VB Tools worth their price?

[Mokerson]

So... I've been buying VB tools for a few months now, as I need something I will order it and so far I have had no complaints.  They have been solid, the finish has been an improvement over the stuff I have been using and I have had no complaints.  I have mostly picked up cutting tools, hammers and dividers so far, and I have felt they were a good product for the price I paid.  I just got in some edge bevelers though and I have to admit (still being a noob to leather work I don't have an extensive point of reference relating to the various tool mfrs.) when I unpacked them I was sure that they had sent me the wrong product.  The fit and finish on these tools are really lacking!  While I don't know if the comparable Tandy tools cut better or worse, they certainly look like they were better made and assembled.  There is no consistency in the location of the groove on the bevelers, none of them are in the center of the tool, there are huge grooves and gouges from the making process with little attempt made to clean them up and make them into a presentable, finished tool.  The ferules have burr's on them and just generally do not look like they came from the same place the rest of the VB tools I have.  Is this normal for VB?  I was considering ordering a set of oblong punches from them as well, but after seeing how they treated the steel on the bevelers I am expecting a very similar approach to a set of these punches.  I am ordering a set of Montana bevelers to replace the VB ones I just got, but any advice or insight into the oblong punches would be appreciated.  Like most here I suspect, I am a bit of a tool collector but in the end the tool needs to perform the job well, and how it looks is of little importance to how it performs, but for the price I would like to think that they can produce a tool that looks finished AND does the job it was made for.

This said if I am missing the mark here due to inexperience please let me know, if not would love to hear of any mfrs, foreign or domestic, that produce quality oblong punches.  Have done a few searches on the punches and haven't found much, I see Weavers name mentioned but no first hand endorsement or dings on their product.

Thanks in advance.

[Webicons]

I can’t really speak to the quality of Vergez Blanchard tools but a new crop of companies from Asia are really changing the game. 

To name a few:

KS Blades: for stitching chisels and punches

Feng Tools: for edgers 

Nash Anonymous:  for awls 

Nobuyoshi:  for Japanese skiving knives

Wuta:  for creasing irons and stitching chisels

I highly recommend any of these for their performance, fit and finish and many of them are cheaper than their Blanchard counterpart. 

[bikermutt07]

+1 for Wuta. I just got a nice order in from them. I think I'll post a thread tonight about them. I have always gotten good service from them.

[grmnsplx]

They may have been worth it at one time since they were the best you could get, but there has been many new entrants and these new entrants are arguably much better than VB. So on a relative basis, I'd say they are not worth the price at all.

[YinTx]

You would think companies like VB would stand up and take notice of these sort of conversations, but I think not or they wouldn't be shipping out the product they do.  If they don't, I hear another bell tolling.  Bye Bye Dixon, Bye Bye George Barnsley and Sons, etc.  I know this isn't the sole reason for these companies becoming defunct, but it sure is making them non-relevant.  

YinTx

[bikermutt07]

Well until recently, China was no threat to these higher quality companies. 

But, that has changed. They have access to better steel and equipment these days. And are approaching the retail market directly. Before they were subcontractors building to the cheapest price point for a said company.

 

[YinTx]

Agreed, but it isn't just China making higher quality tools, leather and other equipment.  Japan, Korea and others are tapping that market effectively.  I think KS Blade Punch is South Korean.

YinTx

[alpha2]

Not much fun punching a slot with an oblong punch, and discovering it was actually an "oval" punch, and wider at one end than the other. If I wanted a tapered punch, I'd buy a tapered punch!

[YinTx]

10 minutes ago, alpha2 said:

Not much fun punching a slot with an oblong punch, and discovering it was actually an "oval" punch, and wider at one end than the other. If I wanted a tapered punch, I'd buy a tapered punch!

This happen to you?  What brand did that to you?

YinTx

[bikermutt07]

47 minutes ago, YinTx said:

Agreed, but it isn't just China making higher quality tools, leather and other equipment.  Japan, Korea and others are tapping that market effectively.  I think KS Blade Punch is South Korean.

YinTx

Right, I just thought they were a great example, because we have been dogging them by name for 50 years.

Kizer Cutlery is another company that is out of China making great products. I think I have 5 of their pocket knives. I don't think I'll ever need another pocket knife.

[Mokerson]

6 hours ago, Webicons said:

I can’t really speak to the quality of Vergez Blanchard tools but a new crop of companies from Asia are really changing the game. 

