Craftsman Professional Screw Drivers

[icecactus]

So,

I have been filling my new HF 56" toolbox. And i wanted a good set of screw drivers that were preferably US made. So i purchased 4 sets of the craftsman professional screw drivers. Once i got them, i noticed a couple of them had a slight bow and quite a few are not inserted into the handle straight...

Like if you take and roll the metal portion on a flat surface you can see the handle move up and down or oblong. Indicating its not straight.

Some are worse then others..its not that big of a deal. They will work jsut fine and i like the feel of them. However the **** retentiveness in me coming out and its starting to annoying me..i tried exchanging the worse ones in store, but quite frankly they weren't any better.

Has any one bought the Wiha set? http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000T9UI4K/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Are theirs straight?

 

[shoturtle]

exchange them, sounds like you got a bad set.

I am a fan of wiha screw drivers. They are excellent. The set you linked is the older design, but they are excellent screwdrivers. Wiha has some of the hardest tips on the market, and they do not cam out easily. I have had my wiha for 10 years. And just starting to show wear. And it is my work set that gets used every day.

And a much better value then other screw drivers that cost 2x as much, and the wiha are just as good.

 

[OEXL16B]

Get the Wiha SoftFinish.

 

[Chadwilliam1]

I just got a set of felo and I prefer them over the wiha.

 

[osborn.ozzy]

exchange them while you can, they dont make them anymore.

 

[shoturtle]

They do not make the 4pc set anymore, but they make craftsman pro screw drivers in 5pc or 6pc set.

 

[bigbearcraig]

I have the Whia soft finish, and they are good screwdrivers. The heads seem to fit the screws much better than my Craftsman did.

 

[shoturtle]

I just got a set of felo and I prefer them over the wiha.

I have the falo ergo and the wiha soft grip. I find the wiha to be more comfortable for me, but the felo is a nice. For larger hands they would fit a bit better. It is a personal preference. It is a toss up between the wera and the felo as I have them as well. Plus the craftman pro. Out of the 4 brands the wiha are my favorite. The craftsman are the ones I do brute with with most the time.

 

[El Barto]

exchange them while you can, they dont make them anymore.

True dat! I have a couple of the "professional" screwdrives that need to be replaced and was told that they no longer carry them. Of course, I can exchange them for the low-end craftsmans.

My question is, why should I pay a premium price for things that get discontinued without a similar replacement?

 

[SMKS]

exchange them while you can, they dont make them anymore.

Why do you think they don't make them anymore?

All my local stores have them and they appear to be fresh stock.

I've had a few of the pro drivers and I liked them.

 

[shoturtle]

Yup and you can get individual ones as well. They just do not make the 4pc anymore.

Also compare to other quality screwdrivers out there, the craftsman pro's are a bargain. Especially when you get a coupon or when they are on sale.

 

[OEXL16B]

I was at Sears Saturday and they had some screwdrivers stamped Craftsman that were identical to Husky Pro. Real thick rubber grips.

 

[nine4gmc]

I saw a lot of Husky tools today that looked like they came from the same factory as Craftsman. Check the nut driver set, standard screw drivers etc. they all have the same exact handles.

 

[dragoocoda]

Both Husky and Craftsman screwdrivers are made by Western Forge.

 

[KinzeMech]

I was at Sears Saturday and they had some screwdrivers stamped Craftsman that were identical to Husky Pro. Real thick rubber grips.

Yuck

*vomits profusely*

That just *****

 

[JASTECH]

The C'man Pro skiggles made by WF too?

 

[icecactus]

Get the Wiha SoftFinish.

So i ordered a set of 4 square drive Wihas, just like these from Amazon. Nice screw drivers i like them. Im debating on keeping the craftsmans or going with a set of Wiha. I do like the Wiha, but honeslty the quality doesnt seem much better then craftsman professionals. Of course i cant compare steel quality though. I do like how many different drivers Wiha offers. Though they dont seem to have real long ones.


But guess what, the Wiha are not straight either

When i rolled the metal across a flat surface, you can see the handle bobbin up and down.

Btw..some of the craftsmans are straight enough..its just a few of the 20 some drivers that are real bad, and a few more that are beyond what i consider acceptable.

Is it really that hard to get stick of metal in a handle straight?

 

[shoturtle]

The difference in the steel will show itself if you use them allot in about 10 years. The craftsmans are good, but the wiha are better. It will cam at quickly as the craftsman, which are not shabby at all.

 

[cmandp]

OP, I bought a Craftsman Pro P2 X 20" and it is slightly bowed as you describe. Also the "wings" (for lack of a better term) on mine don't seem to fully engage the slots in screw heads. Maybe this is fine, maybe not, it is warrantied so I guess we'll see.

I also have a 6pc. set of Weras and I like them, although IMO they are a little expensive for not being made in Germany like the Wihas. Regardless they work excellent and I like the handles.

 

[5mall5nail5]

Felo. Hands down. I have Cman, Wiha, Wera, and Felo and I like Felo most.

 

[Chadwilliam1]

I absolutely love the felo screwdrivers. I am planning on ordering a few more sizes this weekend. I have wiha's that were free from my old job and I never saw the big deal with them.

 

[icecactus]

What version of the Felo are you guys getting?

 

[shoturtle]

I have wiha, wera, felo, and wiha are my favorite. Felo are not as comfortable for me. The craftsman pros are good screwdrivers as well. It really is a personal thing, there is no hands down one is better then the other with them.

