Dave455
Well-known member
Not sure about the ESD, but if you dislike the Santoprene (I don’t like it much) you are probably better off with the Multicraft handle shown below, or even the classic handle.
Show us your pb swiss tools!
- Thread starter merbie
- Start date
Moose-LandTran
Well-known member
Yes, they're squishy rubber.
Not sure about the ESD, but if you dislike the Santoprene (I don’t like it much) you are probably better off with the Multicraft handle shown below, or even the classic handle.
Yeah, I know they exist - What I wasn't sure of is if they had the same spongy texture as they Swissgrip handles - I know the shape is the same. I thought I had read that somewhere, but apparently it's not the case. I appreciate the input.
ricleh
Well-known member
Dave455
Well-known member
Nice collection!
I assume you know, but if the barcodes on the CAB handles offend you, they wipe off with a trace of spirit!
ricleh
Well-known member
Qualitytools
Well-known member
Wow! Are my eyes seeing things or are there a few duplicates? Very nice
. Thanks for sharing
@ricieh Nice collection. Why so many duplicates? Do you work in the industry? Thanks
ricleh
Well-known member
I have a problem with laying down stuff and forgetting where I last put it. I have lots of spares of everything so I can keep on working even if I misplace a tool. I also hate it when I lose a tool and go to replace it only to find out it is no longer available from the manufacturer. This has happened to me enough times that now I purchase several when I find a tool I really like. I am retired and only work on my own stuff or help friends with their projects.
Love it ricleh. I know what you mean and tend to do the same.
Qualitytools
Well-known member
what Is the difference between the blue handled pic and the red handled pics?
ricleh
Well-known member
The blue handled picks are the standard ones from PB Swiss. The handles are hard plastic. The red handled picks are custom made for DRPD and feature the SwissGrip soft handles. I personally prefer the red ones.
Got my first PB Swiss purchase from DRPD a while ago, and man is this stubby bit driver nice.
Here it is sporting a Vessel +2 bit and lined up with a few other stubbies (serv-a-lite is reversible, the others are fixed). I really like my megadora stubbies but the PB Swiss handle is quite nice as well.
My favorite part, and where it really shines imho, is that it makes the absolute perfect mini ball grip when paired with a longer bit. Vessel GS162100 +2 bit attached, pictured alongside a full-size Vessel +2 ball driver. Great size for the smaller +2 JIS fasteners in automotive interiors and some electronics.
Here it is sporting a Vessel +2 bit and lined up with a few other stubbies (serv-a-lite is reversible, the others are fixed). I really like my megadora stubbies but the PB Swiss handle is quite nice as well.
My favorite part, and where it really shines imho, is that it makes the absolute perfect mini ball grip when paired with a longer bit. Vessel GS162100 +2 bit attached, pictured alongside a full-size Vessel +2 ball driver. Great size for the smaller +2 JIS fasteners in automotive interiors and some electronics.
Qualitytools
Well-known member
Thanks for taking the time to reply
The_Inspector
Well-known member
Two weeks ago I decided to order a PB Swiss bit holder and a coin screw. I liked the quality so much that I ordered some more. Good thing the screwdrivers were on sale (set of 10 for 60 EUR ~ 72 USD) It came in today and I must say the quality is really good, the metal finish is amazing and the grip is awesome. I think these are going to be my new favourite screwdrivers.
Dear mvcorse,Well, I didn't realize that there is a PB Swiss thread here. Got to post some vintage candy!
Restored.
Some time ago you posted this, I was wondering if you could go through the steps of restoration getting these drivers and the CAB (Cellulose Acetate Butyrate) back in original transparant shiny state. Would love to do that on some classic's here although they have the straight grip, not this rounded which might be easier.
They are absolutely beautiful pieces of art! Thank you for sharing.
I'm using sandpaper 800#, 1000#, 1200#, 1500# and 2000#, then a polish compound with grinder will bring it shiny again
Thank you very much for sharing that secret! Very impressed with that finish and those grips. Have never seen this grip on drivers other than the PB Swiss larger awl's. I'll have a go on a classic grip, might be more difficult to get that result because of the indents, on the other hand the outsides of the driver will have most damage.I'm using sandpaper 800#, 1000#, 1200#, 1500# and 2000#, then a polish compound with grinder will bring it shiny again
Finding older PB Baumann tools in reasonable condition is not easy even here in Europe. Your PB collection is quite impressive, as all others PB tools posts too. Thank you all for sharing a joy to see!
