Header banner
Revain logoHome Page
Chris Anderson photo
1 Level
822 Review
33 Karma

Review on ๐Ÿ”ง Park Tool SBC-1: Accurate Spoke, Bearing, and Cotter Gauge for Ultimate Precision by Chris Anderson

Revainrating 3 out of 5

Poor embossing quality and legibility

I've been a cyclist for almost 40 years with a decent home business. I have always bought Park Tools for the items I know I will use more than once. Make no mistake, Park Tools IS the benchmark for bike tools. However, some items are better than others, this is an example. The quality of the ruler is satisfactory at best, and the quality of the embossing is the biggest issue. The pin holes are notched, and the corners of the ruler are sharp and slightly deformed. The entire line has a sharp burr from the punching process on the "exit side" of the die. Disappointed with this, but for the casual home user these are workarounds, for everyday professional shopping it quickly becomes annoying. The second problem is readability. The blue anodizing gives the instrument the signature Park color but makes the markings difficult to read when the lighting is wrong. The photos in the ad were taken in just the right lighting, don't expect this when used in the real world. My workaround for this was to apply a coat of Rub&Buff Metallic wax. After application and polishing, the indicators became more visible.

Pros
  • Durable finish
Cons
  • Damaged