Stahlwille Chrome Plating

[malykaii]

So I bought a few loose stahlwille wrenches to try out. They feel and work great, but ugly finish. (No, it's not the satin, I like that. They still have deep grind marks from production, like they seriously didn't finish the job. Looks so patheticly cheap)

I read in the "13mm wrench test thread" that when analized, there is no chrome plating on stahlwille wrenches. That sound right?

I ask, because if there is no plating, I can essentially fix up the finish on these wrenches and remove the awful finish work.

 

[malykaii]

Analyzed not analized lols

 

[maico]

Stahlwille say 'chrome alloy steel, chrome plated, cadmium free'
(so safe to use on titanium)

Got a photo of the offending item ?

The forging around the switch on my 80 tooth 3/8 ratchet is quite rough and ready. No attempt to smooth it. The plating however, is good on everything.

 

[superautobacs]

The rough, un-ground areas surrounding/underneath the selector switch is common among other famous brands; it's not unique to Stahlwille.


I'd like to see a photo of your wrenches too, Malykaii.

From my exposure to European (ie. German) hand tools is that aesthetic perfection is not generally pursued. If you're used to polished chrome-plated tools from North American/Taiwanese brands, and it's something that you expect to see, then you need to be weary of this fact.

 

[Monte]

i think he maybe means a rough finish on the sides of the box end of the deep offset wrenches ??

 

[Dave455]

I have quite a few Stahlwille tools, in fact the majority of my metric wrenches are Stahlwille, and the only word I can use to describe the finishing of the tools is "faultless'!

I can see no ugly grind marks on my 13 or 14 combo's, Corona ring spanners / box end wrenches, or Motor open enders! In fact, the consistency of finish is one of the reasons I've bought so much Stahlwille!

The finish is definitely chrome, so I wouldn't try to polish anything out, and you'd have a job as all my wrenches are well hard! Might you have some sort of contract tool that's made to a different spec?

The only place I've ever seen an apparently rough finish is inside some of the socket wrenches when new, however, this is a kind of proctective paint that scrapes off in use, exposing the hard chrome underneath!

I can only repeat the suggestions above and advise posting some pics!

 

[maico]

Watching some of the tool production videos on the tube, KUKA Robotics are much in evidence doing the final machining.
If there is variation at Stahlwille it suggests human error after a beer fuelled lunch

 

[PureLeaf]

Speaking of german tool companies not striving for aesthetic perfection. Heres someone mentioning their knipex pliers

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=289529

 

[maico]

Northern Italy continues to hand out lessons in metal finishing

 

[maico]

Malykaii's offending wrench is shown in post 22. Are they all finished on a grinder like that ?

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4825113#post4825113

 

[bahcoswed]

The finish is pretty rough on some wrenches! I have 2 big sets with openbox 13 and 14 without any skips! 39 wrenches and 4 of them have this ugly surface in the box end! First pic is a 20mm openbox 13 with great finish like the most of them, second pic is a 19mm openbox 14 with bad finish on the edge! But that doesnt bother me because its look the same after a lifetime abuse And its only on some tools! They are not build to be in glass case!

 

[Ridwaan Gallow]

I kniw for a fact that Stahlwille doesnt take too much pride in the look of their tools.. but.. i also know for a fact that Stahlwille takes pride in the mechanisms and strength of their tools.. how many of you have really stripped the teeth on one of 'em ugly Stahlwille ratchets? Ah-ha.. not many..

I havent owned any of 'em highly shined Snap on ratchets or even a spanner.. so i cannot compare..

 

[LordPsychon]

I have always bought tools according to this motto: find, fix, finish. Find the right tool for the right job, use it appropriately, and ignore the finish since by the end of the day it's probably going to be scarred up a little anyway.

 

[bahcoswed]

And another thing I wonder about: whats up with the offset on stahlwille combo wrenches? It says 15 degree offset, but to big difference between sizes 12,13 and 14mm with different offset?

