Could use some advice from Snap-On users.

[kamspy]

I build and wire industrial controls for a living. I bought a few Snap-On tools. Screwdriver set, ratchet, a few pliers and some other misc stuff.
I love it all!
Here's my problem. I special ordered some cabinet tip slotted screwdrivers. I have a 1/8 tip with a 8" shank that I needed for a certain device. Well, the first time I used the 1/8 tip I bent the living hell out of tip trying to remove a brand new screw from a brand new device.
I really love the tools and the service my tool guy gives me. But I'm REALLY worried about the quality of steel they're using in the screwdrivers after this incident. I've got Harbor Freight screwdrivers that have sturdier tips.
So my question, should I chalk this up to a bad part? My a batch didn't get heat treated properly at the plant. I don't know. But right now I'm seriously considering trading my drivers for pliers and going back to Wera for drivers.
Can anyone please shed some light on my situation? I love the handles on the drivers and am happy to pay for quality. I just don't know after today.
Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[wornoutoldman]

Have you talked to your SO rep? I'd start there. Maybe there was/is a better/different driver for your application. SO isn't in the business of making substandard tools.


...and welcome to the GJ!

 

[VoodooCLD]

I love snap on tools, and was super stoked to order the big set of the instinct drivers. Got them in, and on the very first screw tried to remove i twisted the piss out of the BIGGEST flat head in the kit. I walked right back to box (with the saran wrap mostly still on it) and set the screwdriver back in its place. Mailed them back the next day.

Bought witte maxx pro (matco rebrands these). Not sure if I've tackled a screw as **** as the one the snap on scrwedriver tried to handle, but they've been good so far.

 

[Renchi]

I've got Harbor Freight screwdrivers that have sturdier tips.

I never thought I would read a statement like this on Garage Journal.

 

[d4dawg]

I never thought I would read a statement like this on Garage Journal.

Reality sets in?

 

[T45]

Not sure about this thread at all...

guys using a 3mm screwdriver against a stuck screw....

could be all kinds of explanations....like red loctite or corrosion

its not that a=hard to fracture or bend a small tip driver

try again with an apex bit or similar and if 2 drivers fail you have more data

if you don't have anything else around, double check the fastener

a screw that small doesn't typically "get stuck" without more to the story

signiicant corrosion, staked threads, threadlock etc...'

if the fastener is hardened its also probably not simply poor quality

so what was the application/? did the tip twist of fracture?

 

[woody 73]

For one thing I would like to see some pictures of that screwdriver in question;, because sometimes new members just starting out have been known too stir up the pot a little just putting it out there.

Just like anything else sometimes you take the good with the bad and that could be any product from cars to shoes. Bad day at the plant, made on a Friday, bad batch, etc. it happens and snap on will make good on it 24/7.

So lets talk about Wera I am sure they have their ups and downs also, they make a great product but how easy is it to get a replacement?

I understand your frustration but one bad screwdriver should not cloud your judgement, here in the Midwest rust kills everything period and screws are a pain in the **** to remove so things (****) happens.

Give them a call send it in on their dime and start again.

 

[JonnyMac]

Invest in the best... pb swiss

 

[Richard Cranium]

This thread smells of troll ****.

 

[betsy325e]

pics.

 

[abvw]

If it fails on the first use, its most likely defective. The fastener could also have been overtorqued from the factory, or tapped into an unthreaded hole making it much harder to remove.

 

[thegroundpounder99]

I've never had a issue with SO screwdrivers.....could just be a bad one. Or it could be something Richard pointed out lol.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Stevenn1]

Snap-on is the most expensive, so i would *think* they are the best. I own 20+ of their Dual 80 ratchets and never had to replace one. I own a bunch of their other stuff and rarely broke anything. But maybe in the screwdriver department they are not so good, I don't own any.

Believe it or not, I just have Craftsman screwdrivers and end up replacing 1-2 a year, but usually I don't put any torque on them either.

 

[Ghost11]

Flathead screws should be outlawed. My SO screwdrivers are about 15 years old. Only broke one using it as pry, not intended purpose obviously. Ive broke plenty of craftsman over the years though with stubborn screws. I stopped returning after awhile. Got a whole bin of broken craftsmans. Ive used some small wiha drivers a while back, they were awesome.

 

[bob from indiana]

I am a panel builder too. Back in 1990 I bought several IEC terminal size Snap On drivers. I had used snappys in auto repair and expected good results.

