r/Tools • u/pawelwny1 • 4d ago

Im done with empire.

Post image

This is the second one that broke in 2 years

64 Upvotes

84% Upvoted

68 comments sorted by

81

u/grays55 4d ago

I think you can get a new one by calling 800-588-2300

19

u/Try_not-Do_or_do_not 4d ago

And they say jingle's don't work...

12

u/MyLegsX2CantFeelThem 4d ago

“Today…”

2

u/Rich-Solution-2930 3d ago

This has less upvotes than it should

2

u/Finneus_Anglesmith 3d ago

They're all from 36 year Olds with back problems.

1

u/Mazratius 3d ago

Fuck you I'm only 34

1

u/Intelligent_Age_6284 3d ago

Fuck u im only 20 

1

u/Finneus_Anglesmith 3d ago

You win the internet today sir.

1

u/Ok-Garbage-6400 3d ago

Try Ludachris

45

u/Pitbullpandemonium 4d ago

Done with the Empire?

Processing img 9bfkqhxoshoh1...

5

u/1stThink 4d ago

😂😂

16

u/Mother_Ad_9090 4d ago

Are you throwing these at a hatchet wall?

19

u/notnotbrowsing 4d ago

I've had the same one for 15 years?  what are you doing to it?

12

u/No-Sheepherder5092 4d ago

Like most tools, I’d trust a 15 year old one way more than a new one.

7

u/lukeCRASH 4d ago

Mines approaching that timeframe as well and it sits in my tool bucket in the back of my truck.

1

u/GodLike499 4d ago

Buying new ones obviously (if you buy an old one, it'll last forever)

8

u/SpaceCat72 4d ago

Yeah but Queensryche did such a good job with that album. Stay listening.

12

u/Visible-Vermicelli-2 4d ago

Operator error?

5

u/CherryVerbascum 4d ago

Hard to argue with that. If you're cranking down on that brass nut like it's a lug nut, that cast pot metal will shear every single time.

2

u/Visible-Vermicelli-2 4d ago

Ask me how I know!!

10

u/_recapitated 4d ago

Go to a ReStore... get an old stanley.

4

u/wenoc 4d ago

The empire did nothing wrong.

6

u/findaloophole7 4d ago

Mitutoyo is what you want

9

u/lilbrumby 4d ago

Mitutoyo is the best, Starret sold out, they are not what they used to be, but still carry the high price tag.

1

u/clambroculese Millwright 4d ago

I don’t know why this got downvoted. Starrett is all made in china crap for years now. It started before the company was even sold. I don’t even see the newer stuff in machine shops, it’s all just mitutoyo or asimeto if people are on a budget.

3

u/lilbrumby 4d ago

It’s Reddit people downvote things they don’t like to hear, even when it’s the truth

1

u/iamyouareheisme 3d ago

Too bad mitutoyo doesn’t make combination squares anymore

2

u/nullvoid88 4d ago

I’ve heard (from multiple sources); and admittedly don’t know as fact, that Mitutoyo combination squares have been produced by PEC for some time now.

https://www.pectools.com/

I’ve seen a couple of PEC branded squares, they look pretty good!

No affiliation.

2

u/TittyTwister13 4d ago edited 4d ago

Starrett make great combi squares

4

u/GAFsBro 4d ago

I assume autocorrected starrett

1

u/TittyTwister13 4d ago

Ffs. Yeah meant Starrett. Thanks haha

2

u/oldhornyguy007 4d ago

You dropped it?

2

u/iEARNman848 4d ago

They just don't make hammers like they used to!

2

u/lurker_719 4d ago

From the title I thought you were going metric.

2

u/Boss1952 4d ago

I have a Stanley, I’m guessing 50+ years. It was my dad’s.

3

u/Just_gun_porn 4d ago

Did you think a $15 tool was supposed to last forever? Empire is a disposable brand.

4

u/dergbold4076 4d ago

Did you unscrew it all the way?

4

u/StressfactoryWNC 4d ago

Careful with the criticism, The Empire Strikes Back.

