Torx Screwdrivers - PB Swiss or Snap On

[Tynee]

Not really for OP, as he asked about specific tools, but for other who may be following along. I noticed Tekton has set of hard handle TORX screwdrivers made in US these days. May be worth a look.
https://www.tekton.com/torx-hard-handle-screwdriver-set-6-piece-with-black-oxide-dst91002

 

[nezzman]

I've got a set of the Snap-on Torx drivers with the Instinct handles. I use them a good bit, and I'm a big fan of them, haven't had any issues yet - but I do like Instinct handles, I know opinions vary on those.

I have both instinct hard grip, and the old style hard handle, (pozi in instinct, ph and sl in old style) I like both, maybe the edge to the instinct.

Klein also has some MIUSA Torx screwdrivers, but IMO the cushion grip drivers may not be the best for automotive applications.

The Craftsman acetate drivers at Lowe's are actually pretty good, if you are looking for an inexpensive option. Again, the handles may not be the best for automotive work, but the price is hard to beat. Made in Taiwan.

A locking bit holder handle (ex. Malco Connext) and some longer power bits is another solution, that I have used.

Also, take a look at what Tekton has to offer. Their USA-made hard handle drivers are pretty good from what I hear.

I’m in the UK, so those brands would be pretty expensive to source. PB is relatively reasonable here. I have heard good things about Tekton though.

Unless I have no other option, I loathe and detest bits and bit holders. Give me separate drivers, at least whenever I have the room for them. With Torx stuff, it's incredibly common for the fasteners to be hidden in deep holes you can't reach with a bit driver.

Also, I find that I reach for my Torx t-handles most often. I have a nice set from Gearwrench, but there are many others in all the usual brands. Don't overlook t-handles; quite often the greater torque is much needed especially at about T20 and above.

I don’t mind bit sets, though I find I rarely use them, just due to the fact that grabbing a standard driver is quicker, and I don’t have to deal with bits falling out, or getting stuck in Fastners.
I was taking my vacuum cleaner apart to clean the motor out, and was using my SO ratcheting driver with a torx bit, in a recessed hole, and the bit kept getting stuck in the screw. A real pain in the ****.

The only time I think a bit set is good, is if I am going to do something, and don’t know what I will need.

I have a set of T handles, though they are not something I use a lot.

Another excellent option is Proto J1209STS. These have the Duratek hard handles & sizes T8 - T45 (included T27). I have this set and a set of Wera, and prefer the Proto.

They seem very expensive here in the UK, £180!

Yup, my hedge trimmer can testify. Most of them are about 4 cm deep. Not even a long bit would fit.

My vacuum cleaner was the same, about 4-5cm deep, though in that case, the bit driver did fit.

 

[Bubba Fett]

I’m in the UK, so those brands would be pretty expensive to source. PB is relatively reasonable here. I have heard good things about Tekton though.

Ah, in that case, I'd take a look at Wiha and Wera. Those are highly respected brands that might be easier on the wallet there.

 

[nbpt100]

Not really for OP, as he asked about specific tools, but for other who may be following along. I noticed Tekton has set of hard handle TORX screwdrivers made in US these days. May be worth a look.
https://www.tekton.com/torx-hard-handle-screwdriver-set-6-piece-with-black-oxide-dst91002

I would bet that is a good set for the price. When I looked at the ends I remembered the markings on my Carlyle set are marked in the same location. Some makings have worn off pretty easily. That was disappointing. Good clear markings are pretty important to me. It saves me time when I can easily see the size. Maybe not as important to everyone?

 

[dscheidt]

I can accept that slotted was a necessary phase in history - but should very much be relegated to history now.

Slotted screws have a bunch of things going for them that will keep them in use. First, it's well suited for uses where the user is likely to be using an improvised tool (coin, shell casing, whatever), especially with low torque. Second, a properly fitted driver can transmit a surprising amount of torque. Third, a slotted screw slot can be cleaned with the same tool used to remove it. You can knock out 100 years of paint, grease, pig manure, whatever with the driver and a hammer, and get the screw out. Try that with a torx bit. I know that I've told this before, but I had a college summer job working for a university maintance dept. I cleaned crud off the coils of convectors in dorm rooms. mOst of them, unless they'd had a serious problem, had never been opened since the buildings were built. That was 60 to 100 years for a lot of them, and they'd all been painted every other year or so, so there was serious paint on them. covers that hadn't been disturbed were easy to get off, two taps with the screwdriver and a hammer, turn screw. covers that hab been opened had screws replaced with whatever the maintance man had handy. Philips got drilled out, hex (self-tappers) sometimes came out, sometimes needed the drill.

