Any one recommend a decent set of small screwdrivers?

[Steve WithnellParticipant @stevewithnell34426]

Any particular brands that are particularly good quality? Need both slot and pozi blades.

Straight blades between 1mm and 5mm and pozi in the same area is what I'm looking for.

Regards

Steve

[Steve WithnellParticipant @stevewithnell34426]

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Wiha are quite good, in the small sizes the Picofinish and in the larger size Softfinish are worth a look.

Are you sure you want Pozi as the majority of machine screws will be phillips

A Stanley ratchet one that takes the 1/4" hex ( wiha) bits is also useful for 3mm / Pozi No1 and above and is the one I reach for most on site excluding the cordless.

J

 

Edited By JasonB on 08/09/2013 20:05:46

[Boiler BriParticipant @boilerbri]

Hi Steve,

I was in the same position a few weeks ago. My old screwdrivers were a mixed batch of all makes and types.

I was in Aldi and saw a nice set – all matching and they look great on my workshop wall in a handing bracket, BIG mistake! the first tight screw broke the flights off a Phillips – on a curtain rail of all things. they must be so hard that they are brittle.

Moral here is Stanley are expensive but worth every penny. Cheap can sometimes be expensive!!

Now all my old drivers have come back out of the drawers.

Bri

[Stephen BensonParticipant @stephenbenson75261]

I am a clockmaker and I have tried the most expensive Bergeon which I dislike they may be great for watches but they are awful for anything else and I have been suckered by nice looking sets in wooden boxes from india these are no use at all.

You need a scalloped blade to really bite into the average clock screw and I found that my CK watchmaker set 4852P were ones that reached for everyday not that expensive either.

 

Edited By Stephen Benson on 08/09/2013 20:29:47

[Harold Hall 1Participant @haroldhall1]

Like yourself Steve I have been looking at updating my rather old and warn small screwdrivers and have been looking at horological suppliers. The following at two possibles

The first sells very expensive kit and is probably only worth looking out of general interest. How about £950.00 for a small self centring three jaw chuck. They do have single screwdrives at around £3.00, probably plus VAT

The second has screwdrivers over a very wide price range.

**LINK**

**LINK**

As Jason says, the cross point drivers all appear to be Phillips

Harold

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Oddly enough, Wickes sell a set of small screwdrivers, each on the end of a hex bar, with an interchangeable handle. Phiilips, Pozi, torx and slot head in the smallest standard sizes. Although the handle has a plastic collet, the amount of hex supporting the bar is ample, and they are actually a [pleasure to use and haven't suffered any damage in use to date.

A bargain at £10.99. HERE

Neil

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Neil,

I hope you have a good set of those … Mine went back for a refund, when I saw the malformed shape of the small Torx tip.

Pity, because they do handle very nicely.

MichaelG.

[Bob LambParticipant @boblamb44747]

In 1969 Stanley donated a few tools to a university trip we made to to the Sahara. I still have them, they are still in regular use and the blades are really hard and have not chipped. As a result I kept with Stanley and tried to buy their screwdivers whenever possible. Not only that but when one of my posi ones broke they sent me a new one together with some notes on how cheap pozi screws often do not have the correct geometry for the slot and how important it was to stop the tips breaking. With service like that I wholeheartedly recommend them. Bob

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

Facom ( and no I'm not being rude)

Martin

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

Britool as always very good across the range. Miniature to normal sizes. Part of FACOM now.

[Gordon WassParticipant @gordonwass]

I use a set of 1/4" hex tips , they come in all styles and quality, great for everyday use. But no good for small things because of the shank size. My old drivers needed replacing so bought a set of 8 very cheaply, to my suprise they are very good accurate fit and non broke, so far. got from a pound shop, maybe just lucky. As already stated the quality of the screw is important and often outside our control.

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

That's interesting Michael, the torx ones have got me out of a fix on more than one ocassion as they are the only ones I have found in such small sizes.

For the record, my favourite flat balde screwdriver has a wooden handle, no name, and is probably as old as I am.

Posi and phillips screwdrivers seem to be hit and miss. When you get a good one, hold on to it!

Neil

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Stub Mandrel on 09/09/2013 20:34:10:

That's interesting Michael, the torx ones have got me out of a fix on more than one ocassion as they are the only ones I have found in such small sizes.

Neil

.

Delighted to hear it

MichaelG.

[PeteParticipant @pete41194]

I'll admitt shipping from the U.S to the U.K. isn't exactly cheap, and the added VAT drives the costs even higher. But try a search at http://www.brownells.com for some of there boxed sets of screwdriver tips. You'll get exactly what your looking for at a fair price for profesional grade gunsmithing tooling, and at a far lower cost than the very high priced profesional grade jewlers screwdrivers. I've yet to buy a poor or overpriced tool from them. Cheap screwdrivers are far too expensive sooner or later.

Pete

[Steve WithnellParticipant @stevewithnell34426]

Thanks guys. Ordered CK slot, philips and torx in the end… My son bought a set off eBay six screwdrivers in a plastic box for 80p including P&P. No I'm not reccomending them. They were far too expensive, seriously.

On the point about some Pozi bits not meeting the standard profile, the local timber merchant sells boxes of woodscrews which come with the correct Pozi bit in the box. The difference between a perfect match and one that is "close" is amazing.

Steve

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