Wera hand-tools

I have always understood Wera tools to be ‘good’ but an eMail from RS this morning links to some surprisingly pricey items: **LINK**

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/c/?searchTerm=wera-npi_uk&cm_mmc=GB-EM-_-RSN_20231004-_-DM532181-_-SINGLE_IMG_1&cid=DM532181&bid=1415017555&dtm_em=72b1d0f70605de9ba487474d21aff2dff08dc53801aea13b91d3a007c0d52068&searchType=Offers

Are they that good

MichaelG.

No they are not that good, price gouging they call it in America, but of course no one has to buy!

Tony

You write that as if they're really expensive. Anyone who has bought Snap-on tools knows better.

I only have a couple of Wera tools; the #2 Phillips screwdriver was worth every penny of the tenner I paid, when depanelling aeroplanes.

Doesn’t help being sold by RS, they don’t give anything away. Only got a set of Wera Allen keys, £20 from Screwfix, they’re decent but I can’f see me buying a set of 4 adjustable spanner’s for £260 anytime soon.

You write that as if they're really expensive. Anyone who has bought Snap-on tools knows better.

I only have a couple of Wera tools; the #2 Phillips screwdriver was worth every penny of the tenner I paid, when depanelling aeroplanes.

Those prices are frightening, the more so because they are before VAT.

I will agree that Wera are expensive but not THAT expensive!

I looked at a couple of them and for the T-handle driver set, RS are £168.80 with VAT and CPC £64.78. Similarly for the 1/4 Hex ratchet screwdriver RS are £185.15 with VAT and Amazon £85.51.

I assume that like Cromwell Tools, their prices are set high so the trade discounts look good?

Brian G

I only have the Wera 6004 Joker Self-Setting Spanner 4-Pieces Set bought on Amazon for A$249.00. It's ok but is now cheaper at A$180.00. Also bought the 19-24mm separately but it was a piece of junk so sent it back. I really think there is cheaper stuff of better quality out there. Will not be buying any more Wera. If you really want Wera then check Amazon as they quite often have discounts on Wera.

Edited By Neville Chase on 04/10/2023 09:16:06

The real price of anything is what people are willing to pay for it.

.

No, Nick … I am aware of the price of Snap-on tools, and of their quality

I was simply surprised that what I had previously thought of as ‘good’ mid-range tools were those prices, and asked if they were that good,

No value-judgement on my part … quite the contrary … it was a straight question.

MichaelG.

Other places selling them for £170 in VAT and delivery which makes them more affordable.

RS are seldom the cheapest.

I tend to prefer Facom, but they are not cheap either.

I think it is RS who are getting expensive.

They have always been my go-to supplier but they are pricing themselves out of my pocket these days. e.g. £7.99 for a 300ml can of compressed air !!! (for blow cleaning keyboards etc). RS seem to have decided to move away from the individual engineer or the small engineering team, towards large companies and construction. Nuts and bolts now only available in quantities of 100, 500 or 1,000 for example, which used to be available in 1's, 5's and 10's.

RS used to the the gold standard in the days before the internet, because of their hugely impressive and well organised stock control and distribution system; which would enable an order to be placed and posted to arrive the next working day. And I bet we all remember the equally impressive RS (paper) catalogues, which were so fascinating to read through !

Luckily, now we have the internet; and there are many other companies around who do an equal - or far better job - of supplying components. We just have to find them.

Rutland and GSProducts are two that have impressed me.

RS have always had a premium price, you were paying for pretty much guaranteed stock availability and next day service, that was well before the internet. Obviously others have cuaght up with them since.

Facom Britool tend to be decent

Halfords advanced can be surprisingly durable

Had a goose neck 8mm ratchet for 5-6 years which does all my hexes (lots of conversions as well as originals, tool post stuff etc) and never misses a beat

They aren’t bad but not worth the premium in my view. The screwdriver bits in my set are showing signs of wear and they don’t get that much use. Some of the handles are a weird shape as well in my view.

Some of those RS price-tags for Wera stuff are absurdly high.

Current prices:

Part no. 05018110001 - £155.74 at RS; £74.40 at Amazon.

Part no. 05075832001 - £510.78 at RS; £245.63 at Amazon.

Part no. 05075830001 - £454.14 at RS; £203.15 at Amazon.

One of the interesting things with this tactic is that when everyone else is sold out and you really need a tool or widget there's only one place left to go...

and it sits there, taunting you...

As they say around here, Ady1, "Let the hare sit "

Or "He who pays the piper, calls the tune "

I think they just assume that large account holders will pay because the person doing the ordering doesn't care what the price is.

A grammar school lab tech friend of mine often complains of teachers doing this sort of thing.

There is a lot of truth in what you say Andy.

Tony