Are Snap on screw drivers that much better?

[mojo3120]

Buy a few lightly used Snap On screwdrivers in the sizes you most often use off ebay. You'll save some money and can try them out. Then you can decide if you want to buy more of them.

For the most part screwdrivers are a fairly inexpensive tool. Most people can afford to try many different brands. Western Forge and Pratt-Reed make good screwdrivers, they are also suppliers for Craftsman. Both are currently owned by Ideal who also owns SK. Craftsman Pro, SK, and Armstrong are all the same identical screwdrivers, but with different colored inserts. They are great screwdrivers. Western Forge also makes screwdrivers for Home Depot's Husky brand and those are great affordable drivers (both the pro series and the standard which is similar to the Craftsman standard drivers)

This is what I came in to say. Part of it's going to come down to personal preference.

I have a little bit of everything but I've been snatching up lots of the red/black CM Pro's on clearance the past year or so. I really like the way they feel in my hands.

 

[sberry]

If you use screwdrivers long enough you'll acquire some from many different brands. I probably own 70 or 80 screwdrivers. Some are better than others. Then there are some that surprised me. I have a few I have bought from Harbor Freight that I have down right tortured and they have held up very well. So that being said, start with finding a screw driver grip you like and go from there. Only with use over time will you be able to figure out which brands of screwdriver tips wear better for you. Then you'll know what works best for you.

I have a lot of diffrent brands of screw drivers and I work on alot of old stuff with rusty screws. When i have a problem screw the big money drivers dont always save the day.

Been there. I keep a couple sharp pieces around just in case but 99% of the time I can use about any screwdriver. About half mine are survivors. Flea mkt stuff is certainly as good as the Cman, I wouldn't rush out of the way to buy it. As someone said, consumable.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

Sage advice, and also keep in mind that unless you have access to a Snap-On truck and the random BOGO or discount deals ,buying a SO screwdriver set from the website is no discount from buying the individual drivers by themselves, unless you like the plstic trays they come in like many of the OCD inclinded GJ'ers here.


Buy teh SO set if you have the cash. I'd suggest buying a couple of your most popular sized drivers first and see if you like them.

Again, there is no benefit/discount of buying the sets ( unless you have the crappy tray fetish or a love for flat blade screw drivers) if buying for website price and no weekly driver w/a cash discount or Hot Deal offer. None.
Set's price is just individual driver's price lumped together.

The way Snap-On bundles their screwdriver sets anymore is archaic bordering on moronic given that it is 2013.
But folks still love teh Kool-Aid.

My Snap-On stock share price thanks you though.

Goes way back to the olden days before the PC and websites.... You either had a wheeler-dealer or you paid the total of the individual item prices and got the free tray Trays didn't do me much good because I usually ended up adding onto one end or the other , especially with wrenches

 

[jjjrmx5]

Goes way back to the olden days before the PC and websites.... You either had a wheeler-dealer or you paid the total of the individual item prices and got the free tray Trays didn't do me much good because I usually ended up adding onto one end or the other , especially with wrenches

LOL


It's just that the 8 piece sets are 5 flat blades and 3 philips in only two sizes, P1 and P2.
And $150.
That's $20 a screwdriver w/tax.

Six piece sets are 3 of each and P1, P2 and P3, but no stubbies and no P0.
Again, lots of pieces missing, similar price.

Price them out individually to complete the set and we are back to the Kool-Aid.

It's a marketing and "jack the price" thing, I understand that.
Filling in drivers to complete a set is as much as the Hot Deals 8 piece set any more.

They do make the job easier and are well made, but eating ramen for a month to afford them for a tech or someone not pulling $60k a year is a rough sell.

Oh wait...weekly payments.

 

[TangoFoxTrot]

I think they're over priced, but I would probably rate it one of the best screwdrivers I've ever owned. The handle fits my hand well and the ribbed tip does a good job gripping the fasteners.

And I'm very skeptical of Snap-On's price vs quality on most of their tools, I don't believe for a minute that all that extra money is going into "quality", I think much of it has to do with their sales and financing model that I just don't need. I do though really like their screwdrivers.

A Snap-On screwdriver is only like $10 more per driver than say another premium brand, so it's not a huge stretch financially to get a few of the most used ones. Not something like a $1,200 set of wrenches.

I also have a set of Wiha that I really like, and you can get a pretty complete set on Amazon for a good price. The Snap-On's are slightly better imo, but the Wiha set is about $80 where the Snap-On's would be around $250. Craftsman's "regular" screwdriver line is junk, but their pro-line is quality. My concern though would be getting them warrantied though as I could see them dropping the pro line (if they haven't already).

 

[Spudland_Dave]

We buy Wiha bits in bulk, they wear like iron and seldom cause a problem....

No need to buy something if a better or equal and cheaper option is out there.

Totally agree there...so are you getting a VERY much better price then list on the Whia's? I am getting the snappys cheaper then Whia..

Again, there is no benefit/discount of buying the sets ( unless you have the crappy tray fetish or a love for flat blade screw drivers) if buying for website price and no weekly driver w/a cash discount or Hot Deal offer. None.
Set's price is just individual driver's price lumped together.

