Crescent Tool Failure

[John in OH]

I’ve mention in several previous threads that I could probably count on one hand the number of tools that I’ve broken in non-abuse situations. Today, I added another finger to that hand!

Ever since Crescent moved most of their production overseas, I seldom buy any of their tools. However, about a year ago I found a new Crescent USA side-cutter, so I bought it thinking it would be a decent tool. Today, while cutting a length of ¼” rope (a task the cutter should have handled with ease) one of the handles snapped like a peppermint stick.



I don’t know if the material contributed to the failure or not, but it’s quite clear that the design was poor as the hole for the self-opening spring severely weakened the handle. A material failure could be chalked up to an out-of-spec run of steel, or a lapse in QC, or a bad heat treatment. But, a bad design, presumably by a US designer, is a bad design and, regardless of COO, it won’t get any better. Sort of a case where ugly goes all the way to the bone.



So, Crescent tools now go fully into my “do not buy” list. I’ll be replacing this cutter with a Channellock at the next opportunity.

 

[Cato]

Very interesting...thanks for the objective data.

 

[nicksnothereman]

I’ve mention in several previous threads that I could probably count on one hand the number of tools that I’ve broken in non-abuse situations. Today, I added another finger to that hand!

Ever since Crescent moved most of their production overseas, I seldom buy any of their tools. However, about a year ago I found a new Crescent USA side-cutter, so I bought it thinking it would be a decent tool. Today, while cutting a length of ¼” rope (a task the cutter should have handled with ease) one of the handles snapped like a peppermint stick.



I don’t know if the material contributed to the failure or not, but it’s quite clear that the design was poor as the hole for the self-opening spring severely weakened the handle. A material failure could be chalked up to an out-of-spec run of steel, or a lapse in QC, or a bad heat treatment. But, a bad design, presumably by a US designer, is a bad design and, regardless of COO, it won’t get any better. Sort of a case where ugly goes all the way to the bone.



So, Crescent tools now go fully into my “do not buy” list. I’ll be replacing this cutter with a Channellock at the next opportunity.

Honestly...it happens man. Don't know the warranty on crescent though.

Still, you can get a lot of decent plier type tools from channelock and wilde for around 10 on ebay. I don't think there will be any less "f ups" from those to tell you the truth. It's a manufacture defect, it happens. Japanese stuff theoretically should have less because of their manufacturing philosophy but still...

 

[BDT/NWMN]

John,, your disgusting photos do little to impress anyone looking at purchasing a Crescent side cutter.... I would have hollow thoughts about buying it... Thinking a Channel Lock or Proto would be a more solid choice to handle the task..

 

[2oolhound]

I'll think twice before buying pliers with the spring holes designed like that. Thanks!

 

[pozidriv]

Haha!! You could chew through that piece of rope!! :supergay:

Unless...It's adamantium reinforced rope, maybe the cutter just didn't stand a chance?

 

[gti]

The holes in the handles (for the spring, i guess) don't seem to be centered, so the "wall" is thinner on one side.

If that is true, a big design mistake right there.

 

[sac02]

Knowing absolutely nothing about how those pliers were designed, it sure seems like the spring hole is too wide, too deep, or both.

 

[Hootbro]

They have a warranty:

http://www.crescenttool.com/warranty

If use of any Crescent Hand Tool® when used for its intended purpose, fails to give complete satisfaction, return it to your Crescent Distributor or contact Apex Tool Group Professional Division at (800)-688-8949, and it will be repaired or replaced free of charge.

 

[wild cowboy]

So, Crescent tools now go fully into my “do not buy” list. I’ll be replacing this cutter with a Channellock at the next opportunity.

please tell us other tools that have failed and are now on your Do Not Buy list for objective reasons.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

John,, I'm wondering if those side cutters were intended as a gag gift for the corporate officers at Crescent Tool... Drilling that big of a hole in the high leverage area of a plier handle is rather hilarious.... I'm still laughing

 

[Tronyadorable]

Made in USA is always superior !

 

[Dave455]

That's a real shame!

I've got Crescent tools dating back decades, even some that belonged to my grandfather, that are still in use and I always considered them top grade, till they outsourced!

I find I'm using cutters a lot, though seldom for cutting wire! I keep my newest sharpest ones for cutting zip ties, and a really old blunt pair for pulling cotter pins! Many of mine are British brands like Record and Elliott Lucas that you probably won't find in the U.S. but I also have some Knipex, which seem to be excellent!

If you are looking for U.S. tools John, and why not, I probably don't have to tell you about Channell Lock, but consider Snap On as well! Snap On are not the first name you think of when thinking about pliers, but I have a few pairs and have found them to be really durable, especially the cutters!

 

[Delfonik]

Made in USA is always superior !

'Merica!

 

[AffableCurmudgeon]

Very interesting...thanks for the objective data.

Not at all "objective". One Crescent tool failed for him in his entire lifetime and he swore off the brand? I would call it anything but objective.

 

[wild cowboy]

Not at all "objective". One Crescent tool failed for him in his entire lifetime and he swore off the brand? I would call it anything but objective.

That is a pretty major failure - there are many makes of tools that I have NEVER had a failure with, after 30+ years of pro use.

I do like my old Crescent giant channellocks, and I do like their new double X pliers, but I doubt I would buy anything else Crescent, and if I did, it would be vintage from the 1970's or earlier, before all of the cost-cutting/offshoring, etc.!

 

[AffableCurmudgeon]

That is a pretty major failure - there are many makes of tools that I have NEVER had a failure with, after 30+ years of pro use.

I disagree with you. One failure does not indicate a trend. If this was a trend and a lot of crescent tools were consistently failing, that would be objective. This could be an isolated incident.

