The work you produce can only be as good as the tools you measure it by.  Don't even consider the cheap copies, they don't come close to the acuracy  and quality of this square. The head is cast and ground with relefs in the  channel, and the blade is machined, not stamped. The rule is laser etched  and then matt finished to reduce glare. The differences are far more than  cosmetic. The slide works smoothly and locks securely. All of the edges are  perfectly flat and smooth. I know this seems like a lot to spend for a  combination square, but the $10 ones I have tried just don't work.  They  don't lock square reliably, and the blades are allways rough and warped  slightly. If you want something even fancier, get the version with three  heads.