Good quality screwdriver set?

I bought some chisels a few years ago. Thinking I would get fair to good quality and because they were available I bought Stanleys with yellow and black shatter-proof handles. I find now the black rubbery part of the handle is turning to mush, a very black sticky mush which gets every where and makes the chisels unusable. A shame.

I don't know if stanley screwdrivers would be the same, but you might consider them disposable.

TW

Wera. But it may cost a bit more.

Toolstation have a fiver off a set at the moment:

All these sets look pretty similar, except for price.

Observations: Whether you buy an expensive set or a cheap one, screwdrivers in the set will wear out. You'd probably be best off IMO buying a cheapy set and replacing individual tools as necessary. Sets of similar length are a pain, long screwdrivers are useful too. I would like to see an interchangeable bit screwdriver, so cheap replacement 1" bits can be put in (although these aren't good where a screw is for instance down a hole).

I did this about 30 years ago.

I ended up with 3 sets of screwdrivers:

Carpentry & woodworking screwdrivers

Electricians screwdrivers

Engineering screwdrivers like you would use onvehicles etc

Around 5 years ago I purchased some Narex brand chisels after they were recommend on this group.

With sticky rubber try coating them with some talcum powder.

Theser were made by Stanley, slotted ones had red handles, pozidrivs were a light green handle, philips were dark royal blue handles

These had insulated shafts and rubberised red handles. I don't recall the make but these were carbon steel shafts and hardened tips

These were clerarn handles with coloured stripes, blue for slotted, green were pozidriv and red were philips

In all three sets, I had philips no 1, no 2 and no 3, pozi no 1, no2 and no 3 and at least 5 different slot tip widths.

I got them all by mail order.....

Stanley and Draper probably have now sold off the rights and its now probably made in China now.

Tempted by those but all of their sets which have all three types of heads /also/ include Torx screwdrivers. I really don't want those I've got two different sets of Torx bits for universal sets. How annoying.

Might just end up by a load of separates (pozi, stubby, etc) alongside one of the smaller sets with just plain/Philips.

Michael

Hmm, I see there is a 22 piece set with wall rack:

Shame about the vomit coloured handles.

The majority of time I use a cordless drill/driver or the cordless impact driver. I find that recently I'm starting to use torx headed screws so don't overlook alternatives to pozi/philips and flat blades.

The next most useful "manual" set has very long shafts similar to

The next most useful are a couple of insulated electrical flat blade for faceplate screws and switch/socket terminals.

A dumpy ratchet type handle that takes changeable bits is useful for tight spaces.

The OP possibly should be looking for a few smaller sets just with the size/type he wants rather than a large set with items that may get little use.

I also have some sacrificial screwdrivers where I'm not worried about applying a blow torch to the end to melt/burn through multiple paint layers on the screw head and the cross point screwdrivers with the pointy bit ground off so it fits into screws where the head has been partially buggered.

my Stanley Pozidrives have dark blue handles

Worth checking your Aldi/Lidl. I have a Parkside set which seems to be good quality. 8 flat/pozi/phillips ones with fat handles (also one hex socket and 17 torx / hex / pozi / phillips bits) and 6 slimline ones with smaller heads in a very handy box. Only "drawback" is no insulated stems for electrical work. Lives in my office and tackles 90% of what I might do there without going out to the workshop.

It looks similar to this one at Amazon.

"Rolson 28882 Screwdriver Set - 58 Pieces"

IME Rolson is usually OK although I think I would rate Parkside higher.

I have a coule of the 'handle plus bits' sets, and also some that I bought individually.

This is a known problem on many items. I think the people who make that coating have never tested it in the real world. Eventually the plasticizer leaches out like goo and leaves nothing behind but sticky particles. Pentax cameras, some makes of binoculars, the pressure rollers in some makes of tape decks, handles of things and radio handles and even the outside of usb ram sticks have all come my way like this. I do hope somebody sorts it, as a shaver you cannot let go of and makes your hand black is not appealing. Brian

If I see "luxury soft-touch plastic" advertised, I treat it as an anti-feature.

The only complaint I have is that the guarantee is worthless in practice.

I was asked to send a screwdriver to them, so they could decide whether it's covered by the guarantee. Clearly, they must know that the postage makes that barely worthwhile.

I was not sure if you required VDE.

I enjoy living dangerously.

Michael