Good quality screwdrivers

[Tangoddess]

Hello and good evening,

How is everyone doing today?

I have a simple question, I need some good set(s) of screwdrivers for use around the house, and my other farm equipment for example mowers, tractor etc.

I do NOT like the screwdrivers with interchangeable heads, i.e one tool with changeable heads, I find those heads get lost over time and diminish the utility of the set.

I have bought some screw drivers from the big box stores like Home Depot, Harbor Freight, but to be honest, they seem ok, and I fear they will grind the screw heads or thread, whatever it is called over time.

Are there some truly good quality screwdrivers out there, which are at a fair price point??

Any recommendations please?

Thank you

 

[bcp]

I do NOT like the screwdrivers with interchangeable heads, i.e one tool with changeable heads, I find those heads get lost over time and diminish the utility of the set.

Go to one of the hardware stores and buy a half-dozen of the common size insert tips. You should throw them away anyway, as soon as they become a bit worn. Buy several handles, too, and quit changing inserts so much. I don't buy "sets," as I don't need half the inserts.

If you buy standard screwdrivers, the same applies to worn ones.

If you want good flat screwdrivers, look for hollow ground ones, instead of the common tapered design. They are often called gunsmith screwdrivers.

Bruce

 

[ericm979]

Sears Craftsman are at a good quality/price level. Be careful to buy the real Craftsman ones. Sears also sells cheaper non-Craftsman tools.

The last set of screwdrivers I got from Harbor Fright are actually not that bad. HF seems to be moving up in quality. But for hand tools they still sell a range from bad to ok.

Most halfway decent screwdrivers have good tips that are the right size and shape. When the tips get worn they are more likely to damage screw heads. I use my good screwdrivers for screws only. The other things that screwdrivers get used for- prying small things, driving small bearings, punching holes in paint cans etc., I do with worn or junkier screwdrivers. When screwdrivers get worn and can't be sharpened (i.e. phillips type cross head) I move them from the good set to the prying etc set. This keeps my good screwdrivers good for longer.

 

[jeff9366]

I have a simple question, I need some good set(s) of screwdrivers for use around the house, and my other farm equipment for example mowers, tractor etc.

I do NOT like the screwdrivers with interchangeable heads, i.e one tool with changeable heads, I find those heads get lost over time and diminish the utility of the set.

GUNSMITH SCREWDRIVERS are ground without a taper, so they hold in slots and Philipps indents wonderfully. Ground flat/straight you need multiple bit selection for precise slot fit in each circumstance, which is key to applying exceptional torque to screws.

I have used a set of Chapman's for over forty years in home and shop use and have distorted only the smallest bit, once, which Chapman replaced free of charge. Chapman's are modular, however, which you object to.

I give Chapman screwdriver sets my highest recommendation.

LINK: Chapmans screwdrivers in Hand Tools | eBay

 

[s219]

I was shopping around for a set of high quality screwdrivers back in 2015, and settled on these:

Amazon.com: Klein Tools 8574 Cushion Grip Screwdriver Set (6 Pieces): Home Improvement

So far they have lived up to my expectations. Klein is popular with electricians, and they make a lot of different electrical tools.

I also keep older screwdrivers around in my barn, as well as a set of HF screwdrivers in my barn and in my boat toolbox. The HF screwdrivers are fine in a pinch, buy for critical work I go get the Kleins and boy is the quality difference noticeable, both at the tip and the handle. The Kleins get used a lot more but the tips still look almost brand new.

 

[EddieWalker]

Klein is very good and you'll find them in the Electrical Department at Home Depot. I have some of their tools and agree with s219 about their quality. I've also found that the Home Depot Ridged brand screwdrivers are good too. I like the orange handles, which make them easy to find, and it's very grippy.

Over the years, I use a hand screwdriver less and less. My first choice for most things is my cordless impact driver. Just like screw drivers, you need quality bits for it and Milwaukee is my favorite as of right now. I go through a lot of them every year and if I'm at a store with a different brand, I'll give it a try. DeWalt is very brittle, Bosch and the other brand just sort of wear away fairly quickly. I have gone with Makita for all my cordless tools. I've owned just about every brand, and in my experience, they last the longest and work the best.

 

[tomplum]

Felo fit my hands well, have a metal end on the handle should you need to shock something plus a hex on the shaft if you need a wrench to help turn. Felo 7157 3172 Slotted and Phillips Screwdrivers, Set of 5 - - Amazon.com Amazon says that mine is plus 6 years old and I twist wrenches for a living. Highly recommend. What EddieWalker said is right on about impacts taking the load off.

 

[downsizingnow48]

The answer depends on type of screw and purpose.

For fastening wood, I use impact bits in a Makita cordless impact driver. Sometimes in a cordless drill. I hardly use a hand screwdriver at all. The various bits are in the first photo. Milwaukee and McFeely's are the best. The bits that come in a box of structural screws are also very good. What is hanging on the wall in the local hardware store or big box store is usually crap.

For fastening metal, I use socket head screws exclusively. Second photo.

For odd jobs around the house, I use these Lenox multi-tools. The quality is good and they are very convenient and cheap, about $8.00. Third photo. There is a Southwind clone, the quality is terrible, compared to Lenox.

Only thing I use a flat blade screwdriver for is opening paint cans.

 

[s219]

Can't remember if I complained about it here already, but I had to torque some large screws with a slotted (flat) head recently. Talk about dumb. These were the drain and fill plugs on the lower unit of my Yamaha outboard. I don't know why anyone would put a torque spec on a fastener and then use slotted heads. Very difficult to torque them unless you are perfectly lined up with the screw and can hold the driver onto the screw head. I found some large slotted bits on Amazon that fit in 5/16" and 3/8" sockets so I could use my torque wrench. If unable to torque them with a wrench, I think I'd just mark the screw head positions with a pen before taking the plugs out, and then re-tighten to the same position with a screwdriver. Probably just as good.

Next time around I am thinking of seeing if I can replace the screws with hex head or allen head. Even if I have to machine them myself it would be an improvement.

 

[Ortimber]

Klein and Snap On for me. Not cheap, but if you don't lose them, you'll only buy them once.