Gunsmith's screwdrivers?
- Thread starter vinver
- Start date
- Location
- West Quebec
Brownells.., CTC, Home depot etc I'd bring a screw if possible.
Finding a set of good quality flat blade screw drivers is very difficult. I gave up on it a long time ago. Most of what is available today, are to soft.
The vast majority of screw drivers are made off shore in Asian plants. They make them up for industrial purposes as that is their largest market. The quality often leaves a lot to be desired.
I go to flea markets and garage sales to cherry pick the boxes of tools for screw drivers with decent steel and proper hardness as well as temper.
They are cheaper than anything I can find that is commercially available and last a long time.
I have stated this before, when it comes to flat blade screw drivers, I am absolutely anal about fit.
It isn't practical to have specific screw drivers for every size of slot. I have a couple that I don't change as they do fit several sizes. For the rest of the slots, very fine, narrow and wide, I will grind the blades to fit snugly and all of the way across the head of the screw/bolt. This almost eliminates slipping and galling. When a screw driver fits the screw head in a sloppy manner you can almost bet on a scratch from slipping or galling of the slot walls. When a screw driver blade is to narrow, galling can also occur. When a blade is to wide, you gall the inlet walls for the screw head.
Be really careful with that SMLE and its screws. They aren't making any more SMLEs and the screws have proprietary threads, as well as being darned expensive.
Stay away from offshore screwdrivers. Even some of the European makes leave a lot to be desired.
If you decide to go the flea market route stay away from the new in box offshore offerings as well. They are mostly garbage.
Look for the old beaters with wood or molded handles. Sometimes they look terrible. If you take a bit of time and have a bench grinder you can make up a set of screw drivers specifically for your SMLE. Be very careful not to pick the screw drivers that have hardened tips on their blades. They are not made for what you are doing. If you have to grind them to fit, that hardened tip will sometimes fall off.
I have a small tool box with a couple of dozen flea market/garage sale screw drivers of all different sizes. Some look like they were dug up in the back yard garden. The steel in them is perfect for your requirements.
By the way, if you are going to grind them to fit, be very careful not to overheat the blade tips and take the temper out of them. Grinding a blade until it is red hot and dipping it causes the tips to be brittle and they will break easily when you least need it to happen.
If you gall the screw slots with a properly fitting screw driver, you are over torqueing the screws.
These are a recipe for disaster. In most cases they are to soft and don't fit properly. They have their place though but not on a firearm.
This is just IMHO of course.
- Location
- West Quebec
Have to agree on this one..
40 years ago I bought several screwdrivers from Simpson Sears in various sizes and ground them to fit screws as required. I am still using and grinding them to fit as required. I also have a whack of Brownell's tips and grind them to fit as well.
I bought a Wheeler set and highly recommend them, they come with many widths and thicknesses for virtually all applications. As well they come with bits for cross bolts and weaver and most other makes of rings. A full set of hex keys and torx as well, a really full set.
Buy a set of the change tip screw driver bits from Brownell's, and also a pile of assorted screwdrivers that you can grind to fit without any guilt.
Never fails, that you have every size but the one you need, so if you can grind them, you ALWAYS have the correct size. The time spent, will almost always be less than the time it will take to correct the mess.
Cheers
Trev
Never fails, that you have every size but the one you need, so if you can grind them, you ALWAYS have the correct size. The time spent, will almost always be less than the time it will take to correct the mess.
Cheers
Trev
Crappy Tire. Real smithies do not use "Gunsmith's screwdrivers". The 'bits' are designed to break before the screw gets damaged, but said bits are expensive and not exactly easy to get. Brownell's, for example, wants $68.99 and up US, for their Magna-tip set. Replacement bit start at $1.47 US each plus shipping.
Sunray, if a tip breaks in a screw head while torqueing it or loosening it, the chances of damage are extremely high.
I prefer a properly fitting blade that is snug in the slot and within a few thousandths of the exact width, that is strong enough that I know won't break or bend. Anything else is unacceptable. Not only that, creates more work and often more expense.
I read a book by Jim Carmicheal called "Just Jim." It's a hoot you should read it. I'm sure you would get a kick out of it.
