To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Screwdriver Set

C

ChunkyLover53

Active member
Joined
Feb 6, 2012
Messages
38
Location
California
I am thinking about getting a nicer set of screwdrivers for work and home / hobby use. After reading the reviews I think I have narrowed it down to 3 sets.

Wera -

51IwnXi8hbL_zps11a71a5d.jpg


Wiha microfinish -

61v3VT4c1jL_AA1000__zps404b0bfb.jpg


Felo 550 -

41ief-9XsYL_zpsb44b12f1.jpg


I am looking for a nice set that I won't have to worry about rounding tips off, breaking flats, or splitting open the end even if I have to hit it with a hammer like a chisel now and again. I know that it would be more correct to use an actual chisel for that, but at my job I have to carry my own tools and I have to pick and choose what to carry because the bag can get pretty heavy.

If anyone has any opinions on any of these sets it would be much appreciated. Especially if anyone has compared these. I would really like to hear about it.

Thanks
 
Last edited:
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
R

Rico.

Well-known member
Joined
May 28, 2009
Messages
1,330
Location
England
Wow thats a tough choice. All very very good screwdrivers and I think
all would suit your requirement. You would really have to nit pick to put
them in an order.... so I will. :)

Some have said the Felo 550's have a slightly shorter handle and shaft, it's
personal choice if this is good or bad, the other two have next to zero bad
things said against them, so purely for the fact the Wiha's have a metal striking
cap if I were you I would choose them.

So Deutschmark's out of ten....

Wiha..... 10.00
Wera...... 9.99
Felo....... 9.98

Or just choose the ones you like the look of the best or can get the
best deal on. :thumbup:
 
Last edited:
D

Danglerb

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 6, 2007
Messages
9,736
Location
SoCal
Any you plan to hit with a hammer or pry with I suggest getting from a source with a local warranty. I think if I plan to hit it with a hammer its going to be from HF.

I like the Wiha micro finish, thinking those are called heavy duty with the metal ends.
 
N

nanofrog

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 1, 2012
Messages
1,323
I'd have to say Wiha, particularly as that particular set is made for being hit with a hammer. :thumbup:

Just put an order in myself for more Drive-Loc VI blades (mostly security bits). Two in particular (1/4" magnetic bit holder <28145> and 1/4" SQ drive adapter <28146>), are no longer offered by Wiha in the US (thanks a lot wihatools.com :rolleyes:). So I'm glad I was able to locate these. :bounce:
 
OP
C

ChunkyLover53

Active member
Joined
Feb 6, 2012
Messages
38
Location
California
Rico. said:
Wow thats a tough choice. All very very good screwdrivers and I think
all would suit your requirement. You would really have to nit pick to put
them in an order.... so I will. :)

Some have said the Felo 550's have a slightly shorter handle and shaft, it's
personal choice if this is good or bad, the other two have next to zero bad
things said against them, so purely for the fact the Wiha's have a metal striking
cap if I were you I would choose them.

So Deutschmark's out of ten....

Wiha..... 10.00
Wera...... 9.99
Felo....... 9.98

Or just choose the ones you like the look of the best or can get the
best deal on. :thumbup:
Click to expand...

I appreciate the nit picking, because I also have heard nothing but great things about all 3.

Danglerb said:
Any you plan to hit with a hammer or pry with I suggest getting from a source with a local warranty. I think if I plan to hit it with a hammer its going to be from HF.

I like the Wiha micro finish, thinking those are called heavy duty with the metal ends.
Click to expand...

I had a set from HF, and just this week I had to strike it with a hammer and the entire back split in half and now it's pretty unsafe to use. I'm sure they would give me a new one, but I think I want to step it up to one of these sets for this go around.

Yes I believe the ones with the metal striking cap are called heavy duty.

nanofrog said:
I'd have to say Wiha, particularly as that particular set is made for being hit with a hammer. :thumbup:

Just put an order in myself for more Drive-Loc VI blades (mostly security bits). Two in particular (1/4" magnetic bit holder <28145> and 1/4" SQ drive adapter <28146>), are no longer offered by Wiha in the US (thanks a lot wihatools.com :rolleyes:). So I'm glad I was able to locate these. :bounce:
Click to expand...

Ya, I was thinking the same thing. The metal striking cap really drew me to them.
 
J

jhurless

Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2012
Messages
24
Why do all screwdrivers these days have these giant disco handles? What ever happened to the good old square handle models?
 
OP
C

ChunkyLover53

Active member
Joined
Feb 6, 2012
Messages
38
Location
California
jhurless said:
Why do all screwdrivers these days have these giant disco handles? What ever happened to the good old square handle models?
Click to expand...

That is an interesting question. I'm assuming companies are going for an ergonomic grip, but I am unsure. Did the square handles feel good to turn?
 
