Cheap Tools are a Waste of Money - Starrett is the Best (Rating: 5.00)
Review : A coworker that said that to me once. He was right. This is the original combination square and, as far as I am concerned, the very best. I have a new C33 set and one that belonged to my grandfather (it's about 80 years old). I checked the scales and squareness against each other - perfect match. Starrett quality control is flawless. This one (the C33) is the forged steel head. I would generally recommend it over the slightly cheaper cast head (the C11), since the forged steel is a fair amount tougher - less brittle. The glossy paint is the indicator that you are getting the forged head. The cast head is done in crinkle black. Mr. Zorns' comment (see previous review) tells me that the description is correct - smooth paint = forged head. And, by the way, I would always get the model that starts with "C" - that means satin chrome finish on the blade - very, very important. As a woodworker, a combination square is an essential tool that gets used constantly. Accuracy and durability are very important. At this price, it's a bargain. Don't waste your money on cheap tools - buy Starrett and you'll never regret it.
Starrett Combination Square (Rating: 5.00)
Review : The mating of a ruler with a sliding head makes the combination square one of the more versatile measuring tools in the shop. Its weakness lies in the fact the head is not rigidly attached to the blade. Overcoming this weakness requires precision machining that's time-consuming and expensive. That's why the Starret costs about seven times as much as the common hardware-store versions while seemingly providing only a small increment of improvement. I've used the cheaper ones made by Stanley and others, and most of the time they do the job adequately. If one doesn't plan on doing precision work, paying more for the Starrett doesn't make any sense. For those who do, however, the Starrett is worth the investment. That increment of improvement buys a tool that provides confidence in the accuracy of one's measurements. And it's a tool for a lifetime. I've know at least one person who's using one that his grandfather left him. Assessing a tool on a sensual basis may seem daft, but the Starret feels like a fine scientific instrument compared to the slop and imprecision of the cheaper squares. When the locknut is lightly tightened there's no play between the head and the blade. The head slides on the blade without binding, and the graduations are clean, precise, and easily visible.
Quality all the Way (Rating: 5.00)
Review : I have owned this item for years and its quality, fit and finish are unparalled. Adjustment of the sliding head is easy and it stays where you set it.
Reference tool (Rating: 5.00)
Review : I have been making furniture as a hobby for some years now and I discovered very early that practically ALL woodworking tools came as a project, not as a finished product. That is to say that most tools need to be sharpened or adjusted or tuned,etc. Starrett tools are the exception, my square came out of the box perfectly square and functioning flawlessly. That is the very reason why I purchased this tool. I use it to adjust and tune and square all those OTHER tools! Every serious shop needs a few very good reference tools, this is one.
Suberb tool (Rating: 5.00)
Review : This is a great square. Absolutely no flaws. You can't go wrong with this tool
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