ANOTHER screwdriver thread

[upper_tanker]

Hey everyone. Am I the only one that doesn't ever get any relevant results when I use the search bar? I've tried doing a google search "Screwdrivers garage journal," but mostly find 2017 or older posts.

Anyways, I'm looking for a basic Philips/flat blade screwdriver set. I've used the 8 piece Instinct set from Snap-On that my dad had and I didn't mind them. Now, I'm looking at a personal set.

Some info:
I have larger hands
I'd like the set to include at least one stubby Phillips and flat blade
I'd like the set to have a case/holder to keep them organized.
I'd obviously like them to be good quality and last a while.
$100 or less would be nice, but I'd be willing to go to $120 if they were really nice.

Thoughts?

 

[Spacey_G]

Try "screwdrivers site:www.garagejournal.com"

 

[M6erfan]

What do you mean by "case/holder"?

There are sets that come in trays...

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/CHQSDSP8?cid=paidsearch_shopping_dcoe_google&gclid=Cj0KCQiAyKrxBRDHARIsAKCzn8yVSSdjK9gcsiRY3q12uWi-21klLfshgKfeiYlkoBgVAl7HYZss9lsaAg_GEALw_wcB

 

[Rabid Badger]

Don't worry about holders when comparing sets. You can get one from Ernst for under $15.

Kleins have large, grippy handles. The brand I drool over the most is Vessel.

 

[Ton ton]

One brand of screwdrivers that I have not seen on Garage journal is Do It Best. I bought a small set of 4 screw drivers- 2 Philips and 2 straight. I was blown away by the durability of them. Kobalt, Craftsman, and even a Snap on straight screwdriver that I bought new off the truck all have soft tips than the Do It Best brand. Not sure if these screwdrivers are even sold by Do It Best anymore. But they have held up to multiple users. They are hard handle screwdrivers.

 

[Wamsutta]

PB Swiss with SwissGrip handles is what immediately enters my mind.

 

[Ton ton]

Upper tanker, thanks for starting a screwdriver thread. It made my day.

 

[sberry]

I have used those best things, they were ok. I am going to be hard to get away from HF anymore for screwdrivers, get a set then get some singles in the common sizes you use. I like the ID on the end of the handle too, that is super good.

 

[Legion Prime]

You should check out Vessel, they've got nice chunky handles. Someone once bought me a pair of underarmor gloves largest size they made, according to the sizing information on their site those XXXLs were still at least two sizes too small. The Vessels aren't super textured but they really do fill the hand. Also try out some Felo and/or Wera drivers, the ergo handles are surprisingly nice. The rubber overgrips on the Kleins Rabid Badger mentioned are nice as well plus they're usually easy to find locally.

 

[setfocus]

I have the newer snap-on screw drivers. The flat blade drivers are brittle on the end but life time warranty. I like them other wise, they don't easily strip, good grips. I got them years ago through the student program at about half off, part of a big mechanics set, but normal price is probably through the roof. As an auto tech with an impact driver... my screw drivers don't get used much for actual... screwing, so for my uses they aren't the greatest

I actually really like all the craftsman's I've ever used but the handles are plastic and sounds like you're looking for larger rubber grips. The big flat blades are great for prying or jamming up a nut when an actual pry bar doesn't fit, they don't just break off/chip, I need to buy some. Only craftsman I actually own is a long skinny flat blade I bought to pop clamps open, on steering rack boots

 

[Davefr]

Hey everyone. Am I the only one that doesn't ever get any relevant results when I use the search bar? I've tried doing a google search "Screwdrivers garage journal," but mostly find 2017 or older posts.

Anyways, I'm looking for a basic Philips/flat blade screwdriver set. I've used the 8 piece Instinct set from Snap-On that my dad had and I didn't mind them. Now, I'm looking at a personal set.

Some info:
I have larger hands
I'd like the set to include at least one stubby Phillips and flat blade
I'd like the set to have a case/holder to keep them organized.
I'd obviously like them to be good quality and last a while.
$100 or less would be nice, but I'd be willing to go to $120 if they were really nice.

Thoughts?

Proto Duratek 19 pc set. You might need to up your budget a tad.
Vessel Woody's with thru tank (order them from amazon.jp) Very Grippy.
Wera, Wiha, Felo, PB Swiss - take your pick
HF Pittsburg Pro - Excellent value and decent quality
Williams hard handles - same as SO but at a kindler/gentler price.

Most of these don't come with a case.

A huge part of screwdriver selection is holding them and seeing how they feel in your hand - kind of a personal thing.

 

[noid]

PB Swiss; everyone else is a big step behind.

