My screwdrivers stink - literally

[3 at 8]

As most do, I have bunches of the clear handled C-man screwdrivers kicking around. I gathered them all together and arranged them back into their original sets best I could by organizing them by vintage and ware and then transplanted the sets to various locations as I saw appropriate. An older six piece set made its way into a small toolbox for my wife we keep in the closet. We noticed a funky smell coming from the closet/toolbox and figured it was just a little China funk burning off from all the inexpensive blue handled Kobalt plier sets I bought on Fathers day for $9.99. Well it’s been several months and the smell is still pungent and no less strong. I never noticed this smell before but they were always in the unattached garage which is usually open and the smelly ones were probably spread around to disperse their odor. I’m assuming its fumes coming off the handles due to some funky plastic they used to use. I can’t stand them, and was thinking about taking them back. Question is; how awkward do you think this is going to be warranting them based on only smell as their in good shape otherwise? I know how the warranty reads so you don’t need to post it; and will honestly say that I am “unsatisfied” with the product, so will that be enough? I’ve never taken anything in before that wasn’t noticeably broken. There going to think I'm crazy when I walk in with a bag and say "would you smell these please". If they do let me exchange them, I’ll try to upgrade to the professionals ones if it’s cost effective. Anyone else experience this?

 

[kythri]

They all do it, and they always have. It's not just Craftsman.

As far as how awkward? Meh. You know what the warranty says, I know what the warranty says.

If I was the store associate, I'd probably think unkind things about the exchange attempt.

 

[3 at 8]

They all do it, and they always have. It's not just Craftsman.

As far as how awkward? Meh. You know what the warranty says, I know what the warranty says.

If I was the store associate, I'd probably think unkind things about the exchange attempt.

Yah; they all all have a plastic odor but this specific six peice does it way worse than any of the others to the point that we took them out of the box. I think they were my dads and am quessing from the sixties or early seventies. It's definatly different handle material than what is used today.

 

[sselander]

Older handles were made from cellulose acetate, not plastic

Maybe the old handles are breaking down, thus the smell.


Pratt-Read info:

"The handles that Al Wetty began making many years ago are still produced ˜from the same material: cellulose acetate. Acetate is produced using wood fiber as its core providing an end product impervious to most workplace solvents and virtually indestructible. These benefits are in addition to the fact that the handles are really a „green‰ product being produced from a renewable resource"


http://www.prattread.com/prHistory.html

Also:
http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=162861&page=3

 

[seagravedriver]

My wife has a set of red and clear Craftsmans from, I am guessing, the early 90s. They were in a little wood tool box and they STUNK. I have the more common (?) ones from that era and do not notice it. Mine have the blue band around the bottom of the grip.

Mac G3 laptops had a bad body odor stink to the keyboards after about a year. Happened to all of them, as it was a certain type of plastic breaking down.

 

[kythri]

It's not just the older ones. Newer ones start stinking, too. My co-worker and I just assembled a new Panduit enclosure today, and his less-than-five-years-old Craftsman screwdrivers smelled like vomit if you sniffed up close (yes, I sniffed them to see if they smelled ).

I'd imagine it'd be more pronounced if you kept them all together in a small air-tight container...

Who makes Excelite (or, I should say, who made Excelite a few years ago)?? I've got some blue-handled Excelite Torx drivers, and they smell pukish.

 

[beelsr]

if they bother you, take them back. i would. i'd make the guy smell them if he gives you any hassle. say it makes you vomit and offer to demonstrate...

i have a couple excelite yellow handles that stink. they've been stinky for 20 years now. and they were stinky 6 months ago (the last time i used them).

Great tool - stinky smell....

 

[joemh22]

When I was in the Air Force we had a portable CTK that was filled with a lot of Xcelite stuff. When you opened it you would swear that someone had barfed in it...very distinct smell. I have some of the clear/blue/red Craftsman screwdrivers and they all have that same smell.

 

[lipadj46]

Guess you have not caught any of the stinky PB Swiss classic handle stank threads. Some chemical that smells of rotting flesh or what not I guess makes durable screwdriver handles.

 

[american lockpicker]

I would keep them the older Cman screwdrivers are better quality than the newer ones.

 

[ImportTuner]

I have some old yellow Xcelite that I like alot .. but they do smell bad now - over 25 years old ..

 

[strelnik]

QUOTE]

You guys have got to quit cleaning your screwdrivers with cow dung, then the smell will go away.

 

[tyreguy25]

If you need a place to send those stinky things, I will gladly take them, for a trade of course

The smell doesn't really bother me. Spray some Brakleen on them and see the smell vanish, along with the shine on the handle. I got two older ones from dad and they don't have the shine, or most of the smell. I did this inadvertently and was amazed.

 

[joemh22]

I wonder what the factory smells like that makes these screwdrivers.

 

[lipadj46]

I wonder what the factory smells like that makes these screwdrivers.

I once went to an art opening while in college. One of the uh "artist's" pieces was a pile of 365 used tampons. She used one every day for a year and saved them. I'm betting the factory smells a lot like that did.

 

[tez929rr]

I bought a big set of Craftsman screwdrivers last year and noticed they have a strong smell. I almost hate to admit that it doesn't smell bad - sort of like those old mimeographed papers did when I was in school (younger guys may not know what I'm talking about).

 

[joemh22]

That is just nasty...artists.

 

[patrickw10]

i got some bondhus hex drivers 1/2, 7/16 with a pretty wicked stank to them.

 

[Kenwc]

I have that same ~stanky~ set....

 

[american lockpicker]

I once went to an art opening while in college. One of the uh "artist's" pieces was a pile of 365 used tampons. She used one every day for a year and saved them. I'm betting the factory smells a lot like that did.

Thats not art thats just disgusting.

 

[Basskiller]

I kind of like the smell of the Craftsman drivers. Reminds me of when I was a kid and we would go visit my uncle. Garage door always open and his 1928 Plymouth sitting in there.

 

[old salvage]

I once went to an art opening while in college. One of the uh "artist's" pieces was a pile of 365 used tampons. She used one every day for a year and saved them. I'm betting the factory smells a lot like that did.

Off topic. Years ago I worked as a janitor and I remember a few times females would take their kotex and use them as a paintbrush for grafitti ..."Jill 89 "

 

[Teken]

I once went to an art opening while in college. One of the uh "artist's" pieces was a pile of 365 used tampons. She used one every day for a year and saved them. I'm betting the factory smells a lot like that did.

I HAVE NO WORDS FOR THIS . . .

 

[Kenwc]

i have no words for this . . .

there are no words for THAT....

 

[lipadj46]

I HAVE NO WORDS FOR THIS . . .

Yep I think someone actually bought it too and had it "installed" in their own home gallery.

 

[Teken]

there are no words for THAT....