Threading dies that don't suck?

I just spark tested some of my Craftsman taps and dies, c.a 1968 and they test as high carbon steel. According to the 1968 catalog, all Sears taps and dies were Kromedge treated.
 
wlburton said:
I looked back at some of my old Craftsman catalogs and it appears that the high speed steel dies all had a black oxide finish and were much more expensive than the carbon steel sets. The Kromedge dies were chrome plated carbon steel. I have Craftsman standard and metric tap and die sets I bought in about 1991, and while they've worked well for me they are not high speed steel (mine, which appear to be fairly high quality U.S. made taps and dies, were "homeowners" sets--the least expensive at $34.97 per set). In 1991 a high speed steel 59-piece standard set cost $276.99, metric $284.99.
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Thank for for clarifying that, I remember Mr Pete in one of his videos mentioned the early Kromedge tap & die sets from the early days(sixties or fifties?) was of better quality and I could swear he said they were HSS but I guess I was wrong, as you mentioned, even those days the price of HSS sets were much higher than what was available to average homeowners.
Alright then ,no more Kromedge, old sets or new.lol.
 
RJSakowski said:
I just spark tested some of my Craftsman taps and dies, c.a 1968 and they test as high carbon steel. According to the 1968 catalog, all Sears taps and dies were Kromedge treated.
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Now we know for sure they were not actual high speed steel, just Kromedge treated, man I learn something new today. .Thanks RJ.
 
These dies are readily available and as you might say do not suck, however you will not like the pricing.

Such a question would be more easily understood if phrased "threading dies that actually work that may be purchased at the same price as ones that do indeed suck".

Round split dies are excellent if one needs to closely control the PD as they may be adjusted, thread a part and gauge it, if it does not measure adjust the die.
https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tn...288237407+4288237409+43+4287909744+4287650517
 
Well, obviously like most home guys I would like to keep cost down. While those Vermont dies look nice and likely work well, is there a middle ground? If that's the price of entry, I guess it is what it is and we can all make our choice.

Since I have more time than money at the moment, I'll likely use single point for now while keeping an eye out for some good used stuff or maybe try one at a time from some of the mid priced brands.
 
My tap and die sets were separate Christmas gifts in the 70's. A new Craftsman metric set from my brother and a used SnapOn set from my father in law. Both have served me well and not until last year did a break a tap, the SnapOn 3/8". The best I could find was a Vermont and it's nowhere near the quality, but it's hanging in there. Recently found in the last hours of a garage sale a complete Greenlee tap plate set in the original wood box for $50! They were obviously used but still work wonderfully. The "dead men's tools" deals are out there, just gotta know what you're looking for and be patient.
 
ttabbal said:
I have been trying to get threads on 6061 with HF dies. It's not happening. I broke both handles off the die stock, I'm reasonably sure it's made of plastic painted to look like metal. And I'm no closer to having threads.
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6061-T2 is pretty much pure aluminum, and it's gummy. Not as bad as copper, but not easy, either.
If you can run the dies on an old bolt, and if the edges don't look bad, it should work on 6061 with a suitable
lube. Carbon steel should be adequate for hand die users, all my granddad's old tooling
works fine, but the better quality new products are all HSS. For aluminum, to prevent galling,
TiN (titanium nitride) coating is said to help.

Granddad's old die stock seems to be forged steel; zinc alloy is the breakable stuff, try to avoid it.
 
MSC has what they call a Value Collection (VC) line of tooling which I have never used so have no experience with, therefore have no opinion.

If making only a single or a handful of parts then single point them as you said.
If doing the work in a lathe that does not support threading such as a turret lathe then a die is the only choice.
Either way have at it.
 
Most of the cheaper tap in die sets are thread repair dies. And don't have enough lead to cut new threads. Threading dies have a lot more lead.
 
HF quality is all over the board. My set from 6 years ago is still going strong after many projects. HF is not consistant in anything.
 
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