Little torch clone

[china]

Hi all
I would like to ask those if any that are using the "smiths little torch" chinese made clone(s) are you
happy with or should I not consider it

[Nick martin]

Id avoid it like the plague personally.

Nick

[trialuser]

I'm using one and I'm happy with it.
People will be wary from the safety aspect, but the Chinese are very good at making things, and there's not actually that much to go wrong with on them.
They probably make the real ones at the other end of the same factory :-)
Don't blame me if it burns your house down though.

[ps_bond]

People will be wary from the safety aspect, but the Chinese are very good at making things, and there's not actually that much to go wrong with on them.

Other than the valves leaking or falling apart, hoses leaking or fittings failing to seal - no, very little.

The Chinese, as a gross generalisation, are indeed good at making some things. However, it's not a good idea to support intellectual property violations (and as jewellers we should be especially aware of that); the original designer needs to recoup the R&D costs amongst other things, while the knock-off manufacturer only needs to recoup the "investment" in copying someone else's work. Supporting the knock-offs makes it progressively more difficult to bring any actual new products to market.

While I hesitate to call it IP theft per se (taking the definition of theft as depriving someone of ownership of goods), it does feel as though something has been taken from you when it happens.

A slightly more complex product:
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/gu...e-rover-evoque

[trialuser]

Other than the valves leaking or falling apart, hoses leaking or fittings failing to seal - no, very little.

..........blah

[/url]

Just like a sievert really then ;-)

[ps_bond]

Yes, but I don't have to speak Mandarin to get a Sievert sorted
(Eller Svenska)

[Nick martin]

I'm in agreement with Peter, and with the rare exception, I think the old saying of 'buy cheap, buy twice' applies to most things.

Personally I never buy knock off copied goods in any form, and jewellery tools are no exception. Considering a torch is potentially a very dangerous item, I reckon it's seriously unwise to buy anything than the legit product primarily on safety grounds, and on a secondary level on quality grounds.

Nick

[china]

thanks for your advice I think I will go with the genuine article, althogh the clone is very tempting with the original being 4 times the price

[paintboxcrafts]

I got mine direct from the US with UK fittings on, cheaper than the UK even if you do get stung by customs, which luckily I didn't.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SMITH-LITT...item2ebbfd2a5b

[enigma]

thats cheap! do you have to buy separate regulators?