Mitutoyo has spent decades developing and improving the digital caliper, and the result is a quality product that people are more than willing to pay for. They're creating value. At the same time, other companies are making alternatives with various levels of price and quality. This provides many options that are less expensive, and are good enough for people who don't want or can't afford the Mitutoyo. These companies are creating value. They're also providing a competitive force that keeps the price of the premium product reasonable. The counterfeiters are creating confusion so the buyer can't tell what they're getting and can't make an informed choice. They're not creating value; they're creating waste. They're also diluting the profit incentive for companies like Mitutoyo to make the next big thing that makes our lives better.

The cheap ones are probably untraceable, so not useable in a commercial shop. The battery lasts a bit less than one year, just preventing you from finishing that project while you go look for a replacement battery. Accuracy is almost the same. Disclaimer: I use the cheap ones, but they cost a lot less since they don't have any fake names. Added a switch to one, so I can turn it off. Another one is in its box, battery out, spare battery nearby. And the third one probably has a dead battery.

Accuracy is not such a simple question. How accurate is it over time and temperature variations as electronic components drift? How accurate is it after experiencing the normal handling and contaminants that get into the device with normal shop use? How will reading be affected by the start of a low battery condition that the product does not warn you about? Even the better quality electronic calipers can have measurement errors if they are not kept very clean, but it will be interesting to learn how lower-cost and counterfeit products compare in this aspect. With counterfeit products, nobody knows who made them, so the manufacturers don't care about what happens 6 months later.

@@Clough42 Well said. Put another way, the counterfeiters are freeloading off the original makers' engineering, product design, package and graphic design, and more importantly their good name.

If you were to buy these knockoffs, you're not saving 60% off the price of Mitutoyo calipers, you're paying $80 or so for a $12 caliper. Just dressed up a bit. And you'll be throwing them away soon enough.

Calipers are not for precision measurement anyway. Micrometers are for precision. When all you need is 'close enough' like in woodworking, the HF calipers work a treat. And if you drop them and step on them? No problem, back to HF to buy another one.

@@MrSloika Precision actually means repeatable, while accurate refers to how close the measurement is to being true. An improperly calibrated and/or zeroed mic will still feed you precisely the wrong number all day. Also, dial or digital - or even vernier! - calipers are mostly way too accurate for woodworking, while being quite adequate for many machining operation and layouts where +/- 0.003" is all that you need.... sometimes even down to +/- 0.001" If you are working on optics, or something similar, by all means, get out your mics... and check their calibration against a standard! Why yes, I have had mics get out of adjustment between uses...

The metal HF calipers are well worth it IMO. I did the same thing to clean them up and have used them nearly every day for at least 2 years. However their digital micrometer is a steaming pile. It was fairly accurate when it first worked but the plastic mechanisms quickly deteriorate and break.

@@chemech I'm not a manufacturer of aerospace components, so I don't need the absolute highest tier of measuring instruments. However, I do appreciate the robustness of steel and do need equipment that is going to consistently be more accurate than "eyeballing" the workpiece. Frankly, I have found my General Tool brand digital caliper to be adequate.

@@MrSloika cheapo mechanical calipers may have a glass lens, may be stainless steel... but they have crusty STAMPED racks and gearing, which will suddenly fail. I threw away all my stainless ones as they broke, then got disgusted and tossed brand new spares. Replaced with import electronic ones that have been good so far.

Had the genuine - original design product been sold at a fair and reasonable price that people could afford - knock-offs would not exist - or at least be at a minimal level -- The fact that CORPORATIONS desire to MAXIMIZE their profits rather than produce quality products and sell at affordable prices is the root of the problem -- Greed and Love of money. The other big problem is the USD - which should - like the F ing Temperature scale and US Imperial measurements should ONLY be used DOMESTICALLY -- The world needs a completely separate currency for International Trade - - The Metric System is a system used for International Trade that North Americans are not intelligent enough and too lazy to wrap their head around - as they cannot count to ten without using their fingers. The US currency is the Metric system - and it is that because the metric system for currency has been made compulsory. The reason why people 'Domestically in General use the modified Imperial system is that it has not been made compulsory for common domestic use. International trade would be difficult with different measurement standards - which is why the Metric System is the international system for weights and measures - including the USA. in 1975 the U.S. passed the Metric Conversion act. U.S. METRIC BOARD P.O BOX 7700 Washington D.C. 20044 2022 was the 47th anniversary of the Metric Conversion Act - which was signed on December 23 - 1975 - by President Gerald R. Ford. The people just do not know that: The USA committed to the metric system in 1875 by signing an international agreement. 'LA CONFÉRENCE DI MÉTRE' in Paris [FRANCE] Signed by M. Ashbourne the U.S. Envoy to France All its units have been defined to the metric standard since then in the USA for Trade and Commerce. Search for 'THE CODE OF LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA' §205b clause (1) states: To designate the metric system of measurement as the preferred system of weights and measures for the United States Trade and Commerce. If North Americans were as smart as they claim - they would instantly abandon Imperial measurements and start working with the metric system on their own without the GOVERNMENT forcing them to do it - But the population as a whole is generally mentally lazy. - Note that there is ONLY one road in the entire USA that is posted in Kilometres and not miles. I know which road it is.

