Is this normal Armstrong quality??

[rust buster]

So I'll start by saying I am not **** retentive about the fit and finish of most of my tools. After much research, especially on this forum, I plunged and bought a set of SAE reversible Armstrong ratcheting wrenches. I got them new from a highly rated ebay store for about $160.

Well I got them today and am very disappointed. I was expecting much more for this price. Kobalts from Lowes have much a much better finish on them. They almost look like they are used and have been re-plated. One of them even has chrome coming off it if you look close on the sharp edge. Maybe I am wrong, but should these be this bad or am I overreacting?

The open end side are not straight and smooth, but wavy. And one looks like it has sanding marks under the chrome. Sorry for the crappy cell phone pics but hopefully you can make out what I am talking about.

So, am I being too picky? If so, let me have it. If not, should I contact Armstrong or the store I bought from?

 

[gtlaw]

Thats off corner engagement its normal

 

[rust buster]

That I know, it's on all of them. I'm talking about the edges of the open end and the de-chroming.

 

[Wamsutta]

That's not normal no. Send them back to Armstrong directly. They need to know about that.

 

[DeliveryGuy]

The jaw design looks like one of those side-griping open end wrenches, like Snap On Flank Drive Plus. This is a good thing. The chipped chrome plating, however, would bother me too.

Edit. I see what you mean by "wavy". The flat "side" of the wrench is ugly.

 

[Wamsutta]

What Armstrong needs to do is hand pick a set for you and put them in a kit bag after each wrench has been closely inspected.

 

[rust buster]

Tried to take a better pic...
the back part is all chewed up under the chrome

 

[rust buster]

They were advertised as brand new. Came with a new pouch and in an Armstrong box.

 

[nanofrog]

Don't think they're used, but it does look to me they got in a hurry during manufacturing, namely the chrome (suspect they didn't get it cleaned properly prior to it going in the plating tanks).

It's not supposed to be that way, so you should contact the seller or Apex to get it straightened out IMHO.

 

[Wamsutta]

The pictures were fine the first time. Those wrenches are supposed to be regular smooth open ends with no ragged edge going around the perimeter.

 

[MadMark]

I have similar problems with unpolished chrome on the inside of the box ends,
it looks like patches of silver paint on a high polish wrench.

It doesn't show up in pictures well, but I'll try to post a few

 

[steelespeed]

I know this doesn't help, but holy hell those look terrible. Send 'em back.

 

[Skin]

Use the box ends for a little while as well just to weed out any bad mechanisms, occasionally you'll get one that self reverses during ratcheting.

 

[ladrones]

I had that on a 1/2" flex head ratchet. I warrantied it and the one I got in return had the exact same issue.

 

[Kev442]

At that price I would be disappointed too. Geez, at $80 I'd send them back.

 

[John in OH]

At that price I would be disappointed too. Geez, at $80 I'd send them back.

Totally agree! Those look like **** and sure don't seem up the the quality I have seen on other Armstrong regular combo wrenches.

Don't waste any time ... contact Armstrong, get a Return Authorization, and send them back ASAP!!

 

[shanker]

to the OP...

I have this same set....I went out to my box and gave them a look....mine don't have any chipped chrome or edges like your pics show..

I think you got a "great" deal from an "eBay" seller b/c more than likely they were QC rejects....

 

[gtlaw]

after looking at some of mine I would say yours do look crappy ebay might not have been the best place to buy them

these pics are of three different wrenches two are metric one sae so they aren't all from the same set

 

[gunner3773]

I just sent a 1/4 ratchet back to HJE for replacement due to it having so much pitting.

 

[Dahammer72]

I just sent a 1/4 ratchet back to HJE for replacement due to it having so much pitting.

I just received a 1/4" 10-992 from them last week looked great except for 2 pits/nicks.

 

[MadMark]

Here are some pics of the missing chrome plating from the box ends.
Note the polished portion next to what looks like flat silver paint.

The last photo is of a worn out broach on a 12mm box end.

 

[Jeeper]

This is a timely thread. I am looking at getting a set of reversible ratcheting wrenches. I have one in my possession from a college recruiting fair. Couldn't believe a company was handing them out but I managed to get one.

 

[Wamsutta]

Here are some pics of the missing chrome plating from the box ends.
Note the polished portion next to what looks like flat silver paint.

The last photo is of a worn out broach on a 12mm box end.

The box ends are normal. They put a plastic insert into the box end to hang the wrench from for chrome plating.

 

[Ruger_556]

Here are some pics of the missing chrome plating from the box ends.
Note the polished portion next to what looks like flat silver paint.

The last photo is of a worn out broach on a 12mm box end.

