Thread: Buying tools overseas- not always as they seem.

HI,
I am glad that You got a good outcome Krisfarm and Thank You for Posting the Pictures. Thanks Bob for Posting the Mitutoyo PDF. I do have a Mitutoyo Dial Indicator that I will check out. I think that it is Genuine, because it does seem to be really good quality.
I have often wondered about the Mitutoyo gear being sold on Ebay from India as to whether its genuine or not ?. It would be good for the us Consumers if the other Big Company's like SKF and Mitutoyo put Info on their Websites as to how to spot a Fake, that is if their Product/s are being Copied. We as Consumers should also Notify the Big Company's if we happen to Purchase or know of a Fake Product.

Originally Posted by steran50

I have often wondered about the Mitutoyo gear being sold on Ebay from India as to whether its genuine or not ?

Unfortunately I own one of those. A bore gauge marked Mitutoyo delivered from India. I have no real idea how accurate it is. It looks good but in the back of my mind I am not convinced. That said I also got a Mitutoyo DTI stand with it that was marked as made in China.

Given the number of fakes out there I now avoid all Mitutoyo gear. It is a pretty sad state of affairs for Mitutoyo.

Its too bad indeed that wary buyers have to weigh up the risks...too many counterfeits. I sell quite a bit of Mitutoyo gear on ebay lately, all of it barely used, and from two trusted sources. After this I doubt that I will ever again buy excess metrology gear. (In my case it was because a particular auction house likes to bundle all the good stuff in large lots, so I had to buy more than I need and sell the rest)

If you are going to avoid Mitutoyo that leaves you with one of the Hexagon Group companies, doesn't it?

Greg

G'Day Fellas,
I feel genuine sympathy for anyone who has payed Mitutoyo prices and received fakes. In my web browsing I notice that the prices of genuine new Mitutoyo products rarely vary by more than about 10% no matter where they come from. So when I see "Mitutoyo" DTIs and 25mm micrometers for $20 and 300mm calipers for $25 my inbuilt bullsh*t detector screams fake. I currently own 5 Mitutoyo calipers and 4 Mitutoyo micrometers, 4 of the calipers are genuine, the one fake was not advertised as Mitutoyo, but as "of Chinese origin", so there was no attempt at deception on the part of the seller, for my $25 I got a way above average quality Chinese caliper, so I don't feel ripped off.
I suppose the only real remedy is to buy locally from reputable suppliers.
Regards,
Martin

I recently reported an ebay seller from China. They were selling DTI and while no mention of Mitutoyo was made, the same (verbatim) product description was used and the photo showed a mitutoyo DTI. All for $25 +small delivery fee

I emailed them asking if they were Mitutoyo and they said "no but they are of a good quality"

If they are above board, why the need to show a mitutoyo indicator? For $25 they are probably OK but to buy it thinking it's a mitutoyo is a ripe off.

So, I reported them and the adds soon disappeared, or the photo changed, one of the two.

Simon

Edit: I'd even be happy if they advertised them as "Mitutoyo copy" I recently bought a Starrett DTI from US, while it was not dirt cheap, it was quite reasonable and the crowd that were selling them were a Rotary club that sell stuff online donated by local suppliers. I hope it's genuine! I suspect it is.

Simon

I was talking to a Mitutoyo dealer recently. She had stuff that was made in Japan, Israel, China and Brazil. It seemed to me that all the indicators were still made in Japan, but other stuff, like stands, was made elsewhere. I don't know if they have started making indicators outside of Japan. The Brazilian stands were more expensive than the Chinese ones, but I put them side-by-side and I couldn't see or feel the difference. I bought the Chinese one and it's nice. She also had a Brazil made flexible-arm stand that was nearly three times the price of the Chinese version! I expect the Brazilian factory's days are numbered.

Originally Posted by variant22

Unfortunately I own one of those. A bore gauge marked Mitutoyo delivered from India. I have no real idea how accurate it is. It looks good but in the back of my mind I am not convinced. That said I also got a Mitutoyo DTI stand with it that was marked as made in China.

Given the number of fakes out there I now avoid all Mitutoyo gear. It is a pretty sad state of affairs for Mitutoyo.

Unfortunately I own one of those too. I bought mine from the Man's Toyshop tent at Farmfest 6 or 7 years ago. Man's Toyshop have a rather large setup in Townsville or thereabouts so even the big bricks and mortar stores can get taken in as well.

Garry

Hi Everyone,
Just a quick update on my drill purchase.I have had a follow up email yesterday from Mr Andrew Rycroft from Presto. They received the fake drills that I sent back and he reports that they are "roll forged drills, the lowest quality possible". No surprises there for me. Presto are also sending the fake drills off to their agent for for further investigating. I also sent the link to this thread to them.
Bob

Originally Posted by krisfarm

I also sent the link to this thread to them.

wonder if he notices the bit about us all buying a tin of fake Presto's

I recently bought a couple of Presto 2-flute slot drills in Singapore- 6mm and 8mm. The look well made. I hope they are the real deal. I guess I'll find out when I attack some steel with them.

eskimo, I like your sense of humor.
jack620, I would be interested in hearing how your drills work out as well.
Bob

Originally Posted by jack620

We aren't to blame when a box of drill bits that were made in China has "Sheffield, England" printed on the box.

Sadly it turns out that Presto, Sheffield, England are not, as you may expect made in Sheffield. Or even England. Not a piece of information I was entirely delighted to read as the price is most definitely still Sheffield England

Pete

I think you're right Pete. Their website talks only about their distribution facility in Sheffield. Nothing about manufacturing. My slot drills have "England" etched on them. Either they are NOS or fakes. Or Presto are being cute and printing "England" on them in the hope people will believe they were made there.

Yep, that was from Presto themselves in an email to me a couple of days ago. A little difficult to feel much sympathy for a company's products being counterfeited (ie deceiving the market), when some may argue the core company itself is implying a country of origin that is complete BS.

Having said that, I find Presto's products very good, so no complaints in that regard, just a little disappointing.