I've had "junk" screwdrivers fail--handle breaks or separates from the shaft; or the shaft is so soft it gets torn-up by the screw head. I expect that. All these screwdrivers except one were gifts from people who didn't know better.
Mac isn't on the poll list. I have had repeated failure with a certain Mac driver--a very long straight-blade "cabinet" screwdriver. The "vapor-blasted" tip shatters, and the vapor-blasting flakes off. Happened twice; got the blade warrantied once, shattered again the next time I used it. I don't use it much any more. Been sitting in the screwdriver drawer of my box for thirty years. I bought it to adjust idle mixture screws on carbs. No real torque, but also no proper way to align the driver with the mixture screw, so it's always working at some slight angle.
I've never shattered or broken a Snap-On driver, but I've worn-out Phillips tips. I've known others (decades ago) who snapped the Phillips tip off, and that's been mentioned earlier in this thread. I heard some years ago--on this forum, I think--that Snap-On changed the manufacturing process for their screwdriver blades. I've forgotten the details--used to be forged, now they're stamped; used to have the tips cold-formed, now they're hot-formed...I don't really remember.
I've deformed Craftsman straight-blade and Phillips screwdriver tips. I don't complain too much. Sears took care of me. I got reasonable if not exceptional life out of them.