Y

young_buck

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 1, 2013
Messages
443
Location
Alberta, Canada
I have a few of the square handles that were handed down to me from my father and I prefer them to a lot of the "ergonomic" handles that most screwdrivers have today
 
C

CanUK

Well-known member
Joined
May 25, 2012
Messages
1,074
jhurless said:
Why do all screwdrivers these days have these giant disco handles? What ever happened to the good old square handle models?
Click to expand...

A larger handle diameter allows you to apply more torque, and a soft, textured handle provides more grip (and that gap increases as things get oily).

It doesn't address comfort and personal preference, but that's why there's such a large range of shapes and sizes -no one design is going to make everybody happy.

I believe the contents of this test were posted or linked here a while back: http://iospress.metapress.com/content/4frge2jj1yy44xhv/
 
N

nato

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 23, 2009
Messages
1,342
Location
Northeast Ohio
I have the Kraftform LasrerTip combo set and let me tell you, they are awesome!!!!! The handle feels great (grip design is perfectl, ergo wise) and after having these for about a year, the little grooves that bite into rounded out Phillips recesses still work like a charm. They've held well to practically being used everyday as they were intended at my shop. I've had them for just shy of a year so far.

Very impressed with the quality. Another nice aspect is that they hold up better than same of the tool truck brands, as far as cleaning them goesas well as 'residue' abuse. These grips soak up a lot of dirt/gunk easily, so I often take a can of brake parts cleaner to them then wipe them down. The print on the grip that says "Wera" and "Made in the Czech Republic" is still on pretty much all of the drivers and has only faded slightly. The ****/end of the driver that tells you what type it is is also holding up very nice for the abuse I put them through.

Hopefully, they will continue to last because AFAIK, Pep Boys is the only one that can warranty them in my area, without having to mail them in if something goes wrong. I was able to pick them up for $38 shipped on ebay.

You can't beat the quality for the price! They have my vote...
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
B

balane

Well-known member
Joined
May 4, 2011
Messages
2,996
Location
Pacific Northwest
Those are all good ones. I personally like the Wiha best of the ones you mentioned but if the Williams set posted later in the thread was on your list that would be my first choice. The Williams are extremely durable.
 
D

drsung

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 27, 2011
Messages
274
Location
Louisiana
I bought the 8 peice set of Wiha on sale last year and they are great screwdrivers. I noticed you said "carry" your own tools and if you plan on carrying these in a hand held toolbag they might not be the best fit as they are HEAVY. Not a problem for me as I keep them in my rollaround. I keep a set of Klein's in my portable bag for work.
 
D

dirtydogintex

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 28, 2012
Messages
927
Location
inner looper-3rd Div Houston w & n
F

Farmall450

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 23, 2011
Messages
13,355
Location
Marengo, Illinois
dirtydogintex said:
For some reason square, hard handles feel, work & stay clean better than ergo, squishy ones.

I figure the steel's good on these (SO's left overs?) but
are the handles tuff enough to withstand hammer, Kleins or an occasional python boot rap(s)
w/o permanent damage/marring?

We all know how result driven tasks are, eh?
Click to expand...

I'd agree. Mac's are pretty easy to use in the cold or with gloves because of the profile. Or any other one with similar handles.
 
S

shoturtle

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 15, 2012
Messages
4,395
Location
Frankfurt AM
I have all 3 brands listed. I have the wera chisel, wiha vde, and felo for torx. They are all excellent screw drivers. I like the wiha handle the best follow by wera and felo. The wera are better if you do allot of fingertip turning. The felo handle gives you the most torque.

The wiha and felo has a bit harder tip then the wera, but the wera is still a very strong tip.
 
M

marlinspike

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 4, 2012
Messages
677
Location
Virginia
If your work involves getting oil on your hands, I'd go with the Wiha. Otherwise, I like the Felo (not that you can't get oil on the Felo, I do all the time, but the Wiha is the best for that).
 
B

balane

Well-known member
Joined
May 4, 2011
Messages
2,996
Location
Pacific Northwest
dirtydogintex said:
I figure the steel's good on these (SO's left overs?) but
are the handles tuff enough to withstand hammer, Kleins or an occasional python boot rap(s)
w/o permanent damage/marring?[/I]
Click to expand...

I have a few of the Williams screwdrivers as shown in the photo. I find the handles equal to the Snap On hard handles in every way with maybe 5% less finishing quality. They are very close though. I don't recommend hitting them with a metal hammer because they can show hammer marks but are fine to tap with a plastic dead blow. Still, I try not to hammer on my screwdrivers if I can help it. You really can't go wrong with the Williams, even when compared to Snap On. They are very good tools, on par with Snap On, and an excellent value. I give Williams Screwdrivers a complete recommendation.
 
