tobydeemer

Hello all, first post here...

This thread caught my eye as I'm considering a tool kit to expand on what I already own. I was looking at the Spin Doctor kit, a similar one from Price Point branded as Sette Torx, and a Nashbar kit.

I'm sure this topic comes up a lot, so I'm sorry. But any input or feedback on these brands would be helpful.

kenhill3

Different steel alloys resist rust differently. The Spin Doctor cutter may be pure mild steel which rusts almost as soon as you touch it.

The chain tool appears to be aluminum alloy which would be why the wimpy thing bent. Alu. alloy not a good choice except for emergency trail repair.

I would ask for my $$$ back and spend it on something better. If they don't it is surely a sign that customer satisfaction doesn't mean ***** to them. JMHO.

kendall

two months is NOT a long time for a tool to develope rust spots.
Ironically, rust spots are a sign of someone who is actually taking care of the tools by wiping them down too cleanly after use. any bare steel will develope rust when exposed to air, some types are more resistant than others, but doesn't mean the steel is cheaper.

Ken.

mr handy

Depending on the level of temper on the cutters, they may need to be sharpened periodically. Every tool will eventually dull and need to be sharpened. I am a woodworker and have a lot of chisels and saws that require extra care to keep them from rusting, however they are some of the best tools available.

I would think however that a cable cutter would be tempered properly in order to maintain its edge for several cutting jobs, as long as it is used properly. this sounds to me like a case of simple poor quality control.

DasProfezzional

dwoloz,

There are several possible explanations for different issues you're having here. I worked at a Performance shop until about a month and a half ago, and was a very attentive employee. One thing I noticed right off the bat is that the both the cable cutter and chain tool you have were discontinued (and upgraded) months before I left the store. I remember this because it caused an enormous inventory problem. The current models are very clearly different, and, like I said, have been around for quite a while:

https://www.performancebike.com/shop/...slisearch=true

and

https://www.performancebike.com/shop/...slisearch=true

The second big thing is, and this is rather unequivocal, if you used the inner tines to straighten a pin, and got that result, you used your tool wrong. They might not be as strong as the Park ones, but if you don't line up the driver with the pin the tool won't take it. You see the same feature on Park models, and they will bend if used improperly, too. And the body is steel, not aluminum.

You might have just bought old stock off the shelf, or you might have bought the tools much more than 2 months ago and don't remember it. But they're more than 2 months old, one way or another. Granted, the Spin Doctor tools aren't anywhere near as nice or thought-out as the Park ones, but that's not to say they won't get the job done.

Landgolier

Agreed that cable cutters are a bad place to skimp, but I've never seen a spin doctor tool that was worse than its park equivalent. Park makes a lot of good stuff and a lot of junk. Looks like Performance stopped carrying the lifu crank puller, that was one of the best home mechanic tools in the world, it did about 6 things and didn't suck at any of them.

You say that steel should be pre-coated if it's going to rust, often it is but with stuff that rubs off quickly. If they sold tools properly oiled the shops would be a dirty mess and they'd smell like a refinery. Once tools are in use they need to be maintained. The cable cutters may be mild steel, but the bolt may not have been tight enough as well, that's usually how stuff ends up slipping in between the shearing blades. Again, they may be crap, but there's also room for operator error.

DMF 

Bottom line on all this:

Iowegian

I have the same Spin Doctor cable cutter and have recently started getting frayed cables as well. My solution is that I now use the SD cutter only for cutting housing and use an old smaller cutter for cables. The old cutter has an opposing V-shaped opening and does a nice job on the inner wires but isn't really big enough or shaped right to cut housing. The Spin Doctor cutter does a great job on the housing but must be getting a bit dull since it is now fraying inner wires.

bigbossman 

I had a Park cable cutter that started cutting ragged, and I fixed it by tightening the pivot bolt just a hair. It now cuts cleanly again.

You might try that - they seem to get out of adjustment sometimes.

That being said, Performance has an awesome return policy. Bring 'em back to the store and I'll bet they'll give you new ones.

DasProfezzional

Seriously. Buy a Park tool, use it for two months, decide it's broken, and then see if they take it back. Methinks they won't.

Performance sucks sometimes. Working there sucked even more of the time. The company is run by people who don't ride bicycles and know nothing about them. But if you know about bikes, and aren't looking to drop four gee's on a custom, handbuilt frameset (or really, even if you are,) you have no reason not to shop at Performance. If you used a seatpost for a year, broke it, took a crap inside it, and told us it was sold to you that way, we'd still probably give you a refund.

sch

Oil and grease used on bikes is not the type prone to 'self combust'. It is prudent to
place them in a metal closed container but not necessary. Self combusting oils are
mostly used in paints and varnishes are heat generating because they polymerize
with exposure to air and the chemical reaction is thermogenic. Lubricating oils and
greases do not do this unless subject to refinery conditions. Oils and greases used
as lubricants or cleaners are of course flammable and prudent disposal and storage
is needed but they must be lit off, and cannot do it without exposure to flame or
ignition temperatures. Gasoline and other very volatile solvents can generate
formidable house destroying fireball explosions if used indoors but are not in the
oils and grease category and should never be used as solvents or cleaning agents
especially indoors.

kenhill3

You are correct. Junk goes in the garbage or to the recycler.

Spin Doctor tools are low usage consumer items.

Yield

Yesterday I received my 4-in-1 headset wrench for my Trek. It's more than enough of a tool for what I need. I have two bikes and only one of them has a threaded headset. It's my beater and it doesn't get many miles put on it. I'll probably take the headset apart once a year, so why should I spend double the price for half of the tool that I'm only going to use once in a blue moon?

I don't have any problem at all spending quality money on quality tools, components, and accessories (bike related or not) but only if I'm going to use them on a regular basis. If it's something that I'm not going to use very often I am going to get something less expensive. Less expensive does not always equal junk. I also just got a Sette Torx whip and a cassette remover from Price Point and I have no doubt that they will last a very long time, even though they'll get used more than the SD headset wrench.

ludeboy_77

I know everone here hates Wd-40, but it works really well when cleaning up tools, even ones that have already rusted. I do not have one rusty tool in my roll away.