[rthibeau]

"Better" or "best" and other such terms used to compare one item to another are often used inappropriately and give a false sense of meaning. A hand tool has to be judged by the user. So there are as many judgements of better or best as there are people picking up the tool to use it. Production runs to be profitable tend towards those processes such as casting so a quantity of consistently similar tools can be made relatively quickly. But mass production also tends to limit choices of materials. A hammer can be hand forged from any grade steel the smith chooses to use and the size, weight, etc, can all be changed...or kept consistent...again as the smith chooses. Different markets, different processes. Professionally done, the finished product from either is equal to the other in practical use. Personal opinion of the user then influences the conversation.