Bahco CS400 - Combination Square 400mm

Great combination square. Being the 400 mm version it gives that extra length when marking wide timbers. Would recommend this tool.

Best set squares I have ever bought!

Got two sizes of these set squares,clear markings, smooth tracking, the marking pin comes in handy when you forget a pencil, good quality tools all round, very good price. Traded up from my old chinese squares after many years of use, these should last me until I retire! you can't put a price on quality! Good luck, take care everyone, and stay healthy in these troubled times

Good square for the money

OK, so it's not a Mitutoyo, and nor is it anything like the price! So it's probably one of the very best usable, adjustable squares at the price point. It is miles better than the cheap nasty rubbish, and the 400mm rule really comes in handy. Tremendous value for money.

High quality of manufacture

Combination angle of quality, very solid and precise. Only small flat, reading metric units is on the upper part, which is sometimes embarrassing because the corner of the right angle of the square does not go back enough for a reading at the top. But with a little practice, we use it very well anyway!

Mine are junk - not square

I bought the 6" and the 12" and found them both to be out of square by the same amount ( approx 1mm). I didn't need to use them for 6 weeks so didn't check them meaning I cannot return them now as I didn't keep my receipt and the 30 day return period is up. Looking at the number of reviews that have encountered the same issue would suggest that Axeminster really should consider withdrawing this product from sale.

Not what Bahco used to be.

Bahco used to mean something and stand for quality. Made in Sweden to high standards. The the outsorced to Portugal (and other countries) and the steel/hardening went down the drain. Bahco used to last forever, now all of a sudden pliers start to snap due to poor forging and hardening.I did order three of the squares though, thinking they would be alright and serve the purpose, which they do, in a pinch. The 150mm are true and the 400mm one is "within tolerances" for general carpentry but the finish? Remarkably poor. Made in China can stand for top notch quality nowadays but unfortunately these square are remarkably roughly finished. The handle has very rough edges on one side and sharp edges on the other side. As an earlier reviewer noted: the ruler ends are rough ... MoreBahco used to mean something and stand for quality. Made in Sweden to high standards. The the outsorced to Portugal (and other countries) and the steel/hardening went down the drain. Bahco used to last forever, now all of a sudden pliers start to snap due to poor forging and hardening.I did order three of the squares though, thinking they would be alright and serve the purpose, which they do, in a pinch. The 150mm are true and the 400mm one is "within tolerances" for general carpentry but the finish? Remarkably poor. Made in China can stand for top notch quality nowadays but unfortunately these square are remarkably roughly finished. The handle has very rough edges on one side and sharp edges on the other side. As an earlier reviewer noted: the ruler ends are rough and worked over so the ruler doesn't really start at zero which means that you can only use it to direct transfer/marking measure for fine carpentry/metal work and not as a true depth gauge.Bahco is losing ground here in Sweden - where it once originated from and one generation from now they will no longer be remembered as a serious tool manufacturer which is really sad.Buy Veritas or Starrett instead if you want a really nice square and don't need the spirit level.

So glad I bought this

Read the reviews . some people complained about the finish. So thought nothing to lose at this price. I actually bought the 400 and the 300 mm long. Yes there where burrs on them from being machined. But two minutes with some 180 grit emery job sorted. Love the st/st rules. And they are dead square.

Trading on reputation

I purchased the 6" and 12" versions and found both to be rather crudely finished. It's strange that a company once synonymous with quality tools allows such roughly presented items to bear their brand marking. I spent time with a needle file and some emery cloth to make these items useable, but it greatly disappointed me to find both were out of square, let alone the really awful feel in the hand. I have a Starrett equivalent to the 12"/300mm item, and while I appreciate that these are significantly lower priced items, they should at least meet a minimum standard for accuracy. With respect to anyone else posting positive comments, I think it's a case of not having prior experience using a high quality combination square that prevents them from identifying the ... MoreI purchased the 6" and 12" versions and found both to be rather crudely finished. It's strange that a company once synonymous with quality tools allows such roughly presented items to bear their brand marking. I spent time with a needle file and some emery cloth to make these items useable, but it greatly disappointed me to find both were out of square, let alone the really awful feel in the hand. I have a Starrett equivalent to the 12"/300mm item, and while I appreciate that these are significantly lower priced items, they should at least meet a minimum standard for accuracy. With respect to anyone else posting positive comments, I think it's a case of not having prior experience using a high quality combination square that prevents them from identifying the shortcomings of these particular Bahco products. I would not purchase them again, nor could I recommend them to someone, even if they're shopping on a budget. Tools like this should be accurate out of the box and just a short time in a burnisher as part of the manufacturing process could have greatly improved the ergonomics at minimal cost. A shame. It's yet another nail in the Bahco coffin as far as I'm concerned.

Works, but I expected better.

The wheel to lock down the rule is fiddly, so you can't just tighten it and get to work. You have to jiggle the rule and tighten the wheel again to be sure it's locked, otherwise it won't be accurate. Once you've done that, it seems to work fine. I'd prefer not to have the extra step.

finally a decent combo square on a budget

I've been after a good 300mm combination square on a budget for a while now. I started with the cheapo no-name version from here at about £5 along with a 150mm version. Both utter crap and have long since fallan apart, although I still have the rule from the large one. I then got a stanley (new) on ebay for around £12, nice heavy stock but out of square and lots of play in the clamp.Finally this Bahco seems a good balance of price and quality. It is a bit roughly finished on the ground corners, will need some smoothing but the build quality otherwise is very good. The stock is slightly larger than the stanley. The thumbscrew to lock the blade in position has a nicer feel, is easier to use and holds the blade down tight with barely any play.The item I received ... MoreI've been after a good 300mm combination square on a budget for a while now. I started with the cheapo no-name version from here at about £5 along with a 150mm version. Both utter crap and have long since fallan apart, although I still have the rule from the large one. I then got a stanley (new) on ebay for around £12, nice heavy stock but out of square and lots of play in the clamp.Finally this Bahco seems a good balance of price and quality. It is a bit roughly finished on the ground corners, will need some smoothing but the build quality otherwise is very good. The stock is slightly larger than the stanley. The thumbscrew to lock the blade in position has a nicer feel, is easier to use and holds the blade down tight with barely any play.The item I received was dead-on square, and MORE IMPORTANTLY, the grove the rule sits in has two raised rails that the ruler sits on, enabling easy adjustment with a file if necessary. I haven't checked the stock for 45° trueness yet but I suspect it will be spot on also.My only gripes are as follows:- The rough finish on the stock.- The ruler end is quite rough, and the scale doesn't start exactly at 0 on one side.- The scale is metric on one side and imperial on the other, but metric is on the top even when you flip the ruler. this makes it impossible to have the scale in certain positions. My stanley has the two scales the other way on the opposite face, meaning more options in this regard.- The rule was slightly bent along it's length, but easily bent back to straight.For the price, I can't complain at all and after a bit of smoothing on the corners this will be a very reliable tool.