Recommendation? Torx drivers/maintenance tools

Our operators at work use small torx and torx plus drivers constantly to change inserts on tooling. They have every possible tool available. Snap-on, Wiha, wera, Geilo(norway), pb Swiss, and more I'm forgetting. Snap on is good. Wera and Wiha are good. PB Swiss and Geilo torx drivers are much, much better than any I have seen, they do not wear out, and the tolerances are tighter.
 
Ima gonna catch it for this. Such is life.

Wiha is ok, say 8- 9 on a 1-10 scale.

Snap-on is great, I would give it a 10. For example, they offer single bits with diamond flakes embedded so that if you are confronted with a cammed head, the diamonds will still grip and allow for extraction.

I also like the large handle and bit systems. For me, more torque is generated in the correct vector for screw extraction and tightening. The snap-on handles are iirc, between 120 and 150 usd. I have had mine since, oh, 2000 or so with no issues, no extra play, just like new.

You do get what you pay for.

The diamond coated bits snap on sells are made by either zephyr or wera, mostly wera.
 
Wiha or Wera are the only way to go, unless you enjoy bludgeoned screws. KC Tool Co usually has really good pricing on both brands.
 
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The trick to fitting bits to slotted screws is having a lot of sizes. The picture is a gunsmith set.

I'm a slow student sometimes. One thing I think I figured out is that I've been using too small of a slotted screwdriver on most of the screws I've driven in my life. It seems I've missed the obvious: You generally want to choose a slotted bit that is at least as wide as the slotted screw you will be driving. In some cases, an even wider bit will work even better.

In your picture, you appear to have the extendable Wera driver handle. I've played with one for a few hours and thought it was AWESOME. I'd like a ratcheting version. I've played with the non-extendable ratcheting model and it is also very, very nice.

Brian.
 
Instead of buying Wiha complete drivers, I found a set of six bits T5 through T10 for I think 12 bucks at the big River (am I not supposed to mention the actual name?). I have paired them with a couple ratcheting solutions, but really they are excellent in a simple quarter inch driver handle, which I already had.
 
I have the Wiha set that slides open and the apex bit goes into the case like a handle.
It was a little over 15 bucks and has lasted 4 years so far and all the bits are in good shape.

Definitely better quality than the hardware store bits I've bought in the past.
 
For bits I got this Tekton set which works fine. Not currently in stock where I ordered it from.
TEKTON 2883 1-Inch Mini Star Bit Set, 6-Piece

The best bits I have found are Bosch but are expensive to order one at a time but if I damage an allen or torx bit I still replace it with a Bosch and pay the nut. Six or seven dollars at a time so not such a big hit but worth it for fit and hardness and toughness.

I am still looking for a handle that suits me. The closest I have found so far is this but be warned the bits above are not designed to work in this handle. This handle is more for longer drywall / hammer drill type bits. I put a couple of rare earth magnets down its throat to "adapt" it to the task. Not ideal but I still wanted a
handle this short and this simple that I went with it over the more bulky Whia. I have many other longer bit drivers but like this for knives and small work.

Malco Connext1 Quick Change Standard Nut Driver Handle


PS: keep in mind one can "freshen" and "sharpen" a messed up bit by touching it to a grinder wheel. I do that all the time with torx and allen bits. Helps it get a bite in the bottom of the fastener's socket.

PPS: if any one has a source for Bosch Torx in a set let me know. I seem to only find them individually. Haha though a couple of times I ordered "one" and got one BAG of ten of the same size for not much money. A mistake on the vendor's part but made up for all the times I paid $7 for one little, ittsy, bittsy, bit. I got that whole set of Tektons for about $11.


 
"I'm a slow student sometimes. One thing I think I figured out is that I've been using too small of a slotted screwdriver on most of the screws I've driven in my life. It seems I've missed the obvious: You generally want to choose a slotted bit that is at least as wide as the slotted screw you will be driving. In some cases, an even wider bit will work even better."

The best blade type screw driver bits are the cabinet maker's pattern. Hollow ground, if you will, compared to the more common flat ground which effectively creates a wedge shape which cams the bit out of the slot. The hollow ground bits have parallel sides down at the tip and so get a better purchase on slotted fasteners.
 
The Forster/Bonanza gunsmith screwdriver sets are made the same, parallel sides. I've used my original set for for about 40 years. Far better than Grace or Brownell's. I think the Forster have much better handles than either.

The cabinet makers screwdrivers are a necessity for vintage furniture, I have a set made in England by Joseph Marples that my late Dad purchased in the 50's.
 
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I just purchased a set of Wiha torx from Amazon. AWESOME tools. I have the husky set and snapped the T6 tip first time I tried using it!
 
"snapped the T6 tip first time I tried using it!"

Well at least they are nicely hard. Is there enough to grind the end flat and keep going ?
The smaller Tektons spiral a little but haven't broken but I don't feel I have had much resistance when loosening; probably happened while tightening / I haven't paid that much attention to which way they spiral.
 
Our operators at work use small torx and torx plus drivers constantly to change inserts on tooling. They have every possible tool available. Snap-on, Wiha, wera, Geilo(norway), pb Swiss, and more I'm forgetting. Snap on is good. Wera and Wiha are good. PB Swiss and Geilo torx drivers are much, much better than any I have seen, they do not wear out, and the tolerances are tighter.

Hmmm, I think I will look out for PB Swiss if ever I need more torx bits.
 
The diamond coated bits snap on sells are made by either zephyr or wera, mostly wera.

I'm not saying you're wrong. However, I have spent about 2.5 hours searching the web with Google for any source to validate your claim. I cannot find any such source.

Would you be so kind as to provide a source for your claim in light of my abject failure with Google?

Thank you. I am trying to learn, that is all.
 
I'm not saying you're wrong. However, I have spent about 2.5 hours searching the web with Google for any source to validate your claim. I cannot find any such source.

Would you be so kind as to provide a source for your claim in light of my abject failure with Google?

Thank you. I am trying to learn, that is all.
Check out garagejournal forums, lots of tool fanatics. Snap on does not make their bits, they have used a few different companies to make them.
 
Well, after 1 hour on that forum, I found several messages which stated clearly that SnapOn indeed makes their own Torx driver handles, bits, and "screwdriver type" Torx tools. There is debate as to which is better, Wiha, Wera, or SnapOn, but quite a number of people seem to think that SnapOn is the best for Torx technology.

I guess I must be incapable of using search engines? Perhaps a direct link to your source for a retard like myself could be provided. I know one thing: I'm not wasting any more time searching for your sources. I'm clearly incapable.
 
Check out garagejournal forums, lots of tool fanatics. Snap on does not make their bits, they have used a few different companies to make them.
I would like to see evidence for this as well if it is true...
 
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