GRACE gunsmith style screwdrivers

[Ralph Boumenot]

I got the 5 piece slot driver set offered up by Lee Valley. What a difference over what I use now. I'll be adding the square drive and phillips set to my collection too. Take a lot at them over at LV.
Here's the link http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=70923&cat=51&ap=1

[Chris Griggs]

Nice. I was eyeballing those. I could REALLY use a good set of screw drivers. Too bad I wasted all my money this month on things I wanted instead of things I actually needed.

[Ralph Boumenot]

Start throwing your change in a jar in your sock drawer. That's how I got mine and they are definitely worth it IMO.

[Chris Griggs]

If I just stay off of Ebay for a couple weeks I should be good :). I've been considering this set (http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=70159&cat=1,43411,43417) too.

[Hilton Ralphs]

I've been considering this set (http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=70159&cat=1,43411,43417) too.
I have a set of these and they seem to be a better design than the Grace drivers. I like the fact that the shafts are the same diameter to that of the screw head. Now if only they made just three more...

1. #2 square head driver for Kreg pocket hole screws
2. #2 Pozi driver
3. One with a wider tip to remove saw nuts

The smallest one is used to adjust the side set screws on some of the Veritas planes,

Very cool.

[Mike Holbrook]

I bought the Lee Valley Lifetime screwdrivers, set of 12- $46.50. The handles are a rubber like material that is very comfortable. You get 4: slotted, square & Phillips screwdrivers. I have had them for over a year with no problems. I like the square piece below the handle for those hard to remove screws. Hey lifetime guarantee what's not to like?

[Chris Hachet]

Regarding LN vs LV-I love both companies-Just got my first LN Plane (bought the Rabbit block plane, plan on adding the #102-#103 and an adjustable mouth Block, among others.) However....when it comes to stuff that will make my life better in the shop, I don't think anyone offers more innovative, cool, and useful stuff than LV. I've been eying these screwdrivers, and plan on adding them to my tool fleet. Good to know we've got a good user report.

[george wilson]

Grace screw drivers have always been affordable,and a nice,old time classical feel to them. Their tips are hollow ground to help to not bugger slotted screws. I had them at work. My favorite set,though, is one of the Brownell's sets with interchangeable tips. Not very cheap,but if you buy a reasonably appointed set,you can work on fine guns or instruments with the least possible risk of buggering slotted screws. You can find a tip that fills the screw slot perfectly in both slot width and head width. Minimizes the chance of raising metal around the edges of slotted screws. I won't use anything else on my nice guns.

The Brownell's sets are not at all traditional looking,but they offer a huge variety of tips. If you ever break a tip,they will replace it for free. I have a "medium" appointed set with about 20 tips.(I'd have to go count them). We had a full set at work.

[Lloyd Robins]

I haven't compared prices, but Tools for Working Wood has the Grace screwdrivers also. I got my square drives from Joel, and I really like them. (Not I do not have any affiliation with TFWW other than as a customer) My phillips set and the screwdrivers (gunsmithing set) I got from Epstein in KC, I also got the Chapman set from Lee Valley for carrying and over by the sharpening area for my planes. It is a very nice set. Good grief, I just realized that I may have a screwdriver problem also.

[Chris Griggs]

Hilton. Do you you the burnisher on those? And, if so, do you find that the hook makes a difference. I thought that seemed like a really cool idea since its just so darn easy to strip the heads on soft brass if you aren't paying attention and the driver slips.

[Hilton Ralphs]

Hilton. Do you you the burnisher on those? And, if so, do you find that the hook makes a difference.

The tips already have a hook on them so I will use the burnisher to maintain that. I haven't used them yet on brass screws though so time will tell,

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

I bought the set of Grace screwdrivers (http://www.thebestthings.com/newtools/grace_screwdrivers.htm) when The Best Things first started carrying them. Mine are graduated in length, unlike the photo TBT shows. I don't really need the super large sizes, (when I'm using something that needs a size 14 screw, it's usually a bolt . . . ) but they're nice to have. The one's The Best Things sells are supposedly ground to fit standard wood screw sizes, I believe the ones LV sells are from the same line.