@@andrew_koala2974 the imperial system was from old Europe and the British. Many countries TODAY use mixed units. UK is an example, they do measure longer distances in miles. People that can use mixed units are actually more intelligent, it takes more brain power to convert or have another paradigm for units, just like ppl that are multi lingual.

yeah how dare the customer question your shoddy calibration work 😂 must be mitutoyo's fault 🤣🤣🤣🤣

@@andrew_koala2974 I want some of whatever this guy is smoking.

@@andrew_koala2974 Thanks for the great comment, Stalin

Same reason you don't see @SanDiskCorp thanking people for outing fake SD and USB flash.

They all have a fool proof mechanism and are all equally accurate.

I think AvE did a much more thorough evaluation. Check it out.

Was going to point out the same thing.

No, they are equally accurate. That's why he is staring at fonts and other such nonsense.

I think you missed the point.

And so did you.

There is zero difference in accuracy. The mechanism is simple.

@@LronhoyabembeIt's very very likely that they are entire equal in accuracy. Watch a video on how they work.

Its a fake lol

I won’t know until Thursday!

@@benjaminshaw80 let us know

😂

Hilarious

Well if you can get 5-8x times for that work - why not? But it's for us consumers not to reward these criminals. It's not whether the packaging is accurate, fonts or even the accuracy of the device - it's about not funding criminals - plain and simple. As the channel owner said, if your product is almost or close the original - compete on price. They can't. I bet they make much more money on the fake than on their own brand which is lost in a sea of similar competitors. Here's the simple fact..most people don't need a Mitutoyo..makes you feel better? go ahead...but unless you're working for SpaceX you don't need it. Buy a much cheaper no brand one and move on. I got one. I design and measure in 1/10th of a mm and most probably cut +/-3 mm.

Yep Mit's are smooth as silk, we use the fine points at work and I always loved getting a new pair out of the box so smooth and fine to use, nothing is like a Mit except a well tuned Tesa, they are like glass and hard to find one tuned in Dial caliper..gears are lapped and you cannot feel them mesh

After going through 2 pair of mits because of coolant, I will go with no names or off brands. Yes the Mits were rated for coolant and were fine for a few years before I could not revive them after coolant got in. My regulars are 25 dollar no names that were given to me as a joke. After I disassembled and cleaned them well. Then put them together and calibrated them. They are smooth and read as well as calipers can. Yes some are only worth their scrap metal value, others will do a fine job.

I'm wondering if each size of counterfeit caliper shares the same serial number. Why wouldn't they?

The battery drain on the off brand calipers is terrible. Fine for my shop if you have a few pairs for different grades of work. Gotta have banger tools too. Yeah you Mastercraft, Craftsman, and Princess Auto. ✌ 😃

@@bw1532 Yeah, Amazon are bad for doing that. When a manufacturer puts an item on Amazon they agree to let Amazon use their marketing and sales imagery and IP to sell that product *from any vendor*. So when you click "Mitutoyo" and think that you're going to the Mitutoyo store, you're actually going to Amazon's storefront for Mitutoyo products being sold by anyone. Amazon effectively allow counterfeiters to use manufacturers intellectual property to market and sell counterfeit goods. A favored tactic is to sell the item out of a port-city warehouse in the US for low/zero shipping cost, but then to require returns to China or India at high cost. Amazon will usually step in and refund without the return, but it's hassle. It's always important to look at who the product is actually being shipped from on Amazon. The manufacturer or reputable vendor is ideal. Amazon fulfillment are usually ok too, although I have had them ship me a counterfeit before. (I ordered a quality brand pair of Kevlar shears, they shipped me a two-pack of cheap sewing scissors. The replacement was correct though.)

