Sears has come out with a new Craftsman impact screwdriver set.
Update: Readers point out in the comments that these appear to be rebranded Vessel Impacta screwdrivers ($11 via Amazon), and upon quick inspection I’d agree.
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(Stanley Black & Decker now owns the Craftsman brand, but Sears retained the power (for now) to develop Craftsman tools for sale at Sears stores.)
The new Craftsman impact screwdriver set comes with a Phillips #2 driver, and a slotted 1/4″ driver. They say that the new screwdrivers give you the power of a manual impact driver without the weight or bulk.
It says on the packages that these impact screwdrivers help you to remove stripped screws when all else fails.
Digression: What about screw extractors? In extreme cases, these Craftsman impact screwdrivers might have nothing at all to bite onto, and so extractors might be needed.
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The Craftsman impact screwdrivers have a proprietary cam rotation mechanism design that rotates the tip counter-clockwise by 12° when the handle is struck with a hammer.
Both drivers feature steel end caps, black nickel chrome plating, “premium anti-corrosion plating,” and comfortable ergonomic grips.
Price: $30, free shipping on $49+ orders
Buy Now(via Sears)
Compare(Vessel Impacta via Amazon)
Compare(Lisle Hand Impact Driver Set via Amazon)
Compare(Hand Impact Drivers)
First Thoughts
In comparison, you can buy an imported hand impact driver for around $15, or a good pro-grade set by Lisle for $31 or Proto for $42. Lots of brands make such drivers. We briefly posted about hand impact drivers over 7 years ago, maybe it’s time for an update.
If you ask me, a hand impact tool is going to be the better buy, since many are reversible and can be used with sockets or your choice of screwdriver bit. What happens if the tips on the Craftsman drivers wear down? Break? You’re out a whole tool instead of just a screwdriver bit.
Right now the price is $30. I’d expect it to be $15 for Father’s Day, maybe $20. I’d still consider a hand impact driver to the better buy, but as far as “innovative” tools go, these new Craftsman screwdrivers seem handy.
Plus, what happens when you broke a fastener free? With these Craftsman screwdrivers, you can simply turn the handle. With a hand impact tool, you’d probably want to reach for a screwdriver.
Too bad these Craftsman impact screwdrivers aren’t reversible, for times when you need just a little more torque for final tightening. But to be fair, I don’t think I’ve ever dug out my hand impact driver for final tightening applications.
For those of you that have used a hand-powered impact driver before, is this something you would buy?
And does anyone want to take a stab at how the internals are arranged? It looks to me like the end cap is floating. Strike the end cap with a hammer, and the entire handle and shaft rotate as one. I can’t see it working any other way, otherwise if the handle and shaft were decoupled in any way, they wouldn’t be able to function as screwdrivers.
Update: Craftsman previously offered Vessel-made screwdrivers for a short time in 2015 for the Father’s Day shopping season, and it looks like they’re doing the same this year but with this different style. Does that change how you feel about the screwdrivers?
(Vessel is a Japanese screwdriver manufacturer. We’ve tried a few of their tools and found them to be of pretty good quality.)
Noah
I’ve been meaning to pick up a hand impact driver. What brands are recommended?
Gordon
I really like my Tekton impact drive. It worked really well for getting the rotors off our Honda. It comes in 3/8 and 1/2in. It’s on sale right now too. https://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-2905-8-Inch-Manual-7-Piece/dp/B000NPPATS/
Alex
These look an awful lot like a re-branded Vessel Impacta screwdriver:
https://www.amazon.com/Vessel-Megadora-Impacta-P2x100-Screwdriver/dp/B003BI8HHQ
I’ve got one and it’s pretty cool. I can’t say that I have ever actually needed the impact mechanism but it’s a nice feature.
Alex
Also if they are in fact based on the Vessel Impacta the shaft does rotate independent of the handle when compressed. This is accomplished by striking the cap which compresses the internal spring (which takes around 100lb of force). This causes the shaft to pivot 12 degrees counter clockwise following the movement of the pin in the grove near the end cap seen in the image above .
brian
I have that vessel, and agree that it looks a lot like the craftman, I have used it as an impact, it works very well and grips good. actually better then expected.
