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Screwdrivers

morrillm06

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Jul 21, 2015
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Moultonborough NH
Who makes the best screwdrivers? my father has a set that I love but the name is worn off all of them, they are blue handled with three black "grip pads" almost like a hard foam. but any how who else makes a good comfortable in the hand screwdrivers
 
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M6erfan

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That's a pretty personal decision, you'll get a ton of varying opinions here. Best bet is to try some different styles out and find the best for you.

A search will bring up many similar threads here...

Also, a picture may help narrow it down.
 
Last edited:

stihlntime

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Jun 2, 2015
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SW Missouri Ozarks
Wiha 400 series, Felo 400/500 series, Wera or PB Swiss. I own some Snap On Hard and Soft grips but they rarely are used. PB Swiss are prolly the best with it being a toss up between Felo and Wiha.
 

Dave455

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Inch sizes - Probably Snap On. The older style 'hard handles' are hard to beat for durability!

Metric - Probably PB Swiss. Again the solid handles win it rather than the soft, but they still offer a choice of shapes!

Wild card - Nepros, but there's a very limited selection!
 

JUNK-MAN

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Snap-On hard handles, Used them for years and only wore out one also can't go wrong with old Craftsman that's what my dad had and there still going after 30+ years of use.
 

dbogdanic

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my wote goes for wiha. i worked with wera, wiha, felo, gedore, stahlwillie, hazet, unior and many others but because of ergonomics and durability wiha are my favourite ones.
 

Adam.C

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Snap On soft grip instincts are great for dads. Shape, size, and grip surface make them super comfy for this old daddy.

Snap On are the 1970s Cadillacs of screwdrivers: fat, soft, and decadently comfy. Sometimes when I use them, I can hear Marvin Gaye singing.
 

exmaxima1

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Sam'sAutoParts

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That's a pretty personal decision, you'll get a ton of varying opinions here. Best bet is to try some different styles out and find the best for you.

A search will bring up many similar threads here...

Also, a picture may help narrow it down.

Agreed:thumbup:

I personally prefer Williams & Snap On, but Proto has some nice looking ones as well. To each there own, especially when it comes to screwdrivers.
 

rodsnratfinks

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Jan 13, 2015
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While I was looking for a set of Snap On hard handles, I snagged a good deal on a Matco screwdriver set made by Witte. At first, I was sure that the Matco set would just be a placeholder, but eventually, when I acquired a nice set of hard handles, I found that I like the Matco/Witte set slightly more. The screw grip is phenomenal, and I find it a lot easier to feel and control the torque. The Witte design is ergonomically superior. However, the Snap On hard handles are easier to clean.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 

AceofSpad3s

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This is just my opinion so don't nail me to the cross just yet cross. I have the 8 piece pittsburg pro screwdriver set and I find the handles very comfortable. They are like the 2nd gen bahco ergo screwdrivers but a little different, and I love the first gen ergos so these do me fine. They work pretty well and if they get messed up I won't cry for too long. I might give the new tekton usa ones a try once the get some reviews. Not saying they are the best but they are my favorite handle design out of the ones I have used.
 

BMack37

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This is just my opinion so don't nail me to the cross just yet cross. I have the 8 piece pittsburg pro screwdriver set and I find the handles very comfortable. They are like the 2nd gen bahco ergo screwdrivers but a little different, and I love the first gen ergos so these do me fine. They work pretty well and if they get messed up I won't cry for too long. I might give the new tekton usa ones a try once the get some reviews. Not saying they are the best but they are my favorite handle design out of the ones I have used.

I have to agree with the Pittsburgh pro screwdrivers, they're a great deal and are quite durable. Also, they have a lifetime warranty. It's easy to say that such and such screwdriver is better but are those screwdrivers 5-10 times better? They're 5-10 times more expensive. At worse, they're fantastic back up screwdrivers.
 

John in OH

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This is just my opinion so don't nail me to the cross just yet cross. I have the 8 piece pittsburg pro screwdriver set and I find the handles very comfortable. They are like the 2nd gen bahco ergo screwdrivers but a little different, and I love the first gen ergos so these do me fine. They work pretty well and if they get messed up I won't cry for too long. I might give the new tekton usa ones a try once the get some reviews. Not saying they are the best but they are my favorite handle design out of the ones I have used.

Is this the HF set that you refer to? Item#94607 currently for $9.

Pittsburgh Screwdriver Set.jpg
 

ishiboo

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Best is relative. I think the Felo's are the best value for the money for people who aren't using them professionally. Avoid the blue chrome-plated ones though.
 
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Loscaldazar

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Your best bet is to try out a handle from each reputable brand and see how it feels in your hand. Make sure to try out the same size (I did Phillips 2 or P2 because that is probably the most common screw there is out there) for each, because larger tips have larger handles for many brands. You may just like the feel of a larger handle if you don't compare identical sizes to each other.

I did this about a year ago when I decided to drop the horrible craftsman acetate handle screwdrivers I was using. I had gone through 3 P2 screwdrivers in a week and was sick of warrantying them for new ones. I tried out

Snap On hard and soft instinct grips
Craftsman Pro/SK/Armstrong
Masterforce Acetate handles (made by Pratt Read, not Western Forge, so slightly different handles and stronger tips than the craftsman acetate handles)
Felo Ergonic
Wera Kraftform
Wiha Soft Finish


For the Snap On, I liked them, but didn't like the price and found a brand I like more later

The CMAN Pro in store and didn't like them as they were too bulky. Comfortable and sturdy, but bulky for one handed use I felt like. SK and Armstrong are the exact same, just different colors and names on it.

