You're paying (mostly) for accuracy, a little for name. Depending on
your woodworking, a Starrett could be overkill. It's designed for
metalworking which tends to have much closer tolerances than
woodworking needs. If all you do is frame houses, it's probably not
needed. If you do tight intricate furniture and custom work, it could
be. It would also serve as a nice standard to measure all of your
other squares against.

On Sun, 28 Sep 2003 05:29:07 GMT, "Bob Davis"
wrote:

The local dealer where I've been doing my shopping has a penchant for
carrying absolutely the best hand tools available, no matter what the cost.
My combination square disappeared when we moved overseas last year and I
need to get a new one. So, Lowe's carry's Johnson models for $9-$12 each.
I decided to see what my favorite woodworking store carried. They have
brands like Inca and Starrett. The 12" Starrett combination square sells
for $69.95!!!! Good grief! At that price, it ought to cook breakfast for
me.

What meaningful, measurable difference would I get in a Starrett brand vs.
the Johnson? I believe in paying for quality I can use, but not for just a
famous brand name.

Bob