They're parallel ground at the tips, not hollow ground. I used a bunch of brass screws in various spots on my tool cabinet, and really love them. I ended up with a few cheaper brass screws that weren't ideally sized to one or the other size screwdriver (maybe they were odd-number sizes?) but in general, they fit spot on, and the nice fit and parallel ground meant I didn't chew up a single screw, even when using a bit more torque than I probably should have.

I like 'em, and my only qualm is the keystone heads instead of cabinet heads, which would be a bit annoying if I was recessing many screws. I might grind a couple of them to avoid that, but I haven't really had the need. In general, very nice.

Also neat, Grace will make custom screwdrivers (http://www.graceusaguntools.com/screwdrivers.htm) (look at the very bottom of the page) for odd fastners. Not something you need every day, but if you're putting together a set for maintaining something, it's a nice option, and the price ain't bad.

I also got the one that The Best Things sells that's sized for vintage saw nuts (not split nuts, but the very wide and thin slotted screws on old disstons. I really like that one, it's perfect for the job. Very worth the price.

I picked mine up mostly because I wanted one nice set of domestically made flat blade drivers, but I haven't been disappointed. The price only hurts once. I have some others that I save for prying jobs and all those things that aren't screw-driving.

[john davey]

I have a set of the Craftsman screwdrivers that come with their socket sets. They are well made and I don't think I will ever wear them out but they do hurt my hands. I have no problem retiring them to the tool box in the shed to work on my Harley and such. The Grace set looks nice. Simple question; do the feel nice in the hand compared to the hard plastic and will they last a lifetime (or 20 years for me )..... Thanks, John

[Chris Hachet]

I haven't compared prices, but Tools for Working Wood has the Grace screwdrivers also. I got my square drives from Joel, and I really like them. (Not I do not have any affiliation with TFWW other than as a customer) My phillips set and the screwdrivers (gunsmithing set) I got from Epstein in KC, I also got the Chapman set from Lee Valley for carrying and over by the sharpening area for my planes. It is a very nice set. Good grief, I just realized that I may have a screwdriver problem also.We all have multiple tool problems, Lloyd. The first step is to acknowledge the problem....the second step is to spend more money on tools.

[Chris Hachet]

I have a set of the Craftsman screwdrivers that come with their socket sets. They are well made and I don't think I will ever wear them out but they do hurt my hands. I have no problem retiring them to the tool box in the shed to work on my Harley and such. The Grace set looks nice. Simple question; do the feel nice in the hand compared to the hard plastic and will they last a lifetime (or 20 years for me )..... Thanks, John I would order one screwdriver and try it out...what is nice for you might not be nice for me and vice versa. And yes, twenty years or fifty is not unreasonable if they are well cared for.

[Jim Koepke]

will they last a lifetime

I have tools I care for that have been with me most of my lifetime.

I have seen the same tools destroyed in a matter of seconds when wielded by some idiot who knows not of using the correct tool for a job.

One example was someone using a screwdriver like a crow bar. Then they had the audacity to say it wasn't a very good screwdriver.

There is an old saying about not being able to make things fool proof because fools just keep getting better at being fools.

jtk

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

The handles on the Grace drivers are very comfortable to me, but again, YMMV. The others that are very comfortable to me are the LV "heavy duty screwdrivers" (http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/page.aspx?p=32208&cat=1,43411,43417&ap=1) which I have for my philips drivers.

[Dave Beauchesne]

I wish LV would add to the Grace line by including the ' saw nut ' driver Grace sells.
Sounds like those who have them, like them.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

If I just stay off of Ebay for a couple weeks I should be good :). I've been considering this set (http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=70159&cat=1,43411,43417) too.

