# Tekton 7558 Tap And Die Set



## kingmt01 (May 12, 2015)

The handles look like junk which I don't use anyways but it is hard to judge by looks of the cutters. They have good reviews when searching online but so does the HF ones which are worthless. I asked the manufacture for a sample to try before buy starting in return if write up a review for them, which they politely refused. They are very cheap but what I'm afraid of is they might be more expensive when I try to use one. 

Does anyone have experience with these?


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## brino (May 12, 2015)

kingmt01,

I do NOT have direct experience with Tekton brand. However; your statement:


kingmt01 said:


> They are very cheap


likely says it all.

All the cheap sets I've seen(one I even paid for ) were not even good for cleaning/reforming threads let alone actually cutting them, but I was desperate for a particular metric size I could find no where else. With that set (Chinese made; sold at Canadian Tire stores here) the die would thread onto a pre-cut bolt at an obvious angle! Not worth the powder to blow them to h311!

Taps and dies are tools I never cheap out on......now.
-brino


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## kingmt01 (May 12, 2015)

The made in USA & good reviews have me tempted but I've waste enough money on junk taps. I found some old used ones at a flee market at a great price that do for common sizes but seems I usually need uncommon sizes. I've bought a single Irwin that seems pretty good but I can't drop $400 on a set right now.


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## T Bredehoft (May 12, 2015)

I've never been enthusiastic about buying sets of tools, I was spoiled early when I realized that  "123 tools in this assortment" included 110 Allen wrenches and hack saw blades.  I buy the  taps and dies I need, not a lot that I don't need. If I need others later, I buy them. And yes, I buy the expensive ones.


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## chips&more (May 12, 2015)

kingmt01 said:


> The made in USA & good reviews have me tempted but I've waste enough money on junk taps. I found some old used ones at a flee market at a great price that do for common sizes but seems I usually need uncommon sizes. I've bought a single Irwin that seems pretty good but I can't drop $400 on a set right now.


I say, keep going to the flea market and garage/estate sales. Sooner or later it will be your turn to find it all there…Good Luck, Dave.


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## 4GSR (May 12, 2015)

We bought a Tekton torque wrench last year for a specific job.  I was quite impressed with it and handling the torque we had to make up to get it to click at 160 ft lbs.  We did a calibration check against three other torque wrenches we had of other brands.  They were right on the money, except for the cheap Harbor Freight torque wrench!   The reason we bought the torque wrench, we needed a 1/2" that would handle 160 ft/lbs.!  This one fit the bill!
As for taps, I suggest staying with the name brands as others have said.  USA, Japan, Germany.  Here recently, I have bought a name brand tap that was made in Korea.  It did work!  It was a nice tap, too!  And the Tekton torque wrench we bought was made in Taiwan.

You should be able to buy individual taps from the Tekton supplier.  Buy a few and let us know the results.


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## kingmt01 (May 12, 2015)

No dealers around me. I found the sets at the flee market. That is how I found out about them. Their taps are made in the USA. I was under the impression all there tools were. Thanks for correcting me.


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## Mark_f (May 12, 2015)

I looked at a Tekton die and tap set the other day. They look exactly like the Chinese set I bought on ebay. I have bought two of these sets that go from 1/4" to 1" in coarse and fine thread, over the last 15 years. I paid $48 for the first one from the Hornier ( or what ever their name was) tent sale guys and the second set on ebay for $65. I found there are two sets though. one is HSS and the other is "carbon steel". I make sure to get the HSS. Mine have performed well and lasted ( the only reason I bought the second set was I gave the first set to my friend a few years ago. ( and I use them a lot) that is only my opinion.

This is the same set I bought:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/45-pc-Tap-a...hash=item5195e10e99&item=350406905497&vxp=mtr


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## kingmt01 (May 13, 2015)

They look mostly like the set I got from HF also that had good reviews but my experience was different. I wouldn't bring them home again if they were free. They are only worth as much as the indexing case.


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## Mark_f (May 13, 2015)

kingmt01 said:


> They look mostly like the set I got from HF also that had good reviews but my experience was different. I wouldn't bring them home again if they were free. They are only worth as much as the indexing case.



As others have said, you probably should go with a good American brand. 

As far as the Chinese set goes, remember there are two sets. One says tungsten steel ( I think) and the other says carbon steel or just doesn't specify. They  look the same but are not. The carbon steel won't thread a stick of butter. I bought the set stating tungsten and have threaded a lot of parts with it. It is a gamble buying the import tools but some of them are not bad.

Edit: HF does not sell any taps or dies worth bringing home.


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## kingmt01 (May 13, 2015)

My first set was from Sears over 20 years ago. They were carbon steel. They made & cleaned many threads. They were still working great but I couldn't read them anymore so I decided to soak them in vinegar to remove the rust. After that they crumbled like chalk. That was a hard lesson.


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## kingmt01 (May 13, 2015)

My first set was from Sears over 20 years ago. They were carbon steel. They made & cleaned many threads. They were still working great but I couldn't read them anymore so I decided to soak them in vinegar to remove the rust. After that they crumbled like chalk. That was a hard lesson.


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## Bob Korves (May 15, 2015)

kingmt01 said:


> My first set was from Sears over 20 years ago. They were carbon steel. They made & cleaned many threads. They were still working great but I couldn't read them anymore so I decided to soak them in vinegar to remove the rust. After that they crumbled like chalk. That was a hard lesson.



I bought Imperial and Metric sets of Craftsman "Kromedge" carbon steel taps and hexagon dies about 40 years ago and I am still using them today.  Not one has ever broken or dulled beyond usefulness.  I have threaded and cleaned many, many hundreds of fasteners with them, some quite hard tool steel, some rusty and full of grit.  They look and perform like new, no rust, no issues, the plastic cases are pristine and all the niches are full of the original tools.  They might be the best tool purchases I ever made...

(I am also using a 1930's Craftsman 1/2" socket set that I got, well used, from my Dad in the late 1960's.  Still using them today, still in great shape except for the breaker bar that I loaned to a "friend", who brought back an import one after he broke it.  Cool set, made for Sears by Millers Falls, code BE, in very nice condition, including 8 point sockets and several 32nd sizes as well.  The coarse tooth ratchet has a 1/2" square insert that is removed from a square hole through the center of the ratcheting mechanism and pushed in the other side to reverse it.  Don't use that anymore, using a nice 60's Craftsman fine tooth ratchet instead.)   

Don't for a minute think you can buy new Craftsman tools today and get the same quality!


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