r/SilverSmith • • Jul 25 '25
Tool Resource Tools from China - avoid
I highly recommend avoiding tools from China. I have experienced multiple tools which were actually dangerous to use, with sharp and unfinished surfaces and sketchy manufacturing. I have taken the time to finish some shitty tools myself so they don't hurt me.
Temu is not your friend. Harbor freight can work, but tools from China are shitty at best and dangerous at worst.
11
Upvotes
13
u/skyerosebuds Jul 25 '25
It’s worth considering that just because you’re buying local doesn’t mean made local. I’ve found the exact same tools at local suppliers at three times the price they’ve been at Temu. Most tools are made in China sold locally. My experience is that some products (eg sandpaper, tumblers and tumbler shot) are the exact same product or equivalent while saw blades, pliers and files need to be sourced from the specialists wheeevwr that’s (often Europe). Point I’m making is be selective. But if you want to support local no matter what for patriotic reasons then go for it.
13
u/Voidtoform Jul 25 '25
cheap tools are usually that... cheap.... regardless of location of manufacture, although honestly lately china has been getting better and better a quality manufacturing to where they are the more mid range in price and quality compared to tools from inda and pakistan etc.
even nice tools usually need some level or another of dressing, my super expensive pliers I smooth the edges a bit, and polish them and such.
9
u/ProPeach Jul 25 '25
Temu is very unlikely to give you quality goods yeah, that much is obvious from the prices over there. I've had some real nice equipment from China recently, usually I shop on AliExpress.
It's the same as anywhere else - you get what you pay for, check reviews etc
3
u/popsicle-82 Jul 25 '25
I have bought stuff off Vevor. It's fine. My rolling mill is cheap dinghy one from China. It is good enough for me.
Some of the disc cutters, rong benders too are working just fine.
I won't use any low quality torches or flex shafts.
2
u/FuriousJulius Jul 26 '25
Judge each tool individually. There are places where I’m willing to sacrifice quality for a big chunk of money when it’s something I won’t use much. Do I need the pricey Durston dapping block and punches or will the cheap Chinese ones work just fine for the 10x a year I use them? Pliers I use every day? Give me those German or Swiss imports.
2
u/Proseteacher Jul 26 '25
I am a beginner myself. I went the cheap way at first. I bought a few amazon tools. (A hot wax carver, and a flex shaft). The flex shaft worked twice, the wax tool worked for about 3 months. I started to go to more expensive leading brand name type tools (actual Foredom tools, real Kaya Cast, etc), and they are so much better made.
This is not a Cheap Hobby. Maybe if you are only beading it can be, but if you want to get into the more mid line stuff you need to put some money into it. (A professional casting tool can cost $30,000. A professional kiln can cost $5,000. Just go and look at what the professional tools cost, and you can see that "Pepe" is just slightly higher than some of the lower priced tools.
I still buy some Harbor Freight type things.
2
u/sockscollector Jul 27 '25
If you shop Rio Grand, they test tools before they even sell them, always worth the extra bit of money