I purchased these loose-leaf rings so that I could make keyring notepads as a party favor. They were very sturdy and locked tightly. Since I was using them for a craft project I was glad they were also shiny and not dull steel. For the price paid the rings were a good value. In my opinion the only drawback was that the hinge on most of them was very stiff which I can imagine in some applications that may be desirable. It made it a bit difficult for me to open the rings wide enough but they only need to open and close one time so it really wasn't an issue. The rings did what they were intended to do - hold papers together. And my craft project/party gift was inexpensive and well-received.