I just got the FatMax Ratcheting Screwdriver in the mail yesterday, and already I'm liking it. I bought it to hopefully use as an everyday screwdriver, and it looks up to that task so far. The bits lock in place nicely, it has plenty of storage in the handle -- you can even store more bits than came with the driver. It did come with two square bits, which it didn't say in the description and I won't use much, but they will be replaced with other bits.
I'll post a full review after using it for a while, but for $8.15 I'm glad I bought this driver (at least, so far).
Saturday, August 9, 2014
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Tool Review: Tekton 2740 2-Piece Stubby Screwdriver Set
I've owned several different Tekton tools, and for the most part I have been disappointed with the quality. However, the Tekton 2740 2-piece stubby screwdriver set is rather impressive for an inexpensive pair of stubby drivers.
This set comes with two drivers -- a #2 Phillips driver and a 3/16" slotted driver. Both drivers are marked with their sizes. The drivers look typical for stubby screwdrivers -- fat handles and short shafts. The shafts are 1-1/2" long, and the drivers from end to end are about 4" long. The plastic/rubber handles are colored Tekton's signature black and red, and the shafts are silver with painted black tips. Each driver has a hole in the handle so you can hang it from a peg (or a nail with a thin head).
The handles on these drivers are contoured differently than any other stubbies I've ever used, and they provide a very good grip. The handles bulb out toward the end, then slim down closer to the shafts, which makes for easy gripping and natural finger placement. The rubberized texture also adds to the grip.
The shafts are chrome vanadium and seem very strong. The tips of the shafts are painted black, which makes them look nice, but the paint chips off quickly with use. The tips are also magnetic -- a nice feature on almost any screwdriver. The magnets are strong enough to pick up and hang on to small to medium-sized screws, like the screws you would find in electronics, televisions, or office copiers.
This stubby set is a very good offering from Tekton. It comes with Tekton's lifetime warranty, which from what I've seen they stand behind very firmly. I give this stubby set 3.5 out of 5 stars, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good pair of stubby drivers. Amazon sells the Tekton 2740 stubby screwdriver set for $4.15 as an add-on item (which means you have to spend at least $25 on your order, but it is eligible for free shipping).
Friday, August 1, 2014
Tool Review: Gerber Mini Suspension-P Multi Tool
Before I bought the Gerber Mini Suspension-P, I'd never owned a Gerber multi tool, so I wasn't sure quite what to expect. I've owned a couple of Gerber knives over the years and I was very impressed with them, and I'd had my eye on the Gerber Suspension multi tool for a while now. (The Mini Paraframe is still, for my money, one of the best pocket knives around.)
Then recently I saw the Mini Suspension-P at Home Depot for about $10. The price was right, so I took a chance and bought it. After carrying it and using it for a couple of weeks now, I have to say I'm a little let down.
The Mini Suspension-P is not a bad multi tool. It's about average compared to other $5 or $10 multi tools. It's better than some Sheffield multi tools, and not as good as some others. I wouldn't get rid of the Mini Suspension-P, but it won't make the cut as my "everyday-carry" multi tool. I guess what I'm saying is, $10 is probably a fair price for it (perhaps a little high) but it's not worth any more than that.
The tool looks nice -- it has a neat straight-line finish with different shades of gray, and it looks like a lot of care went into its appearance. Two of the implements (the knife and the nail file) are even labeled, which I've never seen before on a multi tool.
The Mini Suspension-P is sturdy. Mine got dropped on concrete a few times (okay, thrown) and it has no scratches or scuff marks. The pliers are strong and well-made, with good spring action. The handles don't have any textured grip, but it's still easy to hold the pliers because of the strong spring action.
This multi tool is very heavy for its size, perhaps due to the strength built into the pliers. The Mini Suspension-P is noticeably heavier than other multi tools of a similar size, and even heavier than some larger multi tools. It comes with a loop that can be used with a key chain, but unless you like your key chains weighed down, you probably won't want the Mini Suspension-P hooked onto it.
The opening and closing action of the tool's handles is a lot jerkier than I've seen with other multi tools. The handles don't swing open smoothly -- they sort of pop open in stages. It makes for a neat snapping sound when you fold the tool up, but for quick access it's a little awkward.
It isn't a 15-in-1 multi tool, but the Mini Suspension-P does have some useful implements. Aside from the pliers/wire cutters, there's a very serviceable knife, a nail file, a small pair of tweezers, a cross screwdriver (the flat blade kind) and large and small slotted screwdrivers. The tools open from the outside, so you can get to any of them (other than the pliers) without having to open the handles.
The knife pivots out easily. The tip isn't very sharp, but the blade is. The nail file works, and it has a pick on the end. The two slotted drivers are about what one would expect -- functional, but a little more rounded than they could be. The tweezers work well but are very short, so they won't be able to reach into narrow spaces.