Several of my co workers bought them as well. They almost all broke quickly. I was shocked as we were using them on new terminals and the folks using them had good sense. I swapped them back to my dealer and the next batch was the same. They must be intended for electronics as they are just not up to the job of tightening hundreds of screws a day.

We get good service from Wiha 3.5 mm drivers and keep some spares on hand. I never thought that I would be completely dissatisfied with any Snap On product. But these just didn't work out. I do still have my set of hard handled drivers that I bought around 1981 and use them often.

 

[johninct]

I have turned my Snap-On screwdrivers so hard that either the screw strips, the screw driver jumps out of the slot or the screwdriver stays in the slot and I am unable to turn it any harder. I never have broken a tip but did have to warrantee some when the tip gets worn from use or from using it as a scraper.

 

[Richard Cranium]

he has made one post over 4 hours ago, and then left.

 

[cgrutt]

Just to be clear righty-tighty/lefty-loosey, correct?

In all seriousness, I have many Snap-on flat blades that look as good today as they did 30 years ago. It's been my experience that the fastener would usually deform before the driver. I also don't recall any tool truck driver "bending". I did have a few where the tip shattered but it didn't bend.

Spidey senses are tingling here, LOL...

 

[shockwave]

Probably just a bad shank on driver I have never had an issue with these before

 

[NitroSun]

Troll

 

[Strouty]

Not a new member (joined 2015), but the first post and they use the big question mark. I wonder if they know winlinmac? Maybe Timmy?

Seriously, Snap On is not the be all end all for screwdrivers, but if they were harder, the driver would break rather than bend. I have bent bent tips back, but when they break off you have nothing.

 

[Richard Cranium]

I missed that he had been a member for 5 months, I guess it was because of his first post was kind of a stirring of the ****.
If he is not a troll, I will be the first one in line to tell him that I am sorry and that I miss judged him. And if he is close enough, buy him a beer. Richard.

 

[Strouty]

The problem is this is Timdatoolman's MO, he would start a bunch of new accounts and let them sit, then go and post in waves. A lot of the trolls have become wiser and now alter the IP address so they don't get caught as easily. So I have my doubts as well, but maybe the OP will come back and enlighten us with some pictures or maybe more details.

 

[gdocktor3]

The problem is this is Timdatoolman's MO, he would start a bunch of new accounts and let them sit, then go and post in waves. A lot of the trolls have become wiser and now alter the IP address so they don't get caught as easily. So I have my doubts as well, but maybe the OP will come back and enlighten us with some pictures or maybe more details.

Are you serious right now? People actually do that? I mean, of all places, a freeking tool forum lol? Losers!

 

[Stevenn1]

flathead screws should be outlawed....

Yes!!!!!

 

[B_Bimmer]

I can't help but feel if this person was complaining about SK the bandwagon jumpers would be on the other side of the equation. I don't know this random guy on the internet, but he seems to have a grasp on quality and have a real job, which is already better than a lot of people who choose to kill their free time on the internet, so I'm willing to give him a shot 'til proven otherwise, rather than accusing him of being a liar. Snap on makes great tools, I own many of them. Unfortunately they are not in fact designed and forged by God, accidents and mistakes will happen, and they are not perfect for all people in all situations. This guy could have easily gotten a bad driver, it's not really a big deal and snap on certainly doesn't need the lovefest they get here, their tools speak for themselves. How hard would it have been for people to share their positive experiences, and encourage the guy to swap it out and try again, rather than tell him he's just and inexperienced fool, no wonder he didn't bother to come back.

 

[Strouty]

They posted and then ditched, within minutes they had a response, but they had logged off as soon as they posted. Not sure why people do that, it is like a ding dong ditch.

 

[Bruce57]

I work in the electrical dept. in my job and broke the tip on a brand new 1/8" Snap-on screwdriver. I called Snap-on and they sent me a warranty replacement right away. No problems with the replacement.

 

[pi_guy]

They posted and then ditched, within minutes they had a response, but they had logged off as soon as they posted. Not sure why people do that, it is like a ding dong ditch.

I am with you. There are too many examples of this type of behavior, post a well crafted question to gather interest, that has no basis in reality and then never bother to respond.
I guess instead of living under a wooden footbridge this type prefers to be upscale and lives under a stone bridge.

 

[tweedlestan]

This thread smells of troll ****.