 

[AirMech#406]

I have not owned any torx drivers by either company, but from my experience with PB and SO slotted and phillips head drivers, I would get the PB Swiss without hesitation. As others have noted, Wiha is also a good buy, but if you have your heart set on either PB or SO, I would go PB Swiss all day long.

 

[Etchase]

I find the handles on the SATA very comfortable. Heads work and have held up well.

 

[dukefx]

My vacuum cleaner was the same, about 4-5cm deep, though in that case, the bit driver did fit.

Then imagine having to deal with things like this. My screwdrivers are standard length, so no bit holder, long bit, nor a standard screwdriver. I'd probably go to my father's workshop and look through his box of screwdrivers.

 

[Blind1]

I prefer the pb Swiss handles.

 

[nezzman]

Then imagine having to deal with things like this. My screwdrivers are standard length, so no bit holder, long bit, nor a standard screwdriver. I'd probably go to my father's workshop and look through his box of screwdrivers.

I don't think any regular set would have a driver that would reach that screw!

 

[nezzman]

For anyone following, the Torx came in.

I am waiting on the T27 PB to arrive, it is back ordered, so eta 2-3 weeks.

The SO are lightly used, from ebay, with the box, though the T25 and 30 just look to be used.

Here are some pics.

SO came with a T27, I just didn’t include it in the pics as the PB isn’t here yet.

 

[Bubba Fett]

Then imagine having to deal with things like this. My screwdrivers are standard length, so no bit holder, long bit, nor a standard screwdriver. I'd probably go to my father's workshop and look through his box of screwdrivers.

This is one of the reasons I have so many screwdrivers. I have also found that handle shape matters, depending on the task. Snap-on/Williams hard handles are what I used when I need a lot of torque, but I can spin a Klein way faster, and sometimes the old Craftsman driver have the right size handle for the job.

Slotted screws have a bunch of things going for them that will keep them in use. First, it's well suited for uses where the user is likely to be using an improvised tool (coin, shell casing, whatever), especially with low torque. Second, a properly fitted driver can transmit a surprising amount of torque. Third, a slotted screw slot can be cleaned with the same tool used to remove it. You can knock out 100 years of paint, grease, pig manure, whatever with the driver and a hammer, and get the screw out. Try that with a torx bit. I know that I've told this before, but I had a college summer job working for a university maintance dept. I cleaned crud off the coils of convectors in dorm rooms. mOst of them, unless they'd had a serious problem, had never been opened since the buildings were built. That was 60 to 100 years for a lot of them, and they'd all been painted every other year or so, so there was serious paint on them. covers that hadn't been disturbed were easy to get off, two taps with the screwdriver and a hammer, turn screw. covers that hab been opened had screws replaced with whatever the maintance man had handy. Philips got drilled out, hex (self-tappers) sometimes came out, sometimes needed the drill.

Agreed on all points. The trick is to find drivers that properly fit the screws. US and European slot drivers are usually not quite the same, and even in the US, the same width screw may have a different thickness. A 1/4" wall plate screw and a 1/4" sheet metal screw may be different. Hollow ground bits/drivers usually fit best, and it may be worth getting a gunsmithing kit with a wide range of hollow ground bits.

I have used Phillips demolition drivers on painted screws. A good tap with a hammer (or the **** end of another demo driver) has worked pretty well for me.

You never know what you'll encounter. I run into Frearson screws every now and then, and no Phillips driver will properly fit. Hardly anyone sells Frearson/Reed & Prince drivers, but Zephyr still has bits. Tool makers seem to forget that there is still a lot of legacy hardware out there, and screws don't magically update themselves.

 

[nezzman]

This is one of the reasons I have so many screwdrivers. I have also found that handle shape matters, depending on the task. Snap-on/Williams hard handles are what I used when I need a lot of torque, but I can spin a Klein way faster, and sometimes the old Craftsman driver have the right size handle for the job.




Agreed on all points. The trick is to find drivers that properly fit the screws. US and European slot drivers are usually not quite the same, and even in the US, the same width screw may have a different thickness. A 1/4" wall plate screw and a 1/4" sheet metal screw may be different. Hollow ground bits/drivers usually fit best, and it may be worth getting a gunsmithing kit with a wide range of hollow ground bits.

