Carolus is a lower quality brand.
That is why Carolus tools cost a lot less than Gedore tools.
They are not professional tools and shouldn't be regarded as beeing Gedore products.
There are small exceptions however. Some tools in the Carolus catalogue are the same as the Gedore, for example the strap oil filter wrench.
IMO Carolus is better than Stanley.
I don't like Stanley because it's a big corporation.
Corporations aren't interested in keeping a tradition or a name, they are just interested in profit maximization.
I know people that use in the shop almost only Facom tools and are now very unsatisfied by the recent products.
The lifetime warranty is still there, but the tools need to be replaced a lot more often than before and this means money and stress.
I would agree that Facom stuff is touch and go these days, and you have to pick and choose what you are buying from them. If you consider their prices, most of their tools really aren't aimed at the professional market and they seem to be aiming at some niche market inbetween.
I have been disappointed soo many times that I now just tend to avoid the brand altogether.
Their sockets are pure dirt, just far too soft. Try and break a tight 12.9 grade bolt loose and it just mauls the socket. I have heard this from a few people now as well.
I have had circlip pliers that do not remotely line up.
I bought a pair of their digital calipers, hoping that they would be better than the chinese stuff, but didn't want to pay Mitutoyo prices. I kept them as my good pair, they were never dropped or abused. After a while I realised they were 0.07mm out and more recently the reading has started jumping all over the place. ( They are spotless and the battery hase been replaced).
There was a batch of round head ratchets that was released with the direction selecting ring not properly hardened. The teeth on the ratchet very quickly eat into the ring, eventually the ratchet to lock up.
If you are buying Facom, buy from a decent dealer who will stand over your purchase. I have had no luck trying to warrant tools that I have picked up on eBay, or have lost the receipt and have no idea who I bought it from.
However, it is not all bad. Their punches and hammers are good. I love their T5 vise grips and everyone should have a pair of their 980 universal shears. They blow the Bessey type out of the water.
Now back on track. I don't have anything bad to say about the Stanley/ Britools Expert socket sets and would recommend them to anyone. For the price they are fantastic value. I have a 1/4" socket set, the 3/8" deep set and a 1/2" set thrown in the car. The fit is good and I had no problems so far.
They certainly aren't professional quality, but when compared to Gedore, Stahlwille, Hazet or Snap On prices for sockets, they are perfect for sizes that don't get a lot of use.
I have a Draper Expert 1/2" Metric and Af socket set for carrying to different jobs. Yes the sockets have all turned rusty inside, the ratchet is terrible, but they have an excellent fit and are darn strong. For the price they are perfect for losing and can easily be replaced. Certainly would recommend them over the Facom.
Similarly, I have been more than happy with my Carolus purchases to date.
It is far too common on this forum for people to grade and judge tools solely on their appearance and finish. I read it time and time again. If the chome is pitted in the odd place, less lusterous or not perfect inside, sockets are branded as **** and deemed inferior to others. What we need is more torque and hardness tests. Without them, these comments are just opinion and meaningless.
The wrench test turned up some interesting results, and proved that the cheapest of tools can perform surprisingly well (and is notable still a bit of sore point for some of our American friends
). I bet similar results would be found for plenty of other tools.
:\Minor Rant Over
The hammer is technically called a riveting hammer, and to me is a symbol of all things French. But for all that, I have had difficulty adjusting to the shorter-than-normal distance from the axis of the handle at the head to the striking surface. Perhaps I am the only mechanic in France who perhaps still prefers the German pattern.
Still, this is a beautifully made tool, and I have used it a lot already.
