PB Swiss Swissgrip drivers

I have been using this set of PB Swiss flat and Phillips Swiss Grip drivers for about six months now, in my home shop, and here are some thoughts:

These are great screwdrivers.  The handles are tough but comfortable and the tips have held up well.  I am always leery of soft-grip type handles getting dirty (and staying dirty), but these clean up well enough with some soap or solvent.  No degradation of the handles either, and I have used lots of different chemicals to clean them up.






The handle tops are color coded by bit type- VERY nice when looking for a driver in a drawer.  The tops are also marked by size, with a visual of the fastener type:



The handles have a texture, and are a bit squishy- but just a bit.  They are pretty firm for soft-grip handles.  The color-code tops are molded in, so you will not wipe off the size markings.









The blade tips are where these really shine.  The flat drivers have parallel tips- sort of like hollow ground tips but WAY more precise.  They also have a black coating- that seems to hold up pretty well.  The flat tips also have chamfers on the corners of the tips- this is so the driver can go all the way into a counter-sunk screw and not mar the workpiece when you tighten things up.  In other words, the tip will fill the entire screw slot, but not protrude out the bottom of the screw head when using bugle-shaped screws, as a squared blade would do.  The tips are also marked by size- again, they seem to wear well.








My biggest concern with these drivers is probably unfounded- I was afraid of messing them up when doing the really dirty work.  When I needed to pry off a stuck brake pad from my car I set these aside and grabbed my Snap-on drivers.  I just did not want to get them dirty, or mess up the really nice tips.

For now, these have found a place in my workshop as assembly/ dis-assembly drivers.  When I am putting together any type of machinery, or driving a screw into furniture, and I don't want to harm the screw or the wood- I use these with confidence.  

They could probably act as chisels nicely, I just don't want to be the one to find out.

All in all- a lot of money to spend for a lot of screwdriver.  But these would be really, really hard to recommend for an average home shop.  They would also be hard to recommend for a pro mechanic shop- most industrial mechanical needs doesn't require the precision that these drivers provide.

For a woodworking shop, or a hobby-model shop, or a gunsmithing setup, these drivers are very, very good, though. 

Offset screwdrivers

The red-headed stepchildren of the screw driving family.  Offset drivers are rarely enjoyable to use- mostly because it means you are working on something where the designer buried a screw with no normal access angle.  This often means dropped fasteners, scraped knuckles, cursing and throwing stuff.

That being said- when you need an offset driver you REALLY NEED an offset driver.  Below are some of the types that I have used and am familiar.

The hex bit-and-vice grips combo (or hex bit-and-wrench combo):  Just like it sounds.  You have the screwdriver bit, but your screwdriver will not fit where it needs to fit.  You remove the bit, put it on the fastener, then turn it with a wrench.  Works, but a pain in the rear- you need four hands to make this work well.  The big upside is you already have all the tools you need- of course you have the hex bit and everyone has an adjustable wrench (or vice-grips)- so you can get to work right away.








The Chapman set:  The classic maker of the offset driver, Chapman has been making these sets for a while now- so long that many people refer to a ratcheting offset as a "chapman".  They work well, but they take special bits- so hope you don't need to use some special-security-type of bit that is not included in the Chapman set.  Not a particularly refined tool, but one that works and is super bullet-proof reliable.  Not a huge fan of carrying around a large case, myself though.  Many people like to keep tool sets in cases; I travel and the case is extra weight/space for me.






The Chapman copies:  Lots and lots of these around.  Most take normal hex bits, some have bits built in, some are actually pretty handy.   These are usually inexpensive and available everywhere.  They are also usually very cheap-feeling, with delicate ratcheting mechanisms.  The one I own right now looks to be made by Chapman.  There is no reverse lever on the chapman- you put the bit in the other side to reverse.  Some of the cheaper versions have a lever (but can take normal bits- Chapman and Xcelite drivers- both appear to come from the same factory)




The "S" offset:  Exactly what it looks like.  Slow and difficult to align at times, but nothing to break and lightweight (for when you need to travel with tools).  These are an "emergency use only" type of tool, you would never use an "S" driver unless you had to.  (PB Swiss offset "s" drivers)




The 1/4" ratchets:  Everyone makes one- you can attach a normal 1/4" socket to a ratchet, or you can get a special 1/4" bit holding socket.  Nice because you may already have a ratchet and socket.  Not-so-nice because this setup will be a bit thicker than the other options.  But if you have the space, a good way to go.  Seen below is a Snap-on 1/4" ratchet with a bit-holding socket (top) and the Wera bit ratchet (bottom).   The Wera is not the thinnest ratchet out there- it's total thickness is a touch more than the bit depth, but you can clearly see how much thicker the normal ratchet is.  This may prevent it from fitting in a tight spot.




