Terrible smell from Craftsman screwdrivers

[drink]

My Craftsman screwdrivers don't smell........you might want to check your upper lip and make sure it has been washed properly.

 

[nh_yota]

I keep an open jar of pickled herring in my screwdriver drawer to cover up the smell of the screwdrivers.

 

[Tejaas]

Used that pop rivet gun recently? Vinegar is a weak acid, if you didn't hose it down with WD-40 or a similar lubricant I am betting it's worse for the experience.

That was 2-3 years ago.
Still no stink, and no negative aftereffect on the gun.

 

[gdocktor3]

Oh no....my pry bars are next to my screwdrivers. Now they're gonna be rusty and stink. lmao

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

This is hilarious lol

 

[ecally]

I tried all the 'cures'. Soaking in vinegar worked the best. After 20 years of stink I couldn't take it any longer and bought a set of JH Williams hard handles. Donated my old ones.

 

[mikegt4]

I have CM screwdrivers that I bought new back in the late 1960's, they don't smell any more. They did smell when new as did every one that I bought at any time. I always thought of it as "new screwdriver smell", like "new car smell".

 

[bonneyman]

Buy some Wera´s instead. Problem solved...

 

[Glassman66]

They taste bad too!!



Randy

 

[lakeroadster]

I worked at Sears in the hardware department back in the late 1970's / early 1980's.

They smelled back then too. Noticed it every time I re-stocked that isle.

Never noticed it though in my toolbox... or in my shop? Then again they're all pretty much 30 years old at this point.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=169821&highlight=screwdriver+smell

I'm wrong. We were out in the shop rotating tires on the DD's today, used one of my vintage 1980's Craftsman screwdrivers to pop the hub covers off my tacoma... The screwdriver flunked the sniff test.

So then of course I had to check all the others in the tool chest and they flunked too.

The wife wanted to know what I was doing.... I told her it was highly technical and involved acids only found in "CM Handles & Stomach Acids...."

I feel light headed ... and a bit

 

[langss]

In my case it wasn't Craftsman, I was way to poor. Mine were Irwin and they still smell a little and this is from the early seventies.

 

[finn]

Mine outgrew the smell, apparently.

I distinctly remember that foul odor in the 80s. Those same screwdrivers, although they are outnumbered by newer ones now, don't seem to smell any more.

 

[pauls_workshop]

I keep an open jar of pickled herring in my screwdriver drawer to cover up the smell of the screwdrivers.

THIS! I did not think of that!!!!! I'm doing it tonight!!!

If it doesn't work, I can just let them all sit in my pickled pickles jar for a month and then let them back in the drawer! That's just vinegar and a masking nice picklely smell that I happen to like!!! Yum! - Paul

 

[ba49]

I bought an old H&R .22 pistol at a gun show several years ago. It was from the late 1930s and had old plastic grips. I got it REALLY cheap and thought I got a great bargain! About half way home I started to notice a horrible smell (like somebody puked in my truck). When I got it home I decided to leave it in the garage. The next morning when I got out there my whole garage reeked. I tried everything to kill the smell and nothing worked. I ended up throwing the grips away even though replacements were hard to find. I still can't believe how strong and awful that smell was. Now I'm more careful about so called bargains!

 

[pauls_workshop]

I bought an old H&R .22 pistol at a gun show several years ago. It was from the late 1930s and had old plastic grips. I got it REALLY cheap and thought I got a great bargain! About half way home I started to notice a horrible smell (like somebody puked in my truck). When I got it home I decided to leave it in the garage. The next morning when I got out there my whole garage reeked. I tried everything to kill the smell and nothing worked. I ended up throwing the grips away even though replacements were hard to find. I still can't believe how strong and awful that smell was. Now I'm more careful about so called bargains!

Well, I would have kept it and just used those Herrings! Problem is that many of us older timers like the older tools and want to keep using them and they just won't die well (alot like many of us in that). Although today there are many brands of much better screwdrivers than the Craftsman low budget ones, I wouldn't even consider tossing them. They were my first set of screwdrivers as a gift from my Parents and I've used them a good 35 years now. It just ain't gonna happen. So gotta deal with that smell!!! I'm going to do the pickle jar vinegar soon!!!

Anyone ever try dipping the handles fully in clear epoxy? Or other coating methods? - Paul

 

[LesserSon]

I've got several C'man screwdrivers with no odor, bought in the learly 90s. About the same time bought a set of four C'man wood chisels with the clear plastic handles, and they started to stink. I thought it was because of glue I got on it. Now I have a yard sale C'man screwdriver that stinks even worse than the chisels. I think I have some Stanley chisels that have the same stink. I cleaned them with denatured alcohol and thought the stink went away, but when I tried it on the C'man, didn't seem to make a difference. Puke or old cheese.

 

[Two Sheds]

The vomit smell is butyric acid. The trade name for the plastic is "Tenite", which is one of the oldest thermoplastic materials, made from cellulose acetate. Whatever you do, don't treat them with vinegar or another acid. That will accelerate the deterioration. So will water to a lesser extent. The safest thing for the material to clean them with is mineral spirits or naphtha (except for fumes and flammability). Best to keep them well ventilated. This is a big problem for collectors of old plastic objects and movie film.

 

[767Jockey]

I know this is an old thread, but what the heck, I'll bring it back and ask the question -

My old Craftsman screwdrivers reek! Call the stink what you want - bad cheese, feet, ***- whatever; the drawer stinks bad when I open it. The screwdriver handles stink horribly.

The question is, will Sears exchange these because they stink? My local Ace hardware carries Craftsman, will they exchange them? Has anyone exchanged screwdrivers at Ace or is Sears the only place? I've got about a dozen, the came in the same set years ago and they all stink so bad I can't use them.

 

[rick carpenter]

Mr. McGuire: I want to say one word to you. Just one word.

Benjamin: Yes, sir.

Mr. McGuire: Are you listening?

Benjamin: Yes, I am.

Mr. McGuire: Plastics.

 

[6PTsocket]

This is a very old discussion. I recently discussed it with a chemist on another board. Like rust, the external factor that promotes the oxidation of CAB plastic is moisture. A scrubbing will gert rid of the white oxidized surface and the smell but then it comes down to stopping it from coming back. If you can't maintain a dry environment, some type of encapsulation is needed. It has to be clear, durable, somewhat chemical resistant and not dissolve the plastic of the handle. That was where we ended up. I am leaning toward a moisture cured or catalyzed urethane but have not tried it. Lubricants and wax coatings like Boeshield probably offer some short term protection. I have quite a few of these tools from Xcelite. I hate to risk messing up a tool. I keep looking for somebody that says they sprayed it with X or dipped it in Y and that did the trick. They dip fishing lures in urethane, with good results so who knows. At least there is no doubt what this is and what promotes it.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[eschoendorff]

There are way too many great screwdrivers out there to put up with ones with stinky handles

I had an old set of Nut drivers by Xcelite that smelled like cat ****. Threw them out and never regretted it.

 

[6PTsocket]

There are way too many great screwdrivers out there to put up with ones with stinky handles

I had an old set of Nut drivers by Xcelite that smelled like cat ****. Threw them out and never regretted it.

Your choice. The fact that this keeps coming up about screw and nut drivers from the 70s suggests that a lot if people kept them. Some actually collect them in spite of the problem.A simple fix wold be nice.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[intillzah]

I bought some cheapo screwdrivers from NAPA on sale, they REEKED for the first week I had them, made the garage stink to high heaven. Hell, you could smell them from the alley behind the garage...

After a couple of weeks, the smell went away. Now it's completely gone...

 

[Newell33]

Funny this comes up as I just threw away a couple of Craftsman screwdrivers two days ago. I had them in the console of my Firebird for carb adjustment. When I'd lift the lid it smelled just like dog poop. I kept wondering if someone was playing a prank on me. Then I realized it was the screwdrivers.

 

[uncwstudent]

I've never honestly gotten the smell of the Craftsman screwdrivers. I've had mine stashed away for years with no smells. Is it just when you leave them out in the heat or something?

 

[Spacey_G]

I've never honestly gotten the smell of the Craftsman screwdrivers. I've had mine stashed away for years with no smells. Is it just when you leave them out in the heat or something?

I suspect some people are more sensitive to the smell than others.

We have a shared box at work with a bunch of old acetate handle screwdrivers and a few coworkers have commented about how awful it smells. I can get a whiff of it if I stick my nose in the drawer, but it doesn't bother me.

 

[toolmutt]

I've never honestly gotten the smell of the Craftsman screwdrivers. I've had mine stashed away for years with no smells. Is it just when you leave them out in the heat or something?

Some smell, some don't. I've had lots of Craftsman drivers over the years. Some smelled so badly that I trashed them. Some never developed any smell.

 

[Shelbylex]

I read somewhere that Craftsman used to have a great warranty back in the days. I wonder if somebody tried to warranty screwdrivers due to smell as sign of plastic deterioration...

 

[uncwstudent]

Have you seen the handles on the new Craftsman screwdrivers? I'd take the acetate any day over the new stuff they are "producing."

I read somewhere that Craftsman used to have a great warranty back in the days. I wonder if somebody tried to warranty screwdrivers due to smell as sign of plastic deterioration...

 

[Shelbylex]

I do not see any Craftsman around anymore. Will try to pay attention if I end up in Lowe’s at some point. What are the new ones like?

 

[David0858]

I've never honestly gotten the smell of the Craftsman screwdrivers. I've had mine stashed away for years with no smells. Is it just when you leave them out in the heat or something?

I've had mine since Christmas '79 and I've never smelled them.

 

[6PTsocket]

Even if you don't smell them it is impossible to ignore it when they are covered with a white coating that looks like mold.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[David0858]

Even if you don't smell them it is impossible to ignore it when they are covered with a white coating that looks like mold.
/QUOTE]

Mine have never done that either in almost 40 years.

 

[FlaJunkie]

So after reading a buncha threads, can no one offer the name of a better non-stinking-handled screwdriver for my toolbox?

I have figured out that each of us perceives the odor differently. To me, a guy with a very sensitive sniffer, it smells like puke.

I am tired of it.

I now know acetone-plastic handled screwdrivers outgas and stink in a closed box.

The question is, do you coat them with plastidip or is there another screwdriver set to buy that uses a different composition that doesn't stink?

One thing is for damn sure...my nose isn't changing anytime soon. The warranty expired!

 

[Legion Prime]

So after reading a buncha threads, can no one offer the name of a better non-stinking-handled screwdriver for my toolbox?

PB Swiss, Felo, Hazet, Vessel, Klein, Williams, Tekton, SnapOn, Mac, Grace, Forster, Wera, Wiha, SK, Bondhus, Channelock, DeWalt, Stanley, Starrett, Wilde, Wright, Pratt-Read, Matco . . .

Screwdriver Recommendations
Replace Craftsman Pro screwdriver set with???
Screwdriver Shopping

 

[wayne55]

I have a lot of the old Craftsman and never thought much of the smell. What bothers me is the way the handle surface turns whitish like mold or something. It can be wiped off, but returns. What's strange is that some of mine do this and some don't, all of which are the same age.

 

[RTM]

I have had a bit of luck coating them with a coat or two of clear dewaxed shellac. Seals great (main ingredient in Killz and Zinssers Seal Coat), relatively clear.

I've done a handful so far, and it has greatly reduced the Barf Smell. I have a few questionable ones which are being segregated to their own box to see who the stinky one is.

 

[FlaJunkie]

PB Swiss, Felo, Hazet, Vessel, Klein, Williams, Tekton, SnapOn, Mac, Grace, Forster, Wera, Wiha, SK, Bondhus, Channellock, DeWalt, Stanley, Starrett, Wilde, Wright, Pratt-Read, Matco...

Lotsa choices but many use the same acetate handle.

I've tolerated the fish-box-tackle smell for 40 years...guess I can handle 20-30 more!

 

[FlaJunkie]

It's funny how things happen. As soon as I post this, I find the new buzz-word for screwdriver handles is "bi-material" - still don't know exactly what that means they are made of.

More investigation is needed...