is 'Faithfull' a good brand

Bit of a mixed bag IME. The more builder-sh tools are very robust and well made - my trenching spade for instance. Haven't bought any joiner's tools from them as they looked a bit agricultural - probably fine for rough carpentry, and plenty rugged - but I'd choose Marples tools in preference for joinery work.

I have had Faithfull chisels, lump hammer etc. .... hence my Q. about this

Like most things toolish these days they are Chinese copies of old hand tools. They started off being a bit rough, years ago, but have been getting steadily better. Most tools, even the most expensive, are not usable 'out of the box', they never were, and they all need fettling. Planes need flatting, chisels and plan iron need honing, etc, etc..

I can't believe a Try Square would be anything other than OK. Take a known good square, and, well, check it's square! It might need a little final polishing, if you are into perfection.

R.

Check it agrees with itself both ways round against a straight edge, and it doesn't wobble at the join, if made from separate pieces joined together.

wandering off at a tangent for a mo, is there any way of tightening the traditional carpenters style square?

I have one similar to:

I think you need to treat it like any piece of precision engineering which has been dropped - look for some other use (a door stop wedge?)

I have a 9" Try Square form ScrewFix, it's a good 3mm out if you draw an 8" line. Easily checked by reversing square.

Now I have had it from new ... not been dropped, only when doing some accurate joints has it showed up the problem .... I'll go buy Marples.

The Screwfix one I had looked the same .. but was not 'square' a good 2mm out over the length of blade. No way to adjust it.

Just ordered that Marples one.