Best screwdriver set?

[pwd72s]

Latest test by Project farm. Have to admit, results surprised me. I have tons of screwdrivers, with most of them being old USA made Craftsman.

[masraum]

I remember some of these in Dad's toolbox from when I was a kid.



When we downsized, I went through all of the old screwdrivers, and if the tips were worn/beat to hell (probably my fault from when I was a teen), especially the phillips, I sold them at a garage sale. I think I still have one or two.

I bought a set of screwdrivers, but what I use most often these days is a cheap magnetic quick change screwdriver with a set of bits.

I'd kind of like something like this, except that the "folder" full of long bits seems like it's more fiddly than a holder full of short bits with a longer screwdriver.

Ideally, I'd like it to have Phillips, regular, square drive, torx, allen/hex, and maybe some others.



What I currently use is this bit set but with a different screwdriver (the one in the set was horrible)

[stevej37]

Not a screwdriver set, but my father had one of these Craftsman drills..very handy for small work.
The handle held 9? drill bits. Load one into the driver and push down over and over until the hole was drilled. Similar to an egg beater drill but no handle to turn.
I wish I had asked him for it...he sold it at a yard sale for a buck or two.

[A930Rocket]

Originally Posted by masraum

I remember some of these in Dad's toolbox from when I was a kid.

That’s the style I have…. a mix of new and old.

As I replaced them, I should’ve updated them with a bigger/more ergonomic handle.

I think I’ve used those nut drivers a handful of times in the past 25 years.

[rwest]

Craftsman must of upped their game or maybe they were the professional ones, because the old blue, red and clear ones weren’t very good in my opinion. Handles didn’t allow a lot of inline pressure and the Phillip tips worn out easily.

The handles on the Snap-on give such good grip that one time the firefighters at work were supposed to remove a white board off the wall before I got there to paint a room. They tried their Craftsman drivers first, then buggered up the heads with a cordless driver. I got there and took my Snap-on ratchet screwdriver from my belt pouch and removed every screw without any struggle. The Snap-on tips helped too.

2nd issue was security screws in a jail lock that I couldn’t remove with the security driver set we had on site. I used the same tip from that set and put it in my Snap-on driver and the screws came right out. Which really made me aware how important a handle shape is to removing difficult fasteners.

[jcwade]

Originally Posted by stevej37

Not a screwdriver set, but my father had one of these Craftsman drills..very handy for small work.
The handle held 9? drill bits. Load one into the driver and push down over and over until the hole was drilled. Similar to an egg beater drill but no handle to turn.
I wish I had asked him for it...he sold it at a yard sale for a buck or two.

It is called a push-drill, and I have the Stanley version. It really comes in handy to make small holes without dragging out the power tools.

[cjh]

I have grown up turning Craftsman screwdrivers and have always hated to take out Phillips screws in Japanese motorcycles since I was 14. They always slip and you always round off the screw especially on cases. A few years ago, I asked for and got as a Christmas gift a set of Japan JIS Vessel brand screwdrivers. They fit the JIS screws like a glove and don't slip like the old Craftsman screwdrivers do and seem to work well on other Phillips screws.

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by jcwade

It is called a push-drill, and I have the Stanley version. It really comes in handy to make small holes without dragging out the power tools.

I've looked somewhat for a new one....I don't think they make them anymore.
Too bad because they are handy.

Edit: I just looked and Amazon has them.

[sc_rufctr]

I like Wera. Are they they best? I don't know but they're good enough.

[A930Rocket]

After watching the video, the one test I think is flawed, is when he compresses the screwdrivers. Some had short shafts and others had longer shafts. The short shaft screwdrivers always worked better.

[LWJ]

JIS screw driver is my new secret weapon. Bought one on Amazon for around $10. Keeps my dirtbike and similar happy

[pwd72s]

Steve, maybe look here for bit set & driver?

https://www.tekton.com/category/screwdrivers/bit-sets?page=1

[Baz]

Originally Posted by cjh

I have grown up turning Craftsman screwdrivers and have always hated to take out Phillips screws in Japanese motorcycles since I was 14. They always slip and you always round off the screw especially on cases. A few years ago, I asked for and got as a Christmas gift a set of Japan JIS Vessel brand screwdrivers. They fit the JIS screws like a glove and don't slip like the old Craftsman screwdrivers do and seem to work well on other Phillips screws.

Originally Posted by LWJ

JIS screw driver is my new secret weapon. Bought one on Amazon for around $10. Keeps my dirtbike and similar happy

I have two sets. Plus an Impact driver set. Here's one in this photo from yesterday's work hydraulic clutch slave rebuild......needed it for the master.......

[RANDY P]

(Glad I found this thread- went to find a pic and saw these are on a killer sale so I nabbed a 2nd set ) Happy day.

Nowadays I only buy these. They are coated in some weird diamond stuff that grabs anything- they won't cam out especially if you're used to the older smelly Cmans or crappy Chinese- throw those away and get these.

Try them out. In fact, they are on sale for $22 (reg. $60) which IHMO makes these an absolute steal..


https://www.sears.com/craftsman-6-piece-extreme-grip-diamond-tip/p-A102158676?sid=ISxMP3xSOxGGxDTxSURF&gQT=1

.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by cjh

I have grown up turning Craftsman screwdrivers and have always hated to take out Phillips screws in Japanese motorcycles since I was 14. They always slip and you always round off the screw especially on cases. A few years ago, I asked for and got as a Christmas gift a set of Japan JIS Vessel brand screwdrivers. They fit the JIS screws like a glove and don't slip like the old Craftsman screwdrivers do and seem to work well on other Phillips screws.

Vessel is all I use for Phillips and similar abominations. Good stuff. Vessel Impacta, for #2 and #3.

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Steve, maybe look here for bit set & driver?

https://www.tekton.com/category/screwdrivers/bit-sets?page=1

The one I pictured uses drill bits....I found a couple on Amazon.
The Tektons are not...but I do like the bicycle one. I might order it.

[pwd72s]

JIS mentioned here, but not really explained. Here's a good video I found. Sadly, too big for me to embed, so only a link...also has ads...grrr. About 10 minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXWSn8rMeEo&ab_channel=LRN2DIY