Central Tools 6429 24″ Precision Straight Edge

9 reviews for Central Tools 6429 24″ Precision Straight Edge

1. 

   Ralph – November 19, 2025

   It got the job done.
   I let my brother borrow my old Corolla for the weekend. It made it to work on Monday but overheated on the way home… I borrowed my mom’s car while I paid one of my brother’s friends to fix it. He didn’t know what he was doing. It has uses a multi-layer head gasket and has bolts that are designed to stretch so much they can only be used once. I own the repair manual but he must not have bothered to read it. It overheated again and ended up having oil flowing out the corner where the head meets the block. I finally took it apart myself and it was bad. I had NAPA machine shop replane the head but I used a piece of a 2×4 and some sandpaper on the head deck of the block with this straight edge and a metal feeler gauge. The spec was .001″ and it was just over .002″ at the worst part of the gap. I got it down to about .0005″ and put the head back on with a new mls gasket and a new set of head bolts. It never leaked again but I’m guessing the oil seals around the valves were bad from the aluminum head getting so hot multiple times because it had blue smoke coming out of the tail pipe and lost oil over time despite never leaking it anywhere. The straight edge seemed to be great but I sold the car for just over scrap price anyway. An aluminum head on a cast iron block with an mls gasket and expensive head bolts seems way too fragile for an engine that put out something like 90 HP. But I still have the straight edge and the gasket didn’t leak anymore nor did the car overheat anymore.

2. 

   FIRE3311 – November 19, 2025

   Congratulations Central Tool.
   Congratulations to whomever Machined my Straight Edge. I tested it out on my lathe way and it is dead on flat. I appreciate your professionalism and dedication to your trade. When I need to know if something is flat I will definitely reach for my central machine straight edge for the correct answer. Not only is this straight edge flat as It can be but it was also priced fairly compared to the other options. You can be proud of your product and commitment to excellence.

3. 

   Amazon Customer – November 19, 2025

   Looked at many straight edges and liked this one best as I was looking for a …
   Looked at many straight edges and liked this one best as I was looking for a “straight edge,” not a ruler. This product is very substantial in height and thickness. The spec is much more than adequate for garage shop use. I found the packaging to be good. Not sure I understand the packaging complaints as it would be difficult to damage this straight edge except by intentionally doing so. Like the hang up hole, makes storing easy. Received ahead of time. Everything was better than “as stated.” Price was reasonable (no small thing to me).Thank You, L.B.

4. 

   N. Chin – November 19, 2025

   A must for any engine work
   Great product. Needed for any measuring of deck distortion.

5. 

   James Farmer – November 19, 2025

   One of the few things you will wish you had bought a long time ago!
   So far I’ve only used this to check a several pairs of aluminum cylinder heads for straightness. The first head I checked was warped beyond specs and the owner had installed it more than once and had sealing issues. The second set of heads turned out perfectly flat and allowed me to proceed with changing the head gaskets with utmost confidence that all my time and money would not be spent in vain. The car had zero problems upon completion. I really have no means of fully verifying the accuracy of this tool unless I purchase another one down the road but I feel confident in it being made here in the states. The tool itself is robust and should provide years of service .

6. 

   BitTwiddler – November 19, 2025

   It is only 24 inches…
   It is extremely well made, sturdy, and with a little care will be a lifetime tool. Just that when I ordered it I thought was longer. I don’t regret what I spent; but for outside on-maneuvers I bought a 2′ plastic $10 one to take the really rough stuff. This is an ‘indoor shop tool’. I’m told this one is sold under a different brand name for a good deal more…. It is worth what I paid for it, definitely.

7. 

   Mike M – November 19, 2025

   Excellent for the Price
   I purchased this item to check for warping on my engine’s cylinder heads. Sure enough, I was able to identify warped heads quickly and easily. After being returned from the machine shop, I could verify the heads were true with this straight edge. This gives me confidence that the straight-edge itself is straight. The plastic sleeve that covers the machined edge is a nice touch and keeps the edge oiled to prevent corrosion. For the money, this is an excellent product.

8. 

   Robin R. Ainscough – November 19, 2025

   It’ll only show you the most severe off warping
   I wasn’t expecting miracles from this straight edge, but if you are building race engines this tool is not enough to expose minor warping. On high compression motors (14:1 +) you’ll want to take the head/block to a good machine shop.

9. 

   Gatycon – November 19, 2025

   I mean, sure it worked great for checking the deck and head straightness on my engine, but what I wasn’t prepared for was how it improved my love life. Since I bought this I’ve been getting asked out by about five women every day! Thanks Central Tools!Mine shipped in a large padded box, no issues like other reviewers mentioned. It’s made in the USA and comes with a small cardboard box and a plastic edge guard. Make sure you store this vertically in a dry place, and put a bit of oil on the machined edge. If it gets dropped, bent, or the edge gets corroded then it’s garbage.