I have occasionally read of the debate between those who advocate buying the cheapest tool that would do the job, and top-quality tools. Having myself relied upon tools to make my living for some time (a bag full of carefully-chosen electronic and electro-mechanical equipment tools), I have always preferred buying good tools and keeping them for a long time.
My mother-in-law bought my son a handy little tool set from Taiwan ("Alltrade"), handy plastic carrying case, sundry pliers, screwdrivers, a measuring tape, hammer... and a nice, retractable-blade utility knife. I went to pull the knife out yesterday to use, and the plastic case was stronger than the "metal" knife; it crystalized into a bunch of pieces, coming free only as a barely-recognizable collection of parts.
Junk.
My mother-in-law bought my son a handy little tool set from Taiwan ("Alltrade"), handy plastic carrying case, sundry pliers, screwdrivers, a measuring tape, hammer... and a nice, retractable-blade utility knife. I went to pull the knife out yesterday to use, and the plastic case was stronger than the "metal" knife; it crystalized into a bunch of pieces, coming free only as a barely-recognizable collection of parts.
Junk.