Wiha and felo and PB Swiss have equally hard tips. Just get the one that fits your hand the best. I like the slimmer handles, so I find the felo a bit bulky for my taste. But they are still excellent drivers.

 

[garfunkle24]

You insisted on getting "made in USA" drivers to fill your China-*** HF box and are now considering foreign drivers because of their poor quality? How's that domestic purchasing working out for you?

 

[shoturtle]

What version of the Felo are you guys getting?

The ergonic are the nicer feeling one, the hard plastic that is on sale at Northern Tools are not to my liking.

 

[5mall5nail5]

What version of the Felo are you guys getting?

I use Felo Ergonic

 

[Coach James]

The C'man Pro skiggles made by WF too?

What is a skiggle?

Coach

 

[icecactus]

You insisted on getting "made in USA" drivers to fill your China-*** HF box and are now considering foreign drivers because of their poor quality? How's that domestic purchasing working out for you?

Well now that i see the foreign ones aren't much if any better, quite well. I am leaning slightly toward getting the Wiha though as i think i like how they fit my hand better.

Maybe im reading into your post to much, but i get the vibe your being a smart ***.

I always try and buy domestic to support my country when/if i can. That doesnt mean i will buy a ****** product. If the foreign is superior for close to the same price or cheaper. I'll go foreign. Hence the HF 56" toolbox. There is no USA made box even remotely close in price/quality ratio. Its a no brainer. Its a nice box. Is it as good as my neighbors snap on. Hell no, but its 80%, and i got a lot more money for tools now.

I tend to buy craftsman USA made stuff because i can afford it. I cannot afford the tool truck brands. I also have plenty of HF tools as well.

 

[Jeff]

Most of my drivers are PB Swiss, with some Wiha, Wiha, and Felo. I find the PB Swiss fit better in my meat hook hands. I also feel the machining on the tips is first rate. I have no problems using them on my vehicles, electronics, or firearms.

 

[pipsters]

True story screwdrivers are a wear item. Get one that can easily be warrantied and call it a day.

Even the Snap-On ACR bits I have wear out. They are nice and grip great but still slip on those rusty screws.

 

[gotmud13613]

My vote goes to Wera chisel drivers, best drivers I have ever owned.

 

[RCStocker]

I really like the handles on the Wiha's. One of my sons works for a bottle company. He does plant maintainance. He works on million dollar French made machines that make bottle for the soday companies. I just purschased a set of nut drivers in the Wiha brand. I love the handles. He likes the brand.

The best screwdriver I have ever owned and still own are the 35 year old Stanley screwdriers with the large black bulb like handles. The tips are so hard and they never ware out. I abused some before I knew how good they are. Now I buy them when they come up.
They fit the slot or philips perfectly. They are hard and do not ware. The shafts don't bend. Best ones I have ever had and I own everthing form Cheap dime store ones to Snap-on.
I reall like the Stanley better than the Snap-on's and they are very good.

 

[bluebolt]

I really like the handles on the Wiha's. One of my sons works for a bottle company. He does plant maintainance. He works on million dollar French made machines that make bottle for the soday companies. I just purschased a set of nut drivers in the Wiha brand. I love the handles. He likes the brand.

The best screwdriver I have ever owned and still own are the 35 year old Stanley screwdriers with the large black bulb like handles. The tips are so hard and they never ware out. I abused some before I knew how good they are. Now I buy them when they come up.
They fit the slot or philips perfectly. They are hard and do not ware. The shafts don't bend. Best ones I have ever had and I own everthing form Cheap dime store ones to Snap-on.
I reall like the Stanley better than the Snap-on's and they are very good.

Can you post up a pic of the Stanley's? I ahve a lot of old Stanleys and am wondering which ones you are talking about.

 

[Brownsfan]

If you can get your hands on some Williams sets they are just like Snap On at a lower price. Make sure they are the black hard handle ones. The blue and gray ones are imported and not as nice imho. I have a long reach torx set of Craftsman pros and they are all straight. I bought them to supplement my Snap On set. The smaller sizes are not very long.

 

[Super Sport]

I was at Sears Saturday and they had some screwdrivers stamped Craftsman that were identical to Husky Pro. Real thick rubber grips.

I honestly didn't believe this when i read it, but I saw them in Sears last night over by the electrical tools. They actually looked pretty decent, USA made as well.

 

[jeffmoss26]

I think RCstocker is referring to the Stanley Workmaster screwdrivers.

 

[icecactus]

So i go a set of 12 of the Wiha drivers in today.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000T9SI60/?tag=atomicindus08-20

All the drivers except one are straight. And the one that is off, is not off by much i consider acceptable.

So, it boils down to

Craftsman which is USA made, and easy to warranty VS Wiha, which in my opinion has a better fit and finish and feels better in my hand.


I think I am going to return the craftsmans and build my driver collection with Wiha. Like someone said here, it boils down to how they feel in your hand. The wiha seem to fit my hand better. I also like how the Wiha has a MUCH larger selection of drivers.

 

[shoturtle]

congrats, the wiha are very nice drivers. And you can build a larger driver collection around wiha.

 

[Vyse]

Mac Tools Macsimizer are what I prefer. They are the best I have ever used hands down. I have the ACR set in particular and the Macsimizer tamper proof torx set. Effin' love them. http://www.mactools.com/product/tabid/120/p-327529-sdacrm12c.aspx

 

[Chadwilliam1]

yes one thing thats nice is wiha is the seem to make every shape and size screwdriver. they are a very high quality screwdriver.

I just ordered a few more felo screwdrivers, I cant wait.