Whats your favorite screwdriver handle?
- Thread starter KnurledNut
- Start date
charger 73
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2017
- Messages
- 75
The old classic snap on contour handles , still think their the best design ever.
teknikfrog
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2023
- Messages
- 216
...and it's not even close.
(I use Wiha but nothing beats the old school craftsman for value)
They are bigger than average - I consider them mechanics screwdrivers. I want something robust for that type of work. Despite that, they're noticeably SMALLER than my second set:
Urrea 9100GC
PCMusicGuy
Well-known member
I'm a big fan of the squishy handles like Felo has. They are not unique though.
Last edited:
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Hands down my favorite feeling screwdriver handle is the ole MAC Comfort Grip handle from late 80's/early 90's.
woody 73
Well-known member
Stanley Work Master for the win...
Dave455
Well-known member
One of my all time favourites too.
@Dave455
I have some of the same pozi drive screw drivers from the late 70s when red was used to designate that type and not for another “cool” color.
This type handle is still one of my favorites.
It’s not just the size and shape of the handle I like, but also the feel of the Tenite. It’s also one of the few materials you can re polish.
On introduction, the convention was always that Pozidriv screwdrivers were blue. A lot of manufacturers still code them that way today.
Snap On opted for red, and I always liked that. Interestingly, the British tool manufacturer Britool, also colour coded theirs red. By no means the only time they have followed American practice.
Snap On continued to offer those “contour grip” drivers till the late 80’s (‘88 I think) and the red Pozidriv’s were the very last I saw, as they were slow to introduce the Powergrips in Pozi.
Still my favorites - Stahlwille 3k Drall:
I can get a better grip on these than any other screwdriver I've ever used. They're fat/triangular in one plane but narrower in the other. I can't explain it well but here's a photo from another GJer (mr.lemons) that gives a better picture of their shape:
I can get a better grip on these than any other screwdriver I've ever used. They're fat/triangular in one plane but narrower in the other. I can't explain it well but here's a photo from another GJer (mr.lemons) that gives a better picture of their shape:
superautobacs
Well-known member
PB Swiss Classic/Multicraft/SwissGrip
Vessel Ballgrip
Anex (non-ballgrip) and Wanidora
Wera Kraftkant
Facom Ergotwist
Felo Ergonic
Snap-on square hard handle
Vessel Ballgrip
Anex (non-ballgrip) and Wanidora
Wera Kraftkant
Facom Ergotwist
Felo Ergonic
Snap-on square hard handle
I wonder whatever happened to these.
I have seen more than a few where the butyl acetate failed to the point of the handle ending up a pile of goo.
When you find them in good shape, buy them. They are really ergonomic.
Snapped-off
Well-known member
The pre-instinct Snap-on soft grip, followed by Craftsman Pro, followed by Snap-on instinct soft grip
It would be cool if one of the companies that has contract manufacturing done, like Tekton, would knock out a set of these.
It's funny to me how I tend to think of screwdrivers with bolsters as equaling quality. Even though I never use the things, for some reason that makes them 'good' somehow. Tekton screwdrivers (purely as an example, not to pick on them) look cheap, even though I'm sure they're fine.
For instance, these are the 'best' ones, even though I doubt that the rest of the tool is different from their other models.
Attachments
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
@Dave455
I have some of the same pozi drive screw drivers from the late 70s when red was used to designate that type and not for another “cool” color.
This type handle is still one of my favorites.
I think this was my favorite Snap-on handle. It was from the 60's (early I think) up until around late 80's (1988 I believe) when the next generation of square handled Snap-on screwdrivers came out. I have an old set that I bought from a coworker in the late 80's when he bought a set of the new generation. I love this handle and feel it is almost identical in size, shape and feel to the MAC Comfort Grip that I posted above.
I only wish the standard set would have been available in red. You're right, back then the colors were not as readily available and the red handled like you show was to distinguish them as the Pozi-drive and not just a regular phillips screwdriver. I would love to get my hands on a set of these screwdrivers that are in better condition than the ones I have but they are hard as hell to find that aren't beat up or cracked.
Brownsfan
Well-known member
Matco for sure. They are definitely my favorite.
milkovich
Well-known member
/thread
Snap on instincts are up there for me. Especially in the mini sizes. In the full sizes they can almost be too big, but I have big hands and appreciate them. For shear torque, I feel they have no equal.
Maybe it’s nostalgia for better times at Craftsman, these “all blacks”, Craftsman’s professional line, have always been favorites.
Never liked the hex shanks. And the “all-blacks” might be cool looking but I’ve always felt the color was impractical. These are SO easy to lose. I know we’re not talking tips but these have really held up great.
Maybe it’s nostalgia for better times at Craftsman, these “all blacks”, Craftsman’s professional line, have always been favorites.
Never liked the hex shanks. And the “all-blacks” might be cool looking but I’ve always felt the color was impractical. These are SO easy to lose. I know we’re not talking tips but these have really held up great.
cosmokenney
Well-known member
Don't really have a pref on shape. Though I do grab my square handled ones more often. I particularly like the "bolstered" set from Pittsburg that have the bolt head for extra torque:
Madjik Man
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2015
- Messages
- 1,531
Admittedly I do not have many different types of screwdrivers in my history but:
Favorite: Tekton hard handles. (The tips are less than desirable though)
Least favorite: Mid-90s Craftsman. The ones the dig into your palms and cause indentations in your flesh.
Most used: Vessel. I like these handles a lot.
Favorite: Tekton hard handles. (The tips are less than desirable though)
Least favorite: Mid-90s Craftsman. The ones the dig into your palms and cause indentations in your flesh.
Most used: Vessel. I like these handles a lot.
Madjik Man
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2015
- Messages
- 1,531
Hands down my favorite feeling screwdriver handle is the ole MAC Comfort Grip handle from late 80's/early 90's.
Those look like they’d be fantastic.
I was generously graced by my Secret Santa last year with similar looking Mac nut drivers. Those handles feel amazing in my hands. Those screwdrivers you posted look exactly the same lest the color.
Last edited:
designer485
Well-known member
By far, my favorite handles are the original Snap-On soft grip handles.
An honorable mention would be the Felo Ergo soft grip handles.
An honorable mention would be the Felo Ergo soft grip handles.
OP
KnurledNut
Well-known member
I like a lot of different handles, but these are definitely in my top 5.
Pics appreciated.
Astro_Pneumatic_Tools
Well-known member
Hohn
Well-known member
I looks like Tekton has a hard handle series like the ones on the mini-prybars.
I need those in my life. LOVE those mini-prybar handles.
I need those in my life. LOVE those mini-prybar handles.
Vinny
Well-known member
Is there a certain type of handle that's better for high torque applications? In both being able to handle it with out the handle breaking, and having a handle that will let it be gripped to apply the torque?
I want wood for the esthetics, but was thinking it might not be the best in automotive applications.
I want wood for the esthetics, but was thinking it might not be the best in automotive applications.
Hohn
Well-known member
I think many handles are capable of more input than the tip can bear--or that the fastener can.
Even with the old vomit--smell-inducing Craftsmans I had, I can't remember a time when the dry grip of the handle was insufficient. Usually it was only insufficient when there was oil or something on it.
I think in automotive applications, I would place chemical resistance and such as higher priority over peak grip torque. The Tektons have a lot of glass in them and that gives the polymer some "tooth" that makes them feel pretty grippy for a "hard handle" screwdriver.
I will never again own a butyrate or acetate handled driver if I can help it.
GX460DIYguy
Well-known member
These and the same style snap on handles are my favorites. I’ve been trying to hunt down old Mac hard handle ratchets I like them so much. Just about everything I’ll be getting new with hard handles is going to be Mac.
I agree. It's hard to beat Duratek.My personal favorite is the Proto Duratek:
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
My personal favorite is the Proto Duratek:
Several people on here have recommended the Proto Duratek's in the past and me being a Proto fan I bought a set about 5 or so years ago. For some reason I didn't care for them. Not sure if it was hand size or what it was, but I didn't care for them and ended up giving them to my son who likes them very much.
That's the reason people should try different styles of singles before buying full sets. There's a lot of subjectivity/personal preference involved.
Dave455
Well-known member
I think it’s because it generally means the blades are fully forged.
I don’t think I’ve ever come across a fully forged blade that wasn’t decent. I’ve got some old Stanley and Marples drivers with fully forged blades, and they will rival anything of modern manufacture.
Without the bolster it is likely that the blade is just forged on one end, or even just ground. Not as good as fully forged.
The only exception are the Hazet drivers made by Oplast. The hex portion at the top is made as a separate piece. Bit of a shame, as these are actually quite decent drivers. For the price, extremely decent, but not in the same league as the older Hazet.
lol. I had something like that years ago, dropped it and it shattered. Maybe craftsman? Maybe the handle had bits inside it? Probably one of those tools they brought out for Father’s Day./thread
With respect, this kicks the **** out of that!
You know, maybe that's true. I wonder if those screwdrivers spec'ed for being beat on (Chiseldriver, etc) imply higher quality material or treatment. I like the looks of that Hazet, but absolutely positively don't need more screwdrivers. I could probably get by forever with about 5-6 really good ones plus a bit holder. Somehow, they multiply.
Dave455
Well-known member
Yes, I think It may be, but I suspect they are forged differently.
Snap On point out, that the forging process of a screwdriver is different to that of say a pry bar or a punch. In this they are quite correct, a screwdriver is designed to resist twisting forces, a pry bar to resist bending, so the grain would be different.
I’ve known a couple of folks seriously abuse those Wera Kraftform Chiseldrivers and the blades seem to take the abuse.
The hard handle Hazet drivers (Trinamic) are quite nice, and relatively inexpensive where I am, but obviously it varies.