What Tinker & Rasor does

Tinker & Rasor is a US-based manufacturer of corrosion mitigation instrumentation founded in 1948 by Leo Tinker and Jack Rasor, who invented the first Holiday Detector. The company designs, produces, and services a comprehensive portfolio of high and low voltage holiday detectors, electronic leak detection (ELD) equipment for waterproofing membranes, cathodic protection (CP) instruments and power products, reference electrodes, pipe and cable locators, soil resistivity meters, and CP test stations. Core technology centers on pulse-DC high voltage holiday detection (800V to 35,000V), proprietary safety switch architecture on its APS and AP/W detectors, solid-state reference electrode designs rated for 30-year service life, and NIST-traceable calibration performed at its Texas facility.

Tinker & Rasor operates a hybrid B2B revenue model combining capital equipment sales (holiday detectors, CP instruments, reference electrodes, test stations), usage-based equipment rentals (APS, AP/W, ELD at $45/day with $1,300 deposit in USA and Canada), recurring service and calibration revenue, and consumables/accessories (electrodes, cables, brushes, coupons). Pricing is quote-based with Net 30 credit terms available to qualifying customers and a 3% credit card processing fee. Go-to-market relies on direct phone/email sales, a global distributor network, and a content-led marketing presence including YouTube, LinkedIn, and trade publication features in World Pipelines Americas and WATERPROOF! Magazine.

The company serves corrosion professionals, pipeline operators, coating applicators, inspection services firms, and roofing/waterproofing contractors across the United States, Canada, and international markets via distributors. Operations are consolidated at a 45,000+ sq. ft. headquarters and manufacturing facility in New Braunfels, Texas, following a 2018-2019 relocation from California. Tinker & Rasor also owns and continues to operate the D.E. Stearns Company brand (acquired 1976) under a wholly-owned subsidiary structure, with the Shreveport, LA production facility consolidated into Texas in July 2024.

Name

Tinker & Rasor

Legal name

Tinker & Rasor

Website

https://tinker-rasor.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tinker & Rasor is a US manufacturer of corrosion mitigation instrumentation founded in 1948, producing holiday detectors, electronic leak detectors, cathodic protection instruments, and reference electrodes for pipeline operators, coating inspectors, and roofing contractors worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Corrosion Mitigation Instrumentation

NAICS

Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515), Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance (811210)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Corrosion Monitoring & Integrity Management (Pipelines, Tanks, CUI) (EUAEAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corrosion Inspection & Coating/CP Surveys (CUI, CP, DCVG/ACVG) (EUAEAHAF), Corrosion Control & Asset Integrity Services (Cathodic Protection/Coatings QA) (IMAIACAK)

Keywords

• Corrosion mitigation instrumentation
• Holiday detectors
• Cathodic protection equipment
• Electronic leak detection
• Reference electrodes

Headquarters

HQ city

New Braunfels

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Sale of corrosion mitigation instrumentation including holiday detectors, CP instruments, reference electrodes, pipe/cable locators, test stations, and survey equipment. Products sold with 1-year warranty, prices quoted upon request.
2. Equipment Rentals: Rental of APS Holiday Detector, AP/W Holiday Detector, and Electronic Leak Detector in USA and Canada. Rental terms include $1300 deposit, $45/day, minimum 5-day billing period.
3. Service, Repair & Calibration: Annual calibration and certification services performed at New Braunfels, Texas facility. Most services completed within 1-2 business days. Calibration records maintained on file.
4. Accessories & Consumables: Sale of electrodes, cables, batteries, carrying cases, and other accessories. Electrodes available in multiple styles including full circle spring, half circle spring, silicone brush, wire brush, and sponge.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Tinker & Rasor manufactures corrosion mitigation instrumentation for industrial infrastructure inspection and monitoring. Core products include high voltage holiday detectors (Model AP/W and APS, 800V-35,000V range), low voltage wet sponge holiday detectors (M1 Series), electronic leak detectors for roofing membrane integrity testing, cathodic protection instruments and power products, reference electrodes, pipe and cable locators, test stations, and soil resistivity meters. The company also offers equipment rentals, calibration, and repair services from its New Braunfels, Texas facility.

