Channellock is launching new screwdrivers that are 100% made in the USA.
The new Channellock USA-made screwdrivers are said to be designed for professional use and can “take the rigors of everyday use.”
They feature high-torque reinforced handles, stamped sizing, magnetic precision-machined tips, and polished shafts.
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The Channellock Blue handle has a 3-sided design and is heat-stabilized for abrasion protection, impact resistance, and chemical tolerance.
Channellock says their new hard-handle screwdrivers are 100% made in the USA.
At the time of this posting, the SD-4H 4pc set is the first to launch, with Phillips #1 x 4″, Phillips #2 x 6″, Slotted 3/16″ x 4″, and Slotted 1/4″ x 6″ sizes.
More sizes and styles are on the way.
Channellock has said that they will be launching screwdrivers in Phillips, slotted, square recess, Torx, multi-bit, standard and metric nut drivers, and specialty styles.
Price: $34.95 for the 4pc set
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These are not Channellock’s first USA-made screwdrivers – they launched acetate-handled screwdrivers back in 2014.
NoahG
Is Channellock making these in-house? Perhaps Mayhew sourced?
Stuart
They haven’t said.
They also have pry bars on the way.
Mayhew announced new USA-made screwdrivers a few months ago, and the handle shapes sure look similar.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CkgvDs_MokN/
Donny McFarland
Screwdrivers and picks are Mayhew.
Pry bars look to be Wilde.
Jared
That’s good news. Mayhew makes good stuff.
Scott K
Did Wilde make Craftsman’s (older) USA made pry bars? I have a set that has held up nicely.
Stuart
Yes, until 2013 or so. https://toolguyd.com/fyi-craftsman-pry-bars-now-made-in-taiwan/
Mark M.
I could be wrong but I believe Wilde is making some HyperTough prybars for Walmart. I bought some last year, made in USA with strike caps. Less than $15 each and they are solid.
jozefski
Some prybars were made by vaughan.. Levels & squares by
johnson…
ITCD
They must be who’s making them for Wright now also, the dark red acetate handles disappeared (I assume they were Pratt-Read or something) and now new sets just released with this exact same handle shape. The Channellock ones appear to be missing the ribbing up by the shank end, unless it’s just the photo, otherwise yeah they look the same too.
Wright already goes through Mayhew for some stuff like punches and pry bars so it’s not surprising.
TimL
I like the non-flared design on the straight blades. Too spendy for me to replace the ones I currently own and barely use though. Would be better for a pro who uses them often.
Joatman
I like the these too. I also have no problem spending 8, 9, or $10 on a single screwdriver…..but I can’t buy a 4 pc set for $35 being i would only use the No2 sizes of each. I’d look at it like $16.50 each. But I do like the design and color. Thumbs up
Joatman
$17.50 each
Nathan
I like it. I don’t need them but I like it.
Hope this grows. I might buy a set for someone just because. Which one of the items was a bit holder with a hex shaft or hex bolster. My favorite manual screw tool. Multifunctional, and able to get torque on when the rare times you need to.
sha
sucks they got rid of their acetate handle screwdrivers, i really liked those.
ITCD
They disappeared not too long after Pratt-Read got shuttered. That might not be just a coincidence.
Mike (the other one)
It’s not. Pratt-Read was the OEM for Channellock, along with many other brands.
Mike (the other one)
Clarification, Pratt-Read made screwdrivers for Channellock and many other brands.
Masterforce, Master Mechanic, Martin, Wright, Tekton, and at one point they made screwdrivers for Husky, Sears Craftsman, Stanley, and several other brands.
Jason
I liked the acetate ones as well. Picked up a few sizes of Robertson in them, nice solid drivers.
Although I will probably pick up some of the new ones eventually.
The 4 pack or maybe hold out for a couple singles in the future.
A Torx set would be nice if I hadn’t just ordered a felo set
OldDominionDIYer
Despite having a set available at HD, they have ZERO screwdrivers of any kind available on their Channel Lock website! I guess the circa 2014 ones are already gone.
Jack D
I’d need to get my hands on these first, but in theory I have no problem with that price point. I also admire the simplicity of the handle design…I’ve grown tired of the multiple material driver handles that seem to pervade everything. Gimme a good solid handle, and I’m happy!
(At least another company is bringing USA made tools back! Baby steps, but steps nonetheless!)
Ball_bearing
Well, I better start saving up. I hope they release the bitholding screwdriver soon enough. That baby blue color will be easy to spot inside a tool bag.
Dominic S
Channellock, represent Pennsylvania!
AllenN
I think Tekton is also made by mayhew? Handle design is similar.
