Has this staking set been abused?

[Bigjay]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256742709646?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=lx3XNzFNQNm&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=8Zwvr3pbTnK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Have been considering this staking set on Ebay but a lot of the stakes have burred over ends and look like they have been battered!! Anyone think this is not worth buyng due to condition?  I am worried that the actual business ends of the stakes will be not usable if this set hss been abused. 
Thoughts?? 

[nickelsilver]

The punches are softer at the end that gets hit, and they do deform. These look like they've seen a lot of use, and not gentle use.

 

I would avoid it mainly because it's a reduced set of punches; you will almost certainly be frustrated by the lack of size options. Better to find a larger set and buy once. Star made really good staking tools, if you see one of their larger sets that would be great.

[Knebo]

Greetings to Hertfordshire! I was in Letchworth for about a year during high-school

Anyway, I had a look at the listing and I'd recommend that you steer away from it. Too many broken stakes and also not many of them anyway. The second picture you posted actually shows the backsides of the stakes (where you hit them with the hammer) -- so less relevant.

But if you look at this picture (screenshot from the listing), you see that many are broken:

[oldhippy]

Two things come to mind. 1 is the steel soft or 2 has someone been hitting the stakes with a 2.5lbs lump hammer. 

Seriously I would look for something better after all this set is small. 

[Bigjay]

Thanks all, it confirms my suspicions and I advised the seller ( who didnt really know what he was selling) that they look abused!

Steering well clear!!  Shame to see it in that state though. 

[gpraceman]

Wow, that set was abused.