Tool quality.

[offshore]

I know we keep on talking about buying quality tools- this just reinforces it.

About 6 weeks ago, I "lost" my caseback knife. It was a quality Swiss Army pocket knife style, and has served faithfully, with a couple of resharpens - for years.

Have soldiered on with a couple of cheap Chinese knives I had, and they have "done the job"

Yesterday, I encountered a quartz, which didn't have a lip or groove to get the knife into.

Tried for 30 mins or so, and gave up, as I was going to start seriously scratching the case back.

This morning, I decided to make a concerted effort to find my old knife.

I suspected it had been put into a pocket of a pair pants, so I went thru all the wardrobe, and finally found it laying in a pocket.

The first attempt to snap the caseback was successful, even though the knife probably needs a bit of attention, yet I had tried sharpening the Chinese ones, to no avail.

I have recently scrapped all my "no name" screwdriver blades, and purchased some Horotec replacements.

The time between the blades requiring attention, is quite amazing.

Now I check them weekly, and find about once a month, some minor touch ups are needed on the mainly used ones.

Previously I needed to look at the "main 3" each day, and perform a touch up at least weekly.

From my experience, there is NO replacement for top quality, especially on those items used regularly..... drivers, caseback tool, bracelet pin pusher, springbar tool. So don't kid yourselves that the cheapies will do. They may be Ok for very infrequent use, but the moment you start to use them regularly, they will let you down, and probably do damage (to your watch or yourself) at the same time.

Offshore

[TwoTone]

Good reminder offshore...

Do you have a source for the Horotec tools?

Thanks,

TT

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[RWG Technical]

I agree.

The majority of my tools are Horotec, much better price range than Bergeron (anyone who charges $300 or so for a catalogue of their products doesn't rate high in my book) and the quality is excellent.

I have the set of screwdrivers from Horotec, the bracelet pin tool, the complete set of crystal press and dies, the bezel removal tool, and probably a bunch of smaller items I can't remember at the moment.

Tooling for watch work is not cheap, but given the small sizes, and the tolerances we are dealing with, and the consequence of error, quality is one are that you can't skip...that and training and education and practice, without any of these, your doomed to failure when it comes to watch work.

Good reminder.

RG

[offshore]

@TT

The Oz supplier is-

http://www.hoj.com.au/products.php?k=Screwdriver

Whilst their prices aren't cheap. they would be worth getting pricing from, given the A$ vs U$.

Also factoring in the freight.

I know they still have some tools purchased pre the $ crash, and are holding those prices, so there is a potential 33% discount, against October prices.

I actually use AF drivers, fitted with Horotec blades, as I couldn't bring myself to pony up for the Horotec set!

Check the USA pricing, and see if HOJ shape up!

Offshore