What's your favorite EDC small, flat blade (screwdriver)

Wowbagger

Wowbagger

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Only a matter of time before this goes winging its way to gadgets I suppose but I wanted it to be seen by the majority first.

The title says it. I use a tiny screwdriver like this for many, many tasks all day at work. Besides the obvious turning of screws I use it as a pick (though I have many pics on the bench) some times a blunt end is better than a needle point, I probe I push I lever and lift . . . some times I apply some goo or remove some goo with it . . .

A month or so ago I lost the one I just happened to have at work and went shopping for my ultimate small EDC flat blade screwdriver and found this Klein.
What's your fav ?

I am annually surprised at how much I just can't stand the Snapon screwdriver. True it is meant as a nice little give away to get the Snapon tool guy's phone nu in the hands of a customer like a useful bushiness card. I appreciate that. But in use I just can't use it; too skinny, too slick . . . even the magnet is useless; too weak. Other than turning an easily turned carburetor screw it is less than desirable. When I forget and go looking for a screwdriver for a quick task and pick up the Snapon I instantly regret it, put it back in the drawer and find something with more grip and a better tip.

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I carry a Facom Mechanics (uninsulated) Flathead and a Wuerth Insulated Flathead at work. I have a full set of insulated Wuerths in my tool box, the Facom is my "beater" for 90% of the stuff that comes up, the nicer insulated set is for electrical work.

Facom is really good stuff but quite expensive, Wiha is of course really nice but also up there, Wuerth is nice for tools and affordable (And they publish a very nice Hot Girls Calendar lol) we don't have Snap On or Craftman (or what's it called) and I wouldn't buy NoName Grocery Store garbage tools that disintegrate if you give it the stinkeye.
 
b00n said:
I carry a Facom Mechanics (uninsulated) Flathead and a Wuerth Insulated Flathead at work. I have a full set of insulated Wuerths in my tool box, the Facom is my "beater" for 90% of the stuff that comes up, the nicer insulated set is for electrical work.

Facom is really good stuff but quite expensive, Wiha is of course really nice but also up there, Wuerth is nice for tools and affordable (And they publish a very nice Hot Girls Calendar lol) we don't have Snap On or Craftman (or what's it called) and I wouldn't buy NoName Grocery Store garbage tools that disintegrate if you give it the stinkeye.
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I agree, recently I have been trying the larger German made screw drivers. They do have better, grippier tips. The handles look slick and like they would be easy to slip out of my fingers but they work well.

Facom
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They make air craft tools right ?
The only Facom I have are what I called "Monkey Wrenches". A brilliant tool maker, musical instrument maker and historian that I converse with on line said "That is not a monkey wrench".
I asked him what it was and he said it was a "Bicycle Wrench".
I have four; two of each size, one of each I cut down as shown so I could get it into tighter places and bend stuff with them used as a pair together usually. (at least I think the top wrench is a monkey wrench; it was my Dad's).
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Wowbagger said:
I agree, recently I have been trying the larger German made screw drivers. They do have better, grippier tips. The handles look slick and like they would be easy to slip out of my fingers but they work well.


They make air craft tools right ?
The only Facom I have are what I called "Monkey Wrenches". A brilliant tool maker, musical instrument maker and historian that I converse with on line said "That is not a monkey wrench".
I asked him what it was and he said it was a "Bicycle Wrench".
I have four; two of each size, one of each I cut down as shown so I could get it into tighter places and bend stuff with them used as a pair together usually. (at least I think the top wrench is a monkey wrench; it was my Dad's).
View attachment 851005
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That top one is definitely an old school pipe wrench.
I forget what they're called, but they're not the common stilson pattern or more modern style like you see from RIGID.
 
Leatherman Rebar with custom wet molded leather open top belt sheath :thumbsup:

I found, over time, that those little SnapOn type screwdrivers really don’t get the job done. They are good for their intended use, but outside of a service shop, I haven’t found much advantage over any other ‘proper’ tool for a specific task.
 
Between the two on my Victorinox Farmer and the P38 and Sears 4-Way on my key chain, I have about 99% of my day to day needs of a screw driver covered.
 
Mostly Klein but I use the Milwaukee Five-n-One most.
I can’t seem to loose the little green handled Snap On. It’s been with me the longest.
I wouldn’t last long with a Leatherman or a Vic.
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The title says "EDC" which is what the little pocket-clip models are for, but they are too slim for much torque. Everybody and their dog has made those with all kinds of advertising on them, this is the first time I've seen one with Snap-On on it.
Snap-On makes a small screwdriver like that Krein, maybe a little shorter, but with their trademark 4-sided black handle. It usually comes in their sets. It might still be too small for you.

I'm not sure about carrying a larger screwdriver unless you make a slip sheath for it or something like that. When I worked as a full time mechanic, long enough ago that there were no multitools, I had an old slipjoint knife that had the tip broken off of the main blade. I dressed it up in a grinder and made a screwdriver out of it. Turned out to be very useful. Working on cars away from your toolbox you use a screwdriver a lot- tighten hose clamps, adjust a carb, pull the cap off of a distributor, etc., so I used this improvised tool a lot.

These days I do carry a multitool if I anticipate needing some tools, usually a Leatherman Charge. In the realm of real tools I most often use one of those 4-way screwdrivers with central shaft that pulls out and reverses and 2 reversible bits. If I need a screwdriver it will usually do the trick no matter what kind of fastener I'm working on. But yet I have a lot of screwdrivers of different sizes and types.
 
Hickory n steel said:
old school pipe wrench
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So it's not a "monkey wrench" either ?
My Dad was pipe fitter but that wasn't one he used in the trade; I think it came with the house when he bought it. There was a very nice cinderblock shed with built in work bench with drawers and it was in one of the drawers.
 
tiguy7 said:
View attachment 851507 View attachment 851506 The Enderes has a pocket clip and a reversible shaft. The Brownell bit set has 64 sizes. I throw the ones I want in a clamshell vinyl coin purse and carry that with a Wera handle. The same coin purse can hold 10 -12 bits including Phillips, TORX, Allen, square recess, socket driver, etc.
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In my belt pouch that I leave at work (that has my lender knife in it and other non knife tools) I have a very small screw driver that looks just like that. It was a gift from someone that left our shop (we swapped gifts). It's not a favorite but it is very handy since it's a convertible.

It's a shame you don't hardly have any tips for that nice Wera handle. :):p:D

Nice set. That's for gun smithing right ? Sorry . . . I'm a dumb bunny when it comes to gun work.

Thanks for post those that's enlightening.
 
bdmicarta said:
The title says "EDC"
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Yes maybe I screwed that up (dang puns) . . .
I mostly meant EDU everyday use or "do all". Kind of an all purpose awl like object that turns screws but may just live on the work bench or in a tool box.

The pocket knife turned into a screw driver was a great idea.

General comment : I'm always impressed when the maker has the forethought to put hex flats on the shaft of a screw driver like GB940Rookie's screwdrivers. Not that I need it on my tiny one but I have used the hex on larger drivers.
 
Wowbagger said:
So it's not a "monkey wrench" either ?
My Dad was pipe fitter but that wasn't one he used in the trade; I think it came with the house when he bought it. There was a very nice cinderblock shed with built in work bench with drawers and it was in one of the drawers.
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Yeah actually it would be a monkey style wrench.
If I remember right this style of adjustable wrench is called this because it was invented by a guy named Monckey.

I just call them a pipe wrench because they are basically an early type of pipe wrench.
 
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Wowbagger said:
In my belt pouch that I leave at work (that has my lender knife in it and other non knife tools) I have a very small screw driver that looks just like that. It was a gift from someone that left our shop (we swapped gifts). It's not a favorite but it is very handy since it's a convertible.

It's a shame you don't hardly have any tips for that nice Wera handle. :):p:D

Nice set. That's for gun smithing right ? Sorry . . . I'm a dumb bunny when it comes to gun work.

Thanks for post those that's enlightening.
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The whole trick of tool/fastener interface is intimacy. There don’t seem to be standards for the sizes of slots on slotted heads. Hence the need for a multiplicity of bits. There are many handle options, rachets, extensions, bit storage, stainless construction, etc. I like the SAK’s that have 1/4” hex holes in the handles.
 
For the past 40 some years, any screw I've had to deal with while away from home or too kit behind truck seat, has been felt with by using any of these three tools. My Sear's 4-way screw driver has been with me forever. My dad carried one and I guess I picked up the habit. The narrowest bit on it has been filed down to fit medium Phillips screws better. The P-38 has been with me since my army days, and aside from being a good can opener, it deals with flat and Phillips screws just fine. The lower square corner of the P-38 fits most Phillips screws. The SD tip on my little Victorinox classic fits small Phillips screws and the sight adjustment screws on Smith and Wesson revolvers just fine.


The past several years I've actually been drifting into the small multitool thing. Most times I have a SAK on me, but sometimes I leave the SAK home and my Leatherman squirt is in a watch pocket on the jeans. Has a dandy little screw driver as well as a separate Phillips driver.


The Sear's 4-way keychain driver also does well as a small pry tool. Opens cans of putty, stain, paint. The Victorinox quarto was tried for a while, and although the two dedicated Phillips bits on the quarto worked better than the sears, it was just too small for getting a good grip on for leverage in prying or stubborn rusty screws. As an arthritic senior citizen with fumble fingers, I need more grip surface. Aside from that, the little quarto is a good etc screw driver for the keychain.
 
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