Anybody else hate that all Snap On tools are going to soft handles?

[WESTOF7]

Pisses me off to no end.

Almost no one likes them so wtf? Why make them?

Having gummed up difficult to keep clean rubberized handles slow me down as they do not wipe clean with some brake clean and a rag. Drives me crazy.

I despise everything comfort grib and instinct

My 70s snappy contour screwdrivers feel more balanced and comfortable in my hand than a instinct ever will.

 

[sdguy55]

I personally love the soft grip. But my tools arent for show, they make me money.

 

[shampoop]

soft grip is better than smooth chrome.

 

[Hyster Gareth]

Yes I dont like them either. I have just ordered a new set of hard handle screwdrivers.

Easier to clean and I prefer them than the instinct handles.

 

[WESTOF7]

I personally love the soft grip. But my tools arent for show, they make me money.

IMO hard grips are more functional I'm definately not a tool polisher. I gaurantee a 70s contour grip screwdriver handle can be used faster and more efficiently than the new instinct handle. You sacrifice a slight amount of initial torque for a bulkier slower turning handle with the instinct. Keeping soft grips relatively clean requires time as you know time=money.

soft grip is better than smooth chrome.

I believe textured hard handle is superior to both but that is just my opinion. Would be nice if it was a readily available option.

 

[odelay01]

I have two of their impacts and they have the soft rubberized grip. They are a pain in the **** to keep clean. I much prefer the hard handle on our other impact.

 

[GoBlue]

I also dont like soft grip tools...give me chrome ratchets and hard handled screwdriver please.

 

[znowaczyk]

I personally love the soft grip. But my tools arent for show, they make me money.

my thoughts exactly.

 

[mrshaun]

Why do you guys think they made the hard handle sets again and hard handle ratchets.

 

[tbobbo]

My tools make me money, and I hate soft grip ratchets. I love instinct screwdrivers though. Food for thought, when softgrip ratchets came out, I bought 2. I bent them both in a month. To put that soft grip on its way thinner at the handle, making a weak point. I do really like the instinct screwdrivers, but keeping them real clean is not big on my list. If its not covered in oil, its clean.

 

[G_P]

My favorite are still the old black hard handles. Simple, comfortable and easy to keep clean.

 

[plinker]

I like the solid metal handles myself.

 

[canuckian]

I went what seems to be an unconventional way and have both. The instinct soft grip screwdrivers while, IMO, not as comfortable of a handle, do give a better grip for screws that require a little more persuasion where they're a bit bigger of a handle.

 

[98TJ]

I prefer chrome handles on ratchets, Wera screwdrivers, and soft grips on panel removal tools, pick sets, seal removal tools, stuff like that.

SO hard handles are uncomfortable for use on screwdrivers/ratchets.

 

[ol'Red]

Check out my avatar. I took hard handles and replaced all my comfort grips. All I will buy is chrome or red hard handles. I usually use a pawn shop screwdriver handle but have bought a new one just to have the handle I prefer since I use my tools 40+ hours a week.
My main issue with the comfort grips are carb cleaner gas and brake cleaner make them gum up and really soft And getting cleaner on your handle is almost inevitable. JMO

 

[humpdawg]

I like them.
I clean all mine with 3M general adhesive cleaner. Good as new every time.

 

[LawnDart79]

I hate the soft handle **** as well. All they do is **** up grease like a sponge and get nasty over time. If a guy didn't get them all greasy, they might not be as bad, but who doesn't get their tools all greasy???...well, exception to the tool polishers.

My Snap-on Dealer always switched out the handles to hard any time I purchased something that had a soft grip handle on it.

 

[bobcatdan]

Soft handles on ratchets don't bother me. I have the first soft handles form the early 2000's for my long blade screwdrivers and yeah the handles get slimly. I have just gotten use to it. The only instict handles I have are my radiator hose picks and for that they are nice. There are hard and soft versions of instict screwdrivers. That said, I still like classic hard handles the best.

 

[dieselmike]

i cant stand regular chrome ratchets. makes my fingers sore after a while. ive met plenty of older guys who only used chrome their whole lives, who have had surgery in their hands ... ergonomics is big if you want to pull wrenches your whole life.

 

[slob]

I love hard handles. But then again, I seem to like the old hard screwdriver handles that everyone seems to hate.

 

[Wrench 2201]

I like them.
I clean all mine with 3M general adhesive cleaner. Good as new every time.

I might try that too. I only have the comfort handle on my rachets and have found that a rag with WD-40 on it does pretty good to clean them up.

 

[bobcatdan]

My grandpa has some of the old hard handles, the kind before the beloved hard handles, just the simple square design. I wish I could find more those. Not to get off topic, but I really need to get some classic Mac hard handles before they offshore those.

 

[Bad Jackson]

YESSS!!!!
Soft grip have their place, but for my # 1, "Go-To," everyday use handles...
I prefer hard handle screwdriver and Chrome ratchets!!!!
Munsk.

 

[Drunken Yak inc]

Love my Snappy soft grip ratchets!

 

[Tunger]

I dislike the rubberized grips that they have gone to, I made the mistake years ago when they came out with the previous design comfort grip screwdrivers (pre-instinct) of trading a set of dark blue make-a-wish hard handles in on some green comfort grips. I have hated them ever since. I really want to find some of the old school hard handles like my dad has those are nice, if I had a Mac dealer I'd buy a set of their hard handles to match my misc. stuff. For ratchets it's chrome only for me, I have 2 orange hard handle that I almost never grab, might throw them up on here and try to get some chrome dual 80's instead.

 

[trboxman]

I've got some wooden handled tools from my grandfather, and a few other antique wooden handled tools that are well over 100 years old. How many comfort grips do you think will last several generations?

 

[crewchief888]

over all i prefer chrome handle ratchets.
i have a couple of soft grip ratchets i prefer to use in cold weather.
my hands dont get cold as fast, and they are easier to grip with wet, cold hands and gloves.

 

[WESTOF7]

My grandpa has some of the old hard handles, the kind before the beloved hard handles, just the simple square design. I wish I could find more those. Not to get off topic, but I really need to get some classic Mac hard handles before they offshore those.

I'm building a set of those hard handles.

Best ever made imo

 

[richfinn]

I like the classic metal handle on the ratchets and breakers, I just find I have better control with it (this might be just be me being so used to it) I tried hard handles and soft grips but they just add bulk to the tool for me (I work mostly on Euro front drive vehicles)

I have both the hard and soft handle ratchet screwdrivers (I like the soft handle as the top is easier to remove and I can flick the reverse switch using one hand)

I also have the soft handle mini screwdrivers and picks which I really like as they are more comfortable.

 

[jjpp]

Hate them!!!, I am a trans tech so the trans fluid used to clean and keep my tools lubed, now when I have to work inside the vehicle I have to sit and wipe them down so I don't leave paw prints on everything.

 

[bsaint]

Are the williams hard handles exactly the same as the ol snappy ones?

 

[GSMotorrad]

Soft-Grip anything has always been my nemesis. I never understood the move to soft-grip on everything from pencils and pens to screwdrivers and ratchets. Also pliers and the handles on hammers, etc. It's like I have a phobia, and I get jitters down the spine just touching them - similar to fingernails on a chalkboard type-of-thing.

It took me forever to find some decent writing utensils without rubberized grips, and all my Snap-On screwdrivers and ratchets are the 2nd generation hard plastic black handles (I have one from the first generation of hard plastic, also black).

Also toothbrushes. They feel even grosser in a wet environment, and only the cheapest toothbrushes are hard plastic, and I have to hunt them down (the old Reach™ toothbrushes).

I never bought from the truck after they switched to rubberizing their grips, but I'm happy to hear they finally brought them back, due to demand. Finally.

I dropped my Snappy ratchet in my full oil-drain pan the other day, soaking the entire thing in motor-oil. It cleaned up in one second, and I remembered how much better the hard handles are for automotive work.

I'll take bare metal over rubberized comfort grip any day of the week. A bonus is that the hard plastic handles are usually in their "value line" of tools, and less expensive than their fancier soft-grips. Although the cheaper Wiha torx driver set (with hard plastic handles) I got also has cheaper shanks, and molding marks and plastic-slag/burrs everywhere, so that's a negative.

 

[Garagebound1]

I'll take the older hard handles and chrome ratchets any day. The screw drivers just seem to fit perfectly and I work around machines for food so easy to keep clean is a plus.

 

[Speed-Racer]

Yes, the black Williams are the same as the Snap-on. Excellent screwdrivers and have held up as well. Do a search on this site, numerous threads on this subject..

 

[bob15]

I prefer the soft handles Snappy screwdrivers. I can grip them better and get better/more twisting torque with them. i also prefer no handles on my ratchets, just bare metal.

 

[ttpete]

I've always been a hard screwdriver handle guy. I like the SO ratcheting screwdrivers, and there's a T-handle version for the tough ones. A lot of my screwdriver work is now done with a Milwaukee 12V pistol type driver using 1/4" hex tooling.

I hate plastic and soft handle ratchets. They're clubby to use and a PITA to clean. People who work with tools every day harden their hands up and don't have problems with all-metal handles.

 

[GSMotorrad]

People who work with tools every day harden their hands up and don't have problems with all-metal handles.

Amen. I never understood who the soft grips were for. Were people really complaining about their hands hurting from using hard handles?

Now, I can understand hands hurting with poorly designed hard handles, but the good ergonomic ones are very comfortable to me.

 

[Givl Reggin]

I'll take bare metal over rubberized comfort grip any day of the week.

Me too! I like to keep my stuff looking new and soft grips are impossible to keep clean.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

I like the durability of the chrome, because there's nothing to tear or gouge and theyre easy to wipe or spray down. But i do like the comfort and fit of the soft grips. I personally only own chrome ratchets but my boss uses/owns the softgrips and i do like them.

 

[skife]

Love my soft handles, they are super grippy and clean up with mineral spirits.