The Phillips driver is next to useless. The tension on that driver (at least on my tool) and the design of the nail nick make it almost impossible to extract with your hand. You need something to pry it out with just to be able to use it. You can adjust the tension on the screwdriver with a Torx driver, but in order to do so you'll need two Torx drivers, because turning the one screw just makes the screw on the other side turn as well, which doesn't do anything for the tension. You'd have to hold one Torx driver in place, as well as hold the multi tool, while you turn the other driver.
Once you get the Phillips driver out, it works okay for some screws. For others, it won't grip the head enough to turn the screw.
The Gerber Mini Suspension-P is not a multi tool I would buy again, given the choice, nor recommend. For the same price you can get a lighter multi tool that functions just as well. I'll still look forward to testing its big brother, the Suspension, but I would recommend passing on this one. If you want to check it out, Amazon.com lists it for $18.00 (eligible for free shipping) and HomeDepot.com sells it for $9.97.
Pros:
- strong pliers
- sturdy, well-made construction
- tools open from the outside
- two of the tools are labeled
Cons:
- Phillips screwdriver is difficult to extract
- too heavy for its size
- tweezers would be much more useful if they were longer
- pliers don't open or close smoothly
(originally published in the Multitool.org forum, July 2014)
Then recently I saw the Mini Suspension-P at Home Depot for about $10. The price was right, so I took a chance and bought it. After carrying it and using it for a couple of weeks now, I have to say I'm a little let down.
The Mini Suspension-P is not a bad multi tool. It's about average compared to other $5 or $10 multi tools. It's better than some Sheffield multi tools, and not as good as some others. I wouldn't get rid of the Mini Suspension-P, but it won't make the cut as my "everyday-carry" multi tool. I guess what I'm saying is, $10 is probably a fair price for it (perhaps a little high) but it's not worth any more than that.
The tool looks nice -- it has a neat straight-line finish with different shades of gray, and it looks like a lot of care went into its appearance. Two of the implements (the knife and the nail file) are even labeled, which I've never seen before on a multi tool.
The Mini Suspension-P is sturdy. Mine got dropped on concrete a few times (okay, thrown) and it has no scratches or scuff marks. The pliers are strong and well-made, with good spring action. The handles don't have any textured grip, but it's still easy to hold the pliers because of the strong spring action.
This multi tool is very heavy for its size, perhaps due to the strength built into the pliers. The Mini Suspension-P is noticeably heavier than other multi tools of a similar size, and even heavier than some larger multi tools. It comes with a loop that can be used with a key chain, but unless you like your key chains weighed down, you probably won't want the Mini Suspension-P hooked onto it.
The opening and closing action of the tool's handles is a lot jerkier than I've seen with other multi tools. The handles don't swing open smoothly -- they sort of pop open in stages. It makes for a neat snapping sound when you fold the tool up, but for quick access it's a little awkward.
It isn't a 15-in-1 multi tool, but the Mini Suspension-P does have some useful implements. Aside from the pliers/wire cutters, there's a very serviceable knife, a nail file, a small pair of tweezers, a cross screwdriver (the flat blade kind) and large and small slotted screwdrivers. The tools open from the outside, so you can get to any of them (other than the pliers) without having to open the handles.
The knife pivots out easily. The tip isn't very sharp, but the blade is. The nail file works, and it has a pick on the end. The two slotted drivers are about what one would expect -- functional, but a little more rounded than they could be. The tweezers work well but are very short, so they won't be able to reach into narrow spaces.
The Phillips driver is next to useless. The tension on that driver (at least on my tool) and the design of the nail nick make it almost impossible to extract with your hand. You need something to pry it out with just to be able to use it. You can adjust the tension on the screwdriver with a Torx driver, but in order to do so you'll need two Torx drivers, because turning the one screw just makes the screw on the other side turn as well, which doesn't do anything for the tension. You'd have to hold one Torx driver in place, as well as hold the multi tool, while you turn the other driver.
The Gerber Mini Suspension-P is not a multi tool I would buy again, given the choice, nor recommend. For the same price you can get a lighter multi tool that functions just as well. I'll still look forward to testing its big brother, the Suspension, but I would recommend passing on this one. If you want to check it out, Amazon.com lists it for $18.00 (eligible for free shipping) and HomeDepot.com sells it for $9.97.
Pros:
- strong pliers
- sturdy, well-made construction
- tools open from the outside
- two of the tools are labeled
Cons:
- Phillips screwdriver is difficult to extract
- too heavy for its size
- tweezers would be much more useful if they were longer
- pliers don't open or close smoothly
(originally published in the Multitool.org forum, July 2014)
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