First off, I want to thank Nina at Tronex for sending the samples that made this review possible! Also, thanks to nanofrog for the heads up on the very low cost NOS Excelta on ebay!
I apologize if this is a bit wordy, there was a lot I wanted to cover. It's not an easy topic to discuss and I wanted to really get my point across!
Background
I am a bit obsessive about tools, OK more than obsessive at times. Unfortunately, my wallet is not. Student loans are great at the time but damn do they suck to pay back 😡 While I am always on the lookout for a good deal, I don’t consider a tool that breaks or lets you down often to be a good deal no matter the price. Instead of buying many low quality tools I would rather save up and purchase high quality/value tools. For the tools I use regularly, I would gladly pay 2-4x, or more, for a tool that lasts a lifetime and I know that I can rely on time and time again than buy a cheapie that lasts a year or two. Basically, what I am saying is the I have a Filet Mignon taste on a ramen noodle budget. Because most of my work is electronics related, I tend to gravitate towards high quality precision stuff, rather than the larger high-end stuff common on most tool forums.
Recently, I had been looking at getting a good quality pair of flush cutters and needle nose pliers. Being how I am, I had to know what was out there and the various price ranges. This lead me down the path of looking at companies like Lindstrom, Schmitz, Excelta (see my note at the end), Erem, Swanstrom, etc.; as well as some of the more budget companies like Xuron (which is made in the USA), Xcelite, Knipex and the lot. As I searched, I kept seeing a name come up that I hadn’t encountered before: Tronex. This intrigued me as it was an unknown company to me (and likely most other hobbyists) but the reviews that I found were exceptional. It appears that this company is better known in the electronics industrial setting and oddly enough jewelry making than it is for electronics hobbyists like me. Quite simply they have a reputation of being one of the best precision cutter manufacturers PERIOD!
Tronex is an American company, located in Fairfield, CA just outside of Silicon Valley and they cut their teeth designing high precision tools for the electronics industry. Unlike many of the other companies that used to manufacture in the USA but had shifted their manufacturing overseas, Tronex still manufactures in the USA today. I came across this quote from their CEO Arne Salvesen:
The first thing I should mention is the price; these are not cheap budget tools. If you are looking for something that is budget priced, in the traditional sense, these are not it. They are high reliability professional tools and are priced accordingly. Most of the models run in the $50+ range which sounds like a lot, but at hundreds of thousands of cuts before it needs its first SHARPENING, this tool will likely last your lifetime and even your children’s lifetimes as well if treated properly. The second thing that I should mention is that their product line is rather diverse and a bit overwhelming if you don’t know what you are doing. Terms like oval head, taper head, Class T/W, Angular, Tip, Standoff, flush, semi-flush, razor flush and combinations of several of these thereof result in a dizzying array of options. I ended up emailing them for some assistance in determining what would be best for me. They were very helpful to say the least. In the end, I ended up getting the 7222 (Ergonomic taper relief flush cutter) snd the 521 (Standard Handle Needle Nose Pliers) .
After receiving these and beginning on the review, nanofrog tipped me off to a pair of Excelta rebrands on ebay for very cheap ($13+shipped). So I picked up the Excelta 7182E which is a rebadged Tronex 7082 (Ergonomic Small 50° Angulated Flush Cutter) as well.
Unboxing
The boxes are rather nondescript and minimalistic.
Nothing indicates the contents at all other than a small printed label affixed to the side. It would be nice to at LEAST see the number printed on the box itself. Nit-picky, I know, but labels have a tendency to fall off.
The boxes appear to be a one-size fits all, for their entire product line. This is perfectly acceptable for the professional markets which they predominately target. For the hobbyist market, it would be nice to see a bit flashier more robust box. I for one, prefer keeping my tools in the box if it makes logical sense. Inside the box, we find the tool encased in a thick plastic bag with the tips protected in a silicone cover. For the 7222s the silicone cover fits perfectly, it is snug and secure. For the 521, the cover feels acceptable but a tad loose. I think this is because the tips are so thin, there isn't much surface for friction. Considering these are just for storage, that (just like the box) is not a big deal. The tools are clearly marked that they are ESD-Safe. For those of us working in electronics, this is important.