Troll

Amazing. The Snap on worshipers can't fathom the fact that Snap on tools can and DO in fact break sometimes!

Snap on has the worst screwdrivers (tip quality) of any of the truck brands. Cold fact.

I have used Matco, Mac, Cornwell, Snap on, and several industrial brands like Proto and Wright, among others. Snap on is consistently the worst performing product.

Each tool company has their winners and losers. Snap on ratchets and ratcheting screwdrivers are superb, for example.

 

[Strouty]

LOL, I think you are reading way too much into those posts.

 

[MercLSU]

Though my extensive research I've learned that 73% of first posts that cover topics like "Snap On is expensive and its proprietary alloys are made of unobtanium infused with rainbows and unicorn farts, but I had a tool fail" and "What happened to Craftsman's quality?!?!"...are started by trolls. The other 27% of first posts that cover these topics are started by trolls.

Only 42% of posts that come to their defense, however, are made by trolls.

 

[ssdave]

Snap-on is the most expensive, so i would *think* they are the best........

I don't think they're the best just because of most expensive. The cost buys a lot of blade replacements for most professional users. You're paying for the warranty replacements and the service, not the best of quality.

However, they are quite good. I have probably around 100 screwdrivers right now (mostly Snap-on, most of the rest Proto, a few others). I've probably owned 200 in my life of many different brands, and probably worn out about 50. Most of those were Craftsman, although I've warranted a few #2 phillips Snap-on. In all that usage, I've warranted exactly one flat blade snap-on, that the tip broke on. It was well used, probably fatigued and got brittle. I do not pry with my Snap-on much, I use poorer brands for that, or worn out ones that I've got used. Usually the fatiguing from a lot of bending while prying does in flat drivers.

Based on your assessment that you have better HF ones than this failed SO one, I'd guess that you got a bad blade that got through quality control. I'd think it'd be close to a miracle of just the right alignment of better than usual metal and better than usual heat treatment to make a HF driver even approach SO quality. They just aren't made that way on purpose.

I'd return it for warranty, and try the replacement one. If that one also has a problem, then I'd warranty it or return it, and look for something that works better. I'd guess that maybe Klein would work well, as they're made for the application you're using it for. If Milwaukee makes a slim line like you need, it might be a good bet. Some of the high dollar European ones might work also. If similar priced to Snap-on, they might be better, as you'll be paying more for the tool, and less for the service/warranty.

 

[jt777]

Willing to bet a lot of imaginary dollars it was just a bad tip.

 

[Jim Diesel]

Pictures please.

 

[PelicanPines]

Post a picture ... Oh wait posting pics don't work or some excuse... Or its a pic from 10 feet away out of focus.

 

[GSMotorrad]

I've had my set for 18+ years and have never warrantee'd a single one. None have twisted, though there is some slight rusting on some tips and the #2 philips drivers could probably use new blades - the tips are sort of chewed up, but they still work well.

I will say that my Wiha MicroFinish screwdrivers seem to have better tips than my old S.O. They hold up better. I have some very old H.F. screwdrivers, but always sort of hated them. They're the blue ones that look like the older S.O. handles with hex cap on the ends that you're supposed to hammer upon.

 

[becker_atc]

I don't build panels for a living but I work in them a lot. I'm an entry level I&E tech.

I really like these and use it quite a bit. It might be made by someone for ABB but I got it at dealers electric supply in okc

http://m.cesco.com/b2c/product/ABB-030411423-Entrelec-Screwdriver/111483

I think that's the one I got.

Also one of the guys I work with that deals with this stuff lot more than me uses the dewalt 8v gyroscopic screwdriver and handful of short and long bits in various sizes. It's as handy as shirt pockets


Sent via message in a bottle

 

[gdocktor3]

All of you guys are completely buying into this. Tricky trolls...

 

[VoodooCLD]

I don't build panels for a living but I work in them a lot. I'm an entry level I&E tech.

I really like these and use it quite a bit. It might be made by someone for ABB but I got it at dealers electric supply in okc

http://m.cesco.com/b2c/product/ABB-030411423-Entrelec-Screwdriver/111483

I think that's the one I got.

Also one of the guys I work with that deals with this stuff lot more than me uses the dewalt 8v gyroscopic screwdriver and handful of short and long bits in various sizes. It's as handy as shirt pockets


Sent via message in a bottle

Those look similar to wiha precision screwdrivers with colors reversed. Nice drivers