Copy-Cat Tools

In today's world of online shopping, it can be very difficult to tell the difference between a quality tool and a counterfeit or copy-cat tool. Price can definitely be an indicator of what you should expect, but not always. Weights and dimensions can be completely different even when the product images appear to be the same. (See the example below of our US Made Pro-Tools Manual Roll Bender versus the import with a popular brand name).

As purveyors of fine metalworking tools, we at Trick-Tools are here to help you choose the right equipment for your needs and wade through the tremendous volume of options at your disposal. In this short article, I would like to point out the major differences we have found over the years between these counterfeit tools and the real deal.

1. Copy cat tools are built to look the same but do not perform the same. As a manufacturer, we see the constant improvement and revisions that go into making a tool truly great. This comes from customer feedback and ongoing product use and testing. Copy cat tools are usually impressive in their appearance but lack the close tolerances and final details in manufacturing that affect the finished product and ultimately the quality of work.


2. Copy cat tools usually don't have parts or accessories. No replacement parts is a serious detriment to the lasting value of your purchase. Accessories that can add functionality, help you stay more organized, or just make the tool more customized for your use are usually not on the menu.


3. Copy cat tools are made from inferior materials. We have lots of horror stories here, from porous machine castings to brittle plastic components, to screwdrivers made of such soft metal, they won’t even open a paint can.

We at Trick-Tools understand completely that not every customer requires professional-grade tools and we do our best to offer the best value in all price ranges for every customer type. Manufacturing a quality product in the USA costs more than manufacturing in China or other 3rd world countries and in the end, it is up to you the customer to decide if it matters to you. In an effort to help our customers make an educated decision when spending their hard-earned dollars, we are transparent regarding the origin of all of our tools and have developed our exclusive No-Junk Guarantee. If you have any questions regarding the best tool for your application or even want to know why we don't offer a certain tool or brand, give one of our Solution Specialists a call to discuss in more depth.

Look for this logo on our website when products have a look-alike on the market.