Some PB Swiss Goodness

[superautobacs]

The CAB on the PB Swiss screwdrivers are apparently the same ones found on regular Craftsman screwdrivers (Western Forge or Pratt Read made ones?). They all source it from Eastman, in Tennessee.

Here's a link that discusses this: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=687049

 

[MadMark]

Has anyone picked up an extra PH#2 bit for the pb225 handle that they would be willing to sell me?
I was putting together a set of the nut drivers and have a lot invested in this driver.
Know I noticed that Amazon no longer shows the PB225/ph2.
I should have bought it back when it was under $3 for a bit.
any multidriver set is useless without a no. 2 philips

 

[lipadj46]

For those who care CAB = Celluloseacetobutyrat. And if you think the grips are too smelly they will supposedly replace them under warranty for some other non stinky handle material.

 

[Jack Olsen]

It's funny. I'd read about the smell issue before I ordered them. And it's possible I have a less-sensitive sense of smell than most. But I have to literally hold the handle right against my nose in order to detect the smell.

It's the exact opposite of the Harbor Freight Chinese rubber smell, which has led me to store some things out in my shed rather than have them stink up the garage.

 

[superautobacs]

Jack,

How's the humidity level in LA? Apparently, CAB's emit less odour in low humidity environments.

The Chinese rubber could be toxic forms of PAH's (polyaromatic hydrocarbons) (CAB from Eastman doesn't contain them, according to that PB Swiss rep.).
Ever since finding out about PAH's, I've been more weary of touching cheap Chinese rubber/plastics fearing that it's toxic to my health.

Here's an excerpt from an article http://www.bureauveritas.com/wps/wcm/connect/bv_com/group/home/about-us/our-business/our-business-consumer-products/news+and+events/regulatory+bulletins/germany_proposes_pah_restriction?presentationtemplate=bv_master/CPS_full_story_presentation:
------------------------------------------
During the last few years, German consumer protection organizations and authorities have identified high concentrations of PAH in many consumer products, such as toys, shoes or tool grips. This is of concern because some PAH have carcinogenic and mutagenic properties.

 

[Monte]

i have a couple of the multicraft + swissgrip drivers but no smell at all ?

 

[gatorgrizz27]

Any idea on how chemical resistant the handles are? Obviously you aren't supposed to soak them in chems but the carb cleaner I use (Advanced Auto brand) is pretty gnarly stuff and will eat Craftsman handles. Anyone want to make a sacrifice for the good of the community?

 

[Monte]

Jack,
The Chinese rubber could be toxic forms of PAH's (polyaromatic hydrocarbons) (CAB from Eastman doesn't contain them, according to that PB Swiss rep.).
Ever since finding out about PAH's, I've been more weary of touching cheap Chinese rubber/plastics fearing that it's toxic to my health.

Then don´t buy hammers from "Go/On" !!!! The handle contains 33 times (990mg/kg) the amount of PAH than allowed.....

ps: Just read a newspaper article today that a test magazine tested 50 different toys, more than 80% contained toxic substances.....

 

[Bolster]

That sounds like a trumped up media headline, Monte. Water is a hazardous substance too, you know. Many "toxic" substances are naturally occurring and would be in our food if we lived any particular time in history. Some "toxic" substances are required in low levels for the body to function. There is always some arsenic in your water (it's naturally occurring), so there's another media headline..."Water is Killing Us!" They can add that to their current "Weather is Killing Us!" marketing attempt.

What's going to kill you first...your hammer? Your water? Or a nuclear rogue country with an ideological apocalyptic leader?

I think we should only fear the things that can imminently hurt us, and the rest gets chalked up to the fact that we're all mortal and will all die.

If I can die from the toxic substances in the handle of a hammer, I'll consider myself lucky to have avoided armageddon.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

i have a couple of the multicraft + swissgrip drivers but no smell at all ?

I have some Multicraft hose picks that had the smell when i got them, but it wasn't very bad. They got covered in diesel yesterday and cleaned with brake cleaner. Now no smell at all*!


*I did smell strongly of Diesel longer than the handles did..

 

[lipadj46]

OK last order. These are big ones too, comfort grips in pozi 2 long, 3 and 4, then a big flat head with bolster and then a classic phillips #3 to fill out the classic sizes. My daughter just watches me and judges, she obviously thinks I'm nuts.

 

[Theloniousmonk]

Cute! My son is 9wks now... how old is your daughter?

That is a loooooooooong #2!

And I need to stop licking the handles of my screwdrivers, i don't want the cancers.

 

[lipadj46]

She's 4 months, my other daughter is 3. Yeah I'm not going to sniff any more tools.

 

[Danglerb]

The handles smell like rat pee, that's what I assumed it was until reading all this stuff. If its just some chemical then that's not so bad.

 

[pep]

....and the PB Swiss UltraPimp(tm) Roll Up set is back to $89.54

I have to wonder what percentage of the PB Swiss sale went to people who post here. It isn't like there was tons of inventory out there.

 

[lipadj46]

....and the PB Swiss UltraPimp(tm) Roll Up set is back to $89.54

I have to wonder what percentage of the PB Swiss sale went to people who post here. It isn't like there was tons of inventory out there.

