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Caring for your tools is an important aspect which is almost always overlooked by users, caring for your screwdrivers will make sure that they last just that bit longer and don’t fail you on the job!

 

• Always make sure that the screwdriver is the right tip type and that it fits snugly into the screw slot.

• A worn, chipped or undersized tip may slip and damage the screw or the work.

• Avoid using a tip that is too wide, you could damage the work (especially if they are countersunk screws).

• Never use a straight tip screwdriver in a cross-head screw. the screwdriver and the screw could both be damaged.

 

Popular way to break screwdrivers

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Like many other tools, screwdrivers get used for jobs they are not really designed for. In research, trades people have actually told us that they use their screwdrivers for: - 

• Prizing open paint cans

• Chiselling brickwork

• Hammering

• Door wedges and lifters

• Prying

• Lifting boards

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How do breakages occur?

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It's abuse that many of us get up to, proving the versatility of a good quality screwdriver.

C.K screwdrivers are made from the finest quality German tested steel, heat treated to give the right balance of wear resistance and toughness.

But as with all things, it's a compromise - the harder we make the tip the longer it will resist wear but the more brittle it gets.

It’s important to only use screwdrivers to their intended limit, be wise about how you complete certain tasks and ensure that you’re using the right tool to complete the job.

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1. Using a screwdriver that is too small for a screw type. The contact points are much finer, and so a lot more force is going through the screwdriver, this will inevitably lead to breaking edges. This applies to cross heads and slotted screws.

2. Too much force put through the screwdriver: this is mostly seen when misusing screwdrivers, for example when prying or hammering a screwdriver will inevitably lead to the tip breaking, or the shaft bending.

3. Dropping: screwdriver tips can become damaged when dropping onto hard surfaces, just ensure that when not in use screwdriver are kept in a safe and secure place.

4. Over-torque: this will usually damage both the screw and screwdriver tip, but when too much torque is forced through the tip, it will likely deform the tip, which leads to the screwdriver camming out much quicker and more often than usual.