Even my Snap On wrenches don't have polished box ends... I don't see anything wrong

 

[holt2ton]

Can you imagine the cost of trying to polish the INSIDE of a broached surface? Getting in and out of every valley? Are sockets supposed to be polished chrome on the inside as well?

 

[rust buster]

The ebay store seller is going to refund me my money after I ship them back. I also called Apex as some here suggested, but she was no help and had an attitude. She said it's not their problem what somebody (even an ebay store with 99.7% feedback rating) is selling on ebay. Said she couldn't help me.

So now the million dollar question is: Do I try another set or give up on Armstrong and move on to another brand?

 

[Ruger_556]

So now the million dollar question is: Do I try another set or give up on Armstrong and move on to another brand?

I'd find an Armstrong dealer to buy from. Other brands will have QC issues too.

 

[Skin]

Here are some pics of the missing chrome plating from the box ends.
Note the polished portion next to what looks like flat silver paint.

The last photo is of a worn out broach on a 12mm box end.

Normal, you wont find different from any brand. The "missing chrome" is a hangar mark left when the wrench is dipped into the plating baths.

 

[Zeke]

What is the possibility that they are fakes? What with shoes, watches and so many other fakes, how hard would it be to run off a few thousand in some far away factory?

 

[rust buster]

Here's the ebay listing. Looked like a legit outfit to me, but now I know.
Torn on whether to try Armstrong again...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/290934688078?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

 

[rust buster]

I wish SK made some good ratcheting wrenches. So now am I am trying to decide between another Armstrong set (most likely at a higher price), BluePoint, or Williams

 

[SMKS]

Armstrong will probably tell you the same thing no matter where you buy them from.

 

[Wamsutta]

Normal, you wont find different from any brand. The "missing chrome" is a hangar mark left when the wrench is dipped into the plating baths.

You're half right. They put a plastic insert in there (similar to a 12 point nut with a hole) for the hanger to go through to prevent a hanger mark. If it wasn't for the plastic insert, and they just hung them from the box ends, then you'd see a hanger mark on the outside of the box end.

 

[Skin]

You're half right. They put a plastic insert in there (similar to a 12 point nut with a hole) for the hanger to go through to prevent a hanger mark. If it wasn't for the plastic insert, and they just hung them from the box ends, then you'd see a hanger mark on the outside of the box end.

Perhaps that's another method, I don't know, but I have seen them hang them on hooks for dipping. They don't need to wrap the box end entirely to do that, hence the mark is on the inside of the broach.

I wish SK made some good ratcheting wrenches. So now am I am trying to decide between another Armstrong set (most likely at a higher price), BluePoint, or Williams

One of our members who went to SEMA mentioned that SK is currently developing ratcheting wrenches for their line.

 

[Wamsutta]

Perhaps that's another method, I don't know, but I have seen them hang them on hooks for dipping. They don't need to wrap the box end entirely to do that, hence the mark is on the inside of the broach.

It's the same method as you're thinking, only there's an insert for the hook to go onto. There's a plastic insert specially sized for each wrench. The hanger hooks are L shaped so that the chrome solution can get all the way around the box end. The marks on the inside of the box end is where the plastic insert made contact. They have the same method for chrome plating the ratchets too. There's a special shaped plastic insert that goes inside the gear compartment for attaching to the L hanger the same way the wrenches do.

 

[Skin]

It's the same method as you're thinking, only there's an insert for the hook to go onto. There's a plastic insert specially sized for each wrench. The hanger hooks are L shaped so that the chrome solution can get all the way around the box end. The marks on the inside of the box end is where the plastic insert made contact. They have the same method for chrome plating the ratchets too. There's a special shaped plastic insert that goes inside the gear compartment for attaching to the L hanger the same way the wrenches do.

Like I said i'll just take your word for it, Snap-On and Cornwell don't chrome [wrenches] that way though. The wrenches are simply hung, no inserts.

 

[MadMark]

I can't really tell from your pics. If you have a digital camera, put it on macro mode and snap away.

I'm still not sure anything you're seeing is a problem or isn't normal. The inside of the box end isn't polished, so after chroming it wouldn't be as shiny as the polished exterior of the wrenches.

If you don't like them, then contact Armstrong and see what they say or return them and get a refund.

I say use them and be happy.

The other wrenches in the set are all fully polished within the box end.

 

[MadMark]

Can you imagine the cost of trying to polish the INSIDE of a broached surface? Getting in and out of every valley? Are sockets supposed to be polished chrome on the inside as well?

They polish the wrenches by rolling them in a barrel of abrasives. See
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKp3ww-9EaM

There should only be chrome missing on 2 points, not 8 out of 12
I'm not talking mirror finish, these are clearly missing chrome. and different from every Armstrong wrench I own.
I have a lot of older pre Danaher Armstrong wrenchs, and I find the quality was better.
Its a shame because Armstrong was one of my favorite companies