Shars and Glacern vises the same??

[ksanalytical]

I looked for a better place to put this with no luck so here it lands simply because I know there are IH owners with Glacern vises.

Has anyone noticed that Shars.com has started selling eerily similar vises to Glacern? I wasn't naive enough to think Glacerns products were American, but I'm surprised they aren't exclusive.

Does anyone have any thoughts on quality based on experience with Shars (I've purchased from Maritool instead based on "perceived" quality). Their prices are certainly a step below Glacern.

http://www.shars.com/products/gallery/8140/

vs.

http://www.glacern.com/gpv_615

Ken

P.S. Anyone else notice also that the Glacern "March Madness Sale" ended just in time for the "Tax Burned Reversal Sale" to begin with even lower prices?

[mactec54]

Hi ksanalytical

You got it Shars is the same vice & at a better price, there tooling is also better than Martitool, I brought a lot of Martitool tooling, because he tells lies he won't get anymore of my business, he told me all of his tooling is made in the USA, it is not, all of his toolholders come from China, & is not as good a quality as the tooling that Shars is selling, Shars are also selling Kurt vices

[Davenco]

Hi mactec54,
I was actually also interested in buying a vise. I cannot decide between buying a glacern vise and a shars vise. Are the two really the same vise? Have you bought both vises and seen no difference?

[TClarke]

Hi mactec54,
I was actually also interested in buying a vise. I cannot decide between buying a glacern vise and a shars vise. Are the two really the same vise? Have you bought both vises and seen no difference?

As of last week, I've seen both in the flesh, as a close friend of mine who often buys vises by the pallet load has both, and they're not the same. They probably look alike because they're both kurt clones, but the glacern has noticeably better build quality. I will see if I can get snap some photos if he hasn't sent the shars vise back already.

Take a look at the attached photo... looks like they glued on a cardboard label and it's coming undone. The pic shows a different model, but I noticed the same problem. Ignoring the superficial flaws, it was still evident that the shars vise isn't made up to the same standards.

[TClarke]

Anyone else notice also that the Glacern "March Madness Sale" ended just in time for the "Tax Burned Reversal Sale" to begin with even lower prices?

IIRC different stuff was on sale last month. They have a list on their site that changes every month.

[BobWarfield]

Glacern tool quality is awesome. Even if they use the same forgings, I would bet on Glacern's Quality Control--the owner is a real stickler.

As for Maritool, they're another great vendor. Mactec, I don't know what you think you heard, where and when, but I've never seen Frank Mari make any such claims. His tooling is great too, but I mostly buy endmills from him.

Nothing wrong with Shars either. I've bought a lot of things from them, and they can be a cut above the usual import stuff. However, Glacern and Maritool are both a further cut above in my experience.

Cheers,

BW

[Runner4404spd]

i will second the kudos for frank Mari. i have used alot of his stuff and its really top notch. it may be true that not all of his tooling is USA made but it is of top notch quality. i haven't used any of the glacern stuff, but really when it comes down to it, i think i would rather have a Kurt anyway. i bought 3 of the 6300 vices and couldn't be happier.

[mactec54]

Hi TClarke

I'm sure there are different model vises that they have, but Shars & Glacern come out of the same factory & the quality is the same for both, amazing what a different name makes

[TClarke]

but Shars & Glacern come out of the same factory

You know this from experience or speculation? Both vises are clones of a Kurt 3600. Of course they'll look the same. What you end up with when you open the box is a different story.

Even if they came from the same source (which I'm sure they don't), based on what I've seen with my own eyes, that would mean that shars gets the factory rejects, hence the lower price. It's also hard to trust their accuracy claims, considering they post similar accuracy specs on their website even with their cheapest vises (which many other members have confirmed to be false).

It has nothing to do with names, it has to do with hard evidence. I've seen both vises. They're not the same.

[mactec54]

BobWarfield

I have more than 40 cat40 holder from Frank at Maritool & only had to send one back for quality problem, He replaced it straight away, the problem I have with him he tells lies as to were his tooling is made, I asked him every time I called him where was his tooling made, he said it was made in USA,His shop in IL, We know now that none of his tooling is made in the USA

[mactec54]

TClarke
I have both so I know what you are saying is incorrect, & I have also the kurt 3600 vices as well that is the reason I put the photo of the 3600 its half the price of what we payed for the Kurt 3600

[Davenco]

Ken, I'm glad you started this thread. I was hoping to get some objective advice as to which vise I should go with. Now it's becoming exceedingly obvious that mactec54 is affiliated with Shars. I don't care if he works there -- I'm suspecting due to constant spamming and broken up English -- or if he's an unsolicited shill, but it's leaving a rather sour taste in my mouth.

Stepping away now...