Masterforce Acetate handles were nice. They are a different design from Craftsman regular acetate handles, and I like it better, plus the precision screwdriver set I had from them had held up incredibly well to several years of use. Again, passed because I found another one I liked better.

Felo Ergonic. I LOVED them. Except for two spots in the handle. It's a nice squishy handle, but the squishy material is contained in two separate areas that are separated by a rather hard plastic divider. So all the screwdriver handle was squishy except for two hard lines the entire length of the handle. Ruined the screwdrivers for me.

Wera- This was a front runner for me when I ordered a few screwdrivers. The look of the handled looked like it would be incredibly comfortable. Nope. Hate the way it fits my hand. The middle hard plastic ring hits the middle of my palm. I feel like they were made for people with smaller hands than me.

Wiha Soft finish. I picked up this one and fell in love with it. Simple, yet incredibly ergonomic. Fits the hand, fingers, and palms very well. Great grip on it for torque. Just a wonderful screwdriver. Had it for about a year and the tip doesn't even have a scratch on it. Remember, I used to go through craftsman acetate handle screwdrivers at the rate of one a week or so. Huge improvement in life, comfort, and value.

Just go to a store and hold some in your hand. You'll get a feel for what you like and what you don't.
 

bob from indiana

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harrison county indiana
I bought a set of the H.F. Bacho look alikes and was very surprised at how good they are. I had planned to put them in my truck as just in case tools but they ended up on my work bench.

The only issue I have seen is the#1 Phillips wouldn't take the screws out of a radio I was working on. The #2 Phillips is fine.
 

bonneyman

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Desert SW
Craftsman used to carry this vinyl-ribbed bit driver that was absolutely comfortable. Of course the little nibs would wear off so once a year you'd be back exchanging it. They no longer carry it. I think it was made by Fiskars, but, they too have discontinued it.
I finally found a good condition copy at a yard sale, so, I keep it tucked away till I need it.

I really like the feel of the old Proto professionals. Hardhandles, but comfy. Can't say if the newer style Epstein's is selling are as nice, though those are acetate, while the older ones are pyroxylin.

Was given a Wera red and yellow ergo driver, but haven't used it much.
 

jvitez

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Nov 30, 2009
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Big Sky Country, Canada
I have a ton of different screwdriver brands, and I keep going back to fluted handles as the most comfortable for my medium sized hands. The high end European manufacturers make superb tips, but the bulbous handles aren't always my favorite.

Your hand size definitely plays a part in comfort, as does how you use the drivers. Are you using them with dirty oily hands? Then Wiha Microfinish are great. Clean-ish hands for woodworking and great tips? Fluted handles, Proto:

http://www.harryepstein.com/index.php/7-pc-proto-screwdriver-set.html

You've got bigger hands and need to put a lot of torque to things? Wera. Big hands covered in oil? Williams:

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

Inexpensive fluted handles, great comfort and torque, with reasonable quality tips? Wilde. Less max torque but easier to clean hard handles? Pratt-Read.

Great tips and very good comfort in soft handles for medium sized hands? Hazet, Felo Ergonic. Great tips and awesome comfort for medium sized hands but a bit less maximum torque than the previous two? Wiha 3K.

Horses for courses.
 

darkside91

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Apr 6, 2014
Messages
11
Budget, warranty, and preference. Some of the cheap ones will break or round off. Some of the expensive ones will blow the budget that could have gone towards more tools lol.


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bargainhuntingking

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The Amazing Pacific Northwest

Monte

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Who makes the best screwdrivers?
they´re possibly among these: :)

23134356uc.jpg
 

02camaro86

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Dec 20, 2014
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New Jersey
i like standard craftsman, i consider screwdrivers "disposable". i find myself and abuser and they need to be warrantied alot. sears is down the road for me so its nice and easy. i dont have big hands so the hard handles fit me perfectly.
 

BMack37

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i like standard craftsman, i consider screwdrivers "disposable". i find myself and abuser and they need to be warrantied alot. sears is down the road for me so its nice and easy. i dont have big hands so the hard handles fit me perfectly.

Funny you say that because I have large hands and I HATE those screwdrivers...My co-worker has smaller hands(average size) and he loves them.
 

kpos101

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Sep 6, 2013
Messages
7
I have 2 of the the wiha long shank drivers . really nice tools. of course I also like my Carlyle that I have.

but, I decided to pull the trigger on a snap on. bought a #2 phillips. after using it for the last few few days at work. wow. now that is a screwdriver.
 

rdog422

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Jul 26, 2015
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105
Location
montgomery
Who makes the best screwdrivers? my father has a set that I love but the name is worn off all of them, they are blue handled with three black "grip pads" almost like a hard foam. but any how who else makes a good comfortable in the hand screwdrivers

if your looking for a good set and you have some $$ to spend, Wera is the best. If your looking for a single ratcheting screwdriver (with bits and case) the Wera Kraftform compact is really awesome. And the Ideal 21 in 1 is pretty solid for the money.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ELP981W/?tag=atomicindus08-20

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R2C8WOA/?tag=atomicindus08-20
 

jrobb316

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May 18, 2014
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WI
Snap on are king IMO. if you hate them the witte are very good. I'm buying their insulated set. Buy once cry once for the snap ons, they aren't even that expensive, and you'll be happy.
 

dodge610

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Aug 22, 2010
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North Canton Ohio
I am usually a die hard craftsman fan but my new bestie screwdriver is the carlyle. In green and there stock blue and yellow handle.
 
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