Toolfreak
Craftsman re-branded Vessel’s ball grip screwdrivers last year for Father’s day, so it isn’t much of a stretch to think they’d do it again.
Too bad they don’t bring over more, seems like it’d be a way to get cool tools into the hands of people who might otherwise not know of or buy them.
fred
The Vessel also seems to com in 2 lengths (100 and 150mm) for their P2 driver and they also sell a P3 driver – but don’t see one for slotted screws:
https://www.amazon.com/Vessel-125943-P3x150-Impacta-Screwdriver/dp/B003BGTTSE/
skfarmer
no
T
I agree.
taras
I have a hand impact, and it works quite well as a screwdriver once the fastener is broken free. I would never buy these craftsman drivers. A manual impact is much more versatile, takes up the same amount of space in my tool bag, with the only negative being that it is heavier than a screwdriver. If I need a screwdriver, I use my Pic-Quik. These screwdrivers are just a gimmick.
Pete
I have one thats similar. But its gun shaped, and red, needs to be charged every so often with 12v, has a 1/4″ hex chuck to i can use any style of bit or adapter i want, says ‘Milwaukee impact driver’ on the side….
Its pretty good.
Jeremy Brown
Not useful in my profession, but looks ideal for a building maintenance type of job, or toolbag. Replace two screwdrivers in your set, no need for extra stand alone tool and just there when you need it.
Toolfreak
The bizarre part is, Craftsman’s re-branded USA-made impact driver set is only $24.99 regular price.
http://www.sears.com/craftsman-impact-driver/p-00947641000P?plpSellerId=Sears&prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1
You can still get the impact bits for it at Sears too.
Hang Fire
I got that Craftsman impact driver last year, at that time at least, it was still US made. It requires a modicum of common sense to use. These new ones seem a bit easier to set for tighten/loosen, but I wonder about the durability.
Toolfreak
The Craftsman is still US-made, they have tons of them, still in the old package from the 90’s. It’s definitely a lot heavier duty than these drivers, but these are less bulky and can get to fasteners in areas where the bigger drivers won’t go. I’d say having both is pretty good for when you have one you need to bang out.
Tony
I found this video showing how the internals work for the Impacta screwdriver. It appears as though the handle doesn’t rotate when the end cap is struck, only the shaft does:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMwewxkvSg8
Cody
Craftsman also has a new set of pliers available that have been completely redesigned. http://m.sears.com/craftsman-4-pc-pliers-set/p-00928070000P
Stuart
I’ve been holding off on posting about those. They don’t exactly look appealing to me, and the marketing language invokes an eye-roll.
“14 times more cutting force!” Compared to what?
Tim
Compared to not cutting.
Tim
14 times more cutting force than pinching things between your fingers like a pair of fake, non cutting scissors.
Tom
And made in China.
Toolfreak
I’ve seen those in-store. Terrible. They look like the US-made Western Forge pliers in shape, but are more angular. The handles don’t look comfortable, either.
I think they are replacing the US-made pliers since my local store is almost out of them and they have not been re-stocked in awhile.
Sucks but I guess there are plenty of choices for quality pliers out there.
Tom
The old ball grip screwdrivers made it down to $2.50 near me a couple of years ago. When my local Sears closed recently, it was flooded with NOS ball grip screwdrivers and the Craftsman T-Spinner things. They suddenly had hundreds of both.
The ball grip screwdrivers were great, so I’ll definitely pick up some of these. The question is what will the real price be.
Davida1
If you’ll excuse my ignorance, what are the benefits of a hand impact vs an impact driver.
Stuart
Good question.
When one needs more control? When you’re on a tight budget?
It’s a hand tool for breaking fasteners free, or final tightening when extra oomph is needed.
There doesn’t seem to be a “right” answer. Some hand tools are more uncommon nowadays than they used to be, such as quick socket spinner handles, the kind that are used with two hands. But breaker bars are still popular.
