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F-21 t1_j8cptlj wrote

> Wera or Wiha screwdrivers (ie Wera Toolcheck Plus)

I feel like Wera is a bit gimmicky. Yeah nice quality but I hate the screwdriver handle shape (and how dirty it gets over time). Toolcheck is nice and compact to throw in the car.

Wiha is okay.

But truly top end screwdrivers don't cost any more. Like, Vessel from Japan is even cheaper. PB Swiss is a little bit more pricey but really amazing quality. Hazet and Gedore are also really great (Oplast). Williams is also reasonably priced (basically same screwdrivers as Snap On sells).

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Dracomies t1_j8dpm5e wrote

Most of my stuff is Wera. I have the Toolcheck Plus and it's honestly pretty clutch when paired with Knipex, fixes nearly everything I need to do.

Some feel gimicky for sure, ie the Zyklop (didn't get that). But imo they're high quality, ie check out Project Farm for tests.

But yeah all of these and the ones you mentioned are a HUGE step up from the average person just not thinking about tools and grabbing some Walmart box.

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F-21 t1_j8e7203 wrote

Yeah I mean, Wera is overall pretty great and the bits and tips are top notch, I just dislike their handle shape. Most manufacturers offer at least two or three shapes and a soft/rubber grip and classic hard version.

I like that the sockets have the color coding, that's awesome, and very grippy knurling for sockets which typically aren't. Just hate that the numbers are only laser etched on, not stamped - in 20 years that probably will no longer be visible, I have some old chinese sockets like that and the etching just faded away. Btw they make all the ratchet mechanisms (also for wrenches) and sockets in taiwan. In the Czech they pack them up, but also forge the wrench handles, ratchet handles and all the bits and screwdrivers and allen keys.

I think Wera allen keys are the best on the market overall. They messed up with the annoying sleeves and holder, but functionally, no other allen key offers what Wera does...

For screwdrivers, Vessel is simply the best. Fraction of the cost of PB Swiss or practically any other brand, but in their catalogue there's around 60 pages of solely hand tool screwdrivers (electric screwdrivers and bits are separate). Around 30 handle shapes and types (soft, hard, composite, wood...). The Vessel Power Grip is probably the most beefy screwdriver on the market. The Crystalline is the classic hard handle with extremely clear acetate. There are eco-composite handles, there are true wood handles, there are non-acetate (some solid color plastic) hard handles, there's a few types of soft handles, from the most common megadora to the spongy gel type, there are wood-composite (kind of like very hard cork) handles meant for use in oily conditions where typical plastic handles get slippery, and lots of goofy Japanese gimmicky stuff too (want glow-in-the-dark neon handles? yeah they got them).

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