The fancy ratcheting offsets:  Like the Rolls-Royce version of a Chapman set.  Wera and others make them.  Very nice, but pricey, and often thicker than other options (remember, offset drivers are ALL about working in tight spaces, so thickness is paramount).

M
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PB Swiss Insider ratcheting update....

So, after a number of months using the PB Swiss ratcheting driver pretty much full time- at work and at home- I have some thoughts.

First, this is a great tool, first-class in every way.  The form and fit are just about perfect, the screwdriver is almost like jewelry (really tough jewelry).  The handle is comfortable and cleaned up well, the drive shaft never developed any play and the ratchet never skipped a tooth.  Special mention has to go out to the bit holder in the handle.  This part is amazingly good- no more dumping a pile of bits out on to our work or the floor, the holder does not drop bits, but does not hold them so tightly as to make bits hard to remove with greasy hands.  It flips open quickly and closes securely and easily.  I really, really want to figure a way to get this handle on to another driver!!!

The not-so-perfect:  The shaft is a bit too wide.  This may allow for a more solid connection and more robust tool, but it makes it harder to spin between your fingers.  The lack of knurling, which I thought would be a big issue here, was not so much of an issue since the shaft is so wide (plenty of grip for spinning).  So- the tight ratchet bearing combined with the smooth and wide blade make this not-so-ideal when speeding out fasteners.

I could have lived with that, but there was one more thing.  The direction selection ring:  while mostly very good- easy to change with one hand, firm to prevent accidental changes and nice, solid click stops- it GOES BACKWARDS.  In other words, if you are tightening a fastener and your thumb rests on the direction ring as mine does, and your thumb moves in the direction you are turning the driver- you will reverse direction!  I figured I would get used to this, train my brain/hands and all, but that never happened.  I constantly hit that reversing ring while turning screws and bolts- usually at the most inconvenient times.

Turn, turn, turn.....shit.... stop and adjust the direction...turn turn turn... shit...stop...etc...




So the Snap-on ratcheting has gone back in to my work tool kit and the PB has gone in to the kitchen kit.

M

PB Swiss ratcheting screwdriver

There is a new boss in town- my PB Swiss ratcheting bit holder has arrived.  This is the older, non Swiss-grip version hard handle.  I like this one better due to the built in bit storage.  The Swiss-grip does not have bit storage, and I use ratcheting drivers for convenience, so I don't want to carry additional bit cases.  



The bit storage is different- a quick thumb-flip and the case pops up and out 90 degrees, exposing 10 bits that are held securely (via plastic "springs" in the holder) so they don't rattle around.  PB bits are the best in the business, I just need to figure out which 10 I want to carry around.

This driver is a bit lighter (8.5 vs 9.5 ounces) than the Snap-on Instinct soft handle ratcheting driver- with a full set of 10 bits each.  The handle has a smaller diameter also- but feels about the same size in hand, I think this is mostly to do with the triangle shape of the Snap-on.

The ratcheting action is on a different level than anything else I have used.  It is smooth, if a bit tight, and has almost no play at all.  This is one of the advantages to using a fixed shaft, vs. the Snap-on shafts which are interchangeable.  It just feels right, and the finish throughout is top tier.


The ratcheting direction (tighten-lock-loosen) can be flipped with one finger, but it does take some effort.  Not as easy as the Snap-on, but less chance of accidentally changing directions.

The bits snap into the holder firmly, with less play than any other driver I have used, and the shaft has a nice taper at the very tip.  The shaft itself is straight, with no knurling.  This, combined with the slightly tighter action of the ratchet, make it a bit harder to spin than the Snap-on, with its tapered and knurled shaft.  Not sure if this will be an issue long term.  My other concern is the fluted handle, and how much dirt and gunk will accumulate.  Time will tell on that one.  



Matt

Basic Instict

Next up in the Snap-on line of screwdrivers is their Instinct handled set.  You can get these in hard-handle and soft handle versions, with a chrome finish on the blade or a black, industrial finish.  Plenty of options for different lengths, but your tip options are pretty much the standards:  flat, phillips, Torx, and Pozidrive.  No hex options or security tips or nut drivers.

