I haven't seen the Lufkin brand in years, but I've always associated it with quality. Though it changed hands with Cooper in the '60s, and though it's now paired with Crescent and owned by Apex Tool Industries (Bain's tiny little division), the quality aspect has definitely held up, at least based on this tape measure. . The blade is of good caliber, lies a bit flatter than some and has a matte finish that is much easier to hold/mark. The housing is chrome-plated, it lies comfortably in the hand. The blade can be extended over 10 feet without tipping over and the markings conform to common tape measure standards. While I wouldn't necessarily rely on this for wood finishing, there are other measuring tools designed for this purpose that offer greater precision and accuracy. The accuracy of this tape measure is within the line width of a carpenter's pencil, which is my standard for tape measures. The retraction mechanism is strong and smooth, and the overall body geometry is more compact than other 25ft measures I've used. This tape measure now has a permanent place in my tool bag and will be the first thing I turn to both around the house and on field projects.