Anybody here still like old-school acetate screwdrivers?

[dwasifar]

A while back I posted the question of whether people prefer multi-bit or individual screwdrivers.  It actually sort of surprised me that multi-bit drivers don't get very much love, but I thought maybe you guys know something I don't, and decided to try using individual drivers for a while.  I just got my garage set up with a nice rolling chest, so now for the first time I have a good way to organize an individual driver set.  I tried the Channellock USA set first; that didn't work out, but then BMack posted some killer deals on Craftsman screwdriver sets at Ace, so now my driver rack looks like this:

 

 

I'm making an effort to reach for these instead of the multi-driver, and I find myself surprised at how good they are for the price (about $15).  I'm really liking them, which surprises me.  There are about a thousand different competing kinds of screwdriver handle, and you'd think the old-school fluted acetate handles would just feel clunky and awkward, but actually they're comfortable enough that for small project assembly I'm driving screws by hand instead of zipping them in with a power driver.

 

I think old-school has won me back.  Anyone else, or am I the only weirdo?

[rrich1]

The thing is they are ok for the price and have that nostalgic feel. For barely much more money you can get much better screwdrivers that won't stink up after time. Other German brands have much better metal and tips that grip infinitely better and won't strip the screw.

 

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

[dwasifar]

So that would be a "no" from you, then.

 

I've heard about the stinky-acetate thing, but never encountered it myself.

[rrich1]

So that would be a "no" from you, then. [emoji4]
 
I've heard about the stinky-acetate thing, but never encountered it myself.

Give it time and you will find out. [emoji16]

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[BMack37]

Give those a good smell, they probably smell a little bad but not overbearing because it's not enclosed. If you really want to experience it, go to some pawn shops. Just yesterday I opened a tool box and even with the sockets in the top tray, I knew exactly what was in the bottom.

 

I personally don't care for Acetate, I don't find it that comfortable but the Craftsman screwdrivers are good for the money, extremely good for what you paid! For all those screwdrivers you could have bought ONE Klein screwdriver that doesn't fit phillips as well.

[dwasifar]

15 hours ago, rrich1 said:

Give it time and you will find out. [emoji16]
 

 

I've got acetate screwdrivers that I've had for probably 30 years.  So they'll start stinking any day now?

[dwasifar]

15 hours ago, BMack37 said:

Give those a good smell, they probably smell a little bad but not overbearing because it's not enclosed. If you really want to experience it, go to some pawn shops. Just yesterday I opened a tool box and even with the sockets in the top tray, I knew exactly what was in the bottom.

 

Maybe I'm just not sensitive to it.  You know, like some people love black licorice and others hate it, which turns out to be a gene thing.  Maybe I don't have the stinky-screwdriver detecting gene.

[rrich1]

 
I've got acetate screwdrivers that I've had for probably 30 years.  So they'll start stinking any day now? [emoji6]

 
Maybe I'm just not sensitive to it.  You know, like some people love black licorice and others hate it, which turns out to be a gene thing.  Maybe I don't have the stinky-screwdriver detecting gene.

Are they Craftsman? I had acetate screwdrivers made within the last 10 years smell just as bad as my grandfather's set made 30 years ago. They will smell. Stick them in a drawer and see how long it takes for them to smell.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[Foneguy]

1 hour ago, rrich1 said:

 

 

 

Are they Craftsman? I had acetate screwdrivers made within the last 10 years smell just as bad as my grandfather's set made 30 years ago. They will smell. Stick them in a drawer and see how long it takes for them to smell.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
 

 

 

 

They really do STANK !!!!! I am slowly upgrading to the Likes of Wera ..Wiha ... etc...

[ChrisK]

Sorry bro, me too. I've had a set of Wera's for a couple of years now and absolutely love them. The etched blades dig deep and don't cam out and they are really comfortable to use. I've got some acetate Husky (US made) they are nice drivers but the grip on the Wera's can't be beat for me.

[BMack37]

The Craftsman screwdrivers I got in that deal smell. They don't smell absolutely awful yet but they don't smell good. Upon opening the package it was pretty sickening but the puke smell isn't there yet. My buddy also got a set from a different ACE and those had the same smell. I think it's made worse in the heat of the garage or a hot car.

 

I think I'm going to put these in an open tool box and put them on the porch...maybe they'll draw flies into my bug zapper?

 

I do have some acetate screwdrivers that are old that don't smell. Some Klein and I think Proto, I don't use them, they were my Dad's or cheap screwdrivers he gave me when I was little to stop me from using his.

 

 

[sparky603]

I've got a bunch of PB Swiss acetate that I got on clearance a while back, and I like the smell - reminds me of toys from way back in the day, before most of you were born.

