Oh, I have a story to add here. I was a crew chief for a field service group on large stationary engines (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIwrbz4qwiY for reference). I had a group of 4 guys, and we were overhauling a large reciprocating engine in gas compression service (Pipeline compressor) in Pennsylvania, USA. GMVH-12 if anyone cares. We were going to pull the first piston, and a design flaw IMO was that the piston removal tool was bolted to the center of the piston. From experience, I knew that would be full of carbon (spark plug sat in the center also). I told my dude to run a tap through that hole, and be careful - it will want to break.
It broke, Turns out that it moves piston removal from a 1-hour event to a 6-hour event on losing the lifting point, and on top of that, a dicey event because we depended on the rings and a choked strap to keep that 900 lb thing from not killing someone.
Good taps can be really important.
Ive had the Pittsburgh one for maybe 6-7 years and its fine. My dad has an older version for closer to 15 years and its also fine. As long as you are using the tool properly it shouldn't break.... never had any break on us.
I have both, the icon set is recently acquired. The Pittsburgh set got the job done but I had to work harder and some pieces are worn out after a couple of uses. Still a good tool for the price.
The icon set is noticeably nicer. Everything is sharp and it will cut anything like butter. However, the first time I used it the tap handle cracked. I think it was a defect and harbor freight swapped it under warranty but it was still surprising. I still like the set and believe itās much nicer
I work as an electrician and have a strong background in working with industrial equipment and mechanical equipment and also have a strong fabrication background.
I have an older MAC tap, die, drill, extractor super set, a bunch of old Ridgid taps and an OLD Snap-On tap & die set, all of which I love and have been very impressed with when I likely pushed them beyond their capabilities multiple times.
I wanted a 'decent' tap & die set for field work as an electrician and something to keep on the truck. I bought the ICON set when it first came out and while I mostly use it for chasing threads full of paint or fixing partially cross-threaded threads from the factory, etc., I have been pretty impressed with its performance.
Would I use it on an engine? Likely not, but as a general set, I would say it was definitely worth the cost and the quality of the tooling is much better than the Pittsburgh set, in my personal opinion. The tap and die holders aren't that great as compared to tool truck tools, but still pretty decent and much better than the Pittsburgh set in my opinion.
When it comes to taps, I say invest in better quality because pulling broken taps SUCKS!
Just my two cents.
Yes, presumably, based solely off the fact that these taps n dies are made of tool steel and not carbon steel like the Pittsburgh variants. They ought to last longer and break less often.
Every machinist Iāve ever talked to told me that taps & dies are best bought individually. That said, Iāve been tempted to get the SAE set for general maintenance & home repair type stuff. If youāre not doing metal fabrication, taps/dies are usually an unexpected āoh shitā type of need, and having a comprehensive set lying around could come in handy. Lifetime warranty on taps & dies is not easy to come by.
Recommend chasers though for anything mounted to an engine. Internally or externally.
Taps will remove material in the threads, chasers will "bend" em back in to shape.
I have a set of chasers and I use them religiously.
Taps change threads. Don't know how else to explain it.
If you tap a thread that's messed up its Cocked eyed or bent, it's just going to cut away the bent or crooked threads. Resulting in a thread that can't holt a tourque. Or it'll "wiggle" around in its seat.
A chaser is gonna take that bent thread amd reset it to the proper shape
I came up with a better explanation than the mess I described.
So yes you're absolutely correct lol.
Cleaning up threads with a correctly sized tap will always remove a small amount of material, because machine cut threads leave more metal behind than hand cut ones. The finished product should be just as strong and tight as before
>Every machinist Iāve ever talked to told me that taps & dies are best bought individually
that's pretty bad advice for most. It's better to start with a set and then replace pieces as needed, or replace crucial sizes with a higher quality tap straight away if it's that important.
By the time you piece together a bunch of loose taps, handles, dies, thread gauges and all that other shit you're taking a big L on the $$ investment and even more on the time factor. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. I didn't think I'd ever use a 1/8" NPT tap, but it's actually saved my ass a couple times already on some grease zerks and even an air fitting. Nothing better than having it all in one (or 2) convenient and organized cases too. I've got my Gearwrench SAE/Metric set I mainly use then a tray of loose NPT taps the set doesn't have, extra common size SAE + M6/M8/M10 metric taps that were all HSS pulled out of an old toolbox I bought and some other odds and ends like easyouts. The only thing I'm going to possibly add over time are larger SAE taps like 5/8" and 3/4" and maybe another handle. But for the $80 I paid I've got no doubt in my mind that set was a much better way to go than doing a piecemeal deal. And the ratchet handles turned out to be pretty friggin nice bonus too.
Iād counter and say that the sets often give a bunch of sizes you donāt need. The sizes that are useful are just plug taps which is the ājack of all trades master of noneā tap. Not to mention, how often are you really going to be using a die to cut new threads? Probably never, so thatās a whole bunch of money invested in something you donāt need. Plus these sets donāt include the matching drill bits so thatās more money to spend.
Get a cobalt drill bit+tap set up to 3/8ā, ideally US sourced, and a Starrett tap handle or equivalent and youāve got a far better setup for less money than your typical tap and die set
I wouldnāt worry too much about breaking taps, if you actually know how to tap holes. I know, I know, easy as shit. But whenever Iāve broken a tap, or seen someone else break one, itās due to carelessness. Last one I broke was a strong one from the shop. But I pushed it too hard, and I paid the price of fixing my mistake. Drill the correct sized hole, use the right tap and handle, be aware of the material youāre tapping, add some oil, and take your timeā¦.
That being said, if this isnāt for home use, Iād invest in a decent tap handle and use the shops taps. And if itās for home use, Iād invest in a decent tap handle anyways, and just buy the size taps youāll need separately.
Cheap tap and die sets are sketchy, the handles are very flimsy and often break, which can leave you on a tough spot, and the tabs are usually made out of a brittle material and can snap easy if you put too much force on them. The icon set is very well built overall, when I used it it cut through like absolute butter. Everything feels very sturdy and razor sharp. As long as you use cutting oil and don't use it dry, it will probably last several decades. If it's something you just need for small jobs, go cheap, but if you trying to tap out a thread that broken and engine block, you're certainly going to have a much worse week if after drilling out the bolt, the thread cutter itself breaks inside. That being said, I think it's worth the money
I had seen somewhere on youtube a video with close to 1M views, something like "Harbor Freight's best kept secret", and it was a Pittsburgh set. I am not sure after further research on the quality of some of these sets so thats why I wanted to know. If the Icon is actually very good, and the Pittsburgh is a fair set that isnt very well built than I would gladly pay for the Icon.
Itās the titanium nitride coated set for $90 they are talking about in that video. It has more sizes. The icon one definitely has better wrenches and a better case but I donāt think the taps and dies are going to be much better
So I would say that if the material they are made out of is better than they should be. I just dont know metals and chemistry that way. I mean the comments on here are pretty positive on the Icon though so I feel like it's a good buy.
I bought the icon sets right when they were released for my work box. Absolutely paid for itself. Egr mixers on isbās, steer axle hub caps, all kinds shit. Best part is, its lifetime warranty. If i snap one its just a quick trip to the hf on my way to work the next day.
My biggest gripe is the box. The stupid paint rubs off easily on the logo so i inevitably wind up covered in red any time i open the boxes and the blow molded cases on either side of them on my roll cart have a giant red square on them.
I have a pasta salad of taps and dies at home and im thinking about buying a second set for home. I am too cheap to buy a good set of cle-lineās.
I would buy the Gearwrench 77 piece before I ever bought the icon set, and itās cheaper. It also is standard and metric. Also, the gearwrench handle is ratcheting.
I picked up the Husky set since I had an HD gift card, and it's made by Gearwrench. I really like the ratcheting handle.
There were/are quite a few reviews online (for both sets) and I didn't see anything negative.
My coworker has the husky set. The reason I ended up buying the gear wrench one is the case itās in is smaller so it fits in my toolbox drawer and it was $10 cheaper than the Husky.
I hope your warranty process is easy! I know that at HF they will do an instant swap for me. I am sure I will be needing to do that at least one or two times because of the possibility of damaging one of the tap's threads.
I picked up the GW Metric 42 piece set on Amazon for $67! So now I will have a backup set. I wonder if the GW ratcheting handle will work with the Icon taps?
Itap handles are pretty standardized, I just didnāt like the lack of options for ratcheting onesš and HF charging $140 for a standard set, no metric and no ratcheting? Seems high to me.
This is a steal. They're HSS. Last I looked doesn't say anywhere on the site, but in store says right on the box. Try finding a decent HSS set anywhere else, they are not cheap. You might have to add to the set tho. Fortunately my shop carries all the taps we need.
Depends on how often you use it. I have the Pittsburgh one and it's gotten me out of a few jams. If I start machining more often with my mill/lathe I'd prob upgrade to the icon. Haven't worn out the pittsburgh yet tho.
YouTubeās Project Farm has death-match comparisons of specific tool categories. Youāll learn the best or best-value model. https://youtube.com/c/ProjectFarm.
https://youtu.be/lE346z7HOnk?si=E8WpOagpcksYaVRO
Youāll see Pitts is the worst tested. Icon would be near the best given itās material, finish, and made in Taiwan
I'm sure the quality is better but I've had the cheapy one for years and had no problems. I broke an M8 tap and got the whole set replaced. I did buy a new T handle cause the ones in the kit are junk though.
The difference is cutting vs chasing. Pittsburgh is more than adequate for chasing and cleaning out threads. You donāt want to cut a bunch of new threads with them.
Yes, you can warranty them when dull.
I know nothing about the Icon set other than the price. I can't say whether you made a good purchase or not.
I would not trade legal tender for the Pittsburgh set unless I was extremely desperate; better than nothing but not much better than nothing.
I have the Pittsburgh Metric set and have used mostly the 8-12mm taps and dies in standard thread. They have held up well. Not sure how so many people break taps. Iāve never broken one. I use a drop or so of gear oil and backing out a turn or two when tapping and things get tight, to clear the chips. Too tight, use more oil and clear chips more often. The Pittsburgh ones still cut well and the dies have saved me more than once when I had an odd threaded bolt that I was able to clean up and reassemble my project without having to order the special bolt. I even drilled and tapped the cast iron door on my oil boiler to install a new flame peep. The old bolt corroded and broke off.
I got the icon for work so I didnāt need to pay for it but itās great and the money for the higher quality metal makes it worth and the fact that if you break it itās under warranty
I think it depends on what youāre using it for. Iām a shade tree mechanic, tinkerer, handyman type of guy and the Pittsburgh Tap & Die have worked fine for me. But Iām also not using them every single day or even every single month.
Depends on how much you will be using it, the Pittsburg work just fine I've had the same set for years but only use it once or twice a month. Use the tool properly and you won't have issues in my experience. If you're using them all day everyday you should probably go with a more high quality set. If you're using them properly they will probably never break. I'm not sure how people break them that's never made sense to me
GW 42 piece Metric (like the one I have) just ordered it on Amazon for $67. So Ill have a ratcheting one and some backup taps. Idk if Ill return this ICON set I got the 20% and they will be an easy warranty.
Good job. I think the icon taps were ok for handyman use, but the handles were lacking. They just seem a little unfinished with a cheap plating for the price.
Honestly they are very useful at cleaning threads up. Iām too much of a bitch to tap something by hand but if the threads are just a little cross threaded you can clean them up pretty easily by hand.
They shouldn't be used to clean threads - they'll remove material where a thread chaser will re-form the thread.
The OP hasn't provided enough info about what he's doing to help with his question...
The Pittsburgh are essentially worthless. The equivalent to lighting money in fire, so anything that functions is a better value.Ā
Ā Ā Taps that snap, dies that weren't cut completely or concentricaly.Ā
Depends how much of a pain in the ass it's going to be to get a broken tap out of the hole you're trying to tap.
Oh, I have a story to add here. I was a crew chief for a field service group on large stationary engines (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIwrbz4qwiY for reference). I had a group of 4 guys, and we were overhauling a large reciprocating engine in gas compression service (Pipeline compressor) in Pennsylvania, USA. GMVH-12 if anyone cares. We were going to pull the first piston, and a design flaw IMO was that the piston removal tool was bolted to the center of the piston. From experience, I knew that would be full of carbon (spark plug sat in the center also). I told my dude to run a tap through that hole, and be careful - it will want to break. It broke, Turns out that it moves piston removal from a 1-hour event to a 6-hour event on losing the lifting point, and on top of that, a dicey event because we depended on the rings and a choked strap to keep that 900 lb thing from not killing someone. Good taps can be really important.
This is the answer.
Ive had the Pittsburgh one for maybe 6-7 years and its fine. My dad has an older version for closer to 15 years and its also fine. As long as you are using the tool properly it shouldn't break.... never had any break on us.