The Excelta cutters did not come in a box, so there is no unboxing. ;D
Build Quality
Now for the part everyone cares about, how is the build quality. I have to say they are EVERYTHING the reviews said they are and then some. The build quality on these tools is second to none. I can’t imagine a nicer feeling set of cutters. Just looking at them and you can tell they are high precision tools. The edges are clean and crisp, junctions are tight, etc. The Tronex handles come in two lengths, standard and ergonomic (denoted by the first digit in the part number being a 5 or a 7 respectively). The ergonomic handle is longer. I have large hands, I’m 6’ 4” (194cm), and these fit perfectly in my hands. To be honest, they are so nice and precisely done I am having a hard time capturing the quality on a cell phone camera. The Tronex tools use carbon steel because of its increased hardness (62-63 on the Rockwell C Scale) instead of stainless steel (only in the 50s). They even have tools for cutting harder wires like memory wire which have carbide tips. The downside is that carbon steel can rust so you should keep a light coat of tool oil on these tools. Being tools intended for electronics use, ALL Tronex cutters are ESD safe.
In the last image we can see the comparison between the Excelta rebranded Tronex and the tronex clipper. Both are basically identical in quality other than the Excelta has teal and black grips which are a tad more cushioned.
Needle-Nose Pliers
The needle-nose pliers are very nice, the tip comes to a very fine point (listed as less than 0.4mm). This is perfect for bending component leads. The thinness of the tip does give a bit of "sponginess" to the feel when bending leads but it works perfectly. The tip comes to a very flat precise junction at the end. The level of precision is exceptional. Though this tool has the only blemish on it of any of the tools. It looks like someone tapped the pliers with the grinder/polisher. See the last image for the discolored spot.
Edit: I have since found out that the samples they sent out might be factory seconds. That the cutting edges are perfect but they might have cosmetic blemishes which do not affect the performance. So any discussion of these blemishes and the quality control is irrelevant. Those purchased in stores would be in perfect condition, which to me is kinda funny. The quality is so high that a slight discoloration makes it a factory second. ;D
Flush Cutters
I can't say enough about these cutters. They feel amazing in the hand. When they are making cuts, they snap responsively through the material being cut. They are tip is thin enough to get in between the legs of an IC for cutting, while still strong enough to easily cut through the leg. These are BY FAR my favorite cutters I have EVER encountered.
Anglulated Flush Cutter
These are a bit more of a specialty item but are every bit the quality of the standard flush cutters. These are very useful for getting to the legs of close IC's; as well as, due to the long cutting surface, cutting multiple legs at once. The foam grips are slightly more cushioned than the Tronex, not enough to make a difference in one way or the other. In the second to last image you can see the "set-screw". Due to the very precise nature of this particular cutter, this screw prevents the jaws from smashing together, which would dull the edges. This screw is set very precisely by Tronex in the factory. Due to their "hundreds of thousands of cuts" rating, this will likely never need to be adjusted in my lifetime.
Board Testing
I decided to do a bit of testing on an old scrap board that I had laying around. I tested the ability of both cutters to get in and cut the legs on a hindered IC. Both did it splendidly, though the angulated cutter can get in there a bit more easily due to its angled nature. This resulted in a slightly cleaner cut, both did the job though. I also illustrated how the angulated cutter can cut more than one leg at once.
A note about Excelta:
Also, I mentioned Excelta before, it turns out, at least some of the Excelta line is actually rebranded Tronex. In particular, the five-star line. I found this list which is a cross-reference between Excelta and Tronex part numbers:http://www.bomir.com/downloads/bomir/Excelta-Models-Crossed-to-Tronex-Models.pdf
I make no claims about its accuracy.
I apologize if this is a bit wordy, there was a lot I wanted to cover. It's not an easy topic to discuss and I wanted to really get my point across!
Background
I am a bit obsessive about tools, OK more than obsessive at times. Unfortunately, my wallet is not. Student loans are great at the time but damn do they suck to pay back 😡 While I am always on the lookout for a good deal, I don’t consider a tool that breaks or lets you down often to be a good deal no matter the price. Instead of buying many low quality tools I would rather save up and purchase high quality/value tools. For the tools I use regularly, I would gladly pay 2-4x, or more, for a tool that lasts a lifetime and I know that I can rely on time and time again than buy a cheapie that lasts a year or two. Basically, what I am saying is the I have a Filet Mignon taste on a ramen noodle budget. Because most of my work is electronics related, I tend to gravitate towards high quality precision stuff, rather than the larger high-end stuff common on most tool forums.
Recently, I had been looking at getting a good quality pair of flush cutters and needle nose pliers. Being how I am, I had to know what was out there and the various price ranges. This lead me down the path of looking at companies like Lindstrom, Schmitz, Excelta (see my note at the end), Erem, Swanstrom, etc.; as well as some of the more budget companies like Xuron (which is made in the USA), Xcelite, Knipex and the lot. As I searched, I kept seeing a name come up that I hadn’t encountered before: Tronex. This intrigued me as it was an unknown company to me (and likely most other hobbyists) but the reviews that I found were exceptional. It appears that this company is better known in the electronics industrial setting and oddly enough jewelry making than it is for electronics hobbyists like me. Quite simply they have a reputation of being one of the best precision cutter manufacturers PERIOD!
Tronex is an American company, located in Fairfield, CA just outside of Silicon Valley and they cut their teeth designing high precision tools for the electronics industry. Unlike many of the other companies that used to manufacture in the USA but had shifted their manufacturing overseas, Tronex still manufactures in the USA today. I came across this quote from their CEO Arne Salvesen:
So not only are they manufacturing entirely in the USA but they are using USA sourced metals so it is supporting US manufacturing on multiple levels. This is likely no easy task due to the crush of imports of Asian steel but they know what they want. Instead of searching for the lowest common denominator they instead let the quality speak for itself. I like supporting quality US and European manufacturing when I can so I decided that I would look into Tronex a bit more. At least on paper, they seem to be what the crème de la crème of US manufacturing is about.
The first thing I should mention is the price; these are not cheap budget tools. If you are looking for something that is budget priced, in the traditional sense, these are not it. They are high reliability professional tools and are priced accordingly. Most of the models run in the $50+ range which sounds like a lot, but at hundreds of thousands of cuts before it needs its first SHARPENING, this tool will likely last your lifetime and even your children’s lifetimes as well if treated properly. The second thing that I should mention is that their product line is rather diverse and a bit overwhelming if you don’t know what you are doing. Terms like oval head, taper head, Class T/W, Angular, Tip, Standoff, flush, semi-flush, razor flush and combinations of several of these thereof result in a dizzying array of options. I ended up emailing them for some assistance in determining what would be best for me. They were very helpful to say the least. In the end, I ended up getting the 7222 (Ergonomic taper relief flush cutter) snd the 521 (Standard Handle Needle Nose Pliers) .
After receiving these and beginning on the review, nanofrog tipped me off to a pair of Excelta rebrands on ebay for very cheap ($13+shipped). So I picked up the Excelta 7182E which is a rebadged Tronex 7082 (Ergonomic Small 50° Angulated Flush Cutter) as well.
Unboxing
The boxes are rather nondescript and minimalistic.
Nothing indicates the contents at all other than a small printed label affixed to the side. It would be nice to at LEAST see the number printed on the box itself. Nit-picky, I know, but labels have a tendency to fall off.
The boxes appear to be a one-size fits all, for their entire product line. This is perfectly acceptable for the professional markets which they predominately target. For the hobbyist market, it would be nice to see a bit flashier more robust box. I for one, prefer keeping my tools in the box if it makes logical sense. Inside the box, we find the tool encased in a thick plastic bag with the tips protected in a silicone cover. For the 7222s the silicone cover fits perfectly, it is snug and secure. For the 521, the cover feels acceptable but a tad loose. I think this is because the tips are so thin, there isn't much surface for friction. Considering these are just for storage, that (just like the box) is not a big deal. The tools are clearly marked that they are ESD-Safe. For those of us working in electronics, this is important.
The Excelta cutters did not come in a box, so there is no unboxing. ;D
Build Quality
Now for the part everyone cares about, how is the build quality. I have to say they are EVERYTHING the reviews said they are and then some. The build quality on these tools is second to none. I can’t imagine a nicer feeling set of cutters. Just looking at them and you can tell they are high precision tools. The edges are clean and crisp, junctions are tight, etc. The Tronex handles come in two lengths, standard and ergonomic (denoted by the first digit in the part number being a 5 or a 7 respectively). The ergonomic handle is longer. I have large hands, I’m 6’ 4” (194cm), and these fit perfectly in my hands. To be honest, they are so nice and precisely done I am having a hard time capturing the quality on a cell phone camera. The Tronex tools use carbon steel because of its increased hardness (62-63 on the Rockwell C Scale) instead of stainless steel (only in the 50s). They even have tools for cutting harder wires like memory wire which have carbide tips. The downside is that carbon steel can rust so you should keep a light coat of tool oil on these tools. Being tools intended for electronics use, ALL Tronex cutters are ESD safe.
