Starrett adjustable square, or who... ?

[john davey]

I got my Starrett from Walt up a Brass City. He always has some good used ones in stock in multiple lengths....

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

For what it's worth, the other day I picked up a Craftsman 7" combination square - it's certainly not in the same league as a Starrett, but I didn't expect that for the price, either. I think it was something like 10 dollars. I picked it up to have a small combo square I didn't mind getting banged around a bit. At this price point, I wouldn't worry about throwing it in my bag or something.

I was quite impressed for what I got for the price though - I'm used to pretty much anything in the combo square field that I can get at a hardware store being junk. I tested a few, and they all seemed to be pretty dead on square, although my testing wasn't as precise as I'd like - I simply did the scribe and flip thing on against a straight edge.

The blade is satin stainless steel, with rather precise etched markings. (Why so many hardware-store squares have those nasty stamped markings is beyond me - I've even seen one with an accidental double-stamp) Everything fits quite well. The major issue I see eventually happening with this square is that the wear strip is thin, not very high, and doesn't extend to the face of the square - I imagine eventually this will become an issue as the square wears.

It was labeled as being made in the USA, which is nice, as well. Given the manufacturer's model number craftsman listed on their website, I think it's made by Swiss Precision Instruments, which I find odd, because I didn't think they made stuff in the States anymore.

Anyway - not a Starrett or Mitutoyo or anything - but for the alarmingly cheap price, I've found it a nice tool, and made domestically. It has the Craftsman warranty - I've no idea if that's really worth anything anymore like it used to be.

I'm tempted to see what their 16" or 12" square is like.

[John Coloccia]

Brown & Sharp, Starrett, and Mitutoyo

Yep.

For engineering squares, I use Groz squares. Everyone I have is spot on, and when I drop one I don't cry. It's funny, though. When people come to my shop, I show them how none of my everyday rules really match up perfectly...Woodcraft, Inca, Shinwa etc. Oh, they're all CLOSE...really close, but they're all off a tiny amount here and there. Then they ask, "Well, which one is right?". That's easy....my Starretts.

[Mark Godlesky]

I love these "Lazarus" threads. I don't know if anyone else noticed but until the recent activity this thread went idle in 2005. I've enjoyed reading the latest additions.

[Jack Camillo]

Buy a Starrett. If you don't, you could be disappointed. If you do, you won't be disappointed. I bought a couple cheap squares (and other tools) in my time. The fit and finish and hence feel in my hands and use was crap. I've learned several times over to cry once.

[Jack Camillo]

I love these "Lazarus" threads. I don't know if anyone else noticed but until the recent activity this thread went idle in 2005. I've enjoyed reading the latest additions.

hhahaha didn't notice!

[george wilson]

I have all kinds of squares,mostly all Starrett. Combination squares,solid squares from 2" to 24"(they get VERY heavy in the large sizes). My most accurate square are my black granite USA made squares. However,for work I bought a granite Chinese square from Shars or CDCO(can't remember). It checked out very accurate against my old(but like new) USA granite squares,at fairly low cost. I certainly cannot guarantee that ALL Chinese granite squares will be dead on. They have spotty quality control. But,if you have at least ONE high quality square,other squares can be bumped with a plastic mallet until it checks with your master square.

You can see through a .0001" crack of light when holding squares together,so real accuracy can be obtained without expensive instruments other than a suitable master square. You cannot easily adjust combo squares. If you must have one,try to get the hardened version so it won't wear as soon and get out of square.

For use around the Square Wheel belt grinder,where water is used frequently,I keep a cheaper import square that has been bumped into suitable accuracy. If it gets a little rust,no great harm done,but I want my Starretts CLEAN! BTW,Lufkin made tools as well as anyone else back in the 40's and 50's.

Since Chris Vesper is a friend,and makes very,very nice tools,his are kept in their own drawer. When he was here for a week,I showed him how to make knurls,and he copied some of mine by pressing them against blanks of drill rod. Perhaps we'll see some nice,old fashioned knurls used on some of his tools one day.