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Screwdrivers and bit drivers

Started by Hickory n Steel, Jan 23, 2025, 05:24 PM

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Uncle Buck

Nice looking drivers guys,all of them. About six months back I became addicted to regular stops at the Restore and have only recently slowed down with that a bit. During that time I probably bought 50-60 individual tools with 30-40 of those being screwdrivers and the balance being wrenches, none of which I really needed. I seem to have replaced that habit with regular stops at the  State of KS Surplus Property store closer and more convenient to my work that provided several incredibly heavy hauls at insanely cheap prices. Of course most all of those tools I really did not need either, but as usual, little money was spent so I have no regrets. I do not expect my hot streak on heavy tool hauls to hold up long at Surplus though. I will keep stopping there regularly though. My stop last week produced 4 new 4oz bottles of Starrett instrument oil for $2 total, 2 new in the package Lincoln needle attachments for grease guns for $1 each, and one small, but new in the box professional (meaning serviceable and rechargeable) Badger fire extinguisher for $7. The real bargain was the Starrett oil which for those that know, is not cheap. I could have bought 8 more just as cheap per each as I did the four that I bought, but doubt I would live long enough to begin to use them all!

It is definitely a disease I tell ya!
Better hold onto something boys cause i'm fixin ta stand on it!

Uncle Buck

Quote from: Hickory n Steel on Jan 23, 2025, 05:24 PMI'll start this off with a recent addition of mine.

I was watching this set on EBAY for at least a year, no takers and the seller offered me a deal I couldn't refuse a couple weeks ago.
I haven't seen another set or solitary driver anywhere online,  the only trace or pictures I could find are from this Ebay listing.
I know the basic story of THE BUDD COMPANY and am fairly familiar with both Woodings Verona and Harrold.

upload pictures online



Boy is this set hard to photograph..


This is probably the 1st time I recall ever seeing a set of screwdrivers that came in their own blow moulded case.
Overall they seem quite high quality and heavy duty, they even bothered to crimp wings into the square shank flat blades so they not only wouldn't turn but also would pull out.

The grips are a bit shorter than thet could be, but overall I really love the contour and the thickness of them.
If I ever find out that there were more of these offered I'll have to track them down, I bet the handles on the stubby drivers are great if they exist.

Most impressive set. I am not familiar with the brand.
Better hold onto something boys cause i'm fixin ta stand on it!

Hickory n Steel

Budd was a large industrial powerhouse in many transportation and defense related industries most notably in the railway industry.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budd_Company

I have a hammer addiction,  and a 1/4 ratchet addiction, and a pry bar addiction,  and a screwdriver addiction, and well I just have an addiction to hand tools in general.

Hickory n Steel

I recently bought a set of KLEIN screwdrivers to try out and really like them.
I'm not sure they'll replace anything I currently favor, but the handles are comfortable and the well fitting tips are good quality.
I have a hammer addiction,  and a 1/4 ratchet addiction, and a pry bar addiction,  and a screwdriver addiction, and well I just have an addiction to hand tools in general.

wilbilt

I am not really a fan of multi-bit screwdrivers (although I have many). I just don't like fiddling around changing the bits and trying to find "the one that is always lost". They certainly have their place (like in the vehicles) but I prefer to use a dedicated driver for the task at hand.

Speaking of screwdrivers, I recently bought some S*K screwdrivers on Amazon. One purchase was a set, the other a single screwdriver. Advertised as "Made in USA" multiple times in each listing and fairly expensive. They are made in China. They don't even match the description photos on Amazon.

I let Amazon know that S*K is falsely advertising products on their site, but I doubt anyone there cares.


bmwrd0

Is it S*K that is advertising, or someone advertising S*K drivers?

Hickory n Steel

Quote from: wilbilt on Jul 12, 2025, 10:40 AMI am not really a fan of multi-bit screwdrivers (although I have many). I just don't like fiddling around changing the bits and trying to find "the one that is always lost". They certainly have their place (like in the vehicles) but I prefer to use a dedicated driver for the task at hand.

Speaking of screwdrivers, I recently bought some S*K screwdrivers on Amazon. One purchase was a set, the other a single screwdriver. Advertised as "Made in USA" multiple times in each listing and fairly expensive. They are made in China. They don't even match the description photos on Amazon.

I let Amazon know that S*K is falsely advertising products on their site, but I doubt anyone there cares.


I generally prefer regular drivers too, but mostly because they fit in screw holes with bit drivers don't.
The 2 in 1 drivers with a single reversible shaft are good for this though.

Another thing I dislike about a lot of bit drivers is the handle storage, especially the modern trend of a pop out carousel that requires the handle to be a huge.
I have a hammer addiction,  and a 1/4 ratchet addiction, and a pry bar addiction,  and a screwdriver addiction, and well I just have an addiction to hand tools in general.


Hickory n Steel

Man that really sucks.
I've heard good things about those green hard handles, but the new Chinese stuff looks like crap.
I have a hammer addiction,  and a 1/4 ratchet addiction, and a pry bar addiction,  and a screwdriver addiction, and well I just have an addiction to hand tools in general.

wilbilt

Quote from: Hickory n Steel on Jul 12, 2025, 05:07 PMMan that really sucks.
I've heard good things about those green hard handles, but the new Chinese stuff looks like crap.

I prefer the hard handles, and having a set of those S*K green ones was on my bucket list.

Now, I guess they are on my "kick the bucket" list LOL. Blatant misrepresentation by S*K, IMHO


Hickory n Steel

I have more screwdriver sets now than I ever have, and will have to round them all up for a picture.
I have a hammer addiction,  and a 1/4 ratchet addiction, and a pry bar addiction,  and a screwdriver addiction, and well I just have an addiction to hand tools in general.

AbiggerGarage

Quote from: bmwrd0 on Mar 02, 2025, 05:31 PMI picked up this SK bit driver, among other things, last time I swung through the Restore


This reminds me, I picked up one of these SK's at a garage sale, minus bits.  I have since picked up the Japanese bits, and should put them with this, so I can clearly tell which is which. Thank you.

Hickory n Steel

Quote from: Hickory n Steel on Jan 26, 2025, 12:45 PMThis one here was an odd Apex specialty driver of some kind that I had no use for ( same box lot ), so I put the handle on the shaft from another VA made bit driver that had a chewed up handle.

And as with that MAGNA I pulled the tension ring so it'll work with Chapman bits.
I decided to try the new swiss burrs that I bought yesterday and add some finger turning grip to this one as well.


If I had the capability to do
knurling I would, but this is quite effect it's easy and I think it's kind of neat looking.
I can only be done on aluminum but driver shafts though.
I have a hammer addiction,  and a 1/4 ratchet addiction, and a pry bar addiction,  and a screwdriver addiction, and well I just have an addiction to hand tools in general.

Hickory n Steel

#29
As suspected the new TEKTON drivers are a standard WITTE product, and Tekton is even very upfront with the fact that they're sourcing them from WITTE.
Mostly because they're using that as a selling point though, they don't specifically call out WILDE as the source for their pliers and pry bars.
https://www.tekton.com/screwdrivers?recently-added=last-90-days

The fact that they have Insulated drivers is nice,  but I just don't like the WITTE handles regardless of their quality.
I have a hammer addiction,  and a 1/4 ratchet addiction, and a pry bar addiction,  and a screwdriver addiction, and well I just have an addiction to hand tools in general.