A Screwdriver? or a Work of Art...
Written: Oct 19 '09 (Updated Oct 20 '09)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: elegant design
Cons: none, as long as you don't mind paying $12 for one screwdriver
The Bottom Line: Snap-On tools have a rep for being expensive: use this screwdriver a few times, and you'll realize that it's worth the price.
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| scmrak's Full Review: Snap-On Electronic Screwdriver Flat-Tip 7-5/16" - ... |
There's a certain elegant simplicity to a well-made tool: the shape rests comfortably in the hand; superb balance allows the tool to perform its best; and tiny, subtle features extend the range of usefulness. Quality does not come cheap, however: if you want the good stuff, you have to pay for it - but from the very first use, you'll realize the difference.
A case in point is my one and only Snap-On screwdriver, a willowy flat-bladed model (their stock number SSDE44C) designed for use around electronics. At first glance, it looks like other screwdrivers: a shade over seven inches long, a slender shaft with a tiny 1/8" flat tip. Pick it up, however, and the thought that went into this tool's design becomes evident. Though far from massive, the screwdriver is clearly substantial, resting in one's hand like an old friend. At four inches, the chrome-finished shaft is slightly more than half of the tool's 7-5/16" length. The rest, a plain black nonconductive ABS handle, is built with a square cross-section and gently rounded corners. Snap-On's Electronic Service screwdrivers are not insulated, by the way; that's a different line. This model comes in five lengths from five to thirteen inches; a slightly larger blade (3/16") comes in four lengths.
God, it is sometimes said, is in the details: though there's nothing sacred here, there is clear evidence of intelligent design when you behold the SSDE44C. Besides its sublime balance and well-planned size, the SSDE44C boasts the kind of small details that set it apart from the pig-iron and cheap plastic screwdrivers you find in the dollar bin. For starters, there's the inch-long swathe of cross-hatching on the shaft just below the handle - this knurled surface improves your grip if you're forced to turn the blade by the shaft. And the end of the handle is dished, perfect for applying a little additional pressure with a fingertip. That's on top of the usual striated tip, to reduce slippage on the screw head, and the high-quality hardened steel to give a lifetime of use.
Want a disposable screwdriver with a loose handle and a tip that will blunt after a couple of uses? Buy from the dollar bin. But if you want a tool that's both efficient, elegant, and will last for decades, find yourself a Snap-On SSDE44C Screwdriver. I did.
Recommended:
Yes
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