Patrick T
I thought the same thing after seeing the blades in the Mayhew instagram post shared above. I think the Tekton handle is a bit different in shape. More square-ish.
ITCD
Yeah Tekton is definitely different handle shape, and they’ve had those for a while now before Mayhew made their announcement. Tekton’s hard handles I think are deliberately shaped somewhat similarly to Snap-on.
AllenN
Yeah the tekton square handles are great I have a set. They also my the trilobed ones that also look remarkably similar to some mayhew branded versions.
ITCD
Oh yeah the high torques. I’m not sure how I would like that shape for regular drivers but they’re actually quite nice for stubbies.
Diego
Just need them to up their distribution. It’s hard to find channel lock products in stores other than online.
ITCD
The pliers (at least the most common stuff) seem very easy to come by. Ace, Lowe’s, Home Depot…
I found my acetate screwdrivers at Tractor Supply, in store.
Diego
That’s my main concern. I would actually like to purchase some of those pry bars, but who’s gunna carry them. I can find the pliers at the big box stores, but the only screwdrivers I’ve seen were online or eBay.
ITCD
I’m sure national distributors aren’t the only ones buying Channellock to stock their shelves. Sometimes gotta check mom n pops, if they sell CL even if they don’t have the pry bars in stock I’m sure they could get them in if you asked about it.
Joe E.
I’m in the market for a new set of Torx screwdrivers, and these may fit the bill.
Glad to see Channellock has sold like so many other companies recently.
Bob
Another generation of Channey driver. I collect them, and, this is at least the 9th gen., of which 7 are/ were USA. Ii don’t have room on the pegboard for more drivers. And, the 1st offering is kinda pricy
Also interesting, after eagle grip and USA craftsman cancellations, a USA tool maker (of which we’re running out of), is introducing a new line, which, it isn’t. Just a replacement for the short lived P/R made blue/clear gen.
ITCD
Lots of tool makers still out there, at least more than I think most realize. Gotta hunt, gotta research, sometimes gotta determine what is and isn’t if they also have some offshore stuff in their catalog, and sometimes gotta be willing to pony up some money. Still have Moody out there making precision screwdrivers and tiny wrenches, still have Janesville Tool making arbor presses, got Boss Hammer who boldly fired up in 2020 even with all that was going on, still got Lixie and Xuron and Whiteside Machine Co and Trinco with sandblasting cabinets and Dorsey Metrology with their dial indicators and Big Blu making blacksmith tools and even anvils.
Just gotta be willing to dig and search sometimes. Lots of names out there few have heard of and are much more regional but still doing what they do within the States.
DRT42
I hear ya, but one of my “friends” just had to inform me that Whiteside Machine can no longer list their bits as “USA” because … not sufficient American content. Go check, you’ll see what I mean. The older bits say USA, but the new ones don’t.
Mike
Like Channellock and was looking to replace my stinky Craftsman screwdrivers. However, the local Lowes has been clearing out 5 piece set of Wiha SoftFinish slotted and phillips screwdrivers (30723) for $16.
ITCD
It got lower, I got in on that deal when it was $20! Still not a bad deal for what you’re getting, Wiha are nice. But I still also like my Channellock acetates, but with those disappearing conspicuously around the time Wright’s acetates poofed out of existence I’m wondering if it was due to Pratt-Read, and left both companies hunting for a new supplier. Glad they found one. I’ll probably get some, I dunno, I’m just a “well I gotta try all the handles” kind of guy.
Mike
I bought the 5 Wiha screwdriver set at $20 when they first went on sale (plus couple of Softfinish 11 in 1 screwdrivers for $16 each). But when they dropped the five piece set to $15.97, could not resist getting another one even though I really didn’t need it.
Kent_Skinner
$35 for a 4 piece USA set? Awesome.
Glad to see more options, especially at the big box stores.
Andy
I honestly don’t see how US manufacturing is viable. Assuming employees want to spend ~30% of their income on housing, employees would need to make about $61 an hour to afford a 1 bedroom apartment by me. If they need something bigger, or actually want to buy a home, the required salary increases dramatically. I seriously don’t know, but do manufacturing jobs really pay that well?
ITCD
Don’t set up in high COL areas. The swing between how high and how low living costs can go in the States is insane. 10 years ago, $10 would have been an absolute insult of a wage in a city even then, but was actually decent money when I started where I work, because it’s in a county of 10,000 people that has reasonable rents and whatnot.
Brad
Sometimes, mostly when I really want to feel resentful about how much housing costs here in Central Maryland, I go back and look at what houses cost where I grew up in the Wichita area. I believe it’s still called the “Air Capital of the World” due to its ridiculous concentration of airplane parts manufacturing.