Gearwrench has come out with new green-handled and orange-handled screwdrivers. That’s in addition to their red and black color scheme that is found on their existing screwdrivers and many of their tools, such as the Roto Ratchets discussed here so long ago.
Whoopty do, right? Well, lots of users care about the color of their screwdrivers – more than you might think.
Some users have color preferences for aesthetic reasons. Yep, it’s true.
But more than just aesthetics, color options allow users to more easily identify their tools faster, especially if they select different handle colors for different screwdriver tip styles.
Gearwrench’s press materials describe how the different colored handles might help techs identify their tools at the end of the day. While this might be true, I’m also interested in being able to tell Phillips from slotted, hex from Torx, and nut drivers from square drive spinners. Sorry, I’m thinking ahead here.
You know what I’m talking about, right? At one point I stopped buying just one brand of screwdriver, as it was becoming too difficult to pick up the one I needed. So now I have one brand for Phillips and slotted drivers – or at least one brand in my toolbox – and another brand for Torx drivers, and another for inch hex, and another for metric hex.
I wish that I could do the same for my precision screwdrivers. Do you know how hard it is to sort through itty bitty precision drivers, even with end-cap identification, when multiple sets are mixed up in a drawer together?
Back to the point – these new handle color options look good, don’t they? From the images, they’ve got some nice high contrast visibility going on there.
Additional features include a Tri-Lobe ergonomic handle shape, dual material grip that’s resistant to oils and solvents, a narrow section of the handle for high-speed spinning for lower torque applications, and a precision screwdriver tip with black oxide non-slip finish.
The new drivers are available in 8pc sets, as well as individually. Here are the model numbers:
- Sets: 82682 orange, 82683 green
- Slotted 3/16″ x 3″ with Cabinet tip: 82684 orange, 82692 green
- Slotted 1/4″ x 1-1/2″: 82687 orange, 82695 green
- Slotted 1/4″ x 4″ with Hex Bolster: 82685 orange, 82693 green
- Slotted 5/16″ x 6″ with Hex Bolster: 82686 orange, 82694 green
- Phillips #1 x 3″: 82688 orange, 82696 green
- Phillips #2 x 1-1/2″: 82691 orange, 82699 green
- Phillips #2 x 4″ with Hex Bolster: 82689 orange, 82697 green
- Phillips #3 x 6″ with Hex Bolster: 82690 orange, 82690 green
Buy Now(via Amazon)
It’s really best to search for these screwdrivers by the model numbers. A bunch of automotive tool dealers started carrying them, and I expect that they’ll be readily available elsewhere soon too.
