Gunsmithing screwdrivers

[gunnerasch]

I have an old set of Craftsman tools that are USA made. They were decent tools, not Snap On by any means, but decent. Several years ago, when many bolts and nuts were going metric, I bought a Craftsman Chinese made socket set. They were trash. TRASH!

Some of the tool makers that made SnapOn.. also made a surprising number of Craftsman tools as well. As we all know.. or should.. Craftsman does NOT make tools. They simply contract with tool makers for build and badge. A lot of Craftsman chainsaws were made by Husqvarna, drills were made by Milwaukee and Delta (professional) and Porter Cable etc etc. When the tool makers started going offshore.. Craftsman started buying the cheaply made ones. Thats the reason there are very.. very few Sears stores surviving anymore. Sears screwed themselves and largely put themselves out of business.
Sears sold different grades of tools and they largely stopped selling the good ones. Shrug
Harbor Freight does the same thing.. but are honest about it. Their lowest grade are craptastic. The middle grade is "ok" for occasional home use. Their top of the line stuff is commercial quality.

 

[OldMaineWoodsman]

Right tool for the right job. I hate seeing buggered up screws from kitchen table gunsmithing or the wrong driver.

I have a set of the Grace drivers and a set of London Best that I brought back from England. Like everything else, you get what you pay for. An investment in quality tools will pay for itself many times over.

 

[earlwb]

I remember way back in 1978 when. I visited Fox Manufacturing in Arkansas. Fox made Model airplane engines. But they made lots of other things too. When I was there they were busy making sockets for Sears under the craftsman label.

Stanley Black and Decker owns the Craftsman brand now. They bought it from Sears as it was going under. But really who are they really anymore. Everything they sell is made in China.

Quite a few years ago my old German made Bosch drill wore out. I couldn’t get new batteries for it either. When I looked to buy a new one, absolutely none were made outside of China and none were made in the USA.

 

[david w]

Some of the tool makers that made SnapOn.. also made a surprising number of Craftsman tools as well. As we all know.. or should.. Craftsman does NOT make tools. They simply contract with tool makers for build and badge. A lot of Craftsman chainsaws were made by Husqvarna, drills were made by Milwaukee and Delta (professional) and Porter Cable etc etc. When the tool makers started going offshore.. Craftsman started buying the cheaply made ones. Thats the reason there are very.. very few Sears stores surviving anymore. Sears screwed themselves and largely put themselves out of business.
Sears sold different grades of tools and they largely stopped selling the good ones. Shrug
Harbor Freight does the same thing.. but are honest about it. Their lowest grade are craptastic. The middle grade is "ok" for occasional home use. Their top of the line stuff is commercial quality.

One would be surprised on just who actually makes the products in your home. I have a friend who owned a Montgomery Wards. He showed me a manufacturers list of where product were made.

 

[painter]

I chose the Brownell's kit, and added the thin blade kit. I've not been disappointed.

 

[JT1200R]

Back in the 80s I took a gunsmithing course. They sent some Brownells red handled screwdriver set. They are still working

 

[rhart]

I recently got a set of Grace Colt specific (three drivers) because on my bit set the metal sleeve of the driver was scratching up certain places on my pistols because it is so fat - specifically the two screws under the hammer holding on the grips. The Grace set works nice (pricey though).

 

[david w]

I love my Grace drivers. While I have a good Wheelers set, I just like using individual screwdrivers with wood handles. The important thing is tha not only the width of the groove has to match, but the length of the groove should match.

 

[stikshooter]

Are there any screwdriver sets you all would recommend? I had some sticker shock after first looking them up, so I thought it would be a good idea to get some input before spending the money.

Thanks!

Browning (master set ) of drivers /$200.00+ when I bought back when? Worth every penny and more if you don't like buggered up screws (hard to replace ones) in particular /Ed

 

[david w]

Browning (master set ) of drivers /$200.00+ when I bought back when? Worth every penny and more if you don't like buggered up screws (hard to replace ones) in particular /Ed

I learned the hard way. Use proper fitting screw drivers.

 

[Fly Navy]

Brownell's is what I have always used.

 

[swathdiver]

Grace USA and custom here as well.

 

[rkg1]

I am happy with the Wheeler set. I have used it for several years not only for firearms but in my wood shop as well.

 

[ZUG]

I have a set of these and really like them.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1007363134?pid=439523

I have this set also and do like them. My only issue is that I "buggered up" one of the smaller bits and when I emailed Wheeler for a replacement, they asked for my purchase receipt which I discarded after I bought the set. They would not give me or sell me a replacement bit without a receipt for the set. I find this to be a BIG issue as I feel a warranty is a statement of the company's desire to keep their customers happy so that they will give favorable reviews of their product. As I said I like the screwdriver set but I am not happy with the company - save your receipt!!!!

 

[TobJohn]

I received the wheeler set and it looks nice. Once I have a permanent work station and more stuff to work on, I will get a Grace set to make up for my sins.

 

[Red Owl]

Why not grind some down yourself for an exact fit.

 

[TobJohn]

Why not grind some down yourself for an exact fit.

I had no flathead screwdrivers bigger than electronics size to start off with, so it would be an unnecessary extra step. I am planning on grinding a 3 sided file for dovetailing because the price difference there looks huge.

 

[FishDFly]

I have this set also and do like them. My only issue is that I "buggered up" one of the smaller bits and when I emailed Wheeler for a replacement, they asked for my purchase receipt which I discarded after I bought the set. They would not give me or sell me a replacement bit without a receipt for the set. I find this to be a BIG issue as I feel a warranty is a statement of the company's desire to keep their customers happy so that they will give favorable reviews of their product. As I said I like the screwdriver set but I am not happy with the company - save your receipt!!!!

"They would not give me or sell me a replacement bit without a receipt for the set. "

Back to their rules, how do they know you actually purchased their product without a receipt?

 

[m4banger]

Having a set of Grace screwdrivers which fit screw heads with very little to no slop, but if the fastener it tight they are guaranteed to break if it’s a smaller size bit, broke 2 on a first time use.

 

[Red Owl]

There used to be shrouded screwdrivers. I actually "invented them", was all excited, went to check for any existing patents and found out I had invented something that already existed. I made one myself. The idea is a tube operated by a spring. You need to exert a little pressure to move the blade of the screwdriver out of the tube to turn the bolt but if the thing slips the shroud moves forward so you don't scratch the surrounding area.
I also "invented a double arbor drill press to reduce runout and then found out they already existed. Oh well.