How to remove screwdriver from handle

solitaire · Apr 25, 2011

Is there a good way to remove the blade of the screwdriver from the handle without destroying the handle? I am looking at taking apart a craftsman pro screwdriver.

solitaire · Apr 25, 2011

also, what should i use to secure the ratchet into the handle? I was thinking of using jb-weld and pressing it in

Gtamazing · Apr 25, 2011

1. Put a washer on the shank for protection.
2. Put the screwdriver in a vise with about 1/4 of space between the handle and the jaws.
3. Use 2 prybars 180 degrees from each other and gently push down on both of them.
4. Reposition the screwdriver in the vise and repeat til it's apart.

Gtamazing · Apr 25, 2011

solitaire · Apr 25, 2011

thanks, what do you think as far as using jb-weld or epoxy or something of the sort for extra assurance that it wont spin out of the handle ?

Gtamazing · Apr 25, 2011

the last 2 I did were on a lathe and had a .010 press fit. They needed to be hammered together and are life partners. The first 2 I did I used a hand drill. I drilled them undersize and also hammered them together but the fit was not as nice. I used red loctite on them because thats what I had. Not really sure if i needed it but it went in there. If your useing a translucent handle whatever you put in there you will see in the handle.

lwlobo · Apr 25, 2011

Gtamazing, is that a Wera screwdriver? Has anyone removed a Wera handle, especially Kraftform?

Gtamazing · Apr 25, 2011

yeah thats an old Wera. it was extremly hard to separate. They have a huge butterfly. If you look in the ratchet handle thread there is a 1/4 drive with a red/yellow Kraftform on the last page.

solitaire · Apr 25, 2011

Heres what I came up with for a total of $6.50. I used a drill press and it was a really tight hammered in fit, but still twisted a little if I turned it really hard. So I jb-welded the shank in.

solitaire · Apr 25, 2011

Heres another one I did from some junk laying around

solitaire · Apr 25, 2011

The 3/8 drive one had two triangles on the handle, anyone know the brand?

browntown · Apr 25, 2011

Pretty cool, my favorite hand driver from NAPA has a drive hole on top that allows you to use it as an extension. That's your next project

solitaire · Apr 25, 2011

Yeah I noticed most 1/4'' drivers have the female drive in the top but i dont see myself really using it much

Zrexxer · Apr 25, 2011

solitaire said:
The 3/8 drive one had two triangles on the handle, anyone know the brand?

Looks like Vermont American.

DanCo · Apr 25, 2011

I've used a cut-off wheel to cut in some grooves,on the shank, then applied 5 min epoxy.

lwlobo · Apr 25, 2011

Gtamazing said:
yeah thats an old Wera. it was extremly hard to separate. They have a huge butterfly. If you look in the ratchet handle thread there is a 1/4 drive with a red/yellow Kraftform on the last page.

Thanks! Nice job on those ratchets, somehow I missed those in that thread.

I'm not surprised the Wera's have a big butterfly. Just like the Germans. They look like they're insert molded (handle molded around the shank). I've got a plan for the handles on some spare Wera drivers I picked up off ebay a while back, but I haven't had a chance to mess with them yet and I was afraid I'd mess up the handles pulling them apart.

If you get a chance can you post a pic of the shank that pulled out?

itsvegas · Apr 25, 2011

perfect i was wondering how you guys went about this. i need to do this soon.

Daddy · Apr 25, 2011

Here's one i did. Nut driver that accepts 3/8" sockets

IMG_2389 by Daddy's Car Accessories, on Flickr

IMG_2387 by Daddy's Car Accessories, on Flickr

IMG_2388 by Daddy's Car Accessories, on Flickr

solitaire · Apr 25, 2011

looks good, does the shank twist when you really torque on it?

Daddy · Apr 26, 2011

Haven't had a problem yet....

gj67stang · Apr 26, 2011

I pretty much follow gtamazing's procedure outlined above to remove the handles. I press fit everything together and haven't had a problem with twisting yet.

Here's a couple of driver's I've made:

Daddy · Apr 26, 2011

solitaire said:
looks good, does the shank twist when you really torque on it?

Just out of curiosity I put the tip in my vice and twisted as hard as I could and still couldn't get the shaft to spin in the handle.

rocklobster · Apr 26, 2011

Make sure that you have a tight fit and you will not have to apply any adhesive.

Lump · Apr 26, 2011

solitaire said:

The 3/8 drive one had two triangles on the handle, anyone know the brand?

Click to expand...

Sounds like Utica's logo.

Gtamazing · Apr 26, 2011

The shank of that red Wera. When separating the Wera t10's I used to make the 1/4 ratchet I broke 2 of them completly and the one I used on the ratchet still has a small crack.

Kirbot · Apr 26, 2011

Sometimes heating up the shaft with a torch makes it easier to pull out.

Craftsman86 · Apr 25, 2012

I know that this is an old thread, But I am looking to fit my Craftsman 1/2 drive flex head ratchet into a handle, Do you machine the handle on the ratchet to fit the handle? Looking at some of the items that gj67stang has made I cant determine if I need to machine the handle round or leave it as it is. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

gj67stang · Apr 26, 2012

Anytime I install a handle onto a ratchet that did not originally have one, I machine the ratchet handle down. Depending on the handle, I may bore out the hole in the handle to match the ratchet.

Modifying a Craftsman flex head presents a few obstacles:
1) the handle end of the ratchet has a rectangular cross section = pain in the **** to machine to round
2) flex head ratchets are somewhat difficult to hold in a lathe jaw
3) machining the cross section to seamlessly transition from plastic handle to metal shaft requires some finesse

How to remove screwdriver from handle

Well-known member

Well-known member

Banned

Banned

Well-known member

Banned

Well-known member

Banned

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Blank Email

Well-known member

Blank Email

Well-known member

Blank Email

Well-known member

Well-known member

Banned

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member