Where I work we sell Silverline tools, hand as well as power. Absolute crap they are but it's what lots of people want. Fortunately the more discerning customers go for the better quality tools but if we don't cater for the bottom end of the market we get the 'we can get that cheaper elsewhere' brigade. I'm curious to know others opinion of Silverline.
I've bought a few silverline hand tools. I buy them if I see something for a quid. And for a quid or 2 they are good value. The only other alternative at this end of the market is Blackspur and I put these in the pub football league when I bought some flat bits.... had to run the drill in reverse to make it cut.
Arthur
About the same as yours - a rather patchy ragbag of stuff like Draper. There is the odd semi-decent item and an awful lot of rubbish.
As to the 'we can get that cheaper elsewhere' brigade, personally I'd let them go to Arlidldigos and focus on the better margin items and customers.
You must have bought the versions for use in the southern hemisphere.
When replacing a flat roof the membrane supplier offered a roller with=20 extension handle for a few quid, within about 30 seconds of starting to=20 use it the extension handle buckled, and a few minutes later the normal=20 handle broke too, leaving me to finish applying the adhesive holding a=20 metal spike, quality!
The only other silverline tool I own is a sliding bevel, which looks as=20 nasty as it was cheap (=A32), it's orange plastic with a stamped steel=20 blade, but compared to ~=A320 for a rather nicer wood/brass one for a=20 one-off job it did the job adequately.
About the same as Rolson, Blackspur, Blackforge etc.
They really should be forced to use more appropriate names, Shitline, Ruddyuselessson, Blackdayforcraftsmanship etc.
Argos as well eh?
I bought some silverline sabre saw blades to chop some roots.. they work well enough and only cost 60p a blade. Bosch ones may have stayed sharp longer but there is no guarantee for cutting in soil and one blade costs more than a pack of silverline ones.
Never tried the power tools. I have a few of the hand tools. Cheap recip saw blades for green wood are ok. I have a twin spur tank cutter, that was bent from new and feels crap, but it did the one job it was bought for. I do have a hacksaw that is actually reasonably decent, solid construction, easy to adjust and lugs for both straight and 45 degree blade positions.
So in summary, 90% crap, with the occasional bit that is either OK, or cheap enough to be disposable and reasonable value.
Toolstation sell a lot of Silverline stuff, but you don't know its Silverline till you get it.
Bit like a curates egg - good in parts.
I've had a couple of guide clamps, a mini shovel, and a decking board tool which have been great. I have half a dozen of their multi packs - washers, self tappers, e clips, split pins etc which have been a godsend in my line of work.
But I've also had some butt hinge markers and a solder mat which were as much use as a back pocket in a sock.
Having been short on electricity due to a surplus of water in Sheffield I thought I might buy a generator for emergency use/gloating at the neighbours. On discussing specs with my Father he gave me an extra £100 so I would have no excuse for buying a Silverline one.
I have got a Silverline tenon saw which seems to be fine for what I've used it for and have bought one of their 4.5" angle grinders & accessory packs. I haven't used the grinder yet but I'm not expecting it to be of high quality but as I only rarely need such a beast it only has to last a job or
2 to have earned it's keep.This is how I rationalise my tool purchases - if it needs to be a spot on accurate job I'll either buy a quality tool straghtaway (eg my Makita Jigsaw) or wait to do the job until I can afford the appropriate tooling or until Dad visits and I use his kit. If it's a job that rough work won't damage too much (adjusting the occaisional paving slab that may well be replaced later anyway) I'll be happy to buy a cheapey tool to do the job. If I find that the tool breaks through overuse than I may consider buying a quality make next time (as I did replacing a PP cordless with a nice Makita and another PP sander with a PEX400) if I'm not likely to get much more use then I'll just get another cheapey as and when I need it.
I would like to be like Andy and be able to only buy the best everytime but something has to give and so I prefer to spend extra on the tools where ease of use (*) and accuracy show the most. So far this policy has worked for me. It may lead to extra costs in the long run but if it means that I can get jobs done now then it is a cost I'll have to bear.
Cheers
Mark
(*) SWMBO has borrowed the Makita drill/driver and has said that she can feel the difference in use compared to the PP version as it is lighter and easier to control. As such she is converted to spending more when I buy tools and I am converted in allowing her to put up shelves....
I've got a couple of their power tools.
They were cheap enough to be bought for the one job but have ended up lasting hell of a lot longer than anticipated given their price and (lack) quality feel.
One is a sander/polisher and the other a drill mixer so neither of them require much accuracy in what they do. As they were bought for the one job they haven't been treated too well so I guess I'm fairly impressed.
Have had couple of their hand tools. They're cheap as chips and about as durable :(
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.