Stanley Workmaster and Professional screwdrivers

[Mr. Tool]

Back in 1974 I got a set of Stanley Workmaster screwdrivers for Christmas. I always really liked them, they had a nice triangular handle that fit my hand well and allowed for a lot of torque, and the shanks were high quality steel. Unfortunately, in the mid 1980s some lowlife stole my toolbox and I lost them along with all my other tools. I still get angry about that.

Anyway, in recent years I've been buying them when and where I can find them - swap meets, flea markets, online, etc. I'm now trying to do some research on them. The Workmaster screwdrivers were introduced in about 1969 (I've found a news release from Popular Mechanics that year announcing their production) and were made through the 1970s. As mentioned, they had a triangular handle that was made of smoked plastic, with a yellow stripe at the front edge of the handle.

At some point in the 1980s they were replaced by what Stanley called Professional screwdrivers. These had clear yellow handles but were otherwise identical in construction.

I've also found a few that had a combination clear yellow and smoked handle, I don't know where these fit in to the story but suspect they were a transitional tool between the Workmaster and Professional lines.

I've found some other interesting variants - most of them have a part number stamped on the handle (66-*** for flat blade and 65-*** for Phillips) but some don't; the logo is sometimes just Stanley, and other times Stanley with a border around the name; and then there are these two multi-bit Professional screwdrivers with the same part number but of different construction, and a Workmaster multi-bit that is totally different with a non-removable shank and the tips are stored in the handle:

I've also seen a ratcheting multi-bit screwdriver that is unlike the three shown above, and I think they had some nutdrivers as well.

Outside of the Popular Mechanics news release mentioned above, all I've been able to find online so far are copies of a few magazine ads and they don't provide a whole lot of information. What I'd really like to find are Stanley tool catalogs from the 1970s and 1980s that list the two respective lines, so I can figure out just how many different types of screwdrivers were offered. So, if anyone has Stanley catalogs from those eras let me know.

What an excellent write up!

Though I do have to mention that this entire thread on vintage Stanley drivers is excellent as well!

 

[noleashlarry]

Anyone know anything about JCPenney versions? After reading through past posts they seem more common than I thought. A friend gifted it to me after finding at a thrift shop and I thought it was interesting to not have Stanley written anywhere! Slowly building my collection out. It’s hard to resist buying up on Ebay, but the satisfaction of thrift and market finds is a fun little side quest wherever I go!