What the hell happened to Stanley tape measures?

I've got two of them and they are both cheap junk nowadays. The tape is too thin and twists and breaks if you put out more than about two feet, and the damn things don't retract worth a crap.

Used to be you could put out about 8-10 feet of tape and it was good and rigid. And, you'd have to make sure your fingers were clear when it rolled back up or it'd take a chunk of meat out of them.

Can I still get a good quality tape measure anywhere or are all of them cheap junk anymore?

Stanley Black & Decker is the result of the merger of Stanley Works and Black & Decker on March 12, 2010

I have a few years old Stanley 16' that still does pretty well but all my newer tapes of different brands have some kind of issue.

I have two different ones that the blade lock stopped holding the blade out on after only a few days use. Pull it out across something for laying out and it won't f'ing stay out when the lock is engaged... and no adjustment on it of course.

All tool makers seem to be concerned only with investing in making transformer style cheap plastic with overmolded rubber accent tacti-cool looking stuff for the home gamers. They ain't shit for work but that look cool as hell sitting on the workbench! Just look at the cordless tools they produce now.

Check this one out.........

30ft Magnetic Tape Measure

Matte finish
Yellow on one side, white on the other
Easy to read
Not too cluttered
Magnetic tip
Finger stop slot

Kinda large but I like it.

The FatMaxx ones are good to go, the lower tier models are lower tier models and are crap.

quote:

I have a few years old Stanley 16' that still does pretty well but all my newer tapes of different brands have some kind of issue.

My 16" Stanley is still my favorite tape. I have no idea how old is, it doesn't lock, it's really not long enough, it's a relative narrow tape, etc...all things I should hate. But, on the back side of the tape is a fairly complete set of construction reference data that covers actual sizes of dimension lumber, weights, quantities (e.g., how many 16d nails in a pound), etc. The tape goes back to the days when you could buy a replacement tape if needed and just keep reusing the case. However, those days are gone and even the replacement tapes that were available before they phased out the replacement option did not have the weights & measures data on the back. I don't use it as much these days as I'd hate for anything to happen to it but it will probably be one of my all-time favorites. Re the "new" ones, I'm still fairly satisfied with the Stanleys, especially the Fat Max line, even though they are a hand full.

I started working construction in 1975 and back then you could buy a Stanley tape and if it broke you just took it into a store that sold Stanley tapes and exchanged it for a new one...no questions asked.
Back then it was either Stanley or Lufkin tapes and they lasted a long time.

Agree with Fatmax suggested above. Also have a Wurth tape measure that is metric/standard. Both have their uses and hold up well. I'm gonna pickup another 2 pack of Fatmax tapes since I'm finishing my window install project and keep spending too much time looking for the damn tape measure. Thanks for the reminder....

FatMax is good, and I've also had good success with Dewalt tapes from HD.

I like the Milwaukee tape measures.

I have a Kobalt tape measure that I bought 10 years ago or more, and just recently bought a 25 ft Dewalt. The Dewalt has three rivets holding the end catchy thing on and a very strong spring and locking mechanism. Both very good tape measures.

Starrett are what I use

Tommy Silva says get a good quality 25' tape measure.

Now if there was only some way to make the lines and the numbers bigger....

When I dropped my older 35' Stanley off a roof, I picked up a 35' Stanley Fat Max, it's a fairly good measure.

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
Starrett are what I use

I didn't realize Starrett made tape measures. I might have to pick one up.

I have a couple of special-purpose tapes from BMI, a German company, that are very good. They make "normal" tapes that look very good but I haven't actually bought one yet.

quote:

Starrett are what I use

Didn't know Starrett made tape measures. I use their combination squares.

I measure windows for custom shutters professionally and the FatMax 25' is the best tool for the job.

I use the magnetic model that catches the corner bead under the sheetrock. Works great.

If they made a 16' magnetic it would be the perfect tape for me. Sadly they don't.

Thanks for the suggestions folks. Heading in to Lowes tomorrow, so I'll check out a few of those listed.

quote:

Originally posted by SummersAtTheLake:
I started working construction in 1975

I predate that just a little...
When I started we used these... and I was always amazed at how fast some of the guys could open and close them. I'm talking hand faster than the eye fast!