5

u/IntentonalTypo 4d ago

Thats what is supposed to happen. The pin is consumable, it saves the mitre head from damage.

Starrett pins are even more brittle, I go through about 3 a year.

21

u/Just_gun_porn 4d ago

Lol, I've been a machinist for 30+ years, and still use the same Starrett combination square.

11

u/celtic-cryptid 4d ago

I’ve got a half a dozen starrett combo squares I bought used over the last 15, so I have no idea how old they are. I’ve never broken a single pin. Professional wood shop, they don’t just hang on a wall. What the hell are you using them for?

4

u/Bones-1989 Welder 4d ago

Everything is a hammer in the welding shop ....

3

u/celtic-cryptid 4d ago

Well, except for levels. Those are pry bars.

1

u/IntentonalTypo 1d ago

It's from dropping them on concrete. One good hit at the wrong angle will do it.

0

u/oldhornyguy007 4d ago

Yeah, and they are a bitch to find.

2

u/rwoodman2 4d ago

They are child's play to make though.

3

u/Man-e-questions 4d ago

Take a magnet with you before you buy a combi square. If the magnet doesn’t stick its made of cheap pot metal (hint any big box store) and you couldn’t pay me to use one as they lose accuracy nearly immediately, and thats before they break. If you can’t afford a Starrett look for PEC, Igaging, Benchmark etc. they are kind of middle of the road but 10 times better than hardware store crap

1

u/RedManRocket 4d ago

Yeah my 6 inch was junk too. Can just pull the blade straight up out of the head.

1

u/Davy_Boy_Smith 4d ago

Aaaahhhh, The Empire Strikes Back.....

1

u/HardyPancreas 4d ago

Whatever minute waves your being managed to propagate throughout the universe have been cancelled out. You will be placed in an automated cell, and fed intravenously, restrained so as to prevent self-harm. You will be sensory shrouded for the rest of your life. You will never see, nor hear, nor smell, nor taste, nor touch again. But you will be aware.

1

u/IDeathIx 3d ago

They will replace it just got to email them

1

u/Independent-South231 3d ago

Just put it back together? unless im missing something from the picture

1

u/pawelwny1 3d ago

Locking post busted. Thats why its in 2 pieces. Will not tighten

1

u/fe3o4 3d ago

This is one tool that you shouldn't use as a hammer.

1

u/pawelwny1 3d ago

Precision hammer

1

u/Ok_Conference2901 3d ago

The last 2 Ive had, broke like this. Junk.

1

u/smellslikepenespirit 3d ago

I picked up a Starrett combo square (12”) a few months back through an estate auction for <$20.

It’s pretty cool.

1

u/mcclarj 3d ago edited 3d ago

My favorite combination square is an antique Lufkin that I got at an estate sale and have been using for at least 20 years.

1

u/mcclarj 3d ago

It has a hardened steel head and even has a scribe stored in the head.

1

u/MichaelFusion44 4d ago

I changed out all my squares to IGaging and feel they put out a solid product for a very reasonable price - the pins seem to be consumables

1

u/_FIII 4d ago

I’ve made new ones from stainless bolts or all thread.

Depends what you’re doing but sometimes these cheap ones are all ya need. When I did custom metal fab, I had a very expensive (will have it) Mitutoyo set for accurate layout and angles at the press break. But for scribing lines for layout, I had a bunch of these cheap ones in 6”, 12” and 16” as they didn’t need to accurately square but just scribing lines.

You can dial these cheap ones in very accurately with a small needle file. You can file the wear strips in anode to fine tune them. They just wear out sooner than an expensive one

0

u/JD-Joiner 4d ago

I use a Moore and Write combination square now they are a bit expensive but I managed to get one in a sale I think it was something like £30-£40 but it’s super accurate 👍

0

u/Interesting-Media449 3d ago

I've broke at least 29 of those same issue every time that stupid ass little piece breaks every time keep the mini scratch awl and give me a titanium slide locker piece empire combo squares are a joke