 

[Duth62]

Northern Italy continues to hand out lessons in metal finishing

Yeah. OK

 

[steelespeed]

Not sure if my post will contribute much, but I do think the Stahlwille finish looks a bit nicer than the Hazet stuff I have seen. The current production Hazet seems very rough.

 

[steelespeed]

Yeah. OK

Ugh.

 

[maico]

That's taking the piss !

Even Monte from the German tool Ministry and owner of the Worlds only 13mm wrench museum would send that back

 

[Monte]

Northern Italy continues to hand out lessons in metal finishing

...as taught by the germans (Audi)

 

[Monte]

That's taking the piss !

Even Monte from the German tool Ministry and owner of the Worlds only 13mm wrench museum would send that back

i still have mine

I will try to take some (illegal) pics of german hand tools used in industrial applications in a oil refinery so you can see how tools look like if they´re used

 

[Jure]

IMHO,here in Europe shiny full mirror polished tools are considered as "fragile chinese ****"... and people care about metal quality and quenching more then look... speaking of stahlwille,all i can say is that they have awesome fit and finish,but to each his own.

 

[malykaii]

SATIN VS POLISHED IS NOT THE ISSUE LOLZ! I have plenty of satin tools. I have a loose Armstrong satin wrench and the finish is superb. Heck, even the rough craftsman finish is pretty decent.

^That is the same exact issue with both stahlwille wrenches I received. Its not small imperfections as you guy's describe, but deep gouges, pitting, and inconsistencies. Its seriously on par with the HF offset wrenches costing $10 a set.

I just received an elora last night. The elora satin is very consistent, the quality control is apparrent, and only one pitted spot which is very very minor in comparison to the stahlwille.

I took two 1/2 bolts in the vise and tried to get both open ends to spread (wrightgrip test style) and both wrenches broke the bolts no problem.

THAT is my problem. How is it that elora can make a comparable tool in the very labor costly Germany, take time and funds to make it presentable to the customer, and charge almost one third the price.

See my disappointment?

 

[malykaii]

For a wrench costing $20 each, why not charge an extra dollar and make a presentable product?

Its like going to Peter Luger's (regional reference) where the cheapest steak is $100 yet getting served on a paper plate. Sure, your there for the steak and it's going strait into your stomach, so who cares right? But for $100 you will, you def will.

So why is o one excused besides top tier German tool makers? Cause even mid level German maker elora tries.

 

[neophyte]

I have wrenches from Armstrong, Bonney, Martin, ad older French made Facom, all of which have visible grinding marks. I'd give a **** but I smile every time I put the wrenches on a fastener and they fit like a glove. They wrenches also ring like a bell when tapped, and fit my hand better than some modern "ergonomic" tools.

A perfect finish on your wrenches doesn't mean much if the steel is **** and the jaws spread, or the chrome starts peeling.

 

[malykaii]

A perfect finish on your wrenches doesn't mean much if the steel is **** and the jaws spread, or the chrome starts peeling.

Still not my point lol.

Your the best qualified candidate for a job by far. You go to your interview in ripped jeans. The other candidate isn't even qualified for the job, but wore a suit. Your the best, but you don't look like you take yourself seriously. All you had to do was grave a $45 Wal-Mart suit.

 

[neophyte]

Still not my point lol.

Your the best qualified candidate for a job by far. You go to your interview in ripped jeans. The other candidate isn't even qualified for the job, but wore a suit. Your the best, but you don't look like you take yourself seriously. All you had to do was grave a $45 Wal-Mart suit.

Yeah, but once you hire the guy in the Walmart suit, or even the guy who wears the Brooks Brothers suit, and realize he's not very good at the job, you find the guy wearing the torn and patched pants and then give him more work and a raise.

 

[bahcoswed]

Find this 36mm in the trash on a construction site, it was concrete and a lot of junk all over the wrench! Like someone welded all that **** into it I have only clean this big wrench, not polish or anything like that! Hammering the concrete of and I wasnt nice to it The overall condition is precisely like a new one! This is why I allways recommend stahlwille over shiny snap on's

 

[bahcoswed]

 

[malykaii]

Perfect, I'm in full agreement with you. That's how things would roll in an ideal world.