For indents, I would suggest applying resin to fill the holes.
Vintage PB Swiss tools are quite hard to find, I'll share more for sure
pizza
Well-known member
my biggest pb order to date. i need to make some kind of case for the bits. ideas?
looking forward to using the torque drivers. i got all 4.
The_Inspector
Well-known member
PB Swiss has boxes, they are pretty cheap (in Europe) around €10 a box and it will fit 50 bits. I Got four of them and almost all the bits in the PB collection will fit. Will take some pics over the weekend.
my biggest pb order to date. i need to make some kind of case for the bits. ideas?
looking forward to using the torque drivers. i got all 4.
I am too after a torque screwdriver but their presence in Greece is non existent. Last year they were on sale about 70-80 eur in most German sites (but they wouldn't ship to Greece).
my biggest pb order to date. i need to make some kind of case for the bits. ideas?
looking forward to using the torque drivers. i got all 4.
I'll also have the PB ratchet screwdriver
*pic from a PB sales stand from Jumbo store in Zurich last time I was there.
swsman
Well-known member
SwissMetric
Well-known member
@silkman:
As Jumbo has been taken over by Coop, Coop Bau+Hobby stores are given up or renamed to Jumbo. Sadly this will further reduce the DIY choice in Switzerland. Migros Do-It did massively shrink as Migros teamed up with the German Obi chain, IMO an awfully bad decisions.
Brick and mortar shouldn't be surprised that online shopping has become so popular. On Temu you sometimes get exactly the same articles as in local stores for maybe 1/2 to 1/4 of the price or even less (never ordered there though).
Here most use PB screwdrivers since decades. Even the three large German DIY chains (Obi, Hornbach and Bauhaus) sell them here while they don't offer them in their German stores. Personally I dislike those German DIY store chains, it doesn't really meet Swiss expectations. We suffer a seriously limited choice due to a lack of competition.
The classic PB with translucent smelly (pre-vanilla versions) acetate grips has been introduced many decades ago so an old collector screwdriver will look quite the same excepted the laser engraving.
Some German manufacturers already copied those classic PB handles in the 80's and even until recently Wera manufactured so-called VSM (here referring to the PB copy of the handles, not the VSM blade for slotted screw) series which looked exactly like the PB, including the green for the POZIDRIV. From some distance you can't tell the difference.
IMO PB should engrave unique serial numbers, the last time I checked it, it looked only like unique batch numbers. That was introduced a couple of years ago.
Some very common models like the classc VSM size 9 is no longer made IIRC.
Also PB manufactures some small sizes not listed in standards.
As Jumbo has been taken over by Coop, Coop Bau+Hobby stores are given up or renamed to Jumbo. Sadly this will further reduce the DIY choice in Switzerland. Migros Do-It did massively shrink as Migros teamed up with the German Obi chain, IMO an awfully bad decisions.
Brick and mortar shouldn't be surprised that online shopping has become so popular. On Temu you sometimes get exactly the same articles as in local stores for maybe 1/2 to 1/4 of the price or even less (never ordered there though).
Here most use PB screwdrivers since decades. Even the three large German DIY chains (Obi, Hornbach and Bauhaus) sell them here while they don't offer them in their German stores. Personally I dislike those German DIY store chains, it doesn't really meet Swiss expectations. We suffer a seriously limited choice due to a lack of competition.
The classic PB with translucent smelly (pre-vanilla versions) acetate grips has been introduced many decades ago so an old collector screwdriver will look quite the same excepted the laser engraving.
Some German manufacturers already copied those classic PB handles in the 80's and even until recently Wera manufactured so-called VSM (here referring to the PB copy of the handles, not the VSM blade for slotted screw) series which looked exactly like the PB, including the green for the POZIDRIV. From some distance you can't tell the difference.
IMO PB should engrave unique serial numbers, the last time I checked it, it looked only like unique batch numbers. That was introduced a couple of years ago.
Some very common models like the classc VSM size 9 is no longer made IIRC.
Also PB manufactures some small sizes not listed in standards.
The_Inspector
Well-known member
The_Inspector
Well-known member
I also got a lot of Vessel bits and these are much longer. I purchased 2 organiser genie's and the work ok, downside is that the longer bits are a little wobbly. If you have a metal tool trolley these work great because of the (fairly strong) magnets, but my drawers are aluminium, so these don't work. Will probably end up pop-nailing them to the bottom.
