Kaufhof ADP-5645 8 Inch Pencil Holder / Divider Scriber

In terms of functionality this compass does what I wanted it to do and hold a specific measurement and allow me to draw circles/arcs with that dimension maintained for a number of repetitions. It's not a precision instrument like those that I used while in the Navy. The pencil holding apprentice tends to drive holes through softer cedar or composite (saw dust) pencils, but with a little TLC and selection of the right pencil and it works. I did need to do a small amount of "refining" of the compasses points to create a sharp enough tip to allow easy rotation and to allow the other end to be sharp enough to mark wood without using the pencil. This and the slightly rougher construction were not enough to warrant loss of more than one star and the value more than supports a 4 star rating. I'd give this a "wood shop" rated instrument and not a drafting one.

Very fast shipping! Was delivered many days earlier than anticipated. The tool came packed with a protective rust preventative applied. Good! Much better to wipe off the oil than to have a rusted tool. There were only two minor out of the box issues that I feel just don't justify a less than a 5 star rating considering the Extremely low price of this item. The points on the arms were fine for woodworking applications as is stated in the product description that this is a "carpenter quality" devise, but not quite pointed enough for metal scribing or precision measuring. Easily shaped to a fine pointed with a file. And the points did not quite line up perfectly. Easily solved with a little "tweaking". HaHa! Careful bending of the arms. I am so glad that I shopped Amazon first before making this purchase. Amazon price for the 8in. compass - $8.50. Home Depot price for the 12 1/4in. compass - $29.97![...]You can Easily get the the 12in. reach with this 8in. model by simply extending the pencil if necessary. This is a high quality tool, that with proper care, should last a lifetime.

It came slathered in an excessive amount of oil, but once dried off it was easy to handle. Doesn’t measure the point-to-point distance for you. You would have to use a ruler to make exact measurements. Simple to use and seems solid. A standard #2 pencil is too long and interferes with the operation of the adjusting nut. It can work, but it is just an inconvenience to adjust with the eraser hitting the nut.

I needed an inexpensive 8" divider/compass, and that's exactly what this is. If that's what you need, then this is your tool. I have a gorgeous divider on my sailboat that I use for charting -- beautifully made German divider. That's not what this is, but it's a fraction of the cost, and it was perfect for a project I was doing in my garage.

Very pleased with the quality of this compass. It is sturdy, and makes fine adjustments easy. In the past I've only used the stamped steel compasses which were total junk.The compass arrived with an oil coating to prevent rust. This took a few minutes to wipe down. The points did not appear very sharp, but it did not slip when used on painted steel. For a very slick surface, you may need to sharpen the point, or even better use a spring-punch to mark the center.The pencil-holder barrel is small, and holds a standard pencil securely. I used a mechanical pencil, and had to shave down some of the plastic to make it slimmer and fit.

The project I bought this for needs a lot of ~1" radius circles, so I could have gotten a much smaller model. The 8" model just felt unwieldy until I got the hang of it.Anyway, it feels sturdy and precise and good value for the money. If the pencil slot could hold my mechanical pencil, it'd be a five-star device

This is about what I expected for the price. It is made of carbon steel, so it came coated in oil. Probably to keep it from rusting on the trip across the Pacific. To clean it up was a messy job. Chrome plating with stainless steel adjustment parts would have been better. You are going to have to take care of this instrument in your shop and keep it dry.

Solidly built. Costs more than the compasses sold in the Stationary department, but worth it for the accuracy and dependability. Can be used as a scribe for flooring and cabinet installation, although a smaller model would work for that and fit better in a tool bag. I keep this one in my desk and carry it to the woodshop when needed.