Product overview

Tinker & Rasor manufactures a comprehensive portfolio of corrosion mitigation instrumentation since 1948. The product lineup centers on Holiday Detectors (high voltage APS/AP/W models and low voltage M1 series) for coating inspection on pipelines, tanks, and structures. Core offerings include Electronic Leak Detection (ELD) equipment for roofing membrane testing, Cathodic Protection Instruments (soil resistivity meters, voltmeters, insulation testers), CP Power Products (anode simulators, power supplies, current interrupters), and Reference Electrodes (copper-copper/sulfate and silver-silver chloride types). Supporting products include Pipe & Cable Locators, Survey Equipment (voltmeter and data canes), Test Stations with accessories, and Carbon Steel Coupons for monitoring. The company also offers equipment rentals and calibration services. All products are designed for field use in corrosion control, pipeline integrity, and waterproofing applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Model AP/W High Voltage Holiday Detector Portable belt-worn high voltage holiday detector with pulse DC voltage output ranging from 800V to 35,000V. Features integrated peak reading voltmeter, ergonomic design with waist-worn unit and handheld PowerPak, safety switch on Powerpak, audio/visual holiday indicators, and 3-year warranty. Used for coating inspection on pipelines, tanks, and structures.
• Model APS High Voltage Holiday Detector Stick-type high voltage holiday detector with pulse DC output, 800V to 35,000V range. First holiday detector with safety switch feature, includes 3-year warranty. Battery operated with internal 6V rechargeable LiFePO4 battery. Used for coating inspection applications.
• Model ELD Electronic Leak Detector High voltage electronic leak detection equipment for waterproofing integrity testing. Detects leaks in roofing membranes including single-ply membranes and modified bitumen. Faster, safer and more cost-effective than traditional flood tests. Used by commercial roofing contractors.
• Cathodic Protection Instruments Various CP instruments including Model ACT (Amp Clamp tester), Model CE/IT (Insulation Testers), Model AC-15 (AC Voltage Monitor), Model CPV-4 (CP Voltmeters), Model RF/IT, Model SR-2 (Soil Resistivity Meter), and Model VC-2 (Voltmeter verifier) for verifying voltage measurement accuracy. Used for cathodic protection system verification.
• Cathodic Protection Power Products CP power equipment including Model CS-1 (Magnesium Anode Simulator), Model CS-10 (10 Amp Portable Power Supply), and Model CI-50 (50 Amp Current Interrupter) for cathodic protection systems.
• Model SC-4 Land & Sea Reference Electrode Kit Portable Silver-Silver Chloride (Ag/AgCl) Reference Electrode kit for accurate structure-to-electrolyte potential measurements in saltwater and saline soil environments. Designed for both land and marine applications with IP67 waterproof carrying case.
• SPECTRE Series Reference Electrodes Field-installed reference electrodes for continuous monitoring. Four configurations (1, 1-B, 2, 2-B) engineered for long-term cathodic protection monitoring with minimum 30-year design life. Solid-state design for buried, submerged, and concrete environments.
• Reference Electrodes (Models 2-A, 3-A, 6-A&B) Portable Copper-Copper/Sulfate Half Cell Reference Electrodes for cathodic protection measurements.
• Short & Utility Locating Equipment Pipe and cable locators including Model PD (Pearson Method Pipe & Cable/Short Locator), Model BP-1 (Vehicle Probe), and Model 45/90 Probe for locating pipes, cables and shorts on underground pipe systems.
• Survey Equipment Survey equipment including RVC Voltmeter Cane, RDC Universal Tablet Data Cane, RMC 7" Survey Tablet Data Cane, RBC 1.5" Universal Ball Mount Data Cane, and Single Terminal Wire Reels with 100', 250' or 500' of wire.
• CP Test Stations Cathodic protection test stations including Models T-1, T-2, T-3, T-4, AG-1, AG-3, and Vector Test Stations. Also includes riser pipe and accessories such as shunts, adapters, shock guards, binding posts, and anti-spin gaskets.
• Model SR-2 Soil Resistivity Meter High accuracy soil resistivity meter for 2-Pin and 4-Pin (Wenner) methods. Features 4.5 digit digital display, 0.01Ω to 3.3 MΩ range, push button operations, DL-1 Data logger connection, and internal rechargeable 12V battery in MIL-SPEC enclosure.
• SR-2 Kit Soil Resistivity Test Kit Complete soil resistivity test kit including SR-2 Soil Resistivity Meter, Cable Reel with Jumper Cables, 4 PINS, and Travel Case with foam inserts. Supports Wenner 4 Pin Method, 3 Pin Fall of Potential Method, and 2 Pin Method for geological and archeological studies.
• Carbon Steel Coupons (1 cm² & 10 cm²) Corrosion monitoring coupons for accurate evaluation of corrosion activity and cathodic protection performance. Available in 1 cm² or 10 cm² sizes constructed from AISI 1018 carbon steel. Used for current density calculations, corrosion rate analysis, and polarization/depolarization testing.
• Low Voltage Holiday Detectors (M1 Series) Low voltage wet sponge holiday detectors including Model M1, M1 Retro, and M1/AC for inspecting coatings up to 20 mils on internal pipe surfaces using sponge electrodes.
• HD-AC In-Plant Holiday Detector AC-powered in-plant holiday detector allowing 24/7 operation without concern for battery condition. Suitable for continuous coating inspection applications.
• Equipment Rental Program Rental program for APS Holiday Detector, AP/W Holiday Detector, and Electronic Leak Detector (ELD) available in USA and Canada. Rental terms include $1300 deposit, $45 per day, and 5-day minimum. Includes full kit with electrodes and accessories.
• Service, Repair & Calibration Annual calibration and certification services performed at the New Braunfels, Texas facility. Most services completed within 1-2 business days. Calibration records maintained on file.