Attachments
KnurledNut
Well-known member
DRPD.cc just dropped a new exclusive multicolor bit block set.
https://drpd.cc/pb-swiss/pb-971-spe...JxzM_d3KsJfmbpaT_xUzDs6PRm_PQLzu1WquKE.QUBEF7
https://drpd.cc/pb-swiss/pb-971-spe...JxzM_d3KsJfmbpaT_xUzDs6PRm_PQLzu1WquKE.QUBEF7
Qualitytools
Well-known member
Looks like you needed the 3-80 handle not the 3-75, thanks for sharingI ordered the missing hook pick tool for my 4 piece set to complete it
i didn’t realize that there are at least 2 sizes for the handle , still works but I like the slightly larger size better for handling
Yes, for now I can’t find that pick in that size 3-80 in Swiss grip form
SwissMetric
Well-known member
Vintage PB Swiss tools are quite hard to find, I'll share more for sure
Not really, here a few decades ago nearly all screwdrivers were PB's. Now the problem is that these were the classic ones with acetate handle which are still made so they're just old, not collector.
Get a random old toolbox and you'll typically end with some PB screwdrivers and wrenches marked "W. Germany" from various random manufacturers, many of which no longer existing.
There are also some common looking PB tools which are no longer manufactured, for example the PB 205.8 (8 mm Allen/INBUS). I'm not sure if they ever made a PB 205.10 (10 mm Allen/INBUS; Wera made one which looks exactly like the PB, both 8 mm and 10 mm).
BTW I was wrong, the PB 100.9-240 (classic VSM size 9) is still in the catalog, in this example 100 designates the series, 9 the size and 240 the blade length in mm (metallic part below the grip, not the overall length). Physical markings depend on the generation.
Personally I'd recommend following classic PB screwdrivers:
PB 100, sizes 00 to 9 (VSM blade, way better than the much more common ISO/DIN)
PB 106, sizes 1 to 5 (for screw terminals and slotted set screws)
PB 135, sizes 2 to 7 (stubby VSM)
PB 190 sizes 00 to 4 (Phillips)
PB 195 sizes 0 to 3 (stubby Phillips)
PB 192 sizes 0 to 4 (POZIDRIV, green handle)
PB 194 sizes 0 to 2 (stubby POZIDRIV, green handle)
PB 205 sizes 1.27 to 6 mm (Allen/INBUS), above 6 mm no longer available
PB 206 sizes 1.27 to 10 mm (Allen/INBUS, ball head)
PB 400 site T3 to T40 (TORX)
and if required:
PB 196 sizes 1 to 10 (for slotted nuts)
Longer versions or with hexagonal drive part below the grip can be useful but aren't an absolute must.
I don't know the new handle forms, I can live without.
The main drawback of the acetate handles is the extremely poor chemical resistance against many solvents. Even small amounts of some solvents can instantly damage these grips beyond repair. Also the smell from the pre-vanilla versions is not great (chemically like rotten butter).
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
I really like PB Swiss’s demo(lition) drivers.
I had to convince a couple of ‘direct fasteners’ to give up and come out a concrete ceiling in a pretty awkward spot. Normally a few taps with a hammer get them out fairly easy, but not when you can’t reach them with the hammer only.
And after a few strokes with a file, de-burred & ready for more.
They really get their heat treatment right. Not to hard, not to soft. Other drivers would have suffered a lot more substantial damage after such ‘abuse’.
I definitely ‘love’ these.
Kind regards,
Olli
I had to convince a couple of ‘direct fasteners’ to give up and come out a concrete ceiling in a pretty awkward spot. Normally a few taps with a hammer get them out fairly easy, but not when you can’t reach them with the hammer only.
And after a few strokes with a file, de-burred & ready for more.
They really get their heat treatment right. Not to hard, not to soft. Other drivers would have suffered a lot more substantial damage after such ‘abuse’.
I definitely ‘love’ these.
Kind regards,
Olli
I really like PB Swiss’s demo(lition) drivers.
I had to convince a couple of ‘direct fasteners’ to give up and come out a concrete ceiling in a pretty awkward spot. Normally a few taps with a hammer get them out fairly easy, but not when you can’t reach them with the hammer only.
And after a few strokes with a file, de-burred & ready for more.
They really get their heat treatment right. Not to hard, not to soft. Other drivers would have suffered a lot more substantial damage after such ‘abuse’.
I definitely ‘love’ these.
Kind regards,
Olli
Finally. Someone who actually beats on a PB Swiss tool.
The "heavy duty" set is towards the top of list to buy.