In the last image we can see the comparison between the Excelta rebranded Tronex and the tronex clipper. Both are basically identical in quality other than the Excelta has teal and black grips which are a tad more cushioned.
Needle-Nose Pliers
The needle-nose pliers are very nice, the tip comes to a very fine point (listed as less than 0.4mm). This is perfect for bending component leads. The thinness of the tip does give a bit of "sponginess" to the feel when bending leads but it works perfectly. The tip comes to a very flat precise junction at the end. The level of precision is exceptional. Though this tool has the only blemish on it of any of the tools. It looks like someone tapped the pliers with the grinder/polisher. See the last image for the discolored spot.
Edit: I have since found out that the samples they sent out might be factory seconds. That the cutting edges are perfect but they might have cosmetic blemishes which do not affect the performance. So any discussion of these blemishes and the quality control is irrelevant. Those purchased in stores would be in perfect condition, which to me is kinda funny. The quality is so high that a slight discoloration makes it a factory second. ;D
Flush Cutters
I can't say enough about these cutters. They feel amazing in the hand. When they are making cuts, they snap responsively through the material being cut. They are tip is thin enough to get in between the legs of an IC for cutting, while still strong enough to easily cut through the leg. These are BY FAR my favorite cutters I have EVER encountered.
Anglulated Flush Cutter
These are a bit more of a specialty item but are every bit the quality of the standard flush cutters. These are very useful for getting to the legs of close IC's; as well as, due to the long cutting surface, cutting multiple legs at once. The foam grips are slightly more cushioned than the Tronex, not enough to make a difference in one way or the other. In the second to last image you can see the "set-screw". Due to the very precise nature of this particular cutter, this screw prevents the jaws from smashing together, which would dull the edges. This screw is set very precisely by Tronex in the factory. Due to their "hundreds of thousands of cuts" rating, this will likely never need to be adjusted in my lifetime.
Board Testing
I decided to do a bit of testing on an old scrap board that I had laying around. I tested the ability of both cutters to get in and cut the legs on a hindered IC. Both did it splendidly, though the angulated cutter can get in there a bit more easily due to its angled nature. This resulted in a slightly cleaner cut, both did the job though. I also illustrated how the angulated cutter can cut more than one leg at once.
A note about Excelta:
Also, I mentioned Excelta before, it turns out, at least some of the Excelta line is actually rebranded Tronex. In particular, the five-star line. I found this list which is a cross-reference between Excelta and Tronex part numbers:http://www.bomir.com/downloads/bomir/Excelta-Models-Crossed-to-Tronex-Models.pdf
I make no claims about its accuracy.
Because a cellphone camera can only show so much, I was thinking about how to really drive the quality home. I came upon the idea of comparing EVERY cutter that I have and doing a 100 cut test to check how they wear.
Under the microscope
This turned out to be MUCH harder than anticipated. The microscope is a standard slide-type inverted stereoscope. It has no camera so I had to take pics via the eye pieces. This is surprisingly hard. Anyways, since I was going to this trouble, I decided to turn this review into more of a comparative. On the chopping block today are some Chinese made Radio Shack flush cutters (red handles), USA-made Xuron flush cutters (teal handles) and the USA-made Tronex cutters and pliers.
In this section ,I also test how strong the cutting edges are on the tools. To do this, I performed 100 cuts on some spare copper wire and then compare the before and after of the edges under a microscope. I was curious if I would see any signs of wear and tear on the cutters.
First, three images showing the various magnification levels used. These all focus on the Tronex text on the handle.
Radio Shack 5" Nippy Cutters (China)
First up we have the china made Radio Shack 5" Nippy Cutters. I didn't have much hope for these as they are more or less the bottom of the barrel in quality. They were as expected.
