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Mitutoyo or Brown & Sharpe

Tony1320 said:
I was about to order Mitutoyo digital calipers but after doing some research here on which model to buy I seen Brown and Sharpe recommended a lot.

Would you buy Mitutoyo or Brown & Sharpe digital calipers for general reloading? I don't need coolant proof

I'm looking at these

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00J5I42A2/

https://www.amazon.ca/Mitutoyo-500-196-30-Advanced-Measuring-Resolution/dp/B00IG46NL2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=25FRFZGHM4FVS&keywords=mitutoyo+500-196-30&qid=1572743042&sprefix=mitutoyo+,aps,166&sr=8-1
Click to expand...
Yes
 
Tim Singleton said:
Be careful buying either from Amazon Chinese knockoffs on there

They will refund your money if you file a claim. That still doesn't get you the tool you wanted
Order from MSC or somewhere
Click to expand...

Is this an issue if the seller is the Manufacturer and not a reseller?
 
Last edited:
I own and use an older set of mititoyos. There is a huge knock off market. They are both quality but I believe your chances are better of getting what you think your getting with the browns.
 
I wouldn’t unless I had a good set of dial calipers first. Mit, Star, B&S are all great.

THEN I might get a digital. Same discussion on brands.
 
Order it from a reputable dealer in machine tool supply, like MSC or others. Avoids the counterfeiters and you know you’ve got the real deal.

Even Mit is now producing an economy caliper built in China. Buy Japanese, American or European made preferably. Not that the Chinese are bad, but the quality is less spotty.

in general order of preferability:
Starrett, Brown and Sharp, Mitutoyo (Japanese).
Fowler, SPC, Helios.
“Off brand” European or Japanese
Chinese made including “Chinese” Mitutoyo.
 
i have Mitos, B&S, Fowler, Craftsman, Neiko and a few others, both analog and digital. For around the shop, I usually find myself running the $20 Neikos....why? Cause the dang things are accurate, have taken a beating over the years, and still keep working, so I keep my "good" ones (ie, expensive) ones in the tool box. I did a video recently and posted it on my FB page running the el cheapos against the high dollar calipers using my very old, but still looking new, Jo-Blocks. The $20 Neikos read exactly the same as my high dollar ones. Now, when I am working on something in the shop with tight tolerances and I just want to be super sure, yeah, i can break out the other ones, but for general reloading, if the Neikos aint getting it done, I am really curious as to what one might be loading that requires something more than that.
That all being said, I DO have a bit more pride, I guess, in some of the more expensive tools that I own. So, if you got the $$ to spare, and want the mack daddy o' tools, go for it. If you want something that works, without breaking the bank, the Neikos are worth more than the $20 or so bucks that they cost. My 2 cents.......that aint worth a penny.
 
Donovan was spot on as always^^. I have the most expensive tools there are- etalon, federal-mahr, b&s, etc. i find myself using a 4”, .200/rev mitutoyo caliper 99% of the time. I have grown to hate the digitals i have because they have that rediculous tenth digit on there. You dont measure to the tenth with calipers (at least if you actually know what a tenth really is you dont)
 
I think capitalism works and either is likely to satisfy for many years. Then again when in doubt I buy from Brownell's. Their trade prices are good enough and their guarantee - unlike Amazon's - is great.

My own choice for digital is a pair of Starrett, machinist's milk and Data Myte compatible and made in the USA. A case of two is one and one is none. Some Starrett is made in the US and some isn't. I pay extra for made in the US OR I buy economy.

For no reason that I can justify I think Mitutoyo is the prime choice for dial but behind American made Starrett for digital.

Like many others for keeping them handy I like cheaper, made who knows where, with a reputable brand name label who mostly contracted them not made them.

I had the greatest respect for Brown & Sharpe when I was young and the company was an American innovator in Rhode Island.

A long strike eventually followed by a foreign - Hexagon AB - buy out of all the intellectual property but not the Rhode Island plant means that the products are made in Europe at best and who knows where at worst.

For this reason I no longer consider the Brown and Sharpe name by itself a guarantee of much of anything on my bench though the industrial products from Hexagon AB have a good reputation.
 
Some of the better cheap Chinese digital calipers seem every bit as good as Mitutoyo calipers of 20 years ago.

They are also cheaper than dial calipers so it hurts less if you drop a pair.

If you need more precision than Mitutoyo of 20 years ago, spend on fancy stuff with calibration certificates from a good metrology lab. If not, buy cheap, buy spares and buy stuff like Hornady bullet comparators, an OAL gauge with modified cases, a ball micrometer, small hole gauges, a borescope, etc.

There is plenty of stuff to spend money on even if you buy value tools instead of expensive brand name stuff.
 
l've used a yellow plastic Craftsman caliper about 40 yrs that still works great. Then l got a fancy digital Mitutoyo about 10 yrs back. The price was right too.. FREE... lt works great too. No batteries to replace with the Craftsman either!!
 
the Mitutoyo absolute IP67 are very good cals..the Mitutoyo absolute are not on par with them.as far as smoothness..like gold and silver..B&S are very smooth not as much as the IP67 mits..I handle them everyday at work I prefer the Mit IP67 absolute..very smooth very tough cals and they repeat well..
 
A old machinist friend advised me to go "Mitutoyo or better if you want good stuff".

His personal ranking was---Brown & Sharpe, Starrett and Mitutoyo----and he has some of all.

He is very careful to protect his Swiss Made B&S tools.

We have plenty of good choices.

A. Weldy
 
Tim Singleton said:
Be careful buying either from Amazon Chinese knockoffs on there

They will refund your money if you file a claim. That still doesn't get you the tool you wanted
Order from MSC or somewhere
Click to expand...

I have the Mitutoyo digital with origin, but I don't recall paying over a Franklin for them, so they must be Chinese knock-offs. They are not consistent, especially in the 3 to 4 inch range. I don't recall where I bought them, but I'm in the market for a new pair.

As always, some valuable information here. You guys are great!
 
As a full time machinist and now a instructor I have a soft spot for B&S. That said I use Mit Mike's and Starrett calipers. I actually tried to trade another student my Starrett digi calipers for his Mits. I just liked the feel of em. Cant go wrong with either.
I run MIT vernier calipers exclusively. They just feel better to me. They have the right tension.
 
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