Quality Tools

In article , Gav writes

Gav,

Most of mine are Stanley, they are well made, and the cheaper ones I have acquired (usually by inheritance) have tended to poor blade quality.

Three thoughts: First, make sure you get one or two Philips screwdrivers as well as posidrives; they are quite different, and using the wrong one will cause rapid wear on the driver and on the screw. Second, don't use a philips or posi driver too small for the screw, that will also cause rapid wear (it's one of my wife's favourite tricks). Third, check your "normal" screwdrivers from time to time to see if the blade tip has become rounded; if so, the head is much more likely to slip out of the screw slot (and in bad cases, chew up the slot so much that it's hard to get the screw out). A careful touch up on a grinder to sharpen the corners will soon restore them to good shape (but don't overheat them or they will soften - if it goes blue, you've overheated it). Philips and posi drivers will also lose their corners (especially if you use a 1pt driver in a 2pt screw, etc), but sharpening these is virtually impossible unless you have a proper tool grinder, and even then hardly worth the effort.

Torx screws are great, in fact the best, IMO; pity they are so expensive.

Sorry if you know all this, but your question suggested you might be just starting out.

David

Thanks for the detailed response. :o)

I'm not just starting out I already have a good selection of tools for my personal use at home which are a mixture of stanley, sealy and draper. I've just started a small IT business and am kitting myself out with a tool case to use for that. Thought I might as well get good kit and was after opinions. Stanley was the obvious choice for me but thought there may be others that are worth taking a look at. Wera & Wiha seem to be sold at quite a few places but I'd never heard of them.

Philips is actually on my list just missed it of my post. :o)

I'm trying to find the most effecient way of purchasing them too, sets are obviously cheaper but the anoying thing is they seem to be mixed. Not seen any where the set is say Pozi #00, #0, #1, #2.

Gav

Get a good hex driver, and a set of hex bits.

e.g. Stanley Long Reach Magnetic Bit Holder 1-67-537 (long screwdrivers are nicer to use, generally)

You're going to see a LOT of different screws.

Consider getting "actual" screwdrivers only for the REALLY common screws.

BugBear

Best I have come across to date is Wiha - especially for Torx drivers.

CPC / Farnell do them.

Odie

Gunsmiths seem to spend a lot on screwdrivers:

If you consider the very high quality of finish (often with expensive engraving) found on top class guns, you would want to ensure you had a screwdriver which fitted the screw perfectly in every case, to reduce the risk of damaging the head, or slipping out and damaging the finish.

David

Anybody seen any of the tools from these guys?

Gav

s of screwdrivers (slotted,

Bearing in mind I'm only a dabbler, by far the best screwdrivers I've ever used are Facom ones. Sets are available from various ebay traders for =A330 odd quid. Machine mart and even Halfords of all places were doing them at one stage. Probably stopped now as they will hae. The handle shape is spot on, blades are good steel etc. I was sufficiently impressed I then went out and bought longs, stubbys, etc to complete set. Stanley aren't bad, or at least were OK 20 years ago, don't know if they still are. The supposed gunsmith set someone else was looking at seemed pretty cheap to me, and I'd be sceptical if a proper craftsman-gunsmith is going to use a nasty hex-bit set at all, though it's OK for occasional novelty fastners. Facom's the boy.

Hywel

ets of screwdrivers (slotted,

I must be a 'toolophile'...my collection is become a little OTT! 35+ years collecting and I STILL bought some more today at CPC!!!

Best I have come across [and I use them every working day] are Wera, Wiha, Facom and my favourite Irazola. As soon as you pick them up they feel 'right'

HTH

I wouldn't trust any 'gunsmith' that talked about screwdrivers - the

have their word: 'turnscrew'.

See:

-- Myford Mat

----------------------------------------------------------------------- Myford Matt's Profile:

PB are absolutely the best I have come across. I have had (and really used) several screwdrivers and a set of metric Allen keys for over 30 years and the keys in particular are still like new!

I use and like Wiha screwdrivers but I have only had them 10 years so its hard to say whether they are as good as the PB.

The only problem with PB is that I have never found them in any shops in the UK, Switzerland yes but its a long way.

Ian