Screwdriver advice sought

[hogpatrol]

Bought a set of Grace years ago and just checked the price. YOWZA!

Amazon.com

 

[Alex Wheeler]

The Wheeler bits have lasted longer than my Brownells or Snap-ons. Wiha makes the best Allen wrenches I have used. I buy 12 packs for the Bat cocking piece screws and keep them fresh.

 

[LVLAaron]

Bat cocking piece screws

Those damn little things!

 

[Richard Jones]

I won the big set from Brownell's back in 1996 (maybe '97), still going strong. One of the best things I ever got off of a prize table including some guns!!

 

[rr2030]

I have the same set of snap-on screwdrivers that I've had since I was a mechanic 40 years ago and they still work great.

And if the tip or handle break a Snap-On dealer will replace it no charge. However, I agree, taper tips not preferred for firearms.

 

[jk80]

Brownells hands down. Bought a set 40 yeas ago and have used them plenty. Maybe 2 or3 broken bits that whole time and they still have replacements.

 

[dryhumor]

3 piece set I have a couple of. Have also gifted several sets through the years. Not as comprehensive as the Brownells set, but I use these a good bit.

 

[NZ_Fclass]

 

[Sniperhandle]

3 piece set I have a couple of. Have also gifted several sets through the years. Not as comprehensive as the Brownells set, but I use these a good bit.
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Those are tapered, Not hollow ground, Not the right screwdrivers for gun work.

 

[DShortt]

Those are tapered, Not hollow ground, Not the right screwdrivers for gun work.

Agreed.

 

[LVLAaron]

I just picked up one of these 20 dollar bit sets on my way through the orange store. It has very nice hollow ground bits. I'm sure they sell just the flat bits.

 

[dryhumor]

Those are tapered, Not hollow ground, Not the right screwdrivers for gun work.

Got it covered.

 

[Chiquita]

Wiha is good brand.

My bet is you really can't go wrong with any of the decent brands/aets as mentioned by others.

 

[209jones]

I went with Bonanza (Forster) and Chapman stuff about 40-45 yrs ago, it's never let me down, modified a couple of Bonanza's for specific purposes. Left my range box behind once, bought a second set of each, got the box back. Can't say as I can recommend a particular brand of Allen wrenches, Wheeler seem to twist up or have ball heads break off pretty easily, bigger ones seem OK, just ground the busted ones off and proceeded with using them as a straight one. Had better luck with some Cdn Tire combo ones as far as Allen stuff goes. Seems like most smaller Allen wrenches will eventually strip off, much like Robertson head bits. Not all that impressed with Wheeler Torx bits either, have some T15 Bosch ones that seem to be holding up and got thru stuff that I know would have twisted the Wheeler or various scope mfgrs supplied ones about 180deg, no questions asked. Wheeler bits are just cheap Chinese stuff in a nice package, with good marketing, to my mind. I've heard Grace is supposed to be good stuff on their hollow grounds, never tried those, didn't need to, but, they seem to have a good name.

 

[farmerjohn]

Bought a set of Grace years ago and just checked the price. YOWZA!

Amazon.com

Hey Feller, you and me both, I bought a set of Grace wooden handles for Colt revolvers about 30yrs ago. One of the small ones seems to fit everything around the reloading bench and stays out all the time, my sons used it for everything. Needed it a while back and it was too worn out for the job and I thought I would just order another...wow! Don't remember the numbers but they wanted more for the one than I paid for the set! Guess that's just part of getting old... John

 

[Kiwishooter]

Screwdriver bits are disposable items, I liked the Snap-On ones and bout 4 of each of the common smaller sized flat blade ones and also the phillips, that way when I broke one I had another to use and the dealer just kept replacing them.
Something happened between the local dealer and Snap On and he quit, since then we haven't had a local dealer and I have so many tools to do a warranty claim on.

The impact bits that LVL show are fantastic and hold up pretty well, better than most of the other sets I've got although the price of those sets is a bit more here than over there even with the exchange rate.

I have that many handles that take the 1/4 hex bits, short to long, fixed to ratcheting, finding good handles is easy but the only drawback is the diameter of them, which is why I find a fixed blade screwdriver very handy

 

[Sniperhandle]

Screwdriver bits are disposable items, I liked the Snap-On ones and bout 4 of each of the common smaller sized flat blade ones and also the phillips, that way when I broke one I had another to use and the dealer just kept replacing them.
Something happened between the local dealer and Snap On and he quit, since then we haven't had a local dealer and I have so many tools to do a warranty claim on.

The impact bits that LVL show are fantastic and hold up pretty well, better than most of the other sets I've got although the price of those sets is a bit more here than over there even with the exchange rate.

I have that many handles that take the 1/4 hex bits, short to long, fixed to ratcheting, finding good handles is easy but the only drawback is the diameter of them, which is why I find a fixed blade screwdriver very handy

Yeah,

Snap on and other tool truck warranties are really only good if they see you every week and are making them some money. I have large roll cabs full of All the big names, I was a heavy equipt mechanic for 30 years, I tried getting some broken tools replaced from two different trucks, They gave me a sob stories about how the warranties hurt them and I never got my tools replaced.

If I need something now, I buy the Icon brand from the Fruit Boys.

 

[BHP9]

Yeah,

Snap on and other tool truck warranties are really only good if they see you every week and are making them some money. I have large roll cabs full of All the big names, I was a heavy equipt mechanic for 30 years, I tried getting some broken tools replaced from two different trucks, They gave me a sob stories about how the warranties hurt them and I never got my tools replaced.

If I need something now, I buy the Icon brand from the Fruit Boys.

Yeah! Most gave me the sob story too, I didn't the tools were warranty and they replace the reluctantly. I told them if they didn't replace them, I would call Snap On.

On the other hand, my Mac dealer was really good and hand zero problems replacing tools.

 

[Kiwishooter]

Yeah,

Snap on and other tool truck warranties are really only good if they see you every week and are making them some money. I have large roll cabs full of All the big names, I was a heavy equipt mechanic for 30 years, I tried getting some broken tools replaced from two different trucks, They gave me a sob stories about how the warranties hurt them and I never got my tools replaced.

If I need something now, I buy the Icon brand from the Fruit Boys.

I looked at the Icon stuff when I was in the USA last and ended up buying a set of a/f & metric 6 point sockets to try, they seem to work OK.
The Snap On stuff I still get warranty on I just have to send it to a dealer in another town, he's easy to work with, the local one that quite selling I'd known him for more that 20 years, long before he became a Snap On dealer.
Snap On may not be cheap in the USA but it was a lot more expensive here in NZ.
I do like some other brands, Hazet and Stahlwille

 

[dryhumor]

I think with most tools, most people don’t need complete sets. The upside is that buying what you really need saves space, but may cost a little more. The downside is that, is that sets take up a lot of room, and may (or may not) be cheaper.
After 42 years in the trades, I have specialty tools, sets, and common use tools. Within the sets are tool sizes I’ve never actually used, or only used a handful of times.

I actually maintained three different tool sets through the years, meaning I’m 4-5 deep on certain items. Don’t need all of them since retiring, but I’m also reluctant to part with anything I may possibly need.