I bought that set and I just love them! I even wrote asking if they would consider making a Phillips head version. They wrote back saying they value feedback so they would make note of it. I urge everyone to write and ask for a Phillips head version so that I can get one! :-)

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Hilton. Do you you the burnisher on those? And, if so, do you find that the hook makes a difference. I thought that seemed like a really cool idea since its just so darn easy to strip the heads on soft brass if you aren't paying attention and the driver slips.

Hello Chris, I have the same set and yes- the hook is excellent for use in brass screws that I find otherwise drivers tend to slip and damage the slot. The set is very good quality. I was worried at first because they looked like maybe they photograph better than they would look in "real life," but the quality was exceptional, the feel was very comfortable, and they come in a nice presentation box. I left them in the box to protect them and made them my go-to set for fine finish work. I always keep three grades of drivers: (1.) Automotive, which get greasy (2.) General woodwork which are kept clean, and (3.) Finish work where I need a perfect tip and the screw will be visible in the piece.

[Chris Griggs]

Thanks for the great report Malcolm. I will definitely need to throw those in my cart one day soon! Cheers!

[george wilson]

I ground a spoon carving knife with a curved blade (for scooping) from a 3/8"square HSS lathe bit for a friend who was punching tickets out doors at the museum. He was always carving something. An old guy asked to see it and dropped it on the bricks. The blade broke. He said"That can't have been a good knife,it broke". The friend could not tell the idiot what he thought. He told me much later it was the best spoon knife he ever had. If I'd have known he lost it,I'd have ground out another for him. No big deal. Being HSS,he didn't have to sharpen it very often. I could have made the knife from simpler steel,but he couldn't carry a lot of stuff around. The HSS knife would stay sharp for a long time.

[Bill Fleming]

Hi George - I've been looking at these sets recently
http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/general-gunsmith-tools/screwdrivers-sets/magna-tip-sets/magna-tip-super-sets--prod417.aspx
is this what you are talking about or one of the other sets sold by Brownells?

thx Bill

[James Conrad]

I wish LV would add to the Grace line by including the ' saw nut ' driver Grace sells.
Sounds like those who have them, like them.

Other places do sell them: http://www.thebestthings.com/newtools/grace_screwdrivers.htm

[Dave Beauchesne]

Other places do sell them: http://www.thebestthings.com/newtools/grace_screwdrivers.htm
James - I realize that, but, my tool stable is about full, and I live near a LV - Shipping from the USA to Canada ( and vise - versa ) is outlandish for one or two items. I have purchased from TBT a couple times and they were superb to deal with, so that isn't it - - -

[Joel Goodman]

If you don't mind separate tips and handle the Chapman sets are excellent. The slotted screwdrivers come in various thicknesses as gunsmiths don't want to bugger up the screws. You also get a small ratchet with them. And in a pinch a hex head screwdriver bit for a drill works in the handle. On their website there are many tips available. Made in USA too!

[Ron Kellison]

I suppose this means I'm hopelessly "old school" but my favourites are made by Klein. I have the yellow ones with the black rubber handles. Comfortable in my hand, well-ground tips that don't chip, break or slip out. My Craftsman drivers are now in the tool bag I haul around in the back of my little truck.

[george wilson]

Bill,yes,my home shop set of Brownells is about the same model you show. They start getting pricey if you buy the really full set. $73.00 is getting a little pricey anyway for screwdrivers. But,I have some valuable guns that I will not use anything else on. I don't went to raise a little ridge on my U.S. Firearms single action. They made such high quality guns,they were better than Colts. I just found out they went out of business when I was going to order another single action. They were truly 19th.C. quality. I guess they had a limited market. They weren't cheap,and it took a discriminating customer to appreciate their quality though they were Colt copies. They actually did a better job than Colt. They were what Colt USED to be.(not that Colts are bad,they were just better in the 19th. C..)