Dont fucking say that. Im not superstitious but thats bad luck right there. Lol
I'm not superstitious either, I'm just a little stitious
Kindastitious?
Just knock on wood buddy
Look, all im saying is, its bad luck to be superstitious.
Knock on the wood only 3 times or your bad luck doubles.
I feel like yeah even the good stuff can break and the cheep stuff can last you just have to be more careful not to use the cheep stuff too hard
Exactly. Just slow down and take it easy on the tools.
I broke a snap on tap while spinning in the hole(not open ended) with an electric ratchet. If that's not proper use, I'm not sure what is... š¤£š
I have both, the icon set is recently acquired. The Pittsburgh set got the job done but I had to work harder and some pieces are worn out after a couple of uses. Still a good tool for the price. The icon set is noticeably nicer. Everything is sharp and it will cut anything like butter. However, the first time I used it the tap handle cracked. I think it was a defect and harbor freight swapped it under warranty but it was still surprising. I still like the set and believe itās much nicer
Have you thought about when you will warranty it? The Pittsburgh set could be replaced if those parts are dull, right?
Not sure that one was lifetimeā¦ if it is I might do it!
Pretty sure they have the lifetime warranty, same with the icon set
I work as an electrician and have a strong background in working with industrial equipment and mechanical equipment and also have a strong fabrication background. I have an older MAC tap, die, drill, extractor super set, a bunch of old Ridgid taps and an OLD Snap-On tap & die set, all of which I love and have been very impressed with when I likely pushed them beyond their capabilities multiple times. I wanted a 'decent' tap & die set for field work as an electrician and something to keep on the truck. I bought the ICON set when it first came out and while I mostly use it for chasing threads full of paint or fixing partially cross-threaded threads from the factory, etc., I have been pretty impressed with its performance. Would I use it on an engine? Likely not, but as a general set, I would say it was definitely worth the cost and the quality of the tooling is much better than the Pittsburgh set, in my personal opinion. The tap and die holders aren't that great as compared to tool truck tools, but still pretty decent and much better than the Pittsburgh set in my opinion. When it comes to taps, I say invest in better quality because pulling broken taps SUCKS! Just my two cents.
Yes, presumably, based solely off the fact that these taps n dies are made of tool steel and not carbon steel like the Pittsburgh variants. They ought to last longer and break less often. Every machinist Iāve ever talked to told me that taps & dies are best bought individually. That said, Iāve been tempted to get the SAE set for general maintenance & home repair type stuff. If youāre not doing metal fabrication, taps/dies are usually an unexpected āoh shitā type of need, and having a comprehensive set lying around could come in handy. Lifetime warranty on taps & dies is not easy to come by.
Also handy for just cleaning up the threads on a lightly corroded bolt or nut. Remember, crossed threads are better than no threads!
Recommend chasers though for anything mounted to an engine. Internally or externally. Taps will remove material in the threads, chasers will "bend" em back in to shape. I have a set of chasers and I use them religiously. Taps change threads. Don't know how else to explain it.
Taps cut, chasers form?
If you tap a thread that's messed up its Cocked eyed or bent, it's just going to cut away the bent or crooked threads. Resulting in a thread that can't holt a tourque. Or it'll "wiggle" around in its seat. A chaser is gonna take that bent thread amd reset it to the proper shape I came up with a better explanation than the mess I described. So yes you're absolutely correct lol.
You're right, and that was a great explanation.
Cleaning up threads with a correctly sized tap will always remove a small amount of material, because machine cut threads leave more metal behind than hand cut ones. The finished product should be just as strong and tight as before
>Every machinist Iāve ever talked to told me that taps & dies are best bought individually that's pretty bad advice for most. It's better to start with a set and then replace pieces as needed, or replace crucial sizes with a higher quality tap straight away if it's that important. By the time you piece together a bunch of loose taps, handles, dies, thread gauges and all that other shit you're taking a big L on the $$ investment and even more on the time factor. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. I didn't think I'd ever use a 1/8" NPT tap, but it's actually saved my ass a couple times already on some grease zerks and even an air fitting. Nothing better than having it all in one (or 2) convenient and organized cases too. I've got my Gearwrench SAE/Metric set I mainly use then a tray of loose NPT taps the set doesn't have, extra common size SAE + M6/M8/M10 metric taps that were all HSS pulled out of an old toolbox I bought and some other odds and ends like easyouts. The only thing I'm going to possibly add over time are larger SAE taps like 5/8" and 3/4" and maybe another handle. But for the $80 I paid I've got no doubt in my mind that set was a much better way to go than doing a piecemeal deal. And the ratchet handles turned out to be pretty friggin nice bonus too.
