group” or “ATG” rather than as the Apex subbrand, because the tools are all being sourced from the same supplier, meaning a person might try to purchase US Apex bits, and wind up with the imported ones, if they don’t triple check part numbers etc.

This is similar to people who want the US Williams made sockets winding up with the imported ones Williams sells.

 

[RoninB4]

Well that just ***** to hear Apex is going offshore. As a former die maker we used pneumatic guns for assembly/disassembly on the large, dinner table sized die sets that had dozens of SHCS. Doing this by hand with hex keys would take a lot of time so we used the pneumatic guns (Ingersoll Rand) to speed the process. The Apex bits were superior to about everything else we tried. The other brands would either round over or shatter under repeated use. I've still got a few in my toolbox and will NOT loan them out now. Another story of a fine US made product gone for greater profits. FTS