But my question is, during all this, would you never even question why this man didn't take an hour out of his day to attempt to be taken seriously? Would that thought never cross your mind? That is my question to stahlwille.

And since it's a global economy with more than two options... Now candidates #3 and #4 walk in. All have excellent resumes and also look the part, and the kicker... Are asking less money. See where stahlwille candidate falls behind?

 

[malykaii]

If stahlwille wants to walk the walk with the best (and charge more in some cases) it isn't unreasonable to wonder why they can't talk the talk as well.

I feel my point is coherent and reasonable.

 

[PureLeaf]

I understand your point and think its reasonable. You like their tools, but wish they looked a bit better for their money.

Have you contacted Stahlwille? Perhaps they'll address your concerns if you express them directly.

Beyond that, it comes to forcing their hand via economics. Purchase tools from companies that do meet your expectations.

 

[bahcoswed]

I get your point, but honestly I think Stahlwille gives a rats *** about the grindmarks! I did a deeper look on my wrenches and it seems like they do this grindmarks with purpose...more or less on every wrench I have! I dont think they leave this marks to save money, they just dont care and has other priority in production line!

 

[malykaii]

You like their tools, but wish they looked a bit better for their money.

YES! You summed up everything I've been writing paragraphs about in one clear sentence. Nice.

I do agree about voting with your dollar (yen, euro, or so on) The down downside is I really really want some thing different than the usual USA style wrench, hence really want to like the German stuff. So far the best tool meeting my desires is the Williams satin wrenches. Williams is a snap on brand, so much for trying something different.

 

[malykaii]

I get your point, but honestly I think Stahlwille gives a rats *** about the grindmarks!

Enough people are buying them as is, so I'm clearly,a minority here. Hence they don't care. Whatever works.

Granted, I still would love a stahlwille set as they work well and feel great. But it would have to be at the used price for me to forgive the imperfections. Since stahlwille discontinued the 14a line, they left me no choice in the matter regardless.

 

[bahcoswed]

Enough people are buying them as is, so I'm clearly,a minority here. Hence they don't care. Whatever works.

Granted, I still would love a stahlwille set as they work well and feel great. But it would have to be at the used price for me to forgive the imperfections. Since stahlwille discontinued the 14a line, they left me no choice in the matter regardless.

I do care, I want same thing as you! I adore stahlwille tools and for the money as you mentioned they could use maybe 1200 grit instead for 180 in the edges
My experience I have from Stahlwille is the best quality you can get all categorys(-grindmarks). But they are a little old fashion style on many things...for example they came with their first reversible ratcheting combo wrenches this year, first finetooth(80) ratchet also this year.(Yes I know about their 60 tooth) I have never really used stahlwille ratchets because i can get a finetooth facom or snappy instead for "old 60"! As someone mentioned earlier: In europe we want the best steel quality,best durability and the most people doesnt care about some grindmarks! But think this way: If Stahlwille´s factory was moved to Us the grindmarks is gone and mirror chrome is added

 

[malykaii]

I don't think a mirror finish is a prerequisite for a stahlwille USA division.

Plenty of USA brands like Williams, Wright, Armstrong, Craftsman, and Gray (Canada) do the satin finish thing.

 

[Duth62]

I don't think a mirror finish is a prerequisite for a stahlwille USA division.

Plenty of USA brands like Williams, Wright, Armstrong, Craftsman, and Gray (Canada) do the satin finish thing.

Satin finish ? Sure. HERE is a proper satin finish.
It doesn't look like a barbarian with a 24 grit belt on his belt grinder was in a hurry to get to the gin mill

 

[malykaii]

Why oh why is the Facom 40LA discontinued! That's awesome.

 

[bahcoswed]

Why oh why is the Facom 40LA discontinued! That's awesome.

Facom 440 ... There you have real wrench ****

 

[maico]

It doesn't look like a barbarian with a 24 grit belt on his belt grinder was in a hurry to get to the gin mill

I think you mean Fritz who had a liquid lunch down the bierkeller