To name a few:

KS Blades: for stitching chisels and punches

Feng Tools: for edgers 

Nash Anonymous:  for awls 

Nobuyoshi:  for Japanese skiving knives

Wuta:  for creasing irons and stitching chisels

I highly recommend any of these for their performance, fit and finish and many of them are cheaper than their Blanchard counterpart. 

Webicons, thanks for the list.  It is a great starting point for folks like me.  Any idea where to find info on Feng and Nash Anonymous?

[alpha2]

1 hour ago, YinTx said:

This happen to you?  What brand did that to you?

YinTx

It was brand T. I just started punching a hole and cutting out the leather between the holes. Not happy with that method though. It's fraught with peril...one little slip and it is trash.

[Webicons]

2 hours ago, Mokerson said:

Webicons, thanks for the list.  It is a great starting point for folks like me.  Any idea where to find info on Feng and Nash Anonymous?

They both can be found and contacted through Instagram:

Feng Tools

https://www.instagram.com/feng_tools

Nash Anonymous 

https://www.instagram.com/nash_anonymous

Note:

Feng offers two different types of steel for his edgers XW42 and M390.  The upcharge for the M390 is worth it.  I use it several times a week for six months and only recently needed to sharpen them (and edgers are a PITA to sharpen).

Nash offers fully customizable awls and knives.  I ordered a special awl with a longer stickout.  No issues and charged the same price.  They are laser sharp.  Goes through 10oz veg tan like butter.

[Mokerson]

3 minutes ago, Webicons said:

They both can be found and contacted through Instagram:

Feng Tools

https://www.instagram.com/feng_tools

Nash Anonymous 

https://www.instagram.com/nash_anonymous

Note:

Feng offers two different types of steel for his edgers XW42 and M390.  The upcharge for the M390 is worth it.  I use it several times a week for six months and only recently needed to sharpen them (and edgers are a PITA to sharpen).

Nash offers fully customizable awls and knives.  I ordered a special awl with a longer stickout.  No issues and charged the same price.  They are laser sharp.  Goes through 10oz veg tan like butter.

Ugh... not social media, what happened to the good old days where everyone had a website?    Appreciate the info, I'll check them out for sure.

[Webicons]

Here are a few of my favorite things (from Asia):

Nobuyoshi skiving knives/plane (Japan) Note: they are not much to look at but the Aogami Super steel is top notch and will hold an edge like no other.

Feng edgers (China)

Wuta creasers (China)

Nash Anonymous awl (Hong Kong)

KSBlades stitching chisels (Korea)

 

Edited February 14, 2018 by Webicons

[bikermutt07]

41 minutes ago, Webicons said:

Here are a few of my favorite things (from Asia):

Nobuyoshi skiving knives/plane (Japan) Note: they are not much to look at but the Aogami Super steel is top notch and will hold an edge like no other.

Feng edgers (China)

Wuta creasers (China)

Nash Anonymous awl (Hong Kong)

KSBlades stitching chisels (Korea)

 

I haven't ordered the creasers yet. You're pretty happy with them?

[Webicons]

8 hours ago, bikermutt07 said:

I haven't ordered the creasers yet. You're pretty happy with them?

Hey Mutt - Yes.  Very happy with them.  It took a while to get used to them, especially around tight corners but love them now.  

I have the 1.5 and 2.0 spaced versions and they do the trick for 95% of what I do.  They’re comfortable and hold the heat well.  

It seems that Wuta changes their pricing according to the venue so look around.  You can get free shipping on a lot of their tools but it takes 20 days+.  I always opt for expedited shipping which is about 7 days but cost around 18 bucks.  

[Tugadude]

On February 13, 2018 at 11:15 AM, Mokerson said:

So... I've been buying VB tools for a few months now, as I need something I will order it and so far I have had no complaints.  They have been solid, the finish has been an improvement over the stuff I have been using and I have had no complaints.  I have mostly picked up cutting tools, hammers and dividers so far, and I have felt they were a good product for the price I paid.  I just got in some edge bevelers though and I have to admit (still being a noob to leather work I don't have an extensive point of reference relating to the various tool mfrs.) when I unpacked them I was sure that they had sent me the wrong product.  The fit and finish on these tools are really lacking!  While I don't know if the comparable Tandy tools cut better or worse, they certainly look like they were better made and assembled.  There is no consistency in the location of the groove on the bevelers, none of them are in the center of the tool, there are huge grooves and gouges from the making process with little attempt made to clean them up and make them into a presentable, finished tool.  The ferules have burr's on them and just generally do not look like they came from the same place the rest of the VB tools I have.  Is this normal for VB?  I was considering ordering a set of oblong punches from them as well, but after seeing how they treated the steel on the bevelers I am expecting a very similar approach to a set of these punches.  I am ordering a set of Montana bevelers to replace the VB ones I just got, but any advice or insight into the oblong punches would be appreciated.  Like most here I suspect, I am a bit of a tool collector but in the end the tool needs to perform the job well, and how it looks is of little importance to how it performs, but for the price I would like to think that they can produce a tool that looks finished AND does the job it was made for.