In the first microscope image, we are checking how well the cutters come together. These are being held closed by my hand and they should come gracefully closed at the tip. They should not be fully overlapped nor should they be fully apart. Fully apart means that you likely have to squeeze harder to make the cut. Fully overlapped means that the edges are hitting each and over time this can dull the cutting edges. What we see here is that they never come fully together. Meanwhile, in the second we can very clearly see the rough grinding marks. By the third and fourth microscope images, the lack of quality even on the cutting edge has become clear. The cutting edge is large, rough and uneven.
On to the 100 cut test:
The benefit of having such a rough cutting edge is that you can't really tell what is damage from the cuts and what is just bad manufacturing. Additionally, the final image shows a representative cut on a copper wire. Some "tail" is expected due to the nature of a cutting edge but this tail should be minimal. You can see the wire is cut but it leaves a VERY long thin tail in the middle. This is likely a direct result of the gap between the cutting surfaces. Across the board, this cutter screams cheap! I didn't expect quality and it didn't provide it. It doesn't so much cut the wire as mangle it into submission.
Xuron 170-II Micro-Shear Flush Cutter (USA)
Next up is the Xuron 170-II Micro-Shear Flush cutter. I had more hopes for these as they are made in the USA. Unfortunately, while they are better made than the RS ones in some ways, in others they are MUCH worse. This just goes to show that not everything that is USA made is high quality. The cutters have a Rockwell C Scale hardness of 53-56, which implies stainless steel. They were purchased directly from Amazon.
With these, the grinding marks and the edge are MUCH more fine than on the RS versions. Unfortunately, this is where the good points end. In the second image you can see that the tips of the cutters don't line up properly. While there is NO light visible between the cutters, these use a shear cut instead of a compression cut so the overlap is expected. The tips not lining up is much more worrisome.
Two problems here! First, we can see the softness of the steel coming into play. After 100 cuts, we are starting to see small pits in the cutting edge. If you look closely you can see them, they are much more obvious in person under the microscope but this was the best I could do to capture them. In the second image, we see something MUCH more worrisome. So much for flush cutting. This is the new Z-cut style :wtf: This is completely unacceptable for a supposed flush cutter. The 'Z' easily catches your finger nail, so the cut is far from flush. The cutter surfaces don't match up and quality control didn't catch this or worse possibly didn't care. This is unacceptable to me, even the Chinese cutters at least got THIS right. If I had to chose between this one and the RadioShack one, I am not sure if I could.
Tronex 7222 (USA)
On to the Tronex Ergonomic Handled Taper Relief Flush Cutter Model 7222. I have the highest expectations for these and at this price point, they better perform more or less flawlessly.
Now THIS is what we are looking for. In the second image, the cutting tips gracefully come to a close at the very tip. We can see that the grinding marks are very fine (similar to the Xuron, maybe slightly better). The edges are very nice and sharp. You may see a few blurry distortions or spots along the edges. THis is the tool oil on the surface and/or dust sticking to the tool oil. In the final image, near the bottom you can see a small clear item along the edge. This is either a micro-droplet of tool oil or it might be a large unicellular organism (no joke as this is the magnification we use to count cells). Either way, the edge is clearly straight and uniform even at this magnification. VERY nicely done so far, on to the 100 cuts.
There is ZERO signs of wear after 100 cuts. Not ANYWHERE along the cutting edge. Considering this cutter is rated for hundreds of thousands of cuts, this is exactly as expected. It's still damn nice to see confirmed. Lastly, the cuts made are EXACTLY as I would expect them to be. There is a slight hump from the cut and that is it. If even that slight hump is unacceptable they offer a Razor Flush version which will make it dramatically smaller than even this. Frankly, at this point these cutters are clearly showing their greatly superior quality. If you can afford them, they are likely the last cutter you will ever buy.
Excelta 7182E Angulated Flush Cutter (USA)
These are the Excelta 7182E which are the same as the Tronex 7082. These are still considered flush cutters but the flush cutting ability is MUCH finer than the 7222, as indicated by the use of the set-screw. I have to say if this is also flush, I really want to see the razor flush.
As expected, being a rebadge, the quality is every bit as good as the Tronex branded cutters; very high end. Here we see the angle section. Even on the non-cutting surfaces we see high quality.