Quantifiable outcome

• Most rental services completed within 1-2 business days
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• D.E. Stearns CompanycoreOthers · 15 July 2024D.E. Stearns Company was acquired by Tinker & Rasor in 1976. Since 2009, Tinker & Rasor has produced all D.E. Stearns products. Upon D.E. Stearns facility closure in Shreveport, LA (established 1941), Tinker & Rasor continues to perform all repairs, calibrations, re-certifications, and honor all warranties under the D.E. Stearns name.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Rohrback Cosasco Systems: Cosasco is a direct peer in corrosion monitoring, producing coupon and probe-based corrosion rate instrumentation, reference electrodes, and CP monitoring equipment for the same oil & gas, pipeline, and industrial corrosion professionals that T&R serves.
• Defelsko: Defelsko manufactures coating thickness and holiday detection instruments under the PosiTest and PosiTector brands, directly competing with T&R's coating inspection product family across industrial, pipeline, and tank end markets.
• Elcometer: Elcometer is a global manufacturer of coating thickness gauges, adhesion testers, and holiday/porosity detectors, directly competing with T&R's holiday detection and coating inspection portfolio while also offering a broader coating QA instrument range.
• PCWI International: PCWI makes DC holiday detectors, porosity detectors, and coating inspection equipment, directly overlapping T&R's high-voltage holiday detection business for industrial coating inspectors and applicators.
• Cosasco / Cosasco Products (historical): Cosasco Products (now Rohrback Cosasco) is a long-standing direct peer in coupon-based corrosion rate monitoring and reference electrodes, serving the same oil & gas and pipeline operators as Tinker & Rasor.
• Borin Manufacturing: Borin manufactures holiday detectors (ST Series and others) and cathodic protection instruments for coating inspection, directly competing with T&R's APS, AP/W, and M1 holiday detector lines for pipeline and tank applicators.
• M.C. Miller Co. M.C. Miller is a direct competitor manufacturing cathodic protection test instruments, reference electrodes, and corrosion data loggers for pipeline and water infrastructure operators, overlapping nearly one-to-one with T&R's CP instrument, reference electrode, and data cane product lines.

Others

• AMPP (Association for Materials Protection and Performance): AMPP (formerly NACE International) is the standards body whose RP0188, RP0274, and RP0490 standards T&R products conform to; it shapes the procurement specifications that drive demand for T&R's CP and holiday detection instruments across the industry.

Broad incumbents

• Baker Hughes Pipeline Inspection: Baker Hughes (formerly GE Oil & Gas / BHGE) is a broad incumbent in pipeline integrity and inspection services, offering inline inspection, CP services, and integrity management — competing with T&R at the program level rather than at the instrument level.

Emerging players

• 3M Electrical Markets / Dyneema CP accessories: 3M offers electrical connection, sealing, and CP accessory products used in cathodic protection installations adjacent to T&R's test stations and reference electrodes, representing partial overlap in the broader CP hardware ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xyoutube.com/channel/UCB34TLRnkVKfQn0ICSLa6aw?view_as=subscriber
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCB34TLRnkVKfQn0ICSLa6aw?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/tinkerandrasor
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tinker-&-rasor
• Instagraminstagram.com/tinkerandrasor

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tinker & Rasor