To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

I twisted my large Snapon screwdriver!

Threadkiller

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 10, 2012
Messages
167
Location
Dutchess County, NY
Sooooo, Im blown away by how easy the blade of this screwdriver bent. I was using one of the bigger flathead screwdrivers trying to break free a stubborn screw. I used the hex on the shank that Snapon was so kind to put on there for extra torqueing assistance and with that I twisted the blade. Im not a mechanic and don't have access to a tool truck. I get all my snapon stuff online. Anyone know if they warranty this kind of damage? I wasn't using it as a prybar or anything and the damage reflects that. Their website is vague as can be and doesn't mention anything. I'm very disappointed with this. For the $250 the screwdrivers cost I don't think they should bend like that.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

B.S.A. (ret.)

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 3, 2017
Messages
416
Location
Central Connecticut
Call the toll-free number and talk to a CSR. They have been more than helpful to me in the past. Ask if they'd like the tool back or a picture - my guess is that they'll just send out a new one.

P.S. Lay off on the Wheaties for a while!
 

ocloc24

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 21, 2017
Messages
977
You must've gotten a bad one, I beat the hell out of mine and they've held up going on 2 years now. Call or go online, they will replace no problem
 

cgrutt

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Messages
8,360
Sounds like you might want to look into a Snap-on impact driver set...

208EPIT.jpg
 

ssdave

Banned
Joined
Apr 11, 2015
Messages
2,913
Location
Eastern Oregon
It happens. Call Snap-on, they'll send you a warranty blade to replace the twisted one. Or catch a driver at one of their regular stops, and they'll warranty it for you and do the replacement.

Snap-on are expensive, but in addition to the quality of their screwdrivers, they do replace the blades under warranty reliably. That's what makes their screwdrivers one of the good values of what they sell if you use them enough to need the warranty.
 

cgrutt

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Messages
8,360
How so? It's less likely to damage the fastener, but I'm having a hard time imagining how hollow ground is stronger.

I think it is because a hollow ground tip will have significantly more steel engaging the slot of the screw compared with a flat taper ground which only engages at the top of the slot. Steel itself may not be "stronger" (because there is less of it) but you can apply more force to a hollow ground tip vs a flat taper ground tip because the force is distributed internally within the slot of the screw over a much larger surface area.
 
Last edited:
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

rlitman

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 18, 2010
Messages
24,657
Location
Long Island
How so? It's less likely to damage the fastener, but I'm having a hard time imagining how hollow ground is stronger.

There is more metal in the blade, closer down to the slot. More metal means harder to twist. At least, at the tip. If you're twisting the shank, that's a different story.
 

lbhsbz

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 13, 2010
Messages
1,181
Location
Long Beach CA
How so? It's less likely to damage the fastener, but I'm having a hard time imagining how hollow ground is stronger.

They'll break instead of bend. The quality of SO impact bits has gone to complete **** in the last 10 years it seems...along with every other impact bit. I find myself grabbing my Dad's old KD impact driver in the vinyl roll...with all the original bits...that never break.
 

mbshop

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 23, 2010
Messages
1,539
Location
visalia ca
hmmm, this is called abuse. no tool has unlimited strength. if you paid attention and saw it was not gonna do it, you stop and use another tool or pursue another option.
 

mr.lemons

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 24, 2017
Messages
2,191
Location
UK
hmmm, this is called abuse. no tool has unlimited strength. if you paid attention and saw it was not gonna do it, you stop and use another tool or pursue another option.

Yeh, using a screwdriver to loosen a screw? What was he thinking?

Screwdrivers break, even snap on ones.
 

CR888

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 19, 2017
Messages
1,198
hmmm, this is called abuse. no tool has unlimited strength. if you paid attention and saw it was not gonna do it, you stop and use another tool or pursue another option.

Most of the shiny glossy pics on this site of Snap On tools definitely adhere to your principles of use and remain unused in their tool chests never to be used or 'abused'. The guy was using the tool for its intended purpose and it failed....big deal, he paid SO enough for them to replace the tool many times. I'd probably have grabbed a hand impact but each to their own.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom