Good brands for antique measuring tools/squares/calipers/micrometers etc?

Hey all, it was suggested that I move this question here from the Hand Tools forum:

Just wondering if there's some accepted wisdom on what brands are good to look out for for nice old measuring/machinist tools (ie. when searching ebay/flea markets). I have an inherited old Brown & Sharpe combination square with protractor and centre finder that could well be from the 1930s, and it's just lovely - heavy, sturdy, smooth. The kind of tool that just feels good in the hand! I also have a Stanley combination square that just feels like cheap junk in comparison... Also got some nice Starrett bits and pieces and a Mitutoyo vernier. So what else out there is nice? I see Moore & Wright and Union pop up now and then - are either of them any good?

Agree that Mitutoyo are great if you can find them at the right price. My 150mm/6" verniers after 30 years are still my first choice for quick measurements, and a used telescope gauge set still gives good service.
Moore & Wright are fine if they have been cared for, and sets are complete. Still rely on my 0-4" micrometer set from about 1960. Am sure others here have their favorites they can point to.
There are a lot of cheap Asian copies of western brands out there, and (heresy!) they probably have some place in the market where there is only occasional use and we are aware of their limitations. For the odd times I need it my "Mitotuyuc" Chinese DTI will probably see out my remaining years, and my heirs and successors will bin it and not know what it is.Regards,
Combustor.

Cheers Combuster - for a bit of context, I'm trying to find something as a gift, that would be good quality as a user and something that's nice to behold - even if it's not being used much...

The Swiss stuff has that nice feel too - so Tesa, Interapid, Compac to name a few.
Global trends have meant that a lot of this stuff is now made in China and they seem to not quite have the knock of it that things made in Europe or the US have (not to say that they are always perfect). I'd be looking for something old rather than modern and made in Germany, the UK, US, Swiss to start with.

Michael

Older and second hand metrology gear can be a gamble as to what you get.. I would say my luck of getting a goodun, has been 70%... 30% was just scrap..

Here's a few ...

English Moore and Wright, Eclipse, Taylor Hobson, Renishaw, Hilger and Watts

Swiss Tesa, Wyler, Browne & Sharp, Mercer, Interapid, Compac, Etalon, Bestest.

American, Early Starrett, Fowler, Dorsey,

German Mahr,

Japanese Mitutoyo.

Ray

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Originally Posted by RayG

Here's a few ...

English Moore and Wright, Eclipse, Taylor Hobson, Renishaw, Hilger and Watts

Swiss Tesa, Wyler, Browne & Sharp, Mercer, Interapid, Compac, Etalon, Bestest.

American, Early Starrett, Fowler, Dorsey,

German Mahr,

Japanese Mitutoyo.

Ray

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Ray,
Interesting you say "Early Starrett" rather than just "Starrett". I don't have any new Starrett, only fairly old stuff and I love it.

Is all their new stuff Chinese or, like many things nowadays, has quality simply dropped away? Interested to hear thoughts.



Thx
Jon

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Originally Posted by ventureoverland

Ray,
Interesting you say "Early Starrett" rather than just "Starrett". I don't have any new Starrett, only fairly old stuff and I love it.

Is all their new stuff Chinese or, like many things nowadays, has quality simply dropped away? Interested to hear thoughts.

Thx
Jon

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Starrett manufacture in China, and lots of other places, as do most of the big brands. The earlier Starrett metrology gear was made in the USA and is good quality.

Just being made in China, doesn't mean it's bad, there are companies who have set up manufacturing in China, and run their own quality control systems..

Ray

Unfortunately its not just Starrett that is still trying to trade on a good rep that was gained from days long gone.

Looked at and used some newer Starret stuff (not test and measure gear) and cant say I thought they were anything to write home about.

Spend more time using mechanics tools than high precision stuff. Always on the look out for older stuff that hasnt been abused too badly from quality manufacturers. From a time when quality seemed to matter more.

Yeah I know our Chinese friends can make decent gear, but havent used many of their handtool offerings (even stuff stamped with an established good name) that I would call quality goods.

I would add to Rays list of American tools, Brown & Sharpe which you already have some of, Lufkin, (squares, micrometers, height, surface and depth gauges, rules and/or scales, V blocks and pretty well any precision tools) General, older Craftsman, Scherr Tumico, amongst many others. Both Lufkin and B&S also sell or sold Swiss made tools, Tesa ans Compac under their names as well. Here is a book extract with some nice pictures to whet your appetite - make sure you check out the calipers, and don't expect to come across many of these at car boot sales!
https://books.google.com.au/books?id...ectors&f=false

Great tips everybody, thanks a lot!
Any love for Millers Falls? I've seen a few of their combination squares on ebay...

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Originally Posted by wsal

Great tips everybody, thanks a lot!
Any love for Millers Falls? I've seen a few of their combination squares on ebay...

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As I recall older Millers Falls tools were o.K., but I have not seen any of their precision tools, just stuff like belt sanders, which, while not too fancy, were pretty rugged and reliable, sort of like a Kingswood, better than an early Kia, but not in AMG Mercedes class.