On to the cutting surface, just as high quality as before:
Lastly, here is the cut it makes, it is amazing how perfectly flat this cut is. That nub is very small. I have a feeling the razor flush would be just that, razor flat!
Just as with the other flush cutter, the performance is perfect. Nothing more I could ask for at all. These Tronex cutters are incredibly precise. I really am very very impressed. They made a huge fan out of me.
Tronex 521 (USA)
The last one up is the
Clearly, the same precision that went into the cutters went into these needle-nose pliers. The sides of the pliers meet perfectly at the tip in a well machined junction. The edges are rounded where needed and sharp where needed. VERY high quality stuff. Unlike more industrial needle-nose pliers these pliers have smooth jaws. This is to minimize marring on components or jewelry.
Conclusion
If I had to rate these tools, I would give both cutters a 10 out of 10. While the pliers I would give a 9.5 out of 10 (minus a half point for the looseness of the silicone cover). The quality is second to none, the handles are soft, nicely cushioned without compromising feel, the performance is excellent. I really can't say enough good things about these. While to the naked eye, already the differences in quality are obvious. Under a microscope, the differences really become crystal clear. The Tronex tools are clearly hands over fists better quality, warranting every penny of the cost. Not only are you supporting an American manufacturer who supports American materials companies; you are getting a quality product that will last generations. This is top notch high precision manufacturing that at minimum meets any of the Swiss cutters out there, if not beats them!
Under the microscope
This turned out to be MUCH harder than anticipated. The microscope is a standard slide-type inverted stereoscope. It has no camera so I had to take pics via the eye pieces. This is surprisingly hard. Anyways, since I was going to this trouble, I decided to turn this review into more of a comparative. On the chopping block today are some Chinese made Radio Shack flush cutters (red handles), USA-made Xuron flush cutters (teal handles) and the USA-made Tronex cutters and pliers.
In this section ,I also test how strong the cutting edges are on the tools. To do this, I performed 100 cuts on some spare copper wire and then compare the before and after of the edges under a microscope. I was curious if I would see any signs of wear and tear on the cutters.
First, three images showing the various magnification levels used. These all focus on the Tronex text on the handle.
Radio Shack 5" Nippy Cutters (China)
First up we have the china made Radio Shack 5" Nippy Cutters. I didn't have much hope for these as they are more or less the bottom of the barrel in quality. They were as expected.
In the first microscope image, we are checking how well the cutters come together. These are being held closed by my hand and they should come gracefully closed at the tip. They should not be fully overlapped nor should they be fully apart. Fully apart means that you likely have to squeeze harder to make the cut. Fully overlapped means that the edges are hitting each and over time this can dull the cutting edges. What we see here is that they never come fully together. Meanwhile, in the second we can very clearly see the rough grinding marks. By the third and fourth microscope images, the lack of quality even on the cutting edge has become clear. The cutting edge is large, rough and uneven.
On to the 100 cut test:
The benefit of having such a rough cutting edge is that you can't really tell what is damage from the cuts and what is just bad manufacturing. Additionally, the final image shows a representative cut on a copper wire. Some "tail" is expected due to the nature of a cutting edge but this tail should be minimal. You can see the wire is cut but it leaves a VERY long thin tail in the middle. This is likely a direct result of the gap between the cutting surfaces. Across the board, this cutter screams cheap! I didn't expect quality and it didn't provide it. It doesn't so much cut the wire as mangle it into submission.
Xuron 170-II Micro-Shear Flush Cutter (USA)
Next up is the Xuron 170-II Micro-Shear Flush cutter. I had more hopes for these as they are made in the USA. Unfortunately, while they are better made than the RS ones in some ways, in others they are MUCH worse. This just goes to show that not everything that is USA made is high quality. The cutters have a Rockwell C Scale hardness of 53-56, which implies stainless steel. They were purchased directly from Amazon.
With these, the grinding marks and the edge are MUCH more fine than on the RS versions. Unfortunately, this is where the good points end. In the second image you can see that the tips of the cutters don't line up properly. While there is NO light visible between the cutters, these use a shear cut instead of a compression cut so the overlap is expected. The tips not lining up is much more worrisome.
