Starrett 3202-8 Dial Caliper 0-8 Inch Range, ±0.001" Accuracy, 0.001" Graduations - Adjustable Bezel, White Face, Includes Fitted Case - Perfect for Machining, Woodworking & Precision Measurement

This is one of Starrett’s Global Series vernier caliper. According to Starrett’s description of the series, the product is made outside US but under Starrett’s quality control. From the label of the box, it indicates Made in China. The inspection card inside the box has the inspector’s signature “Li”, one of most popular surnames in PR China. Nowadays quite many low leveled models if not all models of Starrett’s calipers are made in either Brazil or PR China.Usually if the manufacurer in China is still under the American company’s management and using American company-registered brand name, i.e. before the business was transferred to the Chinese merchant, the QC and sales of the product should be basically still in the American standard, at least in this case of the caliper, it’s still Starrett’s product as Starrett claims in its web that Starrett name is American made although country of origin may not be.I compared this caliper with one of my Mitutoyo calipers, 500-752-20, to measure a pair of 1-2-3 blocks. And also I checked the hardness of the jaws using Tsubosan Hardness Tester files.Measuring in small size, e.g. anything smaller than 2”, it’s accurate and on the money. Once it’s getting to bigger sizes, it may be off slightly. For example in measuring the 2” and 3” sides of those 1-2-3 blocks, it had shown a small fraction above 0 on the dial. The measure of two blocks at 2”+2” side reads 4.01”. Not bad. I would think it could be slightly off in holding a proper position of the jaws while operating this relatively larger and heavier caliper. Such small offset usually can be seen in operating the 6”-caliper when improper positioning the jaws towards the object.The hardness test on the jaws showed a hardness around 60 of Rockwell C scale. This is the same as I obtained from testing the Mitutoyo one. So this is pretty much the normal hardness for this type of caliper. For comparison, I tested a 8x12 mm HSS lathe tool bits bar, which is supposed to be a hard material used for cutting regular metals on a lathe, it had a reading of HRC 65 hardness. I also compared a test on a cheap stainless steel caliper, which had HRC 55 reading.This Starrett caliper does not only have HRC60 reading on the jaws but also at the far end of the main ruler body. This is nice and should have good resistance to scratches in the normal working conditions.It is smooth to slide although not as smooth as I get used to in using the short 6”-calipers. Probably it takes time or more uses to smooth out.The outside jaws have about 63.8 mm or 2-1/2” depth. This may be short if a measurement is desired on a diameter greater than 2-1/2” on a rod when crosssection measuring position is not accessible. The inside jaws have 22.02 mm or 0.867” depth from tip to the jaw bottom. But if eliminates the little height of the housing of the sliding case (where the dial mounted), the inside jaw depth is about 3/4”. But if the housing of the dial would be eliminated, the inside jaw depth is about 18 mm (≈0.7”). This is how deep when ID measuring can go.Final number: it weighs about 430 grams or 0.95 lbs. So once it’s fallen onto a concrete ground from a height of the work bench, it can hurt (or completely damage) itself, at least the dial face could be severely cracked.