Amazon and ebay Same sellers sell both places I have purchased quite a few branded items from the above sellers that turned out to be bootlegs Cautions

@@plusblood5101 I did get the Mitutoyo caliper and after a good discussion with the employee at the shop I registered on line with the Mitutoyo web page and with the item number. They authenticated the product by the model number. Like they say; buyer beware !

I too have a 150mm older model with exactly these same differences. On all other points they match with James' description of the genuine article.

I agree, I have a set here at my desk that are only 5 years old and I'm confident are genuine and the certificate has the high print quality but the same T Suzuki QC manager and the Ferrobrite sheet looks very similar to the knock offs shown here so it looks like they've copied them from a few years back. Everything else is a match for the new genuine shown here.

same here too!

same with mine.

Yeah same. I have two contacts etc. but no white writing on label and off centre screw holes. Mine is genuine (all other tells are aligned with your genuine) so I think probably the knock-offs are mimicking an older model. I’ve had the same battery in for the last 5 years

Good eye.

Good Catch. I noticed the spacing between the word "First" and "!" on the ebay version. "First!" vs "First !"

The grind and fit on these were good. I didn't see any differences, and decided to focus on things that were different.

Bruce, any reason why the igaging are your favorite? I use about a dozen different Mitu calipers in my shop, but would love to find a more affordable brand I can hand to employees and clients to borrow.

My older ones have the recessed origin button and when battery is installed it immediately flashes numbers. My battery compartment is different design with no writing. They are about 20yrs old.

@@Hunteratloppshop Hi R&R, The reason I like the iGaging calipers is they have a decent feel and are as accurate as the Mitutoyos. As I said, the biggest problem with most cheap calipers is the grind on the jaws and the iGaging jaws are very flat and parallel. Being that they use the CR2032 battery the battery lasts a long time. Another benefit, if it something that is useful to you, you can get them to measure fractional inches as well. All for a much cheaper price. If I were you I would keep the Mitutoyos for your shop but try the iGaging for the other uses.

@@lofingboy That's interesting. I just checked mine and they do the same thing. I guess its just the older models.

Because if they sell it as the Bang Ding Ow company calipers, they're only worth $12 like the other cheap generics, but if they slap some fake mitutoyo stickers on them, now they're $100 calipers

@@gorak9000 How did Mitutoyo become to be a respected brand? Remember when very, very few people would buy a Japanese car? Look at Japanese cars now. I've got a couple of cheap Fluke instruments made in China that are actual Fluke products. They were made in China for the Chinese market, some leaked outside the border via eBay. Sure maybe some will be fooled into thinking they're getting a real bargain buying a Mitutoyo for $100 but whoever is making these would sell a lot more at $50 and build a reputation for their own brand.

@@robroysyd Well you see a lot of slightly premium-ish (above $12, below let's say $40) priced calipers on Ali which are some seller's or factory direct brand, and by all reason, some or many of these probably share production with these fakes, but might have extra benefits such as better QA etc, if the seller isn't here today gone tomorrow type of deal and actually intend on building their brand - sellers of fakes have no intention of processing customer complaints long term, they rather disappear. I think there is a sort of saturation, there's a lot of these brands, and there's only so much product you can sell that way without access to large distributors and retail. This opens a window for some small operation to order a fake product and make a killing selling it to likely largely unsuspecting buyers. I think a lot of people, maybe hobbyists etc, heard that Mitutoyo is a good brand but they don't know who distributes it legitimately and how much it really costs, so they see and grab and that's it, and they don't have alarm going off in their head because $80 appears expensive enough for a premium tool. They have some recourse if they notice, but that's effort and distress, so they may decide to not care. So i think it's not an either-or situation but an and-situation.

I have a nice Fluke 87 acquired the same way. Sometimes you're just in the right place at the right time.

I was never surprised about ebay, since it is independent sellers, but I was about amazon at first, since I thought that everything was sold my amazon. The independent sellers who use amazon are in some cases just as bad as the ebay sellers. Even bestbuy now has independent sellers, so you need to beware of that too. One of the worst things to buy is SD cards and other memory, where they mislabel them to look like they have a lot more memory than they do.

Yep, that has been a problem in the past, at least. Not sure if it's still a thing, because I don't buy things where authenticity really matters there anymore...

This is one of many reasons I don't shop on Amazon. If I can't buy it directly or from an authorized retailer, I guess I just don't need it that badly.

