Often Imitated But Never Duplicated

I am of course referring to the Snap-On Ratcheting screwdriver. The Snap-On ratcheting screwdriver has been a mainstay in our industry since the tool was first introduced. This is one of the tools no mechanic can live without. It is well made has a warranty (although not as good as it used to have) is easy to operate and is very reliable.

My first Snap-On ratcheting screwdriver was a black one. Immediately I fell in love with the thing and it gave me a good seven years of service before I lost it. My next one was an orange one that I have used ever since. As a matter of fact I just recently retired it after all these years. I had to retire it because it started to skip, the ratchet part inside is stripped out a little. Years ago this would not have been a problem: I would have simply taken it out to the Snap-On tool truck and had it replaced. If my screwdriver had broken a couple (more like 3 or 4) years ago I would have taken it to the truck and he would have repaired it for me. Nowadays you bring a tool to the Snap-On truck and you get a lecture about abusing tools and you might be able to have the dude mail it to the Snap-On factory for repairs. Basically Snap-Ons warranty is a joke in our industry. The Snap-On dealers often don't want to replace tools and give you a really hard time if you are on their truck just to replace a tool.

Anyway despite the obvious issue I have with the Snap-On dealers the srewdriver is one of the best ratcheting srewdrivers out right now. I have been trying without success to find another one made by a different company that would compare. I bought a Craftsman ratcheting screwdriver and it fell apart within 4-5 months. I did find and bought a Stanley Tool ratcheting screwdriver that actually seems OK but I have not brought it to work yet. I'm not too sure how well it will hold up to a hard life out on the line. The Stanley is roughly the same size and shape of the Snap-On but has a bit holder near the shaft of the driver with a hokey spin and release set up for the apex bits. The main problem I have with the Stanley is the same one I have with a lot of the tools out right now. The handles are black and yellow and ugly! Why do all the new tools have to be so bright? Yellow, dayglow green, why would I want to carry any thing that looks like that? Screwdriver handles should be BLACK or at the very least one solid color. Check out the Snap-On online catalog at http://www.snapon.com/ most of their tools are still one colored handles. Those tools with the psychedelic handles look like toys to me.