Can of worms....
I have been buying the Sierra line kits in Black and Gold and have had some problems with the Black paint coming off. My question to you guys and gals is this? Are all the other kits I see that look like the Sierra the same with just different names or are their differences in the quaility through different sellers. Example Woodcraft sells the Wall Street II, Craft Supplies USA sells the Classica which both look like the Sierra. Are there differences in the quality of the finish or do they all come from the same Manufactuer and then they just change the names.
Asking what is the "best" is always opening a can of worms. Answering that question is even worse, but we are gluttons for punishment.
So here is what I
know.
Barea hardwoods makes the style in a couple of versions - Taiwan
They provide other sellers that might use different names for the same pen.
Dayacom makes the style probably in a couple of versions - Taiwan
They provide other sellers that might use different names for the same pen.
MainMold makes at least one version -Taiwan
They provide other sellers who might use different names for the same pen.
Rizheng makes several versions - China/Hong Kong
They provide other sellers who might use the same name as sets from other sellers.
They are sold retail under more names than you can shake a stick at.
The rest is opinion or speculation.
I seriously doubt that anyone has even seen pictures of all of the different variations available.
A lot of folks seem to be satisfied with whatever supplier they have bought from which says they are probably all decent.
The most common complaint seems to be the one mentioned about falling apart and/or damaging transmissions but that is as mush "operator error" as anything else.
Some finishes are inherently better wearing than others...dollar for dollar I personally think Chrome is probably the best regardless of whose name is on the component set.
Note: Barea claims that "Sierra" is their trade mark. .