Starrett Tap Wrench with Tempered Gripping Surfaces - 1/16-1/4" Capacity Tap Size, 6" Body Length, 3/32-5/32" Square Shank - 91A

I have not tapped many holes before, but now have a project requiring me to tap nearly 100 holes in extruded aluminum, so buying a quality tap wrench was easily justified. Mine was made in the U.S.A. and did not have the thread gunk that others have mentioned here (the first thing I did was take it apart to check). I loaded up my 5/16-18 tap and got to work. The way this feels in your hand when turning and spinning is fantastic. The handle tightens down well on the tap and doesn't come loose. The monolithic design is really worth the price of the tool in my opinion. No one likes tapping holes, so at least get some satisfaction by using a high quality tool during the process. In my case, I 3D printed a 3 inch long jig/template to affix to the end of my profiles to ensure I'm getting perpendicular taps (see photo). This method is working very well and I don't have to worry about the tap getting out of alignment on the first bite of the aluminum, especially since my extrusions are very long so I have to tap horizontally.

Excellent product like all Starrett products are.

Sterrett are an old, highly respected company who make highly accurate tools. I will confess, I am a fan of this company. I have many Sterrett measuring, cutting and layout tools. They have been in business since 1880. This is a tool for holding taps up to 1/4" (6.5mm) and cutting treads in metal holes for bolts. There are many competing tap holders which, for this purpose, will work ok and are cheaper. But this one you can pass on to your grand-kids, still functioning like new. Look at the body of the tool; it is forged out of one piece of tough, hardened and polished steel which glistens in the light. Like all my other Sterrett tools, it will be stored in it's original box after use and having been cleaned and a lite coat of oil applied. I inherited from my grandfather a Sterrett surveyors measuring tape covered in leather. It still works fine and the leather is still fine as well. My grandad died in 1953 and, according to my dad, used it in the 1930s. Only a rich man can afford cheap tools.

Great little tap wrench. I use it often for smaller taps.

Update June 2018: Still look and function like new. Incredible tool. I have to keep a close eye on these wrenches as they seem to have legs and always end up on someone elses bench. Original review: Working in a machine shop, quality tools that last a long time are a requirement. I've been using the cheaper style of tap wrench that is made by a plethora of Chinese companies for a few years now and was replacing them at a rate of approximately 1 per year. I finally decided to purchase a GOOD tap wrench and went with the Starrett 91A and 91B. I can not get over how nice these tools are. Pros: They hold the tap rock solid, the threads are tight and smooth, the overall design is about 200 years ahead of the other style of tap wrench...I do not see how these could wear out in a year, or even 10 as long as they are wiped down and lightly oiled before storage. Cons: None. Starrett tools are kind of like a Mercedes Benz. The long you wait to buy them, the more you end up spending. If you need a good tap wrench that you can rely on for years, just get these and be done with it.

I purchased this tap holder after seeing it mentioned by Adam from Mythbusters. I was about to embark on tapping an 8-32 hole at a 90 degree angle in a very expensive piece of hardware. And anyone who has tapped a hole that small can appreciate what bulkier tap holders are like to use on something delicate. Once you have it in your hand, you can tell it is well built. And being small and lightweight made it very easy to feel the tap position and any resistance. I guess you get what you pay for. But paying $54 for a tap holder was about my max level of consumer pain.

This review is for the Starrett 91A Tap Wrench which I ordered two of on November 14, 2020. One was for myself, and one was as a gift for my son who is a BMW performance fabricator, and he is a stickler for quality. The tool appears to be a high quality tap wrench that will likely last for years. It is small (6 inches in length) and should accommodate most taps up to 1/4" or M6. As several other reviewers have noted, the thread and spindle cap were full of machining residue and needed to be disassembled and thouroughly cleaned. After a good spray of brake cleaner, high-pressure air and some heavy machine oil everything functioned properly, albeit not with the smooth precision one has come to expect from Starrett. It is disappointing to receive a "Made in the USA" item such as this.

excellent , as expected.

Ce tourne à gauche est tout petit, à peine plus de 100 mm de long. Mais on peut monter dessus des tarauds M6 et de plus petits bien sur. La finition est vraiment exceptionnelle, on a l'impression de tenir en main une pièce de service de table de luxe plutôt qu'un outil. La prise en main est très bonne, les tarauds sont bien maintenus et leur montage très facile. On touche là le seul petit point en retrait : la tige n'actionne pas un coulisseau mobile comme sur les modèles plus gros, elle se termine par une tête plate, qui porte directement sur l'arrête verticale du taraud. Du coup, la tête de tige supporte sans doute moins bien l'effort en retour. Aussi, bien que montrant ci-dessus une photo avec un taraud M6, je me limiterai plutôt au M5. L'autre vue montre un M4, il va bien dessus, le guidage est bon. Je trouve qu'avec du M3 la main est trop proche de la pièce à tarauder : j'utiliserai plutôt un porte-taraud en T pour ce petit diamètre et en-dessous.

Selbst das einfachste Werkzeug von Starret ist einfach bis in's Detail perfekt und es macht Freude, es einfach nur in die Hand zu nehmen -- von der Begeisterung beim Anwenden ganz zu schweigen!

Il meglio che si possa chiedere ad una chiave gira maschi . Prezzo salato ma onestamente parlando li vale tutti per qualità di costruzione di materiali e per funzionalità . Peccato che riesce a girare maschi soltanto fino a m10 , considerando il prezzo come scritto prima non proprio a buon mercato .... Prima di comprarla bisogna valutare attentamente l’uso che se ne vuole fare , nel senso fino a che diametro dovrete maschiare appunto per ottimizzare il raggio di azione della spesa fatta ... per quanto riguarda il funzionamento come scritto prima semplicemente straordinario , ho stretto con le dita il maschio da m10 cioè il massimo che supporta e non ha mollato lo stesso fino al completamento del lavoro fatto . Se posso fare un appunto a livello personale avrei preferito le dimensioni un po più generose dell’attrezzo visto che girare a mano un m10 non è proprio il massimo o per lo meno dipende dal numero dei fori che si vuole filettare .... Amazon il top come sempre da 5 stelle ...

A thing of beauty..........and functional too, buy once, use forever.

This is a beautifully machined tool with smoothed edges and a very smooth action. I think other reviewers must have received duds, because the knurling is perfect. The initial action on the thread is slightly gritty but after screwing and unscrewing a few times it becomes very smooth. I guess my only negative comment, which is my fault, is that it is unexpectedly small. I really should have checked. However it does mean that I'll be a bit less brutal when I use it on smaller taps