Help with snap on Screwdriver
- Thread starter bratwurst
- Start date
alcorelli
Well-known member
Early 80s?
Just a guess
I like those handles.
Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
Just a guess
I like those handles.
Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
Love them, I paid 16$ for both on eBay
Evilunclegrimace
Well-known member
I bought some screw drivers like those new in the late '80's
Wamsutta
Well-known member
I like the next generation handle better myself; just personal preference.
63spyder
Well-known member
I have a set of those I bought in the early 80 s. Also a set with the triangle grips instead of square
Dave455
Well-known member
These screwdrivers were called ‘Contour Grip’ by Snap On, but the name doesn’t seem to have been used much since introduction, so most folks just seem to refer to them as the ‘classic’ or ‘square handle’ models.
Think they were introduced in the early 60’s. They replaced the earlier ‘Octo Grip’ drivers with the distinctive 8 sided handle. The Countour Grips were made of ‘Tenite’, an Eastman material that’s pretty decent. There has been some adverse publicity concerning Tenite degrading, but in my experience it was only the odd bad batch.
These were certainly offered until the late 80’s. They were certainly ‘industry standard’ when I was working at a flying club in 1986. I bought a few in about 1987 and they are superb. Wish I’d bought more!
Standard handle colours were black (for slotted and Philllips tips) and red (for Pozidriv). Small batches were obviously made in other colours (I’ve seen yellow) but I was never offered these new. I’ve also seen handles of I believe the same material, but with a triangular shape. I think these were short lived, and seldom seen in the U.K.
I’ve bought one or two used versions of these drivers, and the material is so durable that (provided there are no cracks) you can sand and re polish the handles to re finish them!
This pattern stayed in production till about ‘88, when the “Power Grip” was introduced. (That’s the design that we think of as the “hard handle”). There may have been tweaks in the design at some point, which might be why the site the OP found suggested an end date of 1970, but it’s all a bit before my time!
Think they were introduced in the early 60’s. They replaced the earlier ‘Octo Grip’ drivers with the distinctive 8 sided handle. The Countour Grips were made of ‘Tenite’, an Eastman material that’s pretty decent. There has been some adverse publicity concerning Tenite degrading, but in my experience it was only the odd bad batch.
These were certainly offered until the late 80’s. They were certainly ‘industry standard’ when I was working at a flying club in 1986. I bought a few in about 1987 and they are superb. Wish I’d bought more!
Standard handle colours were black (for slotted and Philllips tips) and red (for Pozidriv). Small batches were obviously made in other colours (I’ve seen yellow) but I was never offered these new. I’ve also seen handles of I believe the same material, but with a triangular shape. I think these were short lived, and seldom seen in the U.K.
I’ve bought one or two used versions of these drivers, and the material is so durable that (provided there are no cracks) you can sand and re polish the handles to re finish them!
This pattern stayed in production till about ‘88, when the “Power Grip” was introduced. (That’s the design that we think of as the “hard handle”). There may have been tweaks in the design at some point, which might be why the site the OP found suggested an end date of 1970, but it’s all a bit before my time!
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4xdog
Well-known member
For the record, the cellulosic thermoplastics under the Tenite tradename were developed and are still sold by Eastman Chemical Company. The underlying technology cellulose acetate was developed for photographic film base.
DuPont did a lot with cellulosics (mainly cellulose nitrate as an offshoot of their explosives work) but not Tenite.
Dave455
Well-known member
Fair enough! I thought I had seen reference in the past to “Tenite” being a DuPont material! That’s the trouble with relying on memory!
Being a Brit, I also sometimes struggle with U.S. trade names for materials that are sometimes known by different names elsewhere.
I didn’t know that the branded “Tenite” was still available! No reason why not! Decent stuff!
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like2wheel
Well-known member
I have a set from about 1980 that have this issue. Took about 30 years, noticed a couple were 'sweating'. At first I thought it was a humidity problem, then realized they were leaching something. Eventually the handles started shriveling like a prune.
Snap On swapped them out thru a friend.
Jazz1
Well-known member
They feel nice in my hands.
Nothing wrong with using a 30+ year old screwdriver.
I paid a bit more than 1$ for them, I paid 15$ on eBay.
greg13
Well-known member
I have a few from the mid 70's. It seems like there was an issue with the plastic cracking on some of them. They were followed by the triangular grip in the 80's
vssjim
ALLIANCE MEMBER
1st Gen but don't break the handles as they can not be replaced any more just swapped out for newer versions
Jazz1
Well-known member
Those screwdrivers look in excellent condition.
Most of our second hand stores pedal screw drivers, wrenches, sockets all priced the same regardless of logo.
Certified Drunk
Well-known member
Those look like the ones I have, early 80's.
Exactly. And of the old style I still have, I noticed that they also stink of a chemical smell.
I like both styles of handles.
I like both styles of handles.