 

[neophyte]

Hey everyone. Am I the only one that doesn't ever get any relevant results when I use the search bar? I've tried doing a google search "Screwdrivers garage journal," but mostly find 2017 or older posts.

Anyways, I'm looking for a basic Philips/flat blade screwdriver set. I've used the 8 piece Instinct set from Snap-On that my dad had and I didn't mind them. Now, I'm looking at a personal set.

Some info:
I have larger hands
I'd like the set to include at least one stubby Phillips and flat blade
I'd like the set to have a case/holder to keep them organized.
I'd obviously like them to be good quality and last a while.
$100 or less would be nice, but I'd be willing to go to $120 if they were really nice.

Thoughts?

Figure out which types of screwdrivers you need, and which sizes.
Phillips, Pozidriv, JIS, Slotted(and which type of slotted) Robertson, etc.
Figure out what type of handle material and “shape” you want. Plastic, cellulose, rubber, santoprene, wood, etc.
Squarish shape, roundish shape like old school excelite/Klein, rubber covered plastic like the newer Klein, weird ergonomic shape like Wera, slightly less weird more classical shape like Wiha. Etc
Accept that the set that coveres most of what you need may not gave Stubbies, or smaller Phillips, or whatever, and prepare to purchase those separately.
While some screwdriver sets give you a discount off buying screwdrivers individually, others don’t, so you’re better off purchasing the screwdrivers you need piecemeal.
Accept that even if you can find a screwdriver set that covers most of your needs, there will still likely be drivers you need to purchase separately, and then but a Klein bag, or a tool roll to keep the screwdrivers in.
Also, if you like the handles on you screwdrivers, buy a mayching bit driver for those times when you don’t have the right driver.

 

[bassbone52]

The Vessel drivers are nice. Some have an impact driver function built-in.

 

[upper_tanker]

I knew that this was going to end up with a ton of suggestions, and that's what I was looking for. I'm sure at least a little has changed in the past 3 years since the 2017 threads that I was looking at.

Thanks for all of the suggestions. It looks like I have some research and Googling to do!

 

[nichocha33]

I see it says you have larger hands as do I, the Carlyle set posted by M6erfan is a great set for the money and for larger hands. I have 2 sets and theyre my go to now over my Matcos, the only ones I want to try and have not been able to are the Vessel woody.

 

[Ton ton]

Just curious, can you buy PB Swiss @ East coast brick and mortar stores? I have read other screw driver threads. I know I am old school.

 

[neophyte]

Just curious, can you buy PB Swiss @ East coast brick and mortar stores? I have read other screw driver threads. I know I am old school.

PB Swiss seems to only be sold online by a few retailers, and maybe Amazon in collaboration with the US distributor.
There are also foreign sellers that list stuff on Ebay that are willing to ship to the USA, one from Israel.
Otherwise I think other sellers who turn up occasionally are just selling old stock from when the brand was distributed differently.

 

[bastage]

I have the Big tekton (black and red) set and the Ernst organizer.. The screwdrivers are great for my big hands (xxl glove size). I wasn’t sure about the shape at first, then when I started using them they are fantastic.. I have a lot of different screwdrivers and these became my go to almost immediately when I got them.

 

[neophyte]

Thanks for the info. Maybe I will go to Israel sometime.

Or just order off of Ebay.
Mainly I mentioned it because the guy sometimes has stuff that got discontinued in the USA.

 

[MattT]

Proto Duratek 19 pc set. You might need to up your budget a tad.

Since he likes Instinct handles he'd probably like Duratek. He can get the 8 piece set under his budget with a coupon from Zoro.

https://www.zoro.com/proto-screwdriver-set-slottedphillips-8-pc-j1208scp/i/G5291124/

 

[Davefr]

PB Swiss; everyone else is a big step behind.

I have almost a complete PB Swiss collection from when Amazon was clearing them out. They are excellent screwdrivers but "big step" is an exaggeration IMHO.

Their claim to fame is parallel tips. That's great if you have precision machined slotted screws. However there's so much variation in slotted screws, I find long tapered tips to be a better fit most of the time.

Given the price, I'd only buy them for high precision tasks. (electronics, gunsmith, etc)

For everyday DIY tasks I'd look elsewhere.

 

[American Locomotive]

PB Swiss is good, but my personal favorites are the Vessel non-slip "Woody" screwdrivers. Out of all the non-slip screwdrivers I've used - these are by far the best. Very chunky feeling (in a good way), and they really bite right into screws.

 

[Ton ton]

Can you buy these Vessel screwdrivers from East coast brick and mortar stores? Just curious.

 

[Davefr]

Can you buy these Vessel screwdrivers from East coast brick and mortar stores? Just curious.

I doubt it.

You need to buy them ala carte direct from Amazon Japan. Make sure you choose Amazon as the supplier. The price and shipping cost is very reasonable and I've found that shipping is really fast.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B01BHQEMIQ/

 

[American Locomotive]

Can you buy these Vessel screwdrivers from East coast brick and mortar stores? Just curious.

You've said this 2x already in this thread.

The only screwdrivers you are going to readily and easily find at brick and mortar stores are Stanley, Kobalt, Husky and Craftsman. All of those screwdrivers are really not great compared to offerings by Vessel, PB-Swiss, Wera, Felo and others.

You need to buy them ala carte direct from Amazon Japan. Make sure you choose Amazon as the supplier. The price and shipping cost is very reasonable and I've found that shipping is really fast.

Not anymore! JDV Products (https://www.vesseltools.com/) is a U.S. Based East coast distributor for Vessel tools. They're very easy to deal with it and have awesome customer support. I've bought from them a couple of times.

The only downside is the prices are of course a lot higher than Amazon JP. While not the screaming deal Amazon JP is, JDV's prices are about half whatever the equivalent Snap-On screwdriver costs. ...and IMO, The Vessel drivers are a lot better than anything Snap-On offers.

 

[bonneyman]

I'm not a Snappy worshipper but their classic hard-handle screwdrivers are about the best I've used.

Some times you gotta buy name brand because generic just don't cut it. Like with parmesan cheese.

 

[American Locomotive]

Thanks, American Locomotive for the info. Your help is appreciated.

Glad to have helped!

 

[measuredtwice]

Since you like your dad's Snap-On screwdrivers, you may as well pick up a set. If you want something similar at a lower price, you might buy Williams.

For slotted screwdrivers, I like the "parallel tips" on the PB Swiss and the discontinued Wera VSM (available on Ebay.de for a lower price). I also like the fit of the slotted tips on the Klein drivers but my Klein drivers are older and I haven't used the new ones. One problem with the Klein drivers is that the rubber over grip sometimes loosen and twist with use. Vessel slotted drivers are also very good.

For Phillips, the German DIN and Japanese JIS standards are very good. I like Wiha and Vessel Phillips screwdrivers.

Here's a comparison photo of PB Swiss, Klein and Wiha driving a common countersunk screw. The PB Swiss 6.5 mm fills the slot perfectly. The Klein 1/4" also is an excellent fit but the corners do stick out because of the shape of the countersunk screw. The Wiha 5.5 just wedges in at the very tip and doesn't fill the slot. The Wiha 6.5 (not shown) doesn't fit at all. All these screwdrivers are good screwdrivers but they don't all fit the same. Standard screw sizes have a range so having lots of choices is a good thing.

 

[SeisMec]

Hey everyone. Am I the only one that doesn't ever get any relevant results when I use the search bar? I've tried doing a google search "Screwdrivers garage journal," but mostly find 2017 or older posts.

You're not the only one to get poor results from the search bar.

When searching forums with goggle:

1. Do the basic search first - e.g. your "Screwdrivers garage journal".
   
2. On the results page click 'Tools' (below the search bar) and change 'Any time' to 'Past week' or one of the other options.

Alternatively you could use https://www.google.com/advanced_search.

 

[JiminAZ]

OP, here's an Amazon link to the US made Williams sets (the old SnapOn hard handle models). The 8 piece hard handle set is currently $52.07, which is pretty darned good. They're solid screwdrivers, and the larger ones have a hex on the shank. Note also that the 19 pc set does have some Taiwan Williams or maybe Bachco Spain drivers mixed in.

US Williams Sets

They're not the only screwdrivers I own, but are reached for regularly.

For #2 Phillips, you really owe it to yourself to get one of the Vessel JIS drivers. It's a step level improvement over plain old Phillips drivers.

 

[noid]

I have almost a complete PB Swiss collection from when Amazon was clearing them out. They are excellent screwdrivers but "big step" is an exaggeration IMHO.

Their claim to fame is parallel tips. That's great if you have precision machined slotted screws. However there's so much variation in slotted screws, I find long tapered tips to be a better fit most of the time.

Given the price, I'd only buy them for high precision tasks. (electronics, gunsmith, etc)

For everyday DIY tasks I'd look elsewhere.

It really isn't an exaggeration.

1. Parrellel tips
2. chamfered corners
3. Serialized with full tractability to base material.
4. If you watch their factory video; the amount of quality control is second to none.

Poor quality screws don't benefit from non-parallel tips, thats just silly. That would assert that a higher angle V has a lower propensity to cam out.

Parrellel tips even if they don't fit exactly cam out less because the tips have less of an angle. This is all without even talking about chamfered corners which make a world of difference in cam out.

The tips are a thing of beauty:

 

[Farmall450]

Try "screwdrivers site:www.garagejournal.com"

Yeah, TL;DR buy your own set of soft or hard handle SO.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=239689

 

[visionguru]

I have almost a complete PB Swiss collection from when Amazon was clearing them out. They are excellent screwdrivers but "big step" is an exaggeration IMHO.

Their claim to fame is parallel tips. That's great if you have precision machined slotted screws. However there's so much variation in slotted screws, I find long tapered tips to be a better fit most of the time.

Given the price, I'd only buy them for high precision tasks. (electronics, gunsmith, etc)

For everyday DIY tasks I'd look elsewhere.

Totally agree.

I too have a decent PB Swiss slotted & Phillips set. I love the quality and fit, but I don't think they are even appropriate as mechanics screwdrivers.

My planned use for PB Swiss is electronics, where the screws are perfect and light duty.

It really isn't an exaggeration.

1. Parrellel tips
2. chamfered corners
3. Serialized with full tractability to base material.
4. If you watch their factory video; the amount of quality control is second to none.

Poor quality screws don't benefit from non-parallel tips, thats just silly. That would assert that a higher angle V has a lower propensity to cam out.

Parrellel tips even if they don't fit exactly cam out less because the tips have less of an angle. This is all without even talking about chamfered corners which make a world of difference in cam out.

The tips are a thing of beauty:

.....

Yes, PB Swiss is high quality, which maybe beneficial for certain applications. But for everyday DIY or auto repair, the parallel tips are too nice to be useful.

I never saw a slotted screw on a car. At home, the only slotted screws I can find are on electrical cover plates. The most frequent use for a flat screwdriver is acutally prying/poking/scraping/chiseling...

On a slightly damaged screw, sharp/square side edges and V shape might be helpful in digging in to provide the need torque. The rounded tip of PB probably isn't good for that.

 

[seber]

I mostly use a 1/4" impact driver or 4 in 1 type but when I need a lot of torque I get out the newer style Snap-on. That handle allows tremendous grip and a wrench can be added but I've never needed it. I believe other brands will have the same style grip but I haven't looked around. Until I got this set as a warranty replacement for the old black handles I always preferred the "perfect" handle type for high torque. These handles will also easily work for large hands.

 

[Davefr]

It really isn't an exaggeration.

1. Parrellel tips
2. chamfered corners
3. Serialized with full tractability to base material.
4. If you watch their factory video; the amount of quality control is second to none.

Poor quality screws don't benefit from non-parallel tips, thats just silly. That would assert that a higher angle V has a lower propensity to cam out.

Parrellel tips even if they don't fit exactly cam out less because the tips have less of an angle. This is all without even talking about chamfered corners which make a world of difference in cam out.

The tips are a thing of beauty:

It's been my experience that sometimes the PB fit is a little sloppy. That's the fault of non precision screws vs the screwdriver. A tapered tip gives me a better chance of getting tight into the screw's slot. I've observed less camout risk when the fit is rock solid tight.

I love my PB Swiss for precision work with high quality fasteners but for average DIY tasks they are overkill IMHO.

The OP should try a few different screwdrivers and choose what works best for him.

 

[laser3kw]

I got the Williams set last winter and like it alot. Got it off Ebay. I don't have an organizer, I just line them up nice in my tool box.

 

[RWilcox42]

Klein Tools 8 piece set - 85078
Proto Duratek Screwdrivers 19 piece set - J1219SC
Craftsman 41 piece set - 9-31798
Gearwrench 20 piece set - 80066
Tekton 16 piece set - DRV41217

I use the klein screwdrivers for work and have the craftsman and tekton sets at home. My bestfriend has the proto set, and a coworker has the gearwrench set. They are all good and comfortable screwdrivers. I would recommend any of them. I don't believe they come with a case or holder though. I've included the set model number so you can find them easy

 

[lardy1]

I have that Klein set and I like them a lot. Best screwdrivers I ever had.

 

[consti2tion]

I have a ton of different Klein screwdrivers I use at work and at home and I can agree they are excellent screwdrivers. When I was an AV/Low voltage tech I used the 11in1 drivers and they are handy on the fly, the bits are softer then they’re traditional screw drivers though. I do like that you can get Klein screwdrivers that have a metal plate on the back for striking with a hammer ( likely for knockout plugs in electrical boxes / panels )

I picked up a set of these Channellock screw drivers a few months back and I really like they way they feel in my hand and they seem to work great for my use in the shop. Tips seem to fit right in Phillips and flat blade use.

Channellock SD-6A Screwdriver Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PB3A80S/?tag=atomicindus08-20