Of all the responses here I believe OM15 has the nub of the issue.
If the tools are not "suitable" for the tasks and keep wearing or bending, then a better quality should be sought.
Nobody, even bean counters, likes to keep replacing bad goods, so the case for better quality but more expensive items should be made clearer to the management - this doesn't mean the most expensive or the most desirable tools.
...Another comparison is that office staff would not like to go back to pens and paper as those are much cheaper than computers and associated network gear.