Mitutoyo- Real or Knockoff???

[rwm]

I just received this eBay item advertised as a Mitutoyo.

It's a pretty nice item and functions perfectly. It even has a carbide scribe. Unfortunately, there is no manufacturer marking on it anywhere. Every Mit I have seen is marked somewhere.
Then I started looking around eBay and I see several of these labeled as Mit but they do not have the name on the dial.
To wit:


I am thinking that all these are knockoffs but I want to be sure before I make a claim.
What say you old time tool experts? (@mmcmdl )

 

[markba633csi]

Almost certainly a copy, but if the price and performance meet your needs why not
I have a Chinese caliper that I use all the time- one of my favorite tools

 

[mksj]

Too crude (numbers on face, lock, finish) to be a Mitutoyo, and if not labeled as such and/or there is no model/identification then it is a copy. I would expect the Mitutoyo branding would also be on the dial face.

 

[mmcmdl]

Maybe have to do a search of when Mit started marking their tools . I have plenty of Starrett tools that aren't marked , although I know they are original Starretts right out of the boxes . Surface gages were not marked until a certain date IE . Did a search on their history , they didn't start marking some tools until a certain date ( which I can't remember off hand .) LIke I said , try to do a search on Mit dial height gages for when they started marking them . All or most of my old Mits ARE marked , and some go back to the 60s-70s . If they are old time originals , they should weigh a ton also . My guess looking at them I say they are a knock off but won't swear to it . What the heck are those MM readings doing on there anyways ???

 

[rodm1]

Fake it's a clone they are ok.

 

[rwm]

Thanks guys! I may keep it an negotiate down the price. It's not a tool I will use a lot but I like building up my quality base. I don't think the guy was being deceptive, just not knowledgeable in this area.

 

[m1kemex]

Hahaha... Mitutoyo is a Japanese brand and all brands in Japan used to sell junk after WW2, just like China used to do and now does India.

I'm 99.9% sure it's legit. Just an older model that doesn't fit the contemporary expectations.

P. S. I've got a set of of Mitutoyo micrometers made in the early 80s I think and it's nothing special.

 

[rwm]

Hahaha... Mitutoyo is a Japanese brand and all brands in Japan used to sell junk after WW2, just like China used to do and now does India.

I'm 99.9% sure it's perfectly legit. Just an older model that doesn't fit the contemporary expectations.

P. S. I've got a set of of Mitutoyo micrometers made in the early 80s I think and it's nothing special.

It can't be that old from the look of it. It's in great shape. The plastic would age. I can't believe this is pre 1990 at the oldest.

 

[m1kemex]

There is also the possibility that someone took the dial's glass off and replaced the face with something else. Sure, that can happen.

But I laugh at the idea that everything the Japanese used to sell was super high quality. Am I the only one who remembers that they used to sell junk?

 

[extropic]

Hahaha... Mitutoyo is a Japanese brand and all brands in Japan used to sell junk after WW2, just like China used to do and now does India.

I'm 99.9% sure it's legit. Just an older model that doesn't fit the contemporary expectations.

P. S. I've got a set of of Mitutoyo micrometers made in the early 80s I think and it's nothing special.

You have a wonderful imagination.