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SAK Phillips Functionality

Offline ringzero

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SAK Phillips Functionality
on: April 04, 2008, 10:45:15 PM
A recent MTO thread has some discussion of the relative merits of the various SAK Phillips screwdrivers.

The discussion covered these types:
-T-style Phillips (Vic Tinker and Wenger Highlander, among others.)
-Inline-style Phillips (Vic Explorer and Wenger S557, among others.)
-Can opener pseudo-Phillips (most Vics but only a few Wengers.)

That discussion piqued my curiosity, so I decided to compare functionality of the Phillips styles that I have on hand.  I don't have any SAKs with the inline-style, but do have both Vics and Wengers with the T-style driver and all of my Vics have the can opener pseudo-Phillips.

My back-porch/deck offers plenty of Phillips screws for experimentation.  The frame of the storm door is attached to the underlying wood with a dozen No. 2 Phillips woodscrews.  Those screws were sunk in tight and hadn't been budged for years.

As it turned out, those screws worked great for comparing the various Phillips drivers.  My method was simply to attempt to loosen each screw, fitting the driver into the screw as well as possible, then increasing the torque until either the screw turned or I had to give up to avoid breaking the SAK.

(I realize that the point at which I gave up attempting to loosen a given screw may be considered somewhat subjective, but I didn't want to break or bend any of the SAKs used for this test.  With the can opener drivers, each was visibly bending out of line when I gave up an attempt.  With the T-style drivers, I went completely by the feel of things.)

Can opener pseudo-Phillips results:
-Vic Recruit, smaller can opener loosened two screws.
-Vic Tinker and OH-GAK each loosened three screws.

T-style Phillips results:
-Vic Tinker and Vic OH-GAK each loosened nine screws.
-Wenger Taskmate loosened nine screws.


Things I noted during this test:

-The can opener pseudo-Phillips had a tendency to 'bugger up' the heads of tighter screws.  Makes sense when you consider that it concentrates all the torque and stress onto just two slots, rather than spreading it across all four slots.  (Does seem to work OK in lower torque situations.)

-Some have commented that the T-style Phillips drivers are slick and don't grip screws well, but that wasn't my experience in this test.  Both Vic and Wenger T-style Phillips performed well, even gripping the heads of several screws that were quite rusty.  (After turning those rusty screws, a close examination of the T-style drivers revealed a substantial quantity of rust actually stuck to the drivers.)  I never experienced a failure to grip a screw, but I did give up on loosening some screws for fear of breaking the T-style drivers.

-The T-style drivers can transfer way more torque to a screw than the can opener pseudo-Phillips drivers.  For stubborn screws, the performance of a T-style driver is way, way above that of a can opener driver.

-The T-style drivers can apply a lot of torque without 'buggering up' the screw.

(The remaining three stubborn screws that none of the SAKs could budge were then all successfully loosened using the Phillips driver of my Buck X-Tract.)

.

N


england Offline Benner

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Re: SAK Phillips Functionality
Reply #1 on: April 04, 2008, 10:57:05 PM
Interesting results, thanks.  :)

I often use the phillips drivers on my SAK's, and the best by far IMO are the "inline" ones as on the Swisschamp.  These tend to grip a lot better than those on the backspring. 
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Offline ringzero

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Re: SAK Phillips Functionality
Reply #2 on: April 04, 2008, 11:41:16 PM
Interesting results, thanks.  :)

I often use the phillips drivers on my SAK's, and the best by far IMO are the "inline" ones as on the Swisschamp.  These tend to grip a lot better than those on the backspring. 


I'll have to take your word for it Benner, because I don't have one on hand to compare.

I'm willing to believe the inline-style are a superior Phillips overall, but at least in this test I experienced no issues due to lack of grip with the T-style.

.
N


us Offline NutSAK

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Re: SAK Phillips Functionality
Reply #3 on: April 05, 2008, 02:10:01 AM
I like your test.  I would be willing to send you a Victorinox SAK with an inline phillips driver for temporary use in testing.

If you do that, I would like to suggest that you add #1 phillips screws to the test.
- Terry


us Offline J-sews

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Re: SAK Phillips Functionality
Reply #4 on: April 05, 2008, 03:05:49 AM
Interesting test ringzero. It would be good to hear how an inline compares.
In order to be certain of having the right tool for every job.........one must first acquire a lot of tools


Offline ringzero

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Re: SAK Phillips Functionality
Reply #5 on: April 05, 2008, 06:19:51 AM
I like your test.  I would be willing to send you a Victorinox SAK with an inline phillips driver for temporary use in testing.

If you do that, I would like to suggest that you add #1 phillips screws to the test.


Thanks for the kind offer NutSAK, but I'm not sure it'd be worth the effort to send a SAK back and forth for this purpose.  Besides if I do damage or break a SAK while testing, then I'd rather it be one of my own.  Eventually I'll probably be getting a Wenger S557 and then I'll be able try out its inline driver.

I did do a little testing on some No. 1 Phillips woodscrews out on the deck.  Results:

-The can opener drivers couldn't break any of the No. 1 screws loose, but did bugger up a few while trying.  (All of those No. 1 screws were put in using an electric drill, so it's really no surprise they won't loosen up with just a can opener driver.)

-The T-style drivers could loosen roughly half of the No. 1, and didn't bugger up any.

-The Buck X-Tract driver could loosen all of the No. 1 that I tried, and didn't bugger up any.

I also tried a few No. 3 woodscrews.  As expected, none of the SAKs nor the Buck X-Tract could even begin to break them loose.  (I put those big No. 3 screws in using an electric drill that really tightened them down.)

.
N


gb Offline Mike, Lord of the Spammers!

