ffiDIFFERENCE DOESIT Arc American made handtools rcally better?

ES, says the Cooper Group, manufacturers of Coopertools which include Crescent, Lufkin, Nicholson, Plumb, Tirrner, Weller and Wiss.

-YESI

Jack Werder, assistant brand manager at Cooper Group in Raleigh, N.C., says quality starts with quality steel and manufacturing. He claims foreign manufacturers have the disadvantages of inferior low carbon steel and lack oftechnology. 'As a general rule," he says, ''they are in the low end of the learning curve with technology in an infancy stage." Japan. with more experience. produces better quality, in Werder's opinion, than Indonesia and Thiwan which are still in a formulative stage.

Werder explains that United States government specifications for striking tools call for a rating of50 to 60 on the Rockwell hardness scale. While domestic tools satisfy this, offshore tools usually test out in the "low teens or early 20s." The hardness of the metal within an individual imported tool often varies, he points out, being ofthe proper hardness in one section and "dangerously soft" in another.

Werder cites the physical dangers inherent in using handtools, particularly striking tools, of poor quality. They may chip or snap, he warns, endangering the safety of the user. This makes liability an important consideration for the retailer considering a foreign purchase, he says, since there will be no deep pockets behind him.

Quality is not easy to judge, Werder emphasizes. Imported tools basically look good with a high buff and glossy appearance. But, he stresses, there may have been no quality control. U.S. Customs requires only a country oforigin label. Even price, perceived to be an advantage, is not constant because of currency fluctuations, in Werder's estimation. With the volatile currency and fluctuating rates, a retailer may find himself sacrificing his margin, he warns. he says, "and meets the Rockwell test criteria."

The only exception to these negatives, Werder says, is the joint venture production undertaken by some domestic companies in cooperation with foreign manufacturers.

Tools manufactured overseas can be quality products, agrees Gary Cohen, executive vice president of Majestic Tool. His Baltimore, Md., company has been marketing products manufactured overseas for more than a decade. He points out that a recent sales survey showed nine out of ten dealers carry handtools manufactured in countries other than the U.S. with imports constituting approximately one quarter of aU home center tool sales.

-NO-

No, handtools manufactured in the U.S. are not necessarily better than those imported from the Far East or Europe, Rudy Slucker, president of the Atlas Group, Long Island City, N.Y., maintains. His firm distributes tools under the tradenames of Oxwall, Powermaster, Workshop, Steelcraft and Ludell, all manufactured overseas.

Although cost is the biggest factor, he claims that low price does not always mean inferior quality. All tools sold \ his group carry lifetime guarantees.

"Quality is the customer's choice," Slucker says. "Imports range from low end disposable tools up to tools ofStanley quality."

Atlas maintains offices overseas with a staff of inspectors to control the quality of the tools produced exclusively for them, Slucker explains. "Every tool is tested,"