These screwdrivers use the triangle shaped handle like the ratcheting driver, but only certain areas of the handle are soft.  This works well- the shape and weight of the handle is pretty close to perfect for my hands.  Never gets slippery and cleans up easily.  I have used these drivers for home use for a while now- the oldest are about 8 years on now- and they wear well.  The handles clean up easily enough, but you need a solvent of some sort- soapy water or alcohol, the dry-rag wipedown just does not work with soft handles.

Snap-on uses their ACR shape for phillips bits, the little ridges at the tip of each flute help to keep the driver inside the screw.  Seems to work well enough, also seems to be the first thing to wear on the tip.  I do a lot of automotive work at home, and more than your usual amount of handyman type projects, so these get put to work pretty regularly- and the chrome plate has held up well with the tips showing minimal deformation.

Some plate loss on the flat tip drivers, but no rust or bends or chips (and I don't treat my screwdrivers gingerly).   All the tips have a coarse, vapor-blasted finish, that should help the driver stick to the screw better.  Not sure how effective it actually is, but at least the finish does not wear off quickly.   The flat tip drivers have flat bevels to the tip:  

 This can lead to a very strong connection with a flat-head screw, but will often also lead to some deformation of the screw head.  This is just how flat-head screws work, you apply force in a limited area and this ends up marking the screw heads.  So- this taper-shaped tip is perfect for cranking on rusty hose clamps and the like, or when you really need to get a screw removed from metal, but for work in wood or anything you don't want to risk damaging (aesthetically, anyway), different drivers would be recommended.

The handles have their type set into the top of the handle, for easy identification:

These handles have seen the business end of a hammer once or twice and the labels have held up- the writing is set into the plastic a bit so they don't wear/wash off.  My biggest complaint:  no sizes!  Is that a Phillips #1 or #3?  Actually, the driver on the far right is a Pozidrive #2, but it has the same marking as a Phillips #2.  Come on, Snap-on, this is basic stuff.  

The shafts of the blades have the hex bolster for super torquing, but no knurled section for fast spinning.  In 25 years of using tools seriously, I have needed a torque cheater on a screwdriver MAYBE two times.  I use the spinny-knurling every day.  (OK- after writing this I was assembling some IKEA furniture and the screwdriver needed to go into a tight corner.   I could not get my hand completely around the handle to turn, so I wound up pushing the driver straight at the screw with one hand and turning the wrench on the shaft with the other.  Learn new tricks every day).

So those are my general thoughts on the Instinct handled drivers from the big S-O:  Great tools for a shop, they really take abuse and fit my hand perfectly.  Comfortable to turn, with torque to spare and show little wear after almost a decade of use, but probably overkill for home use.  You can get an entire set of good-quality drivers for the cost of one Instinct handled driver.  Unless you are doing a lot of outdoor industrial machinery work I would suggest looking at other options.  (If you still want to spend money, look at the PB Swiss line of drivers;  if you want to save some money check out Wera or wait for the Felo's to go on sale).

M

Long live the king! (Snap-on ratcheting screwdrivers)

Some background:  This is the stuff I use at work, have been for 20 years now.  I really like their tools (well, their wrenches and screwdrivers, anyway) and they have never let me down.  This is the brand that I am most comfortable using; never think, worry, or doubt these tools- this is important when the quality and speed of my work affects my income.  I have plenty of Craftsman (and Stanley and Husky and Proto and Kobalt...) tools at home.  They are great, their warranties are great, too- but when you are working in rural areas of the Philippines and your Craftsman driver or wrench snaps, well- you just can't drive down to the local Sears to get a new one.  I need stuff that never breaks for work.  (yes, I know Snap-on stuff breaks, too.  It usually breaks for a reason, though)

So here goes a quick review of the Snap-on drivers I have and use:

My first:  The yellow wonder.  Snap on still makes these in a number of colors (~$64).  Yellow is easy to spot on the ground- or in someone else's pocket when they walk away with your tool.

I beat the life out of this poor baby.  The ratcheting mechanicals were replaced twice over its life  (the repair kit is still $10 at Snap-on, awesome!) and I mushroomed out the base of the blade at one point and needed to file it back into useable shape.  I was never the biggest fan of ratcheting drivers, but I need a traveling tool kit, so one driver to stand in for a full kit worked for me.