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Re: SAK Phillips Functionality
Reply #6 on: April 05, 2008, 09:04:06 AM
Good thorough test mate, thanks :)
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Offline jock1

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Re: SAK Phillips Functionality
Reply #7 on: April 05, 2008, 10:23:22 AM
Thanks for posting the test results I ahve nothing to comment on except that my swisschamp phillips saw a recent work out while decorating the bathroom and I had no problems shifting some screws that haven't moved since flares were in style
I will now have to get another new SAK just to compare it with.Cheers Mate you gave me a great excuse /reason to buy another SAK


us Offline Mike

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Re: SAK Phillips Functionality
Reply #8 on: April 05, 2008, 08:41:13 PM
Nice write up, I like hearing tests like this. SAK's really are pretty darn handy and pretty durable.

Many years ago I used nothing but a Tinker to take down and dismantle some cabinets in a lab I worked in. One of the doctors asked why I didn't just go find the department toolbox. I said if anyone knew where the darn thing was, I would have.  ::) The Tinker got the job done no problem. The screws I couldn't reach with the T-style Phillips were taken care of with the can opener Phillips.

Mike
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Offline ringzero

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Re: SAK Phillips Functionality
Reply #9 on: April 05, 2008, 11:33:33 PM
Thanks for posting the test results I ahve nothing to comment on except that my swisschamp phillips saw a recent work out while decorating the bathroom and I had no problems shifting some screws that haven't moved since flares were in style
I will now have to get another new SAK just to compare it with.Cheers Mate you gave me a great excuse /reason to buy another SAK



Yeah, you obviously need to get a SAK with one of the T-style drivers just for comparison.

Seriously though - a T-style driver will probably let you apply a tad more torque to the screw than you'll get with an inline driver.

.

N


Offline ringzero

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Re: SAK Phillips Functionality
Reply #10 on: April 05, 2008, 11:41:32 PM
Many years ago I used nothing but a Tinker to take down and dismantle some cabinets in a lab I worked in. One of the doctors asked why I didn't just go find the department toolbox. I said if anyone knew where the darn thing was, I would have.  ::) The Tinker got the job done no problem. The screws I couldn't reach with the T-style Phillips were taken care of with the can opener Phillips.

Mike


The Tinker does have amazing capability for a smaller, two-layer SAK!

My EDC Tinker has saved the day many times over the years, and I've usually been quite happy with the performance of its T-style Phillips driver.  Occasionally I encounter a Phillips that its T-style driver won't reach, but that's fairly rare.

These days it seems I encounter far more recessed Phillips in plastic cases for which the Tinker T-style works great.

.
N


us Offline NutSAK

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Re: SAK Phillips Functionality
Reply #11 on: April 08, 2008, 05:09:49 PM
Ringzero, do you have a Swisstool Spirit?

The phillips driver on the Spirit is machined exactly the same as the inline phillips found on SAKs.  You could substitute that driver in your test.
- Terry


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: SAK Phillips Functionality
Reply #12 on: April 08, 2008, 09:22:22 PM
The S557 is also a great choice to test on, as you will also get to see Wenger's patented pressure lock in action as well.  When you put pressure on the screw, the driver slides "into" the knife handle, locking it open.  You didn't mention experiencing any of the other types folding on your fingers, but trust me, that is a very unpleasant experience.

When selecting a SAK knowing I will likely encounter stubborn screws, I always reach for a Wenger model (or locking multi) for this reason.

Def
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Offline ringzero

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Re: SAK Phillips Functionality
Reply #13 on: April 09, 2008, 05:24:26 AM
Ringzero, do you have a Swisstool Spirit?

The phillips driver on the Spirit is machined exactly the same as the inline phillips found on SAKs.  You could substitute that driver in your test.


No, unfortunately I don't have a Spirit.  For a long time I couldn't decide between a Spirit or a Swisstool.

Then I got a SOG Powerlock, so I figure I'm set for heavy duty multis and should get a smaller, medium duty multi.

So, a Spirit is probably next on my list of multitool aquisitions.

.
 
N


Offline ringzero

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Re: SAK Phillips Functionality
Reply #14 on: April 09, 2008, 05:49:51 AM
The S557 is also a great choice to test on, as you will also get to see Wenger's patented pressure lock in action as well.  When you put pressure on the screw, the driver slides "into" the knife handle, locking it open.  You didn't mention experiencing any of the other types folding on your fingers, but trust me, that is a very unpleasant experience.

When selecting a SAK knowing I will likely encounter stubborn screws, I always reach for a Wenger model (or locking multi) for this reason.

Def


Yeah.  Since I got the Wenger Taskmate, I've come to appreciate several of the Wenger features.

Taskmate has a locking slothead driver, which is a great feature indeed!

Also, I have come to appreciate its old-school, razor-sharp can opener for slicing open blister packs, cardboard packages, etc.  Works great for slicing packaging where over-penetration and possible damage to contents is a concern.  Also great for those "nasty" cutting jobs where you want to spare the main blade to avoid damage.

Taskmate still has the non-locking T-style Phillips, but I've never really had a T-style Phillips fold up and damage my fingers while in use.

Anyways, the S557 does look like a really capable SAK and I want to try out its Wenger Universal Wrench!

.

N


spam Offline scrappy

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Re: SAK Phillips Functionality
Reply #15 on: April 10, 2008, 01:05:59 AM
yes, the phillips on the swiss toll is amazing. I beleive it is the inline you refer to?


us Offline NutSAK

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Re: SAK Phillips Functionality
Reply #16 on: April 10, 2008, 03:49:10 PM
yes, the phillips on the swiss toll is amazing. I beleive it is the inline you refer to?

Yes, it is the same as the in-line phillips on a Victorinox SAK.
- Terry


 

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