Despite what I have observed, I still believe Craftools and the other mass-produced, entry-level tools, are the best tools for beginners to start out with. Experience and skill will make the biggest difference in the quality of one's work. A higher-quality tool will make a difference, in my opinion, but only once the person using it has already developed the skill and discernment to leverage that quality.
Kate
I agree with you Kate but, sometimes Tandy do send out tools that never should have left the factory in the first place.
Let me give you an example...Last spring I bought some seeders and with my knollage today I would have sent them right back. I paste in a picture, the one to the right is one of the faulty tools I got and the one to the left is an older tool I bought from Ebay, both S630. I also made some inprint with both tools from light tapping to a good wack. This newer tool will never give a good inprint never mind how/what you're doing, it's just wrong.
My 2 cents//Tina