Tool quality.

[anetode]

This is not a ******* match

Bye, bye little troll boy.

 

[Hiball]

Instead of arguing and insulting, why not add your knowledge and experience into the discussion?

Coming from the guy name calling 6 posts back... Give me a break.

 

[JazzBlueRT]

Mods, please close this thread and remove off topic posts.

 

[Finky198]

I think something else is in order.

 

[anetode]

Mods, please close this thread and remove off topic posts.

Calm down, you appear to be letting this get to you a little too much. For my part, I meant only what I wrote -- speed reading is a pet peeve and I find it irresistible to **** on it given any opportunity. And I genuinely do have trouble deciphering the thread of your argumentation at times.

The question of what constitutes some absolute quantifiable standard of tool quality is an interesting one. I think there is a problem with the premise, since the tool isn't the primary determinant of quality results. The focus for tool companies is to predict and respond to consumer needs and there's a vast field of consumers with vastly different requirements and subjective preferences.

At the higher level, like from the point of view of a business owner, pricing, durability, expedience and warranty become the primary concerns behind purchasing decisions. In cases of pricing, availability and warranty service, logistics and distribution networks play a larger role, but it doesn't seem appropriate to lump them in with the idea of "tool quality".

At the lower level, the aforementioned ergonomic preferences and training/prior experience make most of the difference. There you're basically factoring in the tool user, so again it's not quite the tool that's making the difference.

International standards are both blessing and curse, I'm not a huge fan of antiquated measurement systems and standard bearers who basically only make things more difficult for manufacturers and end users without providing a worthwhile or meaningful regulation. An exception to that are regulatory services like UL, which factor into insurance and liability.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

Things change over time. What was true 20 years ago, may not be true today. Experience plays a role, but it also places personal preferences into the equation and the goal here is to identify what exactly quality is, as has been nicely phrased; how to "quantify quality."

I didn't retire 20 years ago. I still put in some long days and watch co-workers struggle and cuss at some of the bargain **** that is sold today. I furnish My own tools for a good reason. It is downright funny when there are three or four workers, and I am the only one with ratchets that actually work. Or they have to hunt for a socket that hasn't been replaced in that "new" socket set after it broke on the first use.. Their first battle will be getting the drawer of the fine Asian built tool box open; due to the junk slides.

I have My share of medium grade, as well as cheapo stuff like some extra sets of HF impact sockets. They can be hammered onto a broken bolt or one with a stripped head and welded solid.

USA WF Craftsman screwdrivers get bent into special tools; and they frequently get used for turning screws. But when the going gets tough; the SnapOn and ProTo screwdrivers get used.

I don't buy My tools for the hell of it; I buy them to get My work done. In My line of work; quality of a tool is proven.. I will take Proven Quality instead of a bunch of smoke and fast talk any day.

 

[Gmonkee]

Low priced doesn't always mean flaming dreck anymore than paying a lot gets you guaranteed high quality.

HF freebie screwdrivers are not horrible and I have some to use. My experience with other more expensive stuff wasn't always so smooth sailing. Cheapo sockets and most mid range ratchets were my biggest nemesis items.
Now all are long gone and the rest sorted itself out so I get excellent service from a mix of tools most here would pass over on looks alone.

Which is fine. I didn't buy them with anyone else but myself and my work in mind.

 

[stercorarius]

Quality of a tool can't be accurately given a value because it's too diverse in application and form. The best way I can describe it is: How well does it do it's job? How long does it last doing it's job? How does it look and feel doing it's job? No number from any standards organization can tell you that. They might help, but at the end of the day it's going to have to be from use. No one's opinion is completely objective and not everyone has the same application. If you want to know if something is quality you do see general trends though. Without knowing any specs on steel or numbers from any standards organizations I can research and see the trend that proto and snap on make quality screwdrivers. The problem arises when you start to ask well is does Proto or Snap-On make a higher quality screwdriver? Some brands it's easy to see like HF vs Snap-On, but then you get to questions like quality of X vs Y that are closely matched and it comes to personal preference and all you get is an argument.

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[Ryan]

Instead of arguing and insulting, why not add your knowledge and experience into the discussion?

This is what BOTH of you need to do if you would like to keep your accounts here. Last warning.