[dwasifar]

5 hours ago, rrich1 said:

 

Are they Craftsman? I had acetate screwdrivers made within the last 10 years smell just as bad as my grandfather's set made 30 years ago. They will smell. Stick them in a drawer and see how long it takes for them to smell.

 

 

 

 

 

Yep.  Old Craftsman, Husky, Great Neck.  They've been in a closed toolbox for most of that time and I really don't notice any particular smell.

[FrosBros82]

2 hours ago, ChrisK said:

Sorry bro, me too. I've had a set of Wera's for a couple of years now and absolutely love them. The etched blades dig deep and don't cam out and they are really comfortable to use. I've got some acetate Husky (US made) they are nice drivers but the grip on the Wera's can't be beat for me.

This is like the 50th Wera reference I have heard this week. As I posted earlier, I need to bite the bullet and get a set! 

[ChrisK]

3 hours ago, FrosBros82 said:

This is like the 50th Wera reference I have heard this week. As I posted earlier, I need to bite the bullet and get a set! 

They really aren't too expensive, the grip looks weird but they are super comfortable in hand. Totally worth the money.

[Foneguy]

13 hours ago, FrosBros82 said:

This is like the 50th Wera reference I have heard this week. As I posted earlier, I need to bite the bullet and get a set! 

DO IT !!!!

youa won't be sorry ..... I just my away, been using it all morning 

[dwasifar]

So now you clowns have me standing in my garage sniffing screwdriver handles. 

 

Out of all the acetate handle drivers, I found only one that really smells bad to me, and I have to put it right up to my nose and take a good snort of it for it to smell objectionable. That one's a Craftsman #1 Phillips, and it's old enough to be distinctly yellow. 

 

There's one other that has a faint scent when I put it directly to my nose. But none of the rest of them smell like anything to me. 

 

So now is when you jump out of the woodwork and have a good laugh at what you made me do, right?

[BMack37]

5 hours ago, dwasifar said:

So now you clowns have me standing in my garage sniffing screwdriver handles. 

 

Out of all the acetate handle drivers, I found only one that really smells bad to me, and I have to put it right up to my nose and take a good snort of it for it to smell objectionable. That one's a Craftsman #1 Phillips, and it's old enough to be distinctly yellow. 

 

There's one other that has a faint scent when I put it directly to my nose. But none of the rest of them smell like anything to me. 

 

So now is when you jump out of the woodwork and have a good laugh at what you made me do, right?

 

haha, no man. I have the Craftsman screwdrivers in a tool tote and I can smell it every time I walk by. Some of the tool box drawers at pawn shops smell before they're all the way open.

 

...again, I have some old acetate screwdrivers that don't smell at all. I'm about to send you a screwdriver to sniff haha.

[dwasifar]

7 hours ago, BMack37 said:

 

haha, no man. I have the Craftsman screwdrivers in a tool tote and I can smell it every time I walk by.

 

That's funny that you and I should buy the very same sets, and you can smell them and I can't.

[dwasifar]

12 hours ago, BMack37 said:

haha, no man. I have the Craftsman screwdrivers in a tool tote and I can smell it every time I walk by. Some of the tool box drawers at pawn shops smell before they're all the way open.

 

Maybe it's heat/humidity.  You live in hot, sweaty, humid Florida; I live in Chillinois.

[rrich1]

 
Maybe it's heat/humidity.  You live in hot, sweaty, humid Florida; I live in Chillinois.

I live in Illinois[emoji13]

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[DerekTheToolGuy]

I love them and other hard handles as the rubber grips tend to get sticky and I can't stand that. Snap on is the worst anything rubber they have gets sticky my ratcheting screwdriver can stick to the wall lmao.

[kiwi_in_oz]

Individual drivers for me. Lets face it, they always get used only on screws. Wiha set for me, equally as good at opening tins, stirring paint, levering stuff as well as putting in screws. I do draw the line at hitting them though.

[BK13]

On 7/9/2017 at 5:28 PM, dwasifar said:

So now you clowns have me standing in my garage sniffing screwdriver handles. 

 

Wait, we're all sitting in our recliners on our phones, you're in your garage sniffing screwdriver handles, and WE'RE the clowns? ?

[wizbang]

I prefer the comfort and hardened tip of my Klein screw drivers. I also own a set of Wera screw drivers which are very comfortable and durable.
A while back I was having a discussion with my father who is retired and my brother in law who is a mechanic. My father was sayin "why don't you just buy craftman tools they're more affordable". My brother in law replied "yes they are but they are not designed for tradesman who uses those tools daily. High end tools are more comfortable and heavier duty". 2 years later and I completed understand what my brother in law was talking about.
Basically those acetate screw drivers are fine for a weekend project. I would not reach for one of the screw drivers if I had to use it for a long period of time at work.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk