SO square handled tools - screwdrivers, etc

[VolksWomble]

I’ve ended up with a few lots of tools recently which has yielded some of the older style Snap On hard plastic square handled tools - mostly screwdrivers, but also a 1/4” socket spinner. In using then I’ve found that I really like them, so would like add a few more to the small collection…



i’m curious as to what sort of age these are Fromm- when did the shapes change?

In researching I’ve also come across mention of SO handles disintegrating into a gooey mess. Are these the type that suffers from this issue? Are there any known ways of stabilising the plastic material or is that the end of the tool?

thanks

 

[d42jeep]

I originally bought all of mine that disintegrated in the 80s. They were warrantied by Snap-on with modern ones plus I’ve replaced most of them at garage or estate sales.
-Don


Here are the new ones sent by Snap-on.
In the meantime another has gone bad.

 

[zmotorsports]

I love that style of Snap-on screwdriver. I think that was their first gen four-sided and ran up until the late 80's. I bought a set of used ones when I first started as an Industrial Maintenance Mechanic in 1988 and if memory serves the new generation of 4- sided hard handled just came out which I also bought a set of around 1989. Followed by a couple sets of the Instinct handled ones around 2001/2002~ish. I still use all three styles.

 

[VolksWomble]

My other observation is that these seem quite collectible… so buying more may be expensive!

just by way of comparison, these are the other styles of handles I have. I really like the top one, quite like the middle one, but can’t really get on with the bottom style :/

 

[d42jeep]

I have more in the summer toolbox. They are still my favorites and I pick them up at sales whenever I see them.
-Don

 

[humber2]

Black handled tools are the easiest to lose IMO

YMMV

 

[bonneyman]

I also like this old style of hard handle. Just fits the hand perfectly!

 

[Farmer J.]

They are a nice shape, but unfortunately they stink like vomit. I removed all of mine, stored them in an airtight bag and fitted wood ones to the tools.

 

[cgrutt]

My square handled snap-on is from 1980s. Had an issue with a plastic hammer disintegrating which they replaced but no other issues with "stink" or otherwise. Have square handled screwdrivers in black and nut drivers in yellow(ish)/ clear. Can post some pics over weekend if it helps.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

They are my preferred snapon handle

 

[cgrutt]

^^^ they look like they're undergoing transition lol. My 1980's are definitely more "Squarish" if that's even a word lol.

 

[S-K Tool Fanatic!]

I have a pair of number 1 Philips, one slightly older than the other, the older one was free from my dad’s friend, the other one was $1 at a local second hand store.
-Tommy

 

[don long]

I went to the Indy 500 in 1996. I went into the Sna[-on tool tent and fell in love with the many tool cabinets they had hanging on the wall
I had to have them so I bought 10 different tool sets along with the cabinets.
The black square handle drivers were in those cases. I really like them and would love to find the ones or replace the ones that have walked away






I've had no problem with the handles disintegrating

 

[Provincial]

The earlier square handles with the straighter sides were common in the 1970's. It seems like the more contoured black handles came out sometime in the 1980's.

 

[johninct]

I have lots of the old square handle ones and only a few smelled and fell apart. Easy warantey . I like the old ones as opposed to the soft grip.

 

[cgrutt]

Some of my SO square handles...

 

[Oldtuleguy]

^^^ they look like they're undergoing transition lol. My 1980's are definitely more "Squarish" if that's even a word lol.

The newer ones are more contoured. My older ones have been retired to home use.

 

[charger 73]

Some of mine and still my favorite handle design

 

[Dave455]

The handles you refer to are called “contour grip”


They were introduced in 1962.

I don’t have a definitive date when production ceased, but zmotorsports suggests the new shape came out in about 1988, and I reckon he is bang on.

I bought a few of the contour grip brand new in about 86/87, and the new style was introduced not long after.

The contour grips were made of Eastman Tenite, which is a pretty high quality material. If you have an old handle with nicks and damage, you can actually sand it down and polish it, which I’ve done on some of these.

I too love the shape. It’s very practical for most purposes, and while the newer grips allow you to apply more torque, I have other tools for that.

The only downside is that the material can degrade. I’ve only found this to be a problem with one driver that was owned by my father. It was one of the Canadian made ones, which might be relevant. Other drivers show no signs of degradation, but maybe they will over time?

The newer handles (I forget the name) are perhaps more tolerant of knocks, but not quite so hard. I’m pretty certain the material used on the newer handles is a DuPont product, and is also first class. The earliest of these are now 30 plus years old and seem to wear superbly.

Today, Facom offer square handles of similar proportions (called “Isoryl”). They are cellulose acetate, not CAB, so they don’t smell, but the blades are not the quality of the Snap On, and of course the slotted tips are sized to metric standards.

 

[zmotorsports]

I thought I'd snap a picture of all three variations of my Snap-on screwdrivers.

The vintage 4-sides, next generation 4-sided hard handled which I actually have two sets of, one red handled and one black that is labeled CAT and lastly my set of red Instinct handled screwdrivers.

 

[genog]

I bought my blue handles off of the truck in the mid to late 80's
.....I think I'm missing one

 

[mritchie77]

I have a couple of these handles mentioned, but I far prefer the newer 4-side compared to these or the ergonomic soft grips. Snap-On's website doesn't mention handle material, but I imagine it's the same (or similar) to what Tekton's hard handles are as I've held them and they seem to be similar. Tekton describes it as "glass reinforced nylon". They feel a lot better to me than the first gen style that always reminded me of the Western Forge acetate handles.

 

[ecotec]

I went to the Indy 500 in 1996. I went into the Sna[-on tool tent and fell in love with the many tool cabinets they had hanging on the wall
I had to have them so I bought 10 different tool sets along with the cabinets.
The black square handle drivers were in those cases. I really like them and would love to find the ones or replace the ones that have walked away






I've had no problem with the handles disintegrating

The generation that you have is not the one that disintegrates.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is my favorite spinner. I hope this handle doesn’t go bad.
-Don

 

[Jgaz]

Here’s most of my remaining, original, 70’s vintage hard handles that haven’t suffered from the dreaded disease.

Might be of interest to some, the three red hard handles are pozidrive, not a new gimmick color.

These were drivers were purchased to deal with the screws GM started using in 1977 which was the start of their metric fastener push.
I was a Chevy/olds mechanic back then and suddenly needed a bunch of new tools.
Anyone remember the 18mm sockets and ratchets?

Note: SnapOn replaced every tool I had that caught the disease. This was even after Id been retired for five years or so. No questions asked.
The only tool they couldn’t replace was a hard handled, flex shaft, Allen screw driver for adjusting the point dwell on a GM distributor while the engine was running,

 

[Stubby1743]

I bought this 1/4 drive handle in about 1980. After a few years the plastic bulged and split and I've not used it since. I guess that I ought to get it replaced by Snap On but I don't really like the current handles. I thing they're too big for 1/4 drive.