toss out all the screwdrivers?

[hangfirew8]

About 15 years ago I started buying replaceable bit screwdrivers with the same thought in mind, replacing the standard ones.

Almost immediately I ran into a case where the flared tip of the bit driver shaft wouldn't clear the hole with a screw head at the bottom. It was in office furniture, but there is a LOT of that narrow blind hole clearance issue in plastic housings for electronics. Or anything else, really. Lots of clearance problems on automobiles.

I now feel that both kinds of screwdrivers are handy, but standard shaft screwdrivers are necessary. The bit holder type help me avoid having 3 deep drawers worth of screwdrivers, one for every screw type. Times 3 for every shaft length.

But I'm not buying a standard screwdriver for every security hole Torx, whacko offbrand drive type.

Chapman is my goto brand for replaceable bit screwdrivers.

 

[Magnum440d100]

I just bought some Craftsman screwdrivers from ACE and they are still made in USA (Western Forge), but I guess that may not last much longer. I don't believe Sunex ever were made in USA, so I'm a bit confused by the OP's comments on that.

I've had mostly just Craftsman for the past 20 years, and they are ok. Cheap enough, made in USA, and easy (or at least used to be) to replace as needed. Depending on your use, Klein are nice, but the handles may not hold up to heavy mechanic use.

If you want to bulk up your USA Craftsman while they are still USA, through the 24th ACE has a basic 5 piece set for standard and phillips on sale for $3 with rewards card:

https://www.acehardware.com/departments/tools/hand-tools/screwdriver-sets/2295814
https://www.acehardware.com/departments/tools/hand-tools/screwdriver-sets/2295806

I bought those a few weeks back and put them in my main box. I could have used them when I went to Vegas for work, but I instead had to buy a 17(?) piece for 1 friggin #2 philips in the length I needed. Ugh.

On the bright side, I pulled all my old chowdered screwdrivers out of my main box and replaced them with mostly USA craftsman. Then filled the rest with the foreign craftsman. The rest of the 17(?) piece set that was left over went into my junkyard box. I don’t mind losing foreign **** at the pick a part. It doesn’t happen often, but if it does, I’m not losing sleep.

The chowdered ones went into my Kennedy of extra tools. The tools that I have doubles, triples, etc and tools that are still “ok” for use but are beat up (like a really nice tipped craftsman screwdriver that only has half a handle. Dunno how THAT happened....)

IMHO, you can not have too many screwdrivers or even “bits”. One tool inevitably works better than the next. And some of the stuff I work on, “good enough” or “it’ll work” just does NOT fly.

But then again, I am a tool JUNKIE!!!!!!! I love having tools, even if I only use it once....