This said if I am missing the mark here due to inexperience please let me know, if not would love to hear of any mfrs, foreign or domestic, that produce quality oblong punches.  Have done a few searches on the punches and haven't found much, I see Weavers name mentioned but no first hand endorsement or dings on their product.

Thanks in advance.

Did you try offering feedback to VB?  Tell them of your displeasure?  

[hectorroo]

Hi all, just wanted to say when I first started out in leather work, my first little research had me looking at VB. On the way back from a wedding in Spain to the UK, we stopped in the VB factory (wanted to get a few things ) and the offered to let us have a good look around. Heres a few pics from the factory. The guy with the yellow trousers was using a very large grinding wheel to do the initial sharpen the head knives. There was a second room that I didn't get photos in, where others were finishing the tools. We also had a chance to watch the pricing irons being made (there all made by the same person for many many years, or that was what we were told.). Each tooth is individually hand cut and polished. 

Since then I have bought more tools from Asia, and there are very nice. Still watching a little old French man slowly making tools shows the passion these guys still have for hand made tools.

[chrisash]

Some people talk about old knifes  as a wonder tool, made by someone 20-50 maybe 100 years ago and holds its edge like no new tool ever can, but fail to see the improvements in steel every year to provide the sharpest long holding its edge modern steels

The pictures above may well have been taken 50 years ago rather than this year, no sign of modern machinery that give that little bit extra in accuracy and repeatability that the new companies use

I think to many companies live on their old reputations or a nice bit of fancy handle colouring or shape and charge silly money, the old ways are not always the best ways

[bermudahwin]

Both sides have truth, Chris.

I have very old steel, that holds an edge soooo well, and these are the names people drool over, VB, Joseph Dixon, and their US counterparts.

I have modern, Osborne and VB, that doesn't cut the mustard.

Pricking irons then, v good for holding edge, new ones cheaper and more accurate, and hold the edge needed but for how long.

Through choice a lot of mu cabinet is filled with older tools, but with some modern. Rulers are MUCH better. The difference is in the longevity. If I bought a Doldokki awl or knife, i would want it in a display case, but would I use it, and what would it be like in 20 years (With Doldokki as an example I would genuinely think that they will be the VB in 25 years time).

Its horses for courses, I love the fact that Far Eastern does not equate to the crap it used to, and if I need replacements I will happilly look there.

SNap On v modern well made is also a hard call

Harry

[chrisash]

Agreed Harry

I think Nigel Armitage has fantastic reviews of tools, in that he seems totally honest with the selected tools and not influenced by the name of the maker or price, but the usage of the tool

[koreric75]

On 2/13/2018 at 10:55 PM, bikermutt07 said:

I haven't ordered the creasers yet. You're pretty happy with them?

I have a 2.0 you can check out next time you're over...

[bikermutt07]

Cool @koreric75

[hectorroo]

18 hours ago, chrisash said:

Some people talk about old knifes  as a wonder tool, made by someone 20-50 maybe 100 years ago and holds its edge like no new tool ever can, but fail to see the improvements in steel every year to provide the sharpest long holding its edge modern steels

The pictures above may well have been taken 50 years ago rather than this year, no sign of modern machinery that give that little bit extra in accuracy and repeatability that the new companies use

I think to many companies live on their old reputations or a nice bit of fancy handle colouring or shape and charge silly money, the old ways are not always the best ways

I fully agree with the 50 year old comment, they were quite pleased to tell me most of the machines were 100+ year olds. I happened to be passing through the area so popped in, bought a couple of items and got the tour. To be honest, didn't really know what I was getting (I had just started out, and had seen the name many times). I use the round knife I got them pretty much everyday since. The edger...I think iv used about 3 times, as I got a nice one from Asia  which seams to cut cleaner, stay sharper, and is small so easier to use. I do think they are still going by reputation only. That being said, really enjoyed the visit