Return of the Screwdrivers

(sharp eyes will note that I’ve now done two Star Wars inspired blog post titles in a row…)
More Vessel drivers

More Vessel drivers

A few months ago, when I was selling screwdrivers in my store, every order included a few goodies for my own toolbox. When I got my last shipment of Vessel tools, this was my final order of personal drivers. I couldn’t resist. I had to have them.

I was updating the original Vessel post with tools as I got them (go take a look if you missed out), but I thought these needed the spotlight. They’re such quirky and awesome little tools. I wanted to let them shine on their own.

Also, Transformers. Soundwave demanded I post this.

The Flat Blade set.

The Flat Blade set.

Grabby, magnetic tips.

Grabby, magnetic tips.

I couldn’t help myself. The JIS drivers are SO nice, I had to have a set of flat-blades. I just love the handles. They fit my hand so well. And the knurled section is great for zipping fasteners on and off. And now I don’t have a screwdriver drawer without Vessels in it.

The flat-blade drivers have a sort of grabby section on the tip similar to the JIS drivers. It… sorta works. It really depends on the fastener you’re trying to work on, but it’s decent. The really enjoyable feature is the magnetic tip. Not always dropping a screw into the depths of an interior or engine bay is fantastic.

Soundwave and his team approve.

Plate ratchet screw catcher

Plate ratchet screw catcher

That red part? Magnets!

That red part? Magnets!

This is a fun one. It’s a quick-ratchet screwdriver. I’m always looking for the 1/4″ drive screwdriver socket. Having a dedicated tool seems like a pretty easy win. And this one has a thumb screw to let you zip screws on and off quickly.

The really cool thing is the red sleeve. It sticks out quite a bit and is removable. It’s also magnetic (and quite strong). The idea is that it holds onto the fastener as you remove it. Or install it I guess… I’ve honestly not tested it in that case.

This whole tool is quite nice. It ships with a few extra Vessel bits, though they’re standard Phillips and not JIS. The ratchet is not particularly fine-toothed, so it requires a pretty large swing. But… well… it’s quite nice. It feels very well made and works very well. I’ve owned it for only a few months, but have used it on most jobs since it arrived. Definitely a winner.

Ratchet stubby screwdriver. AND FLEXY SHAFT!

Ratchet stubby screwdriver. AND FLEXY SHAFT!

So flexy.

So flexy.

THIS thing is the find of the batch – a flexy shaft for screwdriver bits. It also came with a ratcheting handle and some more Vessel bits (also non-JIS). It is one of the most unique tools I’ve ever come across.

The driver handle is pretty nice. It has a forward/reverse/fixed gear. I’ve never had a stubby ratchet handle before and it’s honestly not my favorite handle ever. It works quite well, but I’m used to my PC repair ratchet handle. That one is huge and rubbery. This one is… compact.

But the handle is not the best part. That flexible shaft is just so WEIRD. I love it. It can snake around a corner and turn a hard-to-reach screw quite easily. And I can use any of my JIS bits in it. All toolboxes need one of these.

New Toys

New Toys

A few of you might be wondering about buying these. As of last Thanksgiving, I’m not selling screwdrivers anymore. They were a fantastic item and they moved quickly, but it was a bit too much for my tiny shop. Spending a day packing up 50 sets of drivers is not ideal to me. So… I discontinued them in my store in hopes that another Miata shop would pick them up.

If you’d like some Vessel tools, hit up Moss Miata. They are selling both the bits and the full drivers.

They’re great tools. But you should be cautious – they’re addicting. My own toolbox is a testament that.

The Soundwave Collection

The Soundwave Collection

Not that I have an addictive personality or anything. Nope. I have self control. I can stop whenever I want.

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  • Stoly says:

    I actually have a drawer of my toolbox just for these. My favourite tools to use and thank you again for the flex-shaft driver kit. So much awesome!

  • Leave a Reply to Stoly