Two problems here! First, we can see the softness of the steel coming into play. After 100 cuts, we are starting to see small pits in the cutting edge. If you look closely you can see them, they are much more obvious in person under the microscope but this was the best I could do to capture them. In the second image, we see something MUCH more worrisome. So much for flush cutting. This is the new Z-cut style :wtf: This is completely unacceptable for a supposed flush cutter. The 'Z' easily catches your finger nail, so the cut is far from flush. The cutter surfaces don't match up and quality control didn't catch this or worse possibly didn't care. This is unacceptable to me, even the Chinese cutters at least got THIS right. If I had to chose between this one and the RadioShack one, I am not sure if I could.
Tronex 7222 (USA)
On to the Tronex Ergonomic Handled Taper Relief Flush Cutter Model 7222. I have the highest expectations for these and at this price point, they better perform more or less flawlessly.
Now THIS is what we are looking for. In the second image, the cutting tips gracefully come to a close at the very tip. We can see that the grinding marks are very fine (similar to the Xuron, maybe slightly better). The edges are very nice and sharp. You may see a few blurry distortions or spots along the edges. THis is the tool oil on the surface and/or dust sticking to the tool oil. In the final image, near the bottom you can see a small clear item along the edge. This is either a micro-droplet of tool oil or it might be a large unicellular organism (no joke as this is the magnification we use to count cells). Either way, the edge is clearly straight and uniform even at this magnification. VERY nicely done so far, on to the 100 cuts.
There is ZERO signs of wear after 100 cuts. Not ANYWHERE along the cutting edge. Considering this cutter is rated for hundreds of thousands of cuts, this is exactly as expected. It's still damn nice to see confirmed. Lastly, the cuts made are EXACTLY as I would expect them to be. There is a slight hump from the cut and that is it. If even that slight hump is unacceptable they offer a Razor Flush version which will make it dramatically smaller than even this. Frankly, at this point these cutters are clearly showing their greatly superior quality. If you can afford them, they are likely the last cutter you will ever buy.
Excelta 7182E Angulated Flush Cutter (USA)
These are the Excelta 7182E which are the same as the Tronex 7082. These are still considered flush cutters but the flush cutting ability is MUCH finer than the 7222, as indicated by the use of the set-screw. I have to say if this is also flush, I really want to see the razor flush.
As expected, being a rebadge, the quality is every bit as good as the Tronex branded cutters; very high end. Here we see the angle section. Even on the non-cutting surfaces we see high quality.
On to the cutting surface, just as high quality as before:
Lastly, here is the cut it makes, it is amazing how perfectly flat this cut is. That nub is very small. I have a feeling the razor flush would be just that, razor flat!
Just as with the other flush cutter, the performance is perfect. Nothing more I could ask for at all. These Tronex cutters are incredibly precise. I really am very very impressed. They made a huge fan out of me.
Tronex 521 (USA)
The last one up is the
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
one isn't involved in the comparison but I still got a few images of it under the microscope. Clearly, the same precision that went into the cutters went into these needle-nose pliers. The sides of the pliers meet perfectly at the tip in a well machined junction. The edges are rounded where needed and sharp where needed. VERY high quality stuff. Unlike more industrial needle-nose pliers these pliers have smooth jaws. This is to minimize marring on components or jewelry.
Conclusion
If I had to rate these tools, I would give both cutters a 10 out of 10. While the pliers I would give a 9.5 out of 10 (minus a half point for the looseness of the silicone cover). The quality is second to none, the handles are soft, nicely cushioned without compromising feel, the performance is excellent. I really can't say enough good things about these. While to the naked eye, already the differences in quality are obvious. Under a microscope, the differences really become crystal clear. The Tronex tools are clearly hands over fists better quality, warranting every penny of the cost. Not only are you supporting an American manufacturer who supports American materials companies; you are getting a quality product that will last generations. This is top notch high precision manufacturing that at minimum meets any of the Swiss cutters out there, if not beats them!
@JonSnell - Yes, I agree. Easily on par with the best of the best companies. At this level, very little separates any of the companies, as long as they maintain their quality.
Just a quick update, I forwarded my reviews to Nina@ Tronex and they will be sending me a Razor Flush cutter as well. I will update the review accordingly when I receive it.
Also, she mentioned this:
Just a quick update, I forwarded my reviews to Nina@ Tronex and they will be sending me a Razor Flush cutter as well. I will update the review accordingly when I receive it.
Also, she mentioned this:
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