Yes that definitely happens if the seller chooses to co-mingle items. They can even have Amazon put a label on it. Usually if they come from the closest seller, there will not be an fnsku label on it (the specific seller label they can track) and Amazon just goes by the UPC code. Fakes can be a big problem but if you get one, Amazon will usually make it right. I agree I would be careful and stick to authorized sellers, or Amazon as the seller, for big ticket name brand items.

Have never personally had an issue with ordering commonly-counterfeited items from Amazon (ships from/sold by Amazon), which seems to be common with tools (and even books) nowadays. I didn't know that was a possibility until I just looked it up. Although I am curious if Amazon's items are commingled with the rest of the FBA seller items, and it seems like sellers have to opt-in for commingling to happen. For items worth more than a few hundred dollars or so, I usually just try to purchase them from another known-good vendor if possible (like MSC for tools or B&H for electronics).

@@yellowcrescent At least in some cases, Amazon does co-mingle their inventory with FBA sellers. I have received multiple counterfeit products that were shipped by/sold by Amazon.

Yep cheap calipers will burn batteries.

My genuine 8" Mit. goes for many years on one cell.(I think I'm over 6 years now, infrequent use so that is mostly storage drain. The genuine seiko silver cell that came with it. Silver chemistry works better in low temps btw.)

abt the battery i use put put it out when i donk work... my pov is the auto opening is a stupidity... often u forgot it so it consum for nothing....sry for poor english !!

What difference does it make whether it lasts 3 years on one battery or 1.5 years? The battery is a consumable item. Don't put crap batteries in your instrument and they won't ruin the battery compartment.

Totally agree, who cares if Shars sponsor the channel.

Brymen meters are world class on their own merits.

If I recall, the eevblog meter contains some extra Aussie voodoo for measuring low current accurately.

Go American! Buy Starrett! Big pinch on the wallet but utterly top quality!

True, I believe many people would have their eyes opened to the reality of the counterfeiters!

If these are true indicators of counterfeit products then the Mitutoyo Store on amazon is also selling fake products. I bought a dial caliper from the Mitutoyo store on amazon and some of the packaging "flaws" are present such as line thickness and Serif on the R, but the angle, logo (snowman) and color are all correct or I should say they match what he is saying above.

- Genuine LCDs are light gray background, vs. greenish

No they wouldnt, because what they are actually stealing is the money Mitutoyo as spent developing their reputation as well as the money they spend manufacturing high quality instruments. They might make a good product but no one will know them.

Yes at 15:12 the mitutoyo logo just above the battery is missing from the fake. Also note that Clough doesnt notice this.

Tools are never status symbols... They are lifestyle symbols 😋

Notice the fake ones do not really spell absolute..... an attempt to avoid prosecution ? ABS ( like the plastic ) then the big Olute

This seems to have the same circuit boards as cheap calipers. They don't really power off, only the screen goes off.

Meticulous until it comes to writing in English lol

I would point out that many of the mitutoyo are IP rated and coolant safe. My favourite chap brand are igaging and their cheap ones aren't coolant resistant. They do a more expensive version that is, but not at a discount over the mitutoyo... I think it's useful to have lots of calipers.. get a few decent low cost options and keep the mitutoyo for when you need to do inspection quality work?

I agree. This guy inherited some money. He's got expensive toys.

I don't mind investing in expensive tools. When I quit my job, they go with me. I think my 9 to 5 boss would like these calipers. It complements his cheap Chinese lathe.

Oh, not all all cheap calipers are good. I have some I got at Aldi and they’re unusable. Aside from the ludicrous battery consumption, they skip readings, so eventually you’ll be off by some multiple of 0.2” (5.08mm). Easy to spot when you’re measuring something half that size, but not at all obvious when you’re measuring something 3” across. Screwed me over more than once.

Yes capacative sort of Big Clive tokk some apart a couple of times so did somebody else about 5 years ago. The calipers had similar to vernier fingers so that as they slide to measure - only 1 pair of fingers align perfectly. But I believe it was Clive that suggested they were using capacitave coupling to couple a transmit oscilator to a receiving finger and scanning the fingers for max signal to equate to a lookup table. However they were surprisingly accurate when re-assembled even with parts missing and glued strips pealed off. Somebody copied the scale to cad and made an extrapolated pcb about 2 feet long and it worked properly in the ripof calipers.

Or in worst case they might use a potentiometer (variable resistor). Optical shaft encoders, using infrared light pulse as it rotates or slides. I don't know if they could get ten thousandths or finer accuracy though.