N

nanofrog

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 1, 2012
Messages
1,323
Steevo said:
Where can that Wiha set with the hex shafts and through-bolsters be bought, and for how much?
Click to expand...
You might also want to take a look at Micro-Tools.com (they have the 8pc set listed for $71.93). Order enough, and even though you're paying for the shipping, it becomes less expensive for the items they beat Amazon on price FWIW.

Not done business with them before, but I'll find out as I placed an order this morning (Wiha screwdrivers in fact).
 
T

toolz

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 19, 2010
Messages
66
Location
Idaho / No. Calif
Educate me on this please; I don't understand the striking cap/hitting with a hammer comments - why would a screwdriver ever be hammered on? Unless it's the one that you use as a paint stirrer, too. I've got some sacrificial big nasty screwdrivers to use in any way at all, but choosing a new set, I don't plan to beat on them with a hammer.
 
M

marlinspike

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 4, 2012
Messages
677
Location
Virginia
toolz said:
Educate me on this please; I don't understand the striking cap/hitting with a hammer comments - why would a screwdriver ever be hammered on? Unless it's the one that you use as a paint stirrer, too. I've got some sacrificial big nasty screwdrivers to use in any way at all, but choosing a new set, I don't plan to beat on them with a hammer.
Click to expand...

The flat heads are tought enough you can chisel with them. It's also great when you come upon a screw that someone has painted over too thickly. Or when you've got a stripped out phillips you can smack a flat head into there.
 
R

Rico.

Well-known member
Joined
May 28, 2009
Messages
1,330
Location
England
toolz said:
Educate me on this please; I don't understand the striking cap/hitting with a hammer comments - why would a screwdriver ever be hammered on? Unless it's the one that you use as a paint stirrer, too. I've got some sacrificial big nasty screwdrivers to use in any way at all, but choosing a new set, I don't plan to beat on them with a hammer.
Click to expand...

Read the OP's first post and all will become clear..

crystal-ball.gif
 
C

Conductor562

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 2, 2012
Messages
2,312
Location
West "By God" Virginia
toolz said:
Educate me on this please; I don't understand the striking cap/hitting with a hammer comments - why would a screwdriver ever be hammered on? Unless it's the one that you use as a paint stirrer, too. I've got some sacrificial big nasty screwdrivers to use in any way at all, but choosing a new set, I don't plan to beat on them with a hammer.
Click to expand...

Striking screwdrivers are fairly common tools offered by several manufacturers.
 
Last edited:
J

jhurless

Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2012
Messages
24
ChunkyLover53 said:
That is an interesting question. I'm assuming companies are going for an ergonomic grip, but I am unsure. Did the square handles feel good to turn?
Click to expand...

I like the square handle ones much better. They are easier to clean, they are more compact for tight spaces... I just all around like them better.

I can't seem to find any truck brands that still have them, but I did find this SK set that looks pretty nice:
SKT86006.jpg

http://www.tooltopia.com/sk-hand-tool-86006.aspx
 
R

Rico.

Well-known member
Joined
May 28, 2009
Messages
1,330
Location
England
jhurless said:
I like the square handle ones much better. They are easier to clean, they are more compact for tight spaces... I just all around like them better. I can't seem to find any truck brands that still have them.
Click to expand...

There is a thread that talks about a Williams set of screw drivers made by
Snap-On that might fit your bill. The whole set is on Amazon right now for
only $44.50

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002NH5F30/?tag=atomicindus08-20


The original thread discussing them is here...

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=175598&showall=1
 
T

ToddyB

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 18, 2010
Messages
65
When I was was in the market for chiseldrivers I ended up buying the Wera's. Having both Wiha and Wera regular drivers I always liked the way the Wera fit my hand, the Wiha drivers with that handle just don't feel right to me. I can't comment on the Felo. Whatever you decide they are all quality drivers.
 
A

acdc73

Banned
Joined
Jul 16, 2012
Messages
131
jhurless said:
I like the square handle ones much better. They are easier to clean, they are more compact for tight spaces... I just all around like them better.

I can't seem to find any truck brands that still have them, but I did find this SK set that looks pretty nice:
SKT86006.jpg

http://www.tooltopia.com/sk-hand-tool-86006.aspx
Click to expand...

I have a set of those SK's, but the torx set, made in France. I like 'em

I have lots of s-o, and several wiha, wera, and hazet drivers.
 
L

lok

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 3, 2011
Messages
527
Location
Greece
I'm not a pro but I have seen a lot of felo and wera with heavy use by professionals to hold up well. Especially the wera was unrecognizable by beating.
Personal experience I have only by felo but not hard use on them.

If you prefer more square handle with big striking cap ..

1845314.jpg


2231891.jpg


If I were you I would buy the one that suits better in my hand. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom