Worn Screwdrivers

[imagineer]

Ok, not an actual problem, but there are too many screwdrivers in the tool chest drawer. Not sure where they all came from…they seem to multiply like wire coat hangers.

Some of them in the drawer are very old and worn and some of the flat bladed ones have been “sharpened” to try and extend the tool life.

So, what you folks do with screwdrivers that are no longer fully functional? Pitch them, re-purpose them into other types of tools, or keep them for when you need a sacrificial prybar?

 

[milkovich]

For phillips and flat, I put them in the vice and "tune them up" with a file. Others, like roberts/torx, you can grind some off the tip.

 

[Renegade1LI]

If not warranty, garbage,screwdrivers are consumables to me.

 

[lardy1]

Not worth the frustration to me. I've ground and filed my share but my finances allow me to not have to do that anymore.

 

[Mr_B]

How to repurpose a Philips head screwdriver?

It's almost ironic that a flat head screwdriver is a lot less useful, to me at least, than a Philips head. However, once the screwdriver gets used and beaten, the flat-head old screwdriver is a lot more valuable than the Philips. Now that I have a bunch used P1 and P2 screwdrivers with perfectly...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[confidant]

Grind to a point and practice
throwing at a target!

 

[dnschmidt]

Garbage is garbage. I throw out perfectly good cheap screwdrivers. The older I get the less tolerant of garbage tools I become.

 

[PoorUB]

I toss them. I don't even try to tune up old flat blade drivers. It seems to me once they lose the factory edge nothing you can do to get them to fit and function like they did when new.

I keep a few old flat blades around to abuse, pry bars and what not, but they generally get tossed.

 

[RTM]

I keep a handful for A - scraping the mud out of soccer cleats (football boots for those on other continents), B - weeding, and C - other gross tasks. If they are nice, I will regrind. If just common ****, I pitch them, or move them into item A.

 

[PelicanPines]

I make screwdrivers I don't already have. Narrower, Thinner, Sharper, Flatter, Bent, Short... etc.

 

[ecotec]

Tuned up screwdrivers do not fit electrical fittings correctly… I throw old screwdrivers away.

 

[Tostal]

I keep my old worn-out screwdrivers and loan them to people I don't want to loan tools to.

I also keep old worn-out sockets and a couple of cheap ratchets (that slip when pressure is applied) to loan out. The sockets look like a complete set, but looks can be deceiving, none of the most commonly used sizes are present.

Ditto, open-end wrenches that have spread jaws, blunt drill bits, centre 'pop' punches that don't, hacksaw blades and files that are now "harmless".

For those wanting to do woodwork, I've kept a wood plane that has a lovely deep nick in the blade edge (put there by a previous borrower) - very annoying to use. And a carpenter's hammer missing half of it's claw, rendering it useless for pulling nails and throwing off the hammer's balance - very annoying to use. Best of all, a carpenter's saw that has the middle section of teeth completely banjoed - that not only doesn't cut in the middle of the stroke but also jams going forwards and backwards.

And, if they're not returned, I'm..... delighted!

T~

 

[AreBeeBee]

Well, I took one and made a scratch awl out of it.

 

[The Cobbler]

I've made scribe's, centre punches for wood, weld a screw to the end to pull out plastic wall plugs. use them as beaters .

 

[xjfish]

I often grind them into a pointy tool. Write AWL on side.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

I find it's good to have a few benders around.

 

[mervyn]

I sharpen em and send em to my friends in prison. They always get sent back.

 

[uncwstudent]

I would definitely throw them out. If they were flatheads and not broken, they would become pry bars.

 

[nadogail]

I have somebody TIG an extension to turn a socket.

 

[Ricky Joe]

I still grind mine. Im conservative enough to squeeze all the use possible out of tools, or anything.

 

[Mr_B]

I have somebody TIG an extension to turn a socket.

1/4 drive impact driver adaptors could be useful for this type of tweak .

 

[imagineer]

I sacrificed two so far. I hammered the handle off and repurposed then for handles on flat files.

 

[whateg01]

I keep my old worn-out screwdrivers and loan them to people I don't want to loan tools to.

I also keep old worn-out sockets and a couple of cheap ratchets (that slip when pressure is applied) to loan out. The sockets look like a complete set, but looks can be deceiving, none of the most commonly used sizes are present.

Ditto, open-end wrenches that have spread jaws, blunt drill bits, centre 'pop' punches that don't, hacksaw blades and files that are now "harmless".

For those wanting to do woodwork, I've kept a wood plane that has a lovely deep nick in the blade edge (put there by a previous borrower) - very annoying to use. And a carpenter's hammer missing half of it's claw, rendering it useless for pulling nails and throwing off the hammer's balance - very annoying to use. Best of all, a carpenter's saw that has the middle section of teeth completely banjoed - that not only doesn't cut in the middle of the stroke but also jams going forwards and backwards.

