530-114 Vernier Caliper, Stainless Steel, Inch/Metric, 0-8" Range, +/-0.002" Accuracy, 0.0078" Resolution | Inch/Metric, +/-0.002" Accuracy, 0.0078" Resolution

This thing is a piece of machine art. Its machining is so precise and operates so smoothly it oozes quality. I have a cheap one from big box store that measures but this one makes you feel like you get a laboratory like precision that is impressive. Case is t much, but If you like fine tools this is definitely a must.

The Mitutoyo 530-531-532 Series vernier calipers are perfection, the kind of tool that inspires you to do better. Machined to very tight tolerances, they have a silky satin finish without causing glare, making their scale and numbers easy to read. All markings are etched just below the surface so can essentially last forever. They slide smoothly and close without effort, yet hold their position perfectly. The 530 Series come with a lock screw to fix the measurement while the 531 Series uses a thumb lock preferred by some, including me. I swapped it for the 531-128 and returned this one. The 532 Series provides a secondary carriage connected to the main one for fine adjustment. They all have a vernier scale, that elegant 17th century invention that makes dials and electronics look fragile, clumsy and unneeded. And if you need higher accuracy than 0.02mm or 0.001” you might want to consider a micrometer. But the Mitutoyo numbering system is a rather a hash, compounded by so many models to choose from. This is what I learned: 530 – Lock screw 531 – Thumb lock 532 – Lock screw with secondary carriage The second three-digit number distinguishes length, whether metric, inches or both, carbide jaws or not, and standard or high accuracy. I have not been able to discern much logic in this numbering system, except that 101, 102 and 103 are all metric but not the only ones, so finding the precise one you want is a bit of an expedition. The best source I found is Mitutoyo’s own website. Your search will be worth it. Summing up — It is a miracle that tools of such quality, refinement, and lasting value—another reviewer called his prized Mitutoyo the Patek Philippe of vernier calipers—can be had for so little. A lifetime treasure.

I'm a dork, and I appreciate mechanical precision, so you may not care as much about what is essentially a $60 ruler as I do. That said, when you hold this in your hands, you immediately realize that someone put a lot of thought and care into this design. It is rock solid. There is no rattle, there is no shake, there is no give. Do I really need to know how many 20ths of a millimeter thick something is? Very, very, very rarely. Does it make me happy to know that this thing exists that can give me consistent, precise readings without requiring a battery? Absolutely. My only complaint is that the model I bought doesn't have a thumb wheel for fine adjustments, but that was my fault for not choosing one that had that feature. Yes, the Chinese digital calipers you can buy for half this price are smooth and easy to use. Now take the battery out of it and use it to try to measure something. What's that you say? It's hard to read? You wish you had something analog that you could read quickly and easily without having to deal with batteries? You've come to the right place. TL;DR: If you're reading this review you're probably shopping for a vernier caliper. If you care enough about accurate measurements to buy a vernier caliper, you should buy this one.

This is a great tool to have

I purchased the 8 inch model after a cheap Chinese made digital caliper I owned no longer gave me accurate readings. I should have purchased this caliper instead. The vernier scale is easy to read and gives me the accuracy I need for just about all of my tasks. My old calipers were 6 inch and I found that there were times when having an extra 2 inches of capacity would have been helpful. The 8 inch capacity with both inch and metric vernier scales is the best model for my needs. The calipers slide smoothly and are easy to lock in place with the thumb screw. The vinyl storage case is very thin and fragile looking...I don't expect it to last long.

The inch side of these are fractional inch with a resolution of 1/128”, NOT decimal inch. I got these as something to carry around, that will be less fragile than digital or dial calipers. I did not even think of the possibility that these could be fractional inch. I think they will still work okay for my general use but don’t be surprised like I was. I can imagine anyone outside the US reading this and being like ‘Fractional inch? Decimal inch? When are you people going to stop doing this to yourselves and just use metric.’

I wanted to have 1 caliper that can read both mm and inch. I thought this would do that when I bought it. I found the mm scale to be standard fine and easy. But when I looked at the inch scale, I got confused. Inch scale is not in decimal like engineering scale tape measure that I fell in love with. Unless I am mistaken, the inch scale on this caliper requires me to pull out a calculator or convert fraction to decimal. I have no use for a caliper that reads in franctions of an inch. I want to read for example, 0.308 inches quickly and simply without doing any conversions or calculations. For that reason, I returned this caliper and bought a much cheaper caliper ($15) that has both mm scale and decimal inch scale. Quality of the caliper is super, other than what I just mentioned.

These are great, and not that expensive when you feel the build quality and see the accuracy. These are fast and intuitive, though if your eyesight isn't great, good lighting is essential.

Habe das baugleiche Teil schon als Dauerleihgabe von meinem Bruder gehabt. Jetzt habe ich einen eigenen und die Qualität ist identisch, wie vor 20 Jahren. Bei guter Pflege kein nennenswerter Verschleiß feststellbar. Und dazu kommt: Niemals leere Batterien! 😜

Very well made. Good quality. Would recommend.

The locking screw if flimsy.

Me resulta muy útil y tengo uno digital, pero si llega a quedarse sin carga la pila, utilizo el análogo.

Excelente calidad y rapidez en la entrega, lo esperaba hasta septiembre pero solo demoro una semana