The four-sided, hard plastic handle does not look very comfortable, but it really, really fits my hand well.  The shape allows a ton of torque application and it never gets too slippery, but hard handled screwdrivers will slip more than their soft handled brothers.  I've used this driver as a chisel on a fairly regular basis (mea culpa and all that) but the top cap still screws on and off without issue.  You can fit about 8 bits in the hollow handle as well.  The turning direction lock (tight, loose and lock positions) spins easily enough, but generally requires two fingers if you have any amount of gunk on your hands at all.

The blade and ratcheting action is smooth and quiet (not silent).  I never had a ratchet internal fail in the field, or slip on me.  When the internals have failed, it has been a slow process- maybe a tooth slip here and there, I was always able to correct this by locking the ratchet in the center position and continue working.  It has about 26 "clicks" per revolution;  the knurling on the blade is great for quick spinning of a screw- in fact it has become one of my "must-haves" on any ratcheting screwdriver.  The bits are standard hex shank, held in with a magnet.  The only problem I ever had with the magnet (or the blade in general), was when using the screwdriver and a flat bit to chisel through some concrete.  After 30 minutes of sledge hammering the thing the magnet came loose.  It just snapped back into place when I put it back in.

The handle and blade clean up nicely with a dry towel, with no ridges or crannies to collect gunk.  One issue with ratcheting drivers in general, or anything that has a socket to accept bits, is the diameter of the tool shaft.  The shaft is wider than the tip of the driver, so the shaft will not fit into small holes.  This crops up more than I would expect, lots of companies design stuff to have a screwdriver blade go through an opening before contacting the screw (light sockets, lots of electrical work, in fact) - and ratcheting drivers have problems here.  The blade has also developed some play over the years.  There is some wobble between the blade and handle (and a small amount between the bit and blade)- but this has never been an issue for me, personally- I know it really bothers others.

This screwdriver has been retired to in-home work, and is usually the first thing thrown into a travel kit when I need to leave the house.  And it is yellow.  Yay!

The new kid on the block:

Snap-on had to go and introduce a new handle about ten years ago (?), and I had to try it out.  The new  version has a handle with three sides instead of four and a soft, rubbery grip, cost, about $72.  It is also about one inch longer.  

The new handle shape just works- the torque you can apply with this screwdriver is really impressive, and the handle never (never) gets slippery.  The ratchet direction lever is re-shaped and can now be flipped with one finger (but the internal ratchet feels the same).  The removable/replaceable blade pulls in and out but now has two- TWO knurled sections, instead of one long knurled section.  The relentless march of progress.  

The handle is still hollow, still holds 8-10 bits, but the top cap is a bit flatter in shape, which helps when you need to apply downward pressure on a fastener.  The top cap also has a hex recess that holds one bit, so if you need an emergency "stubby" driver you have one.  One other small difference, the top cap now connects to the handle with a quarter-turn- no longer screwing on to the back.  I like this, it is faster, and I don't have to worry about damaging the cap threads.

I was worried about the rubber grip getting dirty and staying dirty- also about how it would deal with industrial cleaners I often use on my tools.  On a good day, my tools get cleaned with pure isopropyl, but most of the time I end up using whatever "cleaner" is available on site.  Some nasty chemicals get used as industrial cleaners, but the rubber (ish) handle has never gotten soft or tacky and it wipes down pretty fast and easy (not as easy as a hard plastic handle, though).  After ten years hard at work it has held up pretty well.  It breaks down for packing well, too.

Lastly, the bits I use in these drivers: I no longer use Snap-on bits.  They are just fine, but I found that PB Swiss bits work better for me and my job.  First, the PB bits are color coded by both screw type and size, so it becomes really easy to grab the bit you need.  Two, they just seem to fit perfectly and they never seem to wear out.  

ALL bits wear out, this is what makes the ratcheting driver such a great idea- you just need to replace a bit when it dies, not the whole tool.

PB Swiss bits I use:

Yellow=phillips;  Green=Pozidrive; Blue=Torx; Purple=metric hex; Black=flat; weird, titanium color= square.

Fixed handled Snap on drivers are next...

what makes a good screwdriver...

For the first topic, I think I should collect some ideas on the difference between a good and a bad screwdriver.  Both are easy to get, and there is room in the world for all the screwdrivers- but I will try to define what I look for before a purchase.

