amzn.to/49VkLEl Extra Long Screwdrivers: Cabinet, Keystone, Snap-On & cheap. Better to have and not need, right? 12" inexpensive set: amzn.to/3TjIyIS 32" Gearwrench set: amzn.to/49VkLEl
Like King Arthur's battle axe; "The handle's been replaced three times & the head twice." Nice long drivers are just the thing... I have use for them often; wouldn't be without. Much the same for long 1/4 & 3/8" drive extensions. Have them up to 600mm & 1m respectfully. I'm pretty sure the tip coating/treatment is to prevent people buying for one job then returning... as it's difficult not to mark said coating/s. Also, a good old fashioned CRT TV degaussing coil works wonders for demagnetizing hand tools & the like.
The Ship of Theseus or the Screwdriver of Snap On. Both timeless philosophical questions. In other circles, there is the question of if you build a Ruger 10/22 out of 100% aftermarket non-Ruger parts, is it still a Ruger 10/22?
There are a few other brands of long blade screwdrivers than Snap-On (I do own many Snap-On screwdrivers). The long blade screwdrivers that I own are: Vessel 220 P2 x 200 (mm) and Vessel 220 P2 x 300 (mm); these are ball handle #2 JIS phillips. The 200 and 300 are the length. Vessel 900 P2 x 400 (mm); I used this long long bladed screwdriver when I was replacing the kitchen cabinet lazy susans. There was a screw underneath the bottom platter - this screwdriver reach that screw with not issues. Vessel 610 P1 x 150 (mm). A P1 with a 150 mm blade. The JIS (Japanese Industrial Spec) Philips have a different tip geometry but will in standard Philips screws. In fact, I think they fit better than regular Philips. The JIS do not fit in Posx screws. Vessel makes high quality screwdrivers - their megadora screws have the same quality as Snap-On screwdrivers at a much lower cost (I have both). Another lower cost brand that has long bladed screwdrivers is Xcelite. I have a 1/8” tip, 10” blade screwdriver that I have used for almost 50 years (Part Number R1810). I also have a long #1 philips with a ten inch blade (PN XST-1010). I have had that screwdriver for almost 20 years. I recommend buying the hardened Xcelite philips (black tip); the silver tips Philips are soft and wear out quickly (this is experience). Xcelite tools have been geared towards the electronic industry. Xcelite is owned by Apex tools and are not marketed under Xcelite by Weller. Compare prices - some vendors seem to run out of stock. Harbor Freight has several long blade screwdrivers: SKU 65772 - 16” bladed #4 philips and 16” blade 3/8” wide straight blade (2024 price: $10). I have one set in the shop and another set in the garage. SKU 34253 - 22” long #2 philips and a 1/4" wide blade 22” long (2024 price $9). In the 1970s during college, I worked on typewriters. We need long bladed screwdrivers to get at screws that were buried in the machines. We used a 3/16” wide blade with a 9 inch long blade screwdriver from Sears (PN 41585). The Craftsman makes a similar screwdriver. I also had two other long bladed Craftsman screwdrivers from the 1970s: 1/4" wide tip 12 inch blade (PN 41585) and a 3/8” wide tip 12” blade (PN 41588). The Craftsman screwdrivers had hard blades. I still have them and use them when prying and other tasks that damage screwdrivers. I only use my good (Snap-on) straight blade instinct screwdrivers on screws.
As a closet and cabinet installer, a 250-300mm Pozidriv screwdriver (I carry Wera in 100-300mm in my kit) is a very useful tool. For cam and dowel RAFFIX, there's a good amount of torque and easier access by allowing your hand to be further from the panel to twist the driver. More importantly, a long driver allows you to adjust your cabinet hinges by keeping one door shut so you can sight how your reveals line up with the adjacent doors. A lot faster than the open-adjust-shut-and-repeat until you dial it in.
That black hard handle snap on at the top is my go to long screwdriver. I bought the set in the 90s. Have only used then 6 or 7 times but nothing else would work. I have 3 different lengths of the smaller Snap On with the knurled shaft. Thanks for the video and review brother.
When I was a handyman, I had a long Wera flat head with the diamond tip and the amount of bathroom towel rails and hooks it tightened up meant it paid for itself many times over. The little grub screws on the bottom never get tightened properly but the long grippy screwdriver with small handle means I could really get in there.
We used to have a water heater that was built into a bathroom cupboard. To remove the cover needed a long (400mm?) flathead to reach the top screw. It was a fairly regular job to replace the thermocouple, so I bought one.
A mention of the shaft lengths would have been nice, Im guessing the longer SnapOn was 16"/400mm, I think any shank length from 200mm on is 'long'. I've got a pair of Vessel ball grips with 300mm shafts. With the magnetic tip they are great for retrieving metal objects u have dropped down the kitchen sink!!
At work I have a beat up Dewalt demolition Phillips head with a weird yellow acetate handle that’s a little bulbous on the end. No idea where it even came from but I absolutely love it. Really comfortable in hand, a little extra reach, and I’ve even used it as a hammer 😂
The black ones with knurling are good lengths for adjusting carbs, I have a extra long Wiha precision set that works really good for appliance repair and the large flat head for carbs and jets.
I carry a pair with me. Plenty of places on a boat that are hard to reach or just crowded. In addition, cheap ones can be bent or altered to make custom tools.
For electronics and appliances repairs (e.g. vacuum cleaners etc) they are just a must have. I found one PH2 second hand of known good brand, USAG. Added a PZ2 from Wiha, which are a pricy but still fair priced here in EU. Wera also sells small sets of these. Have not yet encountered a deeply enclosed torx as I can remember, but I'm sure it will show. The slim profile slotted ones might actually kinda work on those if not torqued down by machine driver in the factory
I bought the master screw driver set from GearWrench just because I don't use my screw drivers a ton. I may upgrade to SO but un sure. But love the long ones. My question to Doc is since you normally have some tools not many people own do you have Snap On speed wrenches?
Bought a Wera screwdriver online one time, lengths were all in millimeters so I just guessed- “200 sounds good”. WAY too long, can’t bring that thing anywhere
I just put in an order for a set of Diamond tipped snap on Philips drivers. Has anyone here even heard of them? my dealer had no idea what I was talking about and I cant find any real documentation