I have used Phillips demolition drivers on painted screws. A good tap with a hammer (or the **** end of another demo driver) has worked pretty well for me.

You never know what you'll encounter. I run into Frearson screws every now and then, and no Phillips driver will properly fit. Hardly anyone sells Frearson/Reed & Prince drivers, but Zephyr still has bits. Tool makers seem to forget that there is still a lot of legacy hardware out there, and screws don't magically update themselves.

Same here, different drivers for different jobs.
I try and keep soft grip drivers for cleaner work, the reason I bought them.
Last year, I bought my first PB, the swissgrip. I was using them on the lawnmower, then a while later, I was changing all the light switches in the house, and noticed dirty marks around the switches. It had come off my hands, which had come off the drivers. Note, I had cleaned them as best as I could, but the swissgrip seems to get dirt embedded.

As far as handle shape, a bigger handle is good for torque, this is where SO is good, but the majority of time I am using a screwdriver, it’s for low torque, or else I would just grab my impact.

Just yesterday, I was removing the exterior door on my house, slotted screws, an old house. The classic PB 8mm was useless, just not enough turning power with the skinny handle, and it cramped my hand after half a screw! Switch to swissgrip and it was some much easier. I could have used the impact, but from past experience, impacts/drills don’t go hand in hand with SL screws!

I only have a few demo drivers from Wera, SL only, they don’t see much use. I do have the black handled PB striking cap set which I use for clean work, and keep the multicraft for dirty stuff, though I haven’t beat on them yet. I don’t know if I ever will

 

[dukefx]

I am waiting on the T27 PB to arrive, it is back ordered, so eta 2-3 weeks.

Same here. My last order has 4 PB Swiss drivers, incl. a T27. All but 1 were in stock so now I have to wait 4-5 weeks because of that 1 (which is not the T27 btw.).

 

[Dave455]

This is one of the reasons I have so many screwdrivers. I have also found that handle shape matters, depending on the task. Snap-on/Williams hard handles are what I used when I need a lot of torque, but I can spin a Klein way faster, and sometimes the old Craftsman driver have the right size handle for the job.

I completely agree with this.

Different tasks need different shape handles, and this is often overlooked, even by screwdriver manufacturers.

Yes, Snap On / Williams hard handles are hard to best for torque, but not suited to every application. I have British “G.P.O.” spec telecoms screwdrivers with narrow, cylindical handles. Rubbish for torque, but perfect for spinning in your fingers.

Most times I seem to need a compromise, such as PB Classic handles, but I also like the Facom square acetate handles, especially for electrical terminals.

For woodworking I need a little more torque, so opt for the slightly bulkier CK Classic or PB Multicraft.

For engineering work, I keep both Imperial and Metric drivers. Few folks seem to do this, but if you’re encountering screws with both Imperial and metric slots, you need both drivers to ensure a good fit.

 

[Dave455]

For anyone following, the Torx came in.

I am waiting on the T27 PB to arrive, it is back ordered, so eta 2-3 weeks.

The SO are lightly used, from ebay, with the box, though the T25 and 30 just look to be used.

Here are some pics.

SO came with a T27, I just didn’t include it in the pics as the PB isn’t here yet.

Nice balanced selection!

Switch some of the colours round and you could be looking at my bench!

Enjoy…!

 

[nezzman]

Same here. My last order has 4 PB Swiss drivers, incl. a T27. All but 1 were in stock so now I have to wait 4-5 weeks because of that 1 (which is not the T27 btw.).

Where are you ordering from? I got the multicraft from Caufield Industrial in Ireland. Only Quality Tools don’t stock multicraft, I spoke to Mark about it on the phone and he said they are not popular. I don’t see why though.

 

[dukefx]

Where are you ordering from? I got the multicraft from Caufield Industrial in Ireland. Only Quality Tools don’t stock multicraft, I spoke to Mark about it on the phone and he said they are not popular. I don’t see why though.

The first batch I bought from contorion.at. They sent me 2 wrong ones, even the replacement for the wrong one was the same wrong one again. 1 got canceled because they (probably the manufacturer) ran out of stock. So I got 3 out of 6 of the black handled ones with the striking cap, and 2 sets of electronics drivers. Despite that it's a really good place to buy stuff from. Free shipping at 50€+, coupons, wide selection, good prices, sometimes even the best prices.

My second batch was from j-kesselshop.de. I got a bunch of torx, 3 pz, and 2 small slotted drivers. They also had contradictory info on the black handled driver (similar to Contorion). Always the new image, but randomize old/new: article number in title, article number in description. I didn't want to risk it, especially since their customer service is basically non-existent.

Third batch is from prof-tools.nl, or rather their PB Swiss sub-site, pb-direct.eu I believe. Shipping is quite expensive to Austria, but they assured me I'm getting the right ones (remaining 3 black handles), and they also had the T27 I couldn't order at the previous 2 shops.

 

[nezzman]

The first batch I bought from contorion.at. They sent me 2 wrong ones, even the replacement for the wrong one was the same wrong one again. 1 got canceled because they (probably the manufacturer) ran out of stock. So I got 3 out of 6 of the black handled ones with the striking cap, and 2 sets of electronics drivers. Despite that it's a really good place to buy stuff from. Free shipping at 50€+, coupons, wide selection, good prices, sometimes even the best prices.

My second batch was from j-kesselshop.de. I got a bunch of torx, 3 pz, and 2 small slotted drivers. They also had contradictory info on the black handled driver (similar to Contorion). Always the new image, but randomize old/new: article number in title, article number in description. I didn't want to risk it, especially since their customer service is basically non-existent.

Third batch is from prof-tools.nl, or rather their PB Swiss sub-site, pb-direct.eu I believe. Shipping is quite expensive to Austria, but they assured me I'm getting the right ones (remaining 3 black handles), and they also had the T27 I couldn't order at the previous 2 shops.

It seems like you have a few places to buy.

I only have Caufield and Only Quality Tools here in the UK.
There’s not as big of a selection as you have in Europe, but I have all the span bits I want.

I have the black striking cap drivers, they are really nice, though for general use, I prefer regular swissgrip as they are lighter weight.

 

[dukefx]

It seems like you have a few places to buy.

I only have Caufield and Only Quality Tools here in the UK.
There’s not as big of a selection as you have in Europe, but I have all the span bits I want.

I have the black striking cap drivers, they are really nice, though for general use, I prefer regular swissgrip as they are lighter weight.

Apart from those 3 I have a 4th option at distrelec, but they have a limited selection. I was tempted to buy the pick set with the swiss grip, but that's a DRPD exclusive and I don't really want to pay that much for shipping + VAT.

 

[KnurledNut]

Then imagine having to deal with things like this. My screwdrivers are standard length, so no bit holder, long bit, nor a standard screwdriver. I'd probably go to my father's workshop and look through his box of screwdrivers.

I would have just grabbed my 152mm PH0 bit.

 

[dukefx]

I would have just grabbed my 152mm PH0 bit.

I guess it's time to stock up on 1 meter sizes

 

[CR888]

I really like the Wiha T-handle torx set with green handles. Ive punished the T-27 for years and I cant believe how well the tip has held up.

 

[f121]

I can’t comment on the pb set, but I have been using the so mini torx set (T8-T30) for years and I’m really happy with it. For most small fastners using them between finger and thumb is enough, so the fact they are too small for my hand doesn’t matter, a t8 would feel wierd with a big handle.

I’ve looked at the £160 so set a few times, but can’t justify it on something that doesn’t get used *that* often (or maybe it’s just my snap on balance hasn’t been zero when the sets have been on offer), so I’ll probably buy this sealey set for £20:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07S2ZDMWJ/?tag=atomicindustr-21

 

[CR888]

I can’t comment on the pb set, but I have been using the so mini torx set (T8-T30) for years and I’m really happy with it. For most small fastners using them between finger and thumb is enough, so the fact they are too small for my hand doesn’t matter, a t8 would feel wierd with a big handle.

I’ve looked at the £160 so set a few times, but can’t justify it on something that doesn’t get used *that* often (or maybe it’s just my snap on balance hasn’t been zero when the sets have been on offer), so I’ll probably buy this sealey set for £20:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07S2ZDMWJ/?tag=atomicindustr-21

Given Sealey is a lower grade tool brand and the fact they describe these drivers as TRX-STAR to me would imply that they are not really proper Torx™ with the original design. Its a generic version. Sure they will work but its something you should consider if you want well fitting drivers.

 

[noid]

Not really a fair comparison; PB Swiss specializes in screw drivers and at the very highest level.

Get PB Swiss.