Would one use this to drive in 3″ long screws? No way. But to break free a 3/4″ rusted-over fastener that a screwdriver cannot get a grip on? Maybe.
I haven’t done a comparison test, but a hand impact driver might work in situations a cordless powered driver won’t. When you strike this or other manual impact drivers with a hammer, you get a rotational response but also an on-axis force that might shock the fastener and help loosen things up.
Pete
Someone educated me on this site that impact drivers also impact slightly towards the fastener which is why impacts drive 3-4″ screws so much better than a regular drill/driver with not as much pressure being applied to the fastener.
Whomever it was posted a youtube video of a super slow mo of a impact to prove it.
fred
The old trick to loosen stuck screws – perhaps one that have paint, varnish or rust holding them in place – was to pound on the top of the screwdriver handle as tou tried to toque the screw out. The idea was that the pounding helped break whatever was sticking the threads in place free, while also helping to hold the screwdriver tip in the slot or drive recess. The hand impact driver take this one step further using a spring recoil to apply the torque and the hammer blow helps prevent the bit frfom caming out.
Hang Fire
Hand impacts use part of the hammer force to drive the tool into the fastener, which gives you greater purchase. If there’s not enough slot or cross to grab, the hand impact will often create enough.
Power impacts only impart whatever force you give them by leaning on them. They are more likely to strip or cam out than a hammer driven impact. On the plus side, they are much faster, and in some cases, more powerful.
Jerry
These fit in a maintenance worker’s tool belt in the same slot an ordinary screwdriver would. In fact, I believe that is the purpose of these, or at least their best use. Someone who walks around all day with a toolbelt doesn’t need to carry an impact driver or hand impact tool around. Just put these in the screwdriver slots and you are ready for that occasional stuck screw.
Randy
I have the Lisle hand impact driver. Great tool. Only thing that would work for me to remove the set screw for Saab brake rotors from the 80’s.
RKA
That’s what I originally bought mine for way back in the day. I haven’t used it in probably 10+ years, ever since I bought a cordless impact driver. Any retaining screw that gets removed gets anti sieze so I won’t need an impact the next go round.
Hang Fire
Me too, but this is not always possible where Lambda sensors or brake friction surfaces are involved.
Rod
The one huge advantage this tool offers for me is its ability to reach into very tight, deep areas to loosen fasteners. It is exactly what I needed to remove a retaining screw deep inside a collet of my 1/2 inch router. No impact driver had bits with small enough diameter and long enough to reach to the bottom of the collet. Even my hand impact driver lacked the necessary bit length to reach. For that reason alone, I would buy this kind of tool.
John
Hey Stuart,
Could you do a video on these screwdrivers.
Thanks,
John-Exceller8
Stuart
I won’t promise I’ll buy a set or try to get my hands on test samples, but I’ll consider it.
If you’re only interested in seeing how they work, this Vessel promo video shows the basics: https://youtu.be/lMwewxkvSg8?t=20s
fred
I’ve previously posted about this alternative (and costly) slide-hammer screwdriver that seems to be targeted at locksmiths. Amazon’s $200 price seems high – and I think I’ve seen it for $120 or so – but still too pricey IMO.
https://www.amazon.com/Mega-Impact-Screwdriver-GKL-Products/dp/B00D2C3E38
Nick
The grey, cylindrical unit with the end cap is aligned in the handle by the rectangular guides (visible in the picture), bug may move in & out against spring tension. When you hit the head, this cylinder moves inwards. As it does so, the Screwdriver blade – which is free to rotate and which has a cross/bar riding in the two cam cut-outs in the grey cylinder – begins its 12-degree rotation as the driver lugs begin travelling in the angled cam slots. The spring, which has been compressed by the initial impact, returns the grey cylinder to its ‘ready’ position and the driver shaft back to its original position.
Simple.
Artur Luczak
I have this problem with my set of Irwin hisels.
Better don’t take them out of the wooden case.
Smeels horrible.