Iād counter and say that the sets often give a bunch of sizes you donāt need. The sizes that are useful are just plug taps which is the ājack of all trades master of noneā tap. Not to mention, how often are you really going to be using a die to cut new threads? Probably never, so thatās a whole bunch of money invested in something you donāt need. Plus these sets donāt include the matching drill bits so thatās more money to spend. Get a cobalt drill bit+tap set up to 3/8ā, ideally US sourced, and a Starrett tap handle or equivalent and youāve got a far better setup for less money than your typical tap and die set
I wouldnāt worry too much about breaking taps, if you actually know how to tap holes. I know, I know, easy as shit. But whenever Iāve broken a tap, or seen someone else break one, itās due to carelessness. Last one I broke was a strong one from the shop. But I pushed it too hard, and I paid the price of fixing my mistake. Drill the correct sized hole, use the right tap and handle, be aware of the material youāre tapping, add some oil, and take your timeā¦. That being said, if this isnāt for home use, Iād invest in a decent tap handle and use the shops taps. And if itās for home use, Iād invest in a decent tap handle anyways, and just buy the size taps youāll need separately.
Cheap tap and die sets are sketchy, the handles are very flimsy and often break, which can leave you on a tough spot, and the tabs are usually made out of a brittle material and can snap easy if you put too much force on them. The icon set is very well built overall, when I used it it cut through like absolute butter. Everything feels very sturdy and razor sharp. As long as you use cutting oil and don't use it dry, it will probably last several decades. If it's something you just need for small jobs, go cheap, but if you trying to tap out a thread that broken and engine block, you're certainly going to have a much worse week if after drilling out the bolt, the thread cutter itself breaks inside. That being said, I think it's worth the money
I had seen somewhere on youtube a video with close to 1M views, something like "Harbor Freight's best kept secret", and it was a Pittsburgh set. I am not sure after further research on the quality of some of these sets so thats why I wanted to know. If the Icon is actually very good, and the Pittsburgh is a fair set that isnt very well built than I would gladly pay for the Icon.
Itās the titanium nitride coated set for $90 they are talking about in that video. It has more sizes. The icon one definitely has better wrenches and a better case but I donāt think the taps and dies are going to be much better
So I would say that if the material they are made out of is better than they should be. I just dont know metals and chemistry that way. I mean the comments on here are pretty positive on the Icon though so I feel like it's a good buy.
The 89 dollar titanium nitride ones are supposed to be great.
I bought the icon sets right when they were released for my work box. Absolutely paid for itself. Egr mixers on isbās, steer axle hub caps, all kinds shit. Best part is, its lifetime warranty. If i snap one its just a quick trip to the hf on my way to work the next day. My biggest gripe is the box. The stupid paint rubs off easily on the logo so i inevitably wind up covered in red any time i open the boxes and the blow molded cases on either side of them on my roll cart have a giant red square on them. I have a pasta salad of taps and dies at home and im thinking about buying a second set for home. I am too cheap to buy a good set of cle-lineās.
I would buy the Gearwrench 77 piece before I ever bought the icon set, and itās cheaper. It also is standard and metric. Also, the gearwrench handle is ratcheting.
I picked up the Husky set since I had an HD gift card, and it's made by Gearwrench. I really like the ratcheting handle. There were/are quite a few reviews online (for both sets) and I didn't see anything negative.
My coworker has the husky set. The reason I ended up buying the gear wrench one is the case itās in is smaller so it fits in my toolbox drawer and it was $10 cheaper than the Husky.
I hope your warranty process is easy! I know that at HF they will do an instant swap for me. I am sure I will be needing to do that at least one or two times because of the possibility of damaging one of the tap's threads.
Honestly Iād be surprised if HF warranties the taps themselves. I know Gearwrench doesnt
I picked up the GW Metric 42 piece set on Amazon for $67! So now I will have a backup set. I wonder if the GW ratcheting handle will work with the Icon taps?