And, if they're not returned, I'm..... delighted!

T~

Sounds like you need a hobby.

 

[RedneckWelder]

I keep most worn/replaced by better tools for making custom tools out of. I’ve got a few different sizes of flat blade screwdrivers that have been ground to round the edges and they become field expedient duo-cone seal installers. I’ve saved the day more often than not by having a rummage box of old stuff like that to dig through and modify for custom purposes.

 

[ecotec]

Sounds like you need a hobby.

That sounds like kind of a fun hobby…

 

[ecotec]

I keep my old worn-out screwdrivers and loan them to people I don't want to loan tools to.

I also keep old worn-out sockets and a couple of cheap ratchets (that slip when pressure is applied) to loan out. The sockets look like a complete set, but looks can be deceiving, none of the most commonly used sizes are present.

Ditto, open-end wrenches that have spread jaws, blunt drill bits, centre 'pop' punches that don't, hacksaw blades and files that are now "harmless".

For those wanting to do woodwork, I've kept a wood plane that has a lovely deep nick in the blade edge (put there by a previous borrower) - very annoying to use. And a carpenter's hammer missing half of it's claw, rendering it useless for pulling nails and throwing off the hammer's balance - very annoying to use. Best of all, a carpenter's saw that has the middle section of teeth completely banjoed - that not only doesn't cut in the middle of the stroke but also jams going forwards and backwards.

And, if they're not returned, I'm..... delighted!

T~

I have, on occasion, saved worn out hole saws, unibits and drill bits just to lend out to specific people… but I don’t normally keep worn out tools.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

I’d certainly never modify any tool that would drive me crazy lol. Especially if it was a brand that wasn’t made anymore. I just throw mine into a tote with all my other tools and one day hopefully I’ll have kids or grandkids that I can show them too haha. Any broken tool I have regardless of age brand whatever that isn’t turned in for warranty gets thrown in a cardboard box sitting on a shelf. When that fills up I’ll put them in another box. I’m the type where if something is going into my toolbox it has to be perfect or even broken waiting on warranty is fine but it cannot be modified, can’t be in a package or anything like that cause that stuff drives me nuts haha.

 

[turnthewrench 2.0]

Garbage. Buy more.

 

[RedneckWelder]

I’d certainly never modify any tool that would drive me crazy lol. Especially if it was a brand that wasn’t made anymore. I just throw mine into a tote with all my other tools and one day hopefully I’ll have kids or grandkids that I can show them too haha. Any broken tool I have regardless of age brand whatever that isn’t turned in for warranty gets thrown in a cardboard box sitting on a shelf. When that fills up I’ll put them in another box. I’m the type where if something is going into my toolbox it has to be perfect or even broken waiting on warranty is fine but it cannot be modified, can’t be in a package or anything like that cause that stuff drives me nuts haha.

When the modified tool turns a three hour job into a 15 minute easy as pie job your opinion would probably change.

 

[whateg01]

I’d certainly never modify any tool that would drive me crazy lol. ...it cannot be modified, ...

You would have a meltdown in my shop. I absolutely do not adhere to the notion that a tool was perfect the way it was designed! I buy sockets for the express purpose of making other tools. I cut wrenches that are too long for a job, though I generally will go to the flea market for stuff like that. Out of curiosity, what is about a modified tool that bothers you?

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

You would have a meltdown in my shop. I absolutely do not adhere to the notion that a tool was perfect the way it was designed! I buy sockets for the express purpose of making other tools. I cut wrenches that are too long for a job, though I generally will go to the flea market for stuff like that. Out of curiosity, what is about a modified tool that bothers you?

It’s kind of like a modified car I just can’t stand the fact knowing it didn’t come from the factory that way and so it makes me feel like it’s improper. Had it come from the factory that way it would not bother me at all. It drives me up the wall to know anything has been modified from its original state lol. Plus generally modified tools don’t look good either. I mean it doesn’t need to be pretty but I don’t want it to look bad in a drawer full of good stock tools. If I ever modified something I’d have to throw it out afterwards cause i could not stand to look at it. My OCD requires everything to be perfect.

 

[Meursault74]

slotted become mini prybars, mostly for paint cans.

Phillips, maybe make an awl or take the handle off to use for a file handle.

I haven't worn out others. I'll let you know.

 

[Ricky Joe]

It’s kind of like a modified car I just can’t stand the fact knowing it didn’t come from the factory that way and so it makes me feel like it’s improper. Had it come from the factory that way it would not bother me at all. It drives me up the wall to know anything has been modified from its original state lol. Plus generally modified tools don’t look good either. I mean it doesn’t need to be pretty but I don’t want it to look bad in a drawer full of good stock tools. If I ever modified something I’d have to throw it out afterwards cause i could not stand to look at it. My OCD requires everything to be perfect.

You are not allowed to look in my box. You couldn’t stand the strain. Not only do I freely modify tools, I usually modify good tools, not cheap Chinese. If I need it once, I may need it again, and so if possible I’ll make a nice Snap-On widget adjuster or Proto flim flammer, or whatever. To me, if it makes it possible or easier to accomplish the job, that is perfect. Years ago, I worked with a mechanic named Jack. He had all kinds of tools in his box, made, modified, and factory. His tools were all over the place. A 1/2” wrench might be in the top drawer today, a 9/16” in the fourth one down, nothing neat and organized. After use, that tool may or may not have made it to the same place it was before the job. Guaranteed not to be in the same place twice, or pure coincidence if it was. Yet, he could always go directly to whatever tool he needed. His box looked like a jumbled mess. Jack was one of the best mechanics I ever met. He modified at the drop of a hat. As a young man I respected and admired him for his ability and his lack of worship for his tools, and, though I am a bit better organized, I adopted his contempt for a tool being anything other than a convenience.

 

[F-22]

My friend has a tool-and-cutter grinder machine so I finished some of my old ones off on that, it works great since a good screwdriver is hardened so you should not mill it...

 

[bonneyman]

Depends on the feel of the handle and the quality of the blade steel. Worthy ones get repurposed.
Phillips get turned into awls if I can't fix the point, and standard blades get turned into tack pullers, pry bars, chisels, whatever. Sure I could afford to buy premium tools for those jobs but where's the fun in that?

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

It’s kind of like a modified car I just can’t stand the fact knowing it didn’t come from the factory that way and so it makes me feel like it’s improper. Had it come from the factory that way it would not bother me at all. It drives me up the wall to know anything has been modified from its original state lol. Plus generally modified tools don’t look good either. I mean it doesn’t need to be pretty but I don’t want it to look bad in a drawer full of good stock tools. If I ever modified something I’d have to throw it out afterwards cause i could not stand to look at it. My OCD requires everything to be perfect.

Wow that would be paralysing for me.
Latest real world example, hat to remove the cam from a 12 valve Cummins. To do so, you have to hold the lifters up while you do it. The tool is a 12"x 1/2" wooden rod with a small chamfer and a slot in one end. FSM tells how to make them, and Cummins apparently sells for the FU Maroon price of $63ea. Presumably this would make them about $100 at the Dodge dealer. It only takes 12 of them to do the job. you can bet I didn't think twice about about buying a nice rod at home Depot and hacking it into 12 pieces.

 

[fatfillup]

I get a lot of screwdrivers when buying used tools. If the tip is bad and a cheapie, it gets tossed. The better phillips get saved for a guy who turns them into awls for punching holes in bags.

I will save the nice handles for projects or file handles like someone else posted but you only need so many of them.

The rest get sorted and turned into sets that I sell cheap. Not unusual for a business owner or manager to walk in the store and need screwdrivers for his guys. Normally about a buck a piece for decent quality drivers in a set. Not a money maker but I hate tossing tools that still have life away

 

[bwringer]

If not warranty, garbage,screwdrivers are consumables to me.

Garbage is garbage. I throw out perfectly good cheap screwdrivers. The older I get the less tolerant of garbage tools I become.

Agreed. Once I realized that keeping junk around was more trouble than it was worth, my shop life improved immensely. Once a tool displeases me, it is in the garbage or recycling. I'll donate tools that could be of some use; cheapies I end up with for some weird reason, or duplicates, etc. but I don't donate stuff that's worn. Why make it some other poor *******'s problem?

Well, I took one and made a scratch awl out of it.

I sacrificed two so far. I hammered the handle off and repurposed then for handles on flat files.

The supply of worn/broken/crappy screwdrivers very quickly exceeds the needs of repurposing. But yeah, if there's an especially nice handle I'll think twice about finding a way to repurpose it. Ordinary stuff hits the trash can without a second thought.

For example, I made a nice spring puller by grinding a diagonal notch on the side of an especially sturdy flat blade with a badly abused and broken tip. This was a screwdriver with metal all the way through and a striking cap at the other end; don't try this with an ordinary handle that could pull off under heavy strain.

 

[humber2]

If worn I ask myself “ what’s the point?”

 

[finn]

Some become dedicated paint can openers. Once in a while a used up Phillips becomes an alignment drift.

One I welded a flat piece of steel on to become a scraper.

Most go to Habitat. Hopefully they will help someone out.