Kobalt double-drive screwdriver no longer available???

[Gary Indiana]

I wanted to buy one of those new Kobalt double-drive screwdrivers around Christmas time. They were advertised on TV and got sold out fast at Lowes, so I decided to buy it later on. Now it looks like they are gone for good, which is weird because it was an interesting & fast-selling little gadget.

Anyone knows if it's gone forever? And what would be the reasons?

Link to Kobalt double-drive screwdriver, which says This item is no longer available on Lowes.com

http://www.lowes.com/pd_363510-34170-62466_4294857616+4294965883_4294937087_?productId=3531392

And this shows how they work

 

[moserjj]

I have one and you are not missing much. The double drive thing doesn't work well except for things like outlet cover screws that require zero force on them. Its also big and heavy and rather klunky.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk

 

[Gary Indiana]

I have one and you are not missing much. The double drive thing doesn't work well except for things like outlet cover screws that require zero force on them. Its also big and heavy and rather klunky.

Most of the new non US-made Kobalt tools are junk, IMO. I just really loved the idea behind the double-drive tool.

Maybe Lowes was having too many broken returns and stopped selling those altogether? But I don't know.

 

[geologist]

My ma bought one of those for my grandpa for Christmas. Interesting idea but the mechanism felt kind of cheapish. I think he uses it for light duty stuff on his motorcycle.

 

[Chrislols]

They still have the original pallet at my Lowes, the idea is cool to me, but I think the mechanism itself is cheap. If you wanna pm me I could probably pick you up one and mail you it if you pickup the shipping! Let me know!

 

[Andy Griffith]

Its also big and heavy and rather klunky.

That's an understatement. I think this is one of those things that the marketing guys convinced the product guys that it would be a good idea. A classic answer in search of a problem.

 

[Gary Indiana]

They still have the original pallet at my Lowes, the idea is cool to me, but I think the mechanism itself is cheap. If you wanna pm me I could probably pick you up one and mail you it if you pickup the shipping! Let me know!

Hey, thanks for the kind offer
I'm still hoping to get one locally if they show up again.

That's an understatement. I think this is one of those things that the marketing guys convinced the product guys that it would be a good idea. A classic answer in search of a problem.

Amazon offers something like it:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009K3I64/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Also Sears sells a Craftsman speed driver like that
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00947479000P

 

[el tanque prohibido]

Get a PB Swiss PB8510R-100

 

[Gary Indiana]

Get a PB Swiss PB8510R-100

Not as good as the Chinese Kobalt /jk

Nice ratchet screwdriver. But I like the speed up idea. It doesn't have that.

 

[senlow]

For a similar product, try www.spectools.com

 

[DARKSCOPE001]

i thought it was a junk idea from the get go, then one day i was at my girlfriends house and the tv infomercial came on for it, and her dad teased me about how i was going to rush out and get one. So we argued for a bit and he said it was a good idea, i said no because you had to hold the sleeve. and what if i couldnt get two hands in there to do that? I would rather have a drill.

Back and forth we went, now i only know this. Im deffinately not getting it, #1 its a dumb idea by a dumb company #2 its a cheep tool my girlfriends dad would get. No matter what I cant convince that guy to pay more for quality tools. So when i tool shop i do everything to spite him.

Thanks
Sean Scott

 

[Gary Indiana]

For a similar product, try www.spectools.com

Very interesting! Thanks for the link.
Do you know about their quality? Are they US made?

 

[sometoyotaguy]

I saw them the other day at the local Lowes. It's an interesting idea, but I couldn't justify buying one. If I have to do more than a couple of screws, I'll get the cordless drill.

 

[senlow]

Very interesting! Thanks for the link.
Do you know about their quality? Are they US made?

I don't own any of their tools, so I don't have firsthand knowledge about their quality. I do know that, at one time, the Overdriver was sold by Cornwell. Some of the guys at work had them, and liked 'em.

I don't know the COO. Their website states "Designed, engineered, and packaged in the USA". This leads me to believe that the products are not US made. Why don't you email them, and find out for sure?

 

[ishiboo]

Love the Kobalt Taiwan, most of the Kobalt China stuff is okay like the water pump pliers, locking pliers, etc. Wasn't impressed with the double drive... not sure about the quality (it seemed average) but the idea sounds more useful than it is.

I figured outlet screws as someone else said was the best idea of where to use it, but I reach for my Bosch pocket driver instead.

 

[Gary Indiana]

I don't know the COO. Their website states "Designed, engineered, and packaged in the USA". This leads me to believe that the products are not US made. Why don't you email them, and find out for sure?

Good suggestion!

That's what I did:

-----Original message-----

From: Gary Indiana
To: [email protected]
Sent: Sat, Feb 25, 2012 06:32:35 GMT+00:00
Subject: product information

Can you tell if the following of your products are made in the USA?

ODT-5801 FastDriver
OD-2001 Overdriver

-----Response------

The ODT-5801 is made in Taiwan.
OD2001 is made in the States with US and imported parts.

Bud Badiali
President​

 

[JAWS1984]

Wow, this is kind of a sad excuse for a forum about tools. I applaud Danaher and the Kobalt name for this genius tool they've created. This tool had ergonomics in mind when it was created, it was extremely affordable, and mine has been working without problems for well over a year. No, it wasn't as cheap as some Harbor Freight **** tools and no, it's not some overpriced junk Snap-on, but it has satisfied every screwdriver need I've had. Now, one person said it was too heavy. Gosh, hit the gym; don't sprain a finger! Get real people!

 

[John316]

I think you are the only guy who liked them which is why they were discontinued so fast

 

[B17E1943]

He's probably the designer of it.

 

[fred d]

They were not discontinued

I am a dept manager of Tools and HDW at lowes
We do not have them in the store, But you can order them on line at Lowes.com

I can't speak to the quality of them since I dont own one. I can tell you I get asked for them every week many times. I could probably sell 15-20 a week if we had them in the store(more at CHRISTmas and Fathers day)

 

[gordon_gjs]

I have one and you are not missing much. The double drive thing doesn't work well except for things like outlet cover screws that require zero force on them. Its also big and heavy and rather klunky.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk

I have one and I would admit that the double drive doesn't work well unless you put a lot of squeezing and muscle behind it.

It also requires you to use 2 hands for the double drive feature and sometimes you do not have 2 hands available for the job.

But it does work great as a regular bulky/heavy ratchet drive screwdriver with one hand.

 

[gordon_gjs]

I was also at Lowes last night and they had about 50 of them near the Father's Day gifts. I had no idea they were discontinued.

 

[mmack66]

I wanted to buy one of those new Kobalt double-drive screwdrivers around Christmas time. They were advertised on TV and got sold out fast at Lowes, so I decided to buy it later on. Now it looks like they are gone for good, which is weird because it was an interesting & fast-selling little gadget.

Anyone knows if it's gone forever? And what would be the reasons?

Link to Kobalt double-drive screwdriver, which says This item is no longer available on Lowes.com

http://www.lowes.com/pd_363510-34170-62466_4294857616+4294965883_4294937087_?productId=3531392

And this shows how they work

Did a search on "Double Drive" at lowes.com. Available here:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_362632-3417...rentURL=/pl__0__s?Ntt=double+drive&facetInfo=

and here:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_362632-1687...rentURL=/pl__0__s?Ntt=double+drive&facetInfo=

 

[BrokewrenchLS1]

Wow, this is kind of a sad excuse for a forum about tools. I applaud Danaher and the Kobalt name for this genius tool they've created. This tool had ergonomics in mind when it was created, it was extremely affordable, and mine has been working without problems for well over a year. No, it wasn't as cheap as some Harbor Freight **** tools and no, it's not some overpriced junk Snap-on, but it has satisfied every screwdriver need I've had. Now, one person said it was too heavy. Gosh, hit the gym; don't sprain a finger! Get real people!

A poorly-designed tool with no real-world application gets trashed and Harry the Homeowner feels the need to create an account just to keyboard rage about it. Luls.

I don't see what the point of this thing is - if you've only got a few screws, it'll save a minute or two at best; if you've got a bunch of screws to drive, that's what cordless tools are for.

 

[RedDucati]

Late to the parade but more of a follow-up question..... Does girlfriend's dad not do the Internet? Or does EX-girlfriend's dad DO do the Internet?

i thought it was a junk idea from the get go, then one day i was at my girlfriends house and the tv infomercial came on for it, and her dad teased me about how i was going to rush out and get one. So we argued for a bit and he said it was a good idea, i said no because you had to hold the sleeve. and what if i couldnt get two hands in there to do that? I would rather have a drill.

Back and forth we went, now i only know this. Im deffinately not getting it, #1 its a dumb idea by a dumb company #2 its a cheep tool my girlfriends dad would get. No matter what I cant convince that guy to pay more for quality tools. So when i tool shop i do everything to spite him.

Thanks
Sean Scott