@@ElectricBillAlbright Nah resistive sensing is just not a thing. $3 calipers (the plastic 0.1mm ones) are already capacitive, once you have an ASIC, and they do, shared across all these brands and models and manufacturers, that's just cheap, and does the job. Optical isn't cheap, finicky to get the process right. All they need for capacitive is two PCBs (flex under the scale sticker and rigid for the toolhead) and a gloptop ASIC, and the PCB quality they do is bloody filthy and they're still getting away with it, kinda works. Holy shit that resist application and via termination, it's beyond terrible. And yet it works.

An accuracy comparison would be better able to quash the desire for the knockoffs if that's the goal here. Being able to show functional differences and deficiencies along with the more readily identifiable differences like fonts and packaging tints would convince the majority of the viewers to avoid making the wrong decision.

I was going to mention the QR codes. My phone was able to read the QR codes on the two genuine Mitutoyo off the screen and it was the three lines of identification: Code#, Model#, and Serial#. The QR codes on the fakes not only are muddy and unreadable, but they appear to be identical. I'm at work so I don't have access to my Mitutoyo for me to check the QR code. And, I can't check my coworker's Mitutoyo because the calibration sticker (it gets an annual 17025 calibration unlike my personal one) covers the QR code.

Yes, I noticed the riveted retaining plate as early as the initial picture at the start of the video.

So true but it confirmed my second hand ones are genuine!

True, but they are basically too lazy to correct even obvious errors. Clearly, they take an existing caliper design and dress it up with a PCB and casing that mimics a Mitutoyo and call it job-done. They could easily make near-perfect copies, but that would take more time & effort and "profit" is the absolute motivator here and it -always- wins.

Real Miyutoyo's don't turn on automatically

Good advice, I'll use that!

Mine, real, won't turn on automatically.

The Mitutoyo IP67 coolant proof ones turn on automatically. Also a lot of other brands will turn on automatically.

The Mitutoyo IP67 coolant proof ones turn on automatically. Also a lot of other brands will turn on automatically.

It's an interesting philosophical theory. for instance, in China - the VW GOLF was copied - and numerous improvements were made to the original VW design - INCLUDING - style changes - that motoring magazine editors themself described the Chinese knock-off as a more appealing car. I have phoyos of then - and I agree. The second point is that U.S. CORPORATIONS -often with the assistance of the CORPORATE GOVERNMENT in the District of Corruption have stolen ideas and designs of foreign manufacturers such as the U.K and Russia. - having acquired Russian technologies - and paid peanuts - when the SOVIET STATE was broken up - not to mention that the APOLLO rockets were purchased from Russia - The U.S. was unable to produce a rocket small enough with the same thrust as the Russian rocket - and the U.S. COPIED - YES - copied it. U.S. CORPORATIONS are among the biggest pirates in the world. Calling out others is the pot calling the kettle black. U.S. CORPORATIONS ARE Hypocrites. The other point is that China has more honors students than the USA has 'students' when information is free flowing - one has the advantage if a global collective educated - genius mind - that is able to improve technologies and various products much more rapidly - and surely that can only be more beneficial for everyone in the world and not just a handful of greedy self-centered CORPORATE criminals whose hands tremble when donating a dollar or two - such is their greed -- and what they donate is not without conditions or some indirect economical advantage to the donor. The moral objective is to create and build for the benefit of ManKind - the developers wil STILL make some financial gain from it. The thing to remember here is. "One cannot make ALL the money in the world ' 'One can only make some of it' You cannot take your money with you when you die - you can only take someone else's.

There are many sellers, and they're getting shut down and new ones are popping up. I ordered from two different sellers in two different states, but both came from the same address in California.

@@Clough42 James, that address might be a clue to shutting the scam down. If the items were shipped by ordinary mail, file a report with the inspectors of the U.S.P.S.

@@Clough42 BTW -- the QR code on the genuine one says: 500-195-30 CD-4"ASX B22148743 , which matches the data written in text on the back. The fake one is unreadable.

Same for me too. Don't have any problem with there being cheap basic calipers but strongly object when they are freeloading onto a reputable brand's market reputation.

I buy cheap ones when I need something quick and I'm away from my shop... and then, usually within days, get fed up with them (doesn't operate smoothly, jaws not machined well... whatever) and order a real one. A cheap digital caliper ends up being less useful to me than a $50 real Mitsutoyo vernier scale caliper.

I noticed several more details while editing, too. At first glance, they're actually pretty good.