1.  What is the purpose of the tool (aside from turning screws)

2.  Where will the tool be used (aside from "my hand")

3.  How often will you use the tool

4.  What does your budget look like

Number One:  This is the big one- what do you plan to do with the screwdriver once you have it in your eager little hands?  Are you looking to buy a screwdriver for general-purpose home repair?  Gunsmithing?  Automotive work?  Fiddling inside your computer (or climbing up a high-tension power line)?  Does your income depend on this tool?  Has your bunk-mate been giving you problems and you need to make a quick shank?  Need one to pry open old paint cans, or maybe just like to use them as handy pointers?

If you are looking to get a set of general-purpose, around the house tools, that you plan on using a few times a week or month, but still want a quality tool that will hopefully outlast you- you are in luck, there are lots of options for you.  Thoughts on tools in this category are where most of my energy gets directed. 

If you make money with tools, and have done so for any amount of time, you will already have some pretty good screwdrivers.  I own plenty of cheap, Harbor-Freight, Chinese made drivers- and they serve their role.  But at work, I have the best tools I can find.  And I have been searching for a looong time.  This blog is an attempt to cover the pros and cons of the many different screwdrivers out there so you don't need to spend 25 years buying up everything in sight just to figure out the ONE you like best.

Specialty drivers:  If you are a watchmaker/jeweler/gunsmithy/ electronics hobbiest/DIY person who is looking for information on the wee-tiny stuff I hope to be able to help out with some information, too.  I buy micro-screwdrivers like potato chips.  I have lots and lots of opinions on these babies, too.

Qualities that make a good driver:

I will start with the plain, wrist-powered driver with a fixed blade.  No ratcheting, power, adjustable stuff just yet, but I can assure you my love for the ratcheting drivers is boundless.

1.  Comfortable handle:  This one gets more important the more you use a screwdriver.  If using at work, and you need to loose/tighten hundreds of bolts a day, then handle shape and material become your paramount concern.  If you plan on tightening up a few doorknobs and cabinet hinges a month then the handle comfort is not all that critical.  A good handle will allow you to apply lots of turning power (torque) to a fastener without tearing your hand apart or requiring a death grip and loss of finger circulation.

2.  Handle material:  Again, intended use comes in to play and the composition of the handle has a lot to do with it's comfort, but the stuff that makes up a handle affects other things, too.  If you plan on doing any work on a car or industrial equipment then the driver will get dirty and greasy and sweaty and nasty.  So you need a handle that wipes clean easily, will not get slippery when wet and oily, and will not break down and disintegrate when covered in gasoline, transmission fluid, windex, whatever.  Soft grips are comfortable, but some are hard to clean (some are not) and some are just plain delicate.  If you plan on using a hammer on the big end of the driver (shame on you!), and everyone does eventually, make sure the handle can bear it.  A lot of drivers have things like tip shape/size printed on the end- I find these are the first things to disappear after a hammer blow or a good cleaning. 

3.  Tip shape:  This one seems obvious:  use a screwdriver that matches the screw you intend to turn.  Every company has their own philosophy on what makes the best tips.  Some flat ground drivers have parallel tip faces, some are tapered; some phillips tips have ridges to help keep the tip in the slot, some drivers have a coarse finish (vapor deposited, usually) on the tip to help with grippiness.  IKEA stuff uses Pozidrive screws.  ONLY Pozidrive screws- you will be amazed how much easier it is to assemble their furniture with the correct screwdriver.

4.  Blade material/length:  Sometimes you need a long handle to reach into tight spaces, sometimes a shorter one to work inside confined areas (tightening a drawer knob from inside the drawer, say).  The material, usually some form of steel, is the big factor determining strength.  Every company uses their own magic mix- money generally buys you better steel.  If you are working around big magnets (BIG magnets!) you probably don't want a steel tool in your hand. It will hurt, trust me on that one.  You can get screwdrivers in brass and titanium and other metals, too.  This is where things start to get REALLY pricy.  

5.  Misc:  Weight- if you need to travel with your tools, jumping on and off airplanes and carrying them through airports all day long then this becomes an important factor.  Blade diameter- the smaller the blade, the faster you can spin it in your fingers, any time you have a lot of screws, or longer screws to insert/remove this becomes very important (especially with machine screws).  Things like knurling on the blade help with this spinning too.  Torque helpers, like hex shaped shanks (or sections) that allow you to use a wrench on the driver, holes in the handle for cheater bars, and other ingenious designs, allow one to really, really crank down on a bolt.  Lots of high-end drivers have these, I have very rarely found a real world use for them- if you need to apply that much torque the screw will usually break, or you are not using the tool for it's intended purpose.

That's it for now.  I will get into tip shapes next- maybe brands as well- and let you know what works for me.