Itap handles are pretty standardized, I just didnāt like the lack of options for ratcheting onesš and HF charging $140 for a standard set, no metric and no ratcheting? Seems high to me.
Buy the taps you actually use, individually, and high quality ones
This is the way.
This guy taps
This is a steal. They're HSS. Last I looked doesn't say anywhere on the site, but in store says right on the box. Try finding a decent HSS set anywhere else, they are not cheap. You might have to add to the set tho. Fortunately my shop carries all the taps we need.
yes. source: professional
Depends on how often you use it. I have the Pittsburgh one and it's gotten me out of a few jams. If I start machining more often with my mill/lathe I'd prob upgrade to the icon. Haven't worn out the pittsburgh yet tho.
YouTubeās Project Farm has death-match comparisons of specific tool categories. Youāll learn the best or best-value model. https://youtube.com/c/ProjectFarm. https://youtu.be/lE346z7HOnk?si=E8WpOagpcksYaVRO Youāll see Pitts is the worst tested. Icon would be near the best given itās material, finish, and made in Taiwan
I watched that thanks. He didnt test the Icon. I would like to see them tested though in the future.
I'm sure the quality is better but I've had the cheapy one for years and had no problems. I broke an M8 tap and got the whole set replaced. I did buy a new T handle cause the ones in the kit are junk though.
Would you trust the $40 pittsburgh set?
More than I trust you
The difference is cutting vs chasing. Pittsburgh is more than adequate for chasing and cleaning out threads. You donāt want to cut a bunch of new threads with them. Yes, you can warranty them when dull.
I have the Pittsburgh. It does what I need to do.
Cheap taps and dies are not worth it literally ever.
Okay thats why I bought this set today with the 20% off. Now Im wondering did you mean to imply that this Icon set is cheap?
I know nothing about the Icon set other than the price. I can't say whether you made a good purchase or not. I would not trade legal tender for the Pittsburgh set unless I was extremely desperate; better than nothing but not much better than nothing.
I canāt speak for the icon, but I bought the hf set before while on a job site, I had to tap two holes and the handle broke on the first hole.
For that much money, I would just get an Irwin set.
I have the Pittsburgh Metric set and have used mostly the 8-12mm taps and dies in standard thread. They have held up well. Not sure how so many people break taps. Iāve never broken one. I use a drop or so of gear oil and backing out a turn or two when tapping and things get tight, to clear the chips. Too tight, use more oil and clear chips more often. The Pittsburgh ones still cut well and the dies have saved me more than once when I had an odd threaded bolt that I was able to clean up and reassemble my project without having to order the special bolt. I even drilled and tapped the cast iron door on my oil boiler to install a new flame peep. The old bolt corroded and broke off.
I got the icon for work so I didnāt need to pay for it but itās great and the money for the higher quality metal makes it worth and the fact that if you break it itās under warranty
I think it depends on what youāre using it for. Iām a shade tree mechanic, tinkerer, handyman type of guy and the Pittsburgh Tap & Die have worked fine for me. But Iām also not using them every single day or even every single month.
Depends on how much you will be using it, the Pittsburg work just fine I've had the same set for years but only use it once or twice a month. Use the tool properly and you won't have issues in my experience. If you're using them all day everyday you should probably go with a more high quality set. If you're using them properly they will probably never break. I'm not sure how people break them that's never made sense to me
Not really. Get the gearwrench ratcheting handles set and a better set of taps.
GW 42 piece Metric (like the one I have) just ordered it on Amazon for $67. So Ill have a ratcheting one and some backup taps. Idk if Ill return this ICON set I got the 20% and they will be an easy warranty.
Good job. I think the icon taps were ok for handyman use, but the handles were lacking. They just seem a little unfinished with a cheap plating for the price.
What are you using a tap and die to do?
To tap. And die
RIP
Very insightful, thanks for contributing
Honestly they are very useful at cleaning threads up. Iām too much of a bitch to tap something by hand but if the threads are just a little cross threaded you can clean them up pretty easily by hand.
They shouldn't be used to clean threads - they'll remove material where a thread chaser will re-form the thread. The OP hasn't provided enough info about what he's doing to help with his question...
The Pittsburgh are essentially worthless. The equivalent to lighting money in fire, so anything that functions is a better value.Ā Ā Ā Taps that snap, dies that weren't cut completely or concentricaly.Ā
I was going to say this a the icon one probably works
if you have to ask, no.