Probably most of it was sold to this forum. I will add those swiss grip drivers with the bolster above are really really nice. Glad I did not get them first or I would have had a much more expensive screwdriver buying jag because they are nicer than any other screw driver I have come across.

 

[zer0cell]

Okay, so which pbswiss lines has handles that do NOT stink?

 

[Jack Olsen]

Only the 'classic' handles have the smell. The comfort-grip ones are made from different material.

 

[zer0cell]

....and the PB Swiss UltraPimp(tm) Roll Up set is back to $89.54

I have to wonder what percentage of the PB Swiss sale went to people who post here. It isn't like there was tons of inventory out there.

You mean <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001EQ8DB2?ie=UTF8&tag=hubpages0814-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001EQ8DB2">this one</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=hubpages0814-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B001EQ8DB2" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />? It looks like it is $59.10 (amazon had a second listing for this item)

 

[MadMark]

I have been listening for the wife that is screaming, stop buying tools.

I hear they can hear her in Switzerland.

 

[superautobacs]

Only the 'classic' handles have the smell. The comfort-grip ones are made from different material.

The Classic and Multicraft handles are made out of CAB; the SwissGrip models are the ones that are made from santoprene--they don't smell.




I guess the most dicerning screwdriver buyers now include smell as part of they purchasing criteria.

 

[lipadj46]

I would never have noticed the smell if someone did not tell me, does not bother me at all though. The swiss grip screwdrivers with the bolster are very nice though.

 

[Bolster]

This thread is still on smell?!?

How many more pages will we devote to the smell of screwdriver handles???

Should handle smell get its own thread...possibly its own forum?

Seriously, how interesting is handle smell?

How many of us walk around with screwdriver handles stuffed up our nostrils?

 

[lipadj46]

How many more pages will we devote to the smell of screwdriver handles???

Should handle smell get its own thread...possibly its own forum?

Seriously, how interesting is handle smell?

about as interesting as a bunch of grown men who have no idea the truth arguing about the COO of dual 80s like they "know"

 

[Moose-LandTran]

about as interesting as a bunch of grown men who have no idea the truth arguing about the COO of dual 80s like they "know"

I bought another Dual-80 today, i'm going to fit a smell-free orange hard handle on it when it arrives..

 

[MrMark]

.......

........

 

[lipadj46]

and all that for $14, man I would be pissed too. you did see the pictures of the handles correct? What were you expecting?

 

[lipadj46]

To each his own. I have fairly large hands and don't really have a problem with them but then as I said before I don't turn screws for a living. Or smell tool handles either for that matter.

 

[MrMark]

So the bulb would pretty much glow the same for 120 as for 240 then?

I can imagine some poor schlub using this voltage tester in a bright room, seeing no bulb light up in the handle, and then proceeding to work on a live circuit, thinking it's dead.

I'm skeptical about it as a tester. I think it'll work fine as a screwdriver, though.

No, the bulb would glow twice as bright, all other things being held equal. However, you are never going to put 240 across that bulb unless you stick your free hand in the other side of the dryer plug. Each leg of a 240 Volt circuit is 120 V. to ground.

 

[Monte]

wikipedia says they´re safe to use

 

[Bolster]

The handles STINK like PUKE ...

By all means, let's return to a discussion of handle smell. We've inadvertently had several posts where nobody mentioned the smell of the handles...those members will be banned shortly. WE all know you can judge the quality of a screwdriver by the smell and shape of its handles, so let's not deviate from this important discussion...please proceed!

 

[Jack Olsen]

Why was the postman still at the house 10 minutes after the mail got delivered?

 

[jay50]

Why was the postman still at the house 10 minutes after the mail got delivered?

He was delivering a "package" to the woman next door....

 

[4000xt]

I love screwdrivers with the bolster. Comes in real handy sometimes.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

By all means, let's return to a discussion of handle smell. We've inadvertently had several posts where nobody mentioned the smell of the handles...those members will be banned shortly. WE all know you can judge the quality of a screwdriver by the smell and shape of its handles, so let's not deviate from this important discussion...please proceed!

I gave my Snap-on catalogue a good ol' sniff and it was a little fishy. Not pleasant by any means, but luckily you need to be very close to it to notice, much closer than my eyes can focus..

 

[MrMark]

.............
............

 

[Monte]

The Snap On Dual 80 ratchets without the "USA" smell fishy too

 

[lipadj46]

Well, I'm really sorry for stating the truth that these bandwagon screwdrivers smell like a cross between Cat Piss and Puke. My review wasn't meant to be exclusive to the stench of them so much as the puny and pitiful handles. These handles make dime store Stanley Thrifty Shiters look good. I promise not another word about this as some seem to get their britches in a knot over the mention of the stench.

You feel better now? Thanks for contributing your uh review.

 

[MrMark]

You feel better now? Thanks for contributing your uh review.

My review was no good. I deleted it. I should have researched this better re the handles.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

The Snap On Dual 80 ratchets without the "USA" smell fishy too

Bought another one of those earlier. Will report back on the fragrance when it arrives.