The way Snap-On bundles their screwdriver sets anymore is archaic bordering on moronic given that it is 2013.
But folks still love teh Kool-Aid.

jjrmx5...I couldn't agree more...I do have some I may get this thread totally off track by saying this, but quite honestly, when it comes to affordability/variety/etc.. I think the Macsimizer drivers are a great deal... $149.99 not too long ago for 20 of em in a nice foam organizer...pretty much covers all your screwdriver needs.

I do have some SnapOn hard handled & Instincts in my attached garage, some Whias in my work bag, and these MAC's in the basement..along with a plethora of Cman's all over.. Screwdrivers are one of those tools that are just too cheap to have to chase em all over the house.

 

[ndoran]

i have used many screwdrivers over the years and I still own a number of brands, including: Snap On, Mac, Gedore, Kluth, Gray, stanley, etc. I like the the Snap On, I i have three of some sizes simply because I keep them in different locations. Most of them have served me very well for 30 years. Most have had multiple blades in them. The initial price was high but when you amortise the price over three blades then it is quite reasonable. I just bought a set of pozidrive screwdrivers of the truck last week ($108 inc taxes fo 4 drivers) to replace my SAMpro ones that have worn out and I can't replace easily - if I was still in Europe I would have bought SAMpro (made in France) screwdrivers. Come to think about it I am not even sure if you can buy them anymore.

As with most of these things some of it is personal preference - we can convince ourselves it is better because we like something about it and there is nothing wrong with that.

 

[truckdriver]

Supplying 75 workers with ad nausuem (endless) Snap-On sourced bits (which are really Apex bits)

Snap on bits ar Zephyr, not Apex. Don't know anything about Wiha bits, but I have only broken 1 SO bit and I use them pretty much exclusively in my impact. Lots of corroded steel screws in aluminum and they have all held up except that one.

 

[jjjrmx5]

Snap on bits ar Zephyr, not Apex.

Oooops. My bad. Dammit.

I KNEW that when I typed it above but "brain farted" and somehow thought Apex made them.

Are teh Snap-On bits good? Hell ya.
And if not used on 500 screws a day they last a long long time.
Just not cost effective when bought in bulk.

Totally agree there...so are you getting a VERY much better price then list on the Whia's? I am getting the snappys cheaper then Whia..

For PH1 and PH2 bits usually we buy Wiha's in lots of 500 or 1,000 bits each for each order (sometimes more) and see how long that lasts us. At that quantity and an industrial accnt, yes, the price break is pretty substantial.

Bits get lost or "tossed" for minimal wear but installing a stripped or damaged head fastener is a no-no.

For bits like PH0 and PH3 along with hex and torx Wiha bits usally 250 or 500 bits per size and the stock lasts a yearly quarter (3 months) and often longer.

I've had the Wiha PH2's last 6 months used daily doing 200 screws a day using hand tools and not drills or drivers. This is vehicle production work mind you , not deck building or architectual/construction work.

Once you factor in power tools the wear rate on bits goes up so I have seen.
Everyone want to use brute force and not finesse no matter the job.

To the OP, if you do use flat blades, then buy the SO set.
If only Philips, buy the PH0 thru PH3's individually and go at it.
They are worth the price if used often, but sitting in your dwr. unused does you no good at all if buying a set.

Sorry for the off topic posts.

 

[Tunajoe]

multi choices but a set of 8 popular screwdrivers is listed at $150

Thank you.

 

[Adam McLaughlin]

I've got several sets of S-O screwdrivers, and I always reach for my WiHa extreme Duty set 1st

Adam

 

[Champo]

I doubt you'll notice the difference in wear between any pro brand of screwdrivers, snap on included. Everyone's got a preference (Felo ergonics for me), but all the quality brands I've tried have been on par with each other. What ever fits your hand the best is the way to go.

 

[mrg7243]

I am thinking about getting the CM pro's over the regular CM. The only reason is I need something that if it fails I can warranty fairly easily(a drive to my mall). Are there any cons to the CMP series screwdrivers?

 

[jjjrmx5]

I am thinking about getting the CM pro's over the regular CM. The only reason is I need something that if it fails I can warranty fairly easily(a drive to my mall). Are there any cons to the CMP series screwdrivers?

No con's except you are about a year or two too late for working the C'man Pros deals.

For 6 months they Clearenced them out of stores at $1.98 to $3.98 a driver in anything but the popular sizes.
I scored a PH3, PH4 and several of the long cabinet pro screwdrivers for $2 to $3 ea. Same with stubby flat blades in wide sizes.

Now the sets sit around $30 and only drop a few bucks during Xmas.

Handles are far better than the Clear handles.
Tips? Eh. Certainly acceptable but not upper end.

For homeowner use they work very well. I had to go Wiha's for the Torx since C'man offers such limited sizes in the C'man Pro Torx handled screwdrivers.

As long as S-K uses the same mold and WF as the mfgr. they should be around for a while if warranty issues arise.

To quote Popeye, "They is what they is." LOLOLOLZ.

 

[mrg7243]

I really have no need for the torx screwdrivers as I have key sets and t handles. I may just go to sears during my lunch break and see what they have. I need to replace my eclectic collection of screwdrivers.

 

[Evolution-VII]

How It's Made: Snap-on Screwdrivers

That's why it is so damn expensive. It's almost hand made, unit by unit inspected.

Snap On have my respect!

Unfortunetely, SO's tools are more unaffordable for us in Brazil then for the rest of the world