Let's say you buy a brand new piece of one of your 30+ years-non-failure-brand tools and it fails on you. Will you swear off your favorite brands? No, you will say that that brand has served you well for 30 years and this was an isolated incident. That would be objective and statistically correct decision.

 

[wild cowboy]

I try to keep a Consumer Reports style database of tool reliability, and when a tool brand fails that didn't fail in the past, it is usually a newer tool that is not built to the former standard of quality. I could give you 100 examples.

Here is one, I cannot recall a single case of a Craftsman -V- or =V= tool failing for us in non-abuse situations, yet many of my G-series sockets & extensions have exhibited chrome cracking, now ALL of the G-series in our shop have been subsequently returned proactively for safety reasons, but I will certainly continue to buy vintage Craftsman -V- series and =V= series.

But it all depends on whether tools are misused, another Craftsman example - I have read a 100's reports of USA made Craftsman ratchets going bad, but when you dig deep into the story, the fault always seem to turn out to be that the tech used the ratchet to break with.

Using Craftsman as examples here, but the same goes for our truck tools and every other brand we use daily.

 

[dnschmidt]

For me when the subject of piers comes up it's Channellock first and The Germans if Channellock doesn't have what I want.

 

[pozidriv]

That's not crescent fresh!

 

[Wamsutta]

I never did like side-cutters with springs.

 

[ishiboo]

I once saw a vintage Matco ratchet fail due to what I believe is an inferior ratchet design. I now buy only high-quality GearWrench and Kobalt... have never had any of the tools fail, a clear indication they're leagues ahead of Matco as evidenced by that one failure, and like 1/5th the cost.

I dare anyone to challenge this logic!

 

[thesilverone]

Does snap-on need to be brought up in every f*ckin thread?

 

[ishiboo]

BTW... I will question whether or not this was even remotely the right tool for the job. I find cutting rope like that with tools designed for metal is a loosing battle, as the cutting mechanism is inappropriate and cutting the final amount seems to require a TON of pressure, as jaws made for metal-working do not to cut 100% clean through something.

*I* would have used one of those cutting pliers with a razor knife or some similar sharp cutting instrument.

 

[ishiboo]

Does snap-on need to be brought up in every f*ckin thread?

I replaced Snap-on with Matco for your viewing pleasure.

 

[PelicanPines]

Is anybody else wondering...??? Did it cut the rope before breaking?

 

[John in OH]

Not at all "objective". One Crescent tool failed for him in his entire lifetime and he swore off the brand? I would call it anything but objective.

Whoa!! You guys are pretty quick to start throwing rocks at each other!

Look, I never claimed to be objective about this topic. I simply reported a tool failure and how I planned to respond to that experience.

I have numerous Crescent tools from years past and they are great, but when Crescent took most manufacturing overseas, I stopped buying their tools because there are numerous US manufacturers of the same-function tools.

The only Crescent tool I’ve bought in the last decade was this side cutter. It failed due to what appears to me do be a design problem, not a material glitch, and that casts a shadow on the level of engineering performed by the company and simply reinforces my PERSONAL preference to not buy Crescent.

For me when the subject of piers comes up it's Channellock first and The Germans if Channellock doesn't have what I want.

+1!! Channellock followed by Wilde followed by any one of numerous German brands.

BTW... I will question whether or not this was even remotely the right tool for the job. I find cutting rope like that with tools designed for metal is a loosing battle, as the cutting mechanism is inappropriate and cutting the final amount seems to require a TON of pressure, as jaws made for metal-working do not to cut 100% clean through something.

*I* would have used one of those cutting pliers with a razor knife or some similar sharp cutting instrument.

Actually, when this side cutter failed, I took a similar sized Channellock side cutter and it easily snipped through the rope. Laid side-by-side, it’s easy to see that the Channellock has significantly stronger handles and is more robust overall. (I concede, the Channellock is not a spring-open style and is slightly longer in length so it isn’t exactly apples-to-apples.)

Is anybody else wondering...??? Did it cut the rope before breaking?

No! It didn’t cut the rope before breaking! But, the Channellock sure did!

 

[domain]

When I use cutters to cut somethin flexible like the op was cutting rope, I seem to really pressure them to get it cut where as if it were wire, it would be more solid and less pressure would cut it. Idk still shouldn't have broke

 

[straightcut]

I've got a pair of spring open Diamond diagonal cutters that are about 40 years old. I've put as much pressure on them as I could muster with no ill effects. I'll watch it the next time I try to cut rope with them!

 

[stratman977]

If you notice in the pictures the right side has a dark and a light spot. It's hard to tell from the pics but that usually means that it was cracked prior to the final break. Could have been from manufacturing or from the last time you used it.

That channellock comparison isn't fair either because channellock makes the same style as the crescent and they aren't much different in design, except for the spring hole. Youre comparing heavy duty side cutters to a light duty pair.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004SBDE/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I would personally buy the channellock over the crescent because they are at about the same price point. It also seems to me that you can still buy crescent usa made pliers. Don't know if they were old stock but I just got set of the mini needle nose with the mini side cutters at home depot and they were usa made.

 

[defektes]

John,, your disgusting photos do little to impress anyone looking at purchasing a Crescent side cutter.... I would have hollow thoughts about buying it... Thinking a Channel Lock or Proto would be a more solid choice to handle the task..

Knipex, once you use those side cutters you never go back.

Those Crescents look very puny next to those channelocks.

 

[Cato]

Not at all "objective". One Crescent tool failed for him in his entire lifetime and he swore off the brand? I would call it anything but objective.

Well, that's a whole lot more objective than 99.9999% of the opinions we get here at CG.