I previously posted about Dewalt’s USA-made screwdrivers, a mostly unknown line of seemingly industrial-focused screwdrivers sold at some independent tool dealers (as opposed to Home Depot or other big box stores).
I have only used one of these screwdrivers, a Phillips #2 I purchased in late 2017. My USA-made Dewalt screwdriver is well-made and is comfortable to use. Although tempted to purchase a couple more of these screwdrivers, the price is a little steep, although not out of line with industry norms.
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Jake recently learned that Dewalt was listing SKUs related to this product line as being discontinued and asked us to investigate. We reached out to Dewalt and heard back – yes, they are being discontinued.
So, if you were thinking of picking up a set of these USA-made Dewalt screwdrivers, now’s the time to do it. Well, now or the next time Acme Tools or Tool Nut run any kind of percent-off promos. While discontinued, I haven’t yet seen any clearance pricing.
Dewalt points to Proto’s Duratek line as being suitable replacements. I’ve used Mac test samples of similarly styled screwdrivers, and they’re good drivers. Still, they’re not quite the same.
I’ll likely pick up at least another Phillips #2 screwdriver. With as many screwdrivers as I already have, I don’t feel compelled to buy a set, but I’m fond enough to want a backup for my Phillips in case it gets misplaced. I might also buy a single slotted driver to pair it with.
Buy Now(6pc set via Acme Tools)
Buy Now(via Tool Nut)
Acme Tools has more individual size selection, Tool Nut has more set options.
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Learn More About These Dewalt Screwdrivers
If you’re interested in USA-made screwdrivers but have a more modest budget, I would draw your attention to Tekton screwdrivers. At higher pricing, Williams is also a good brand, but not everyone is fond of their handle styling.
JoeM
This does not surprise me. And, if we’re being honest, it doesn’t worry me either.
About all that was improved about this line was the ergonomics, which were well designed, as expected from DeWALT. But, beyond that? They were still Stanley/FatMAX/SBD screwdrivers. There truly wasn’t enough in the ergonomics to make them a big seller. And certainly not enough to go with this line rather than any of the… well… dozens? Is it Hundreds now? I don’t know… Any of the similar sets from the SBD family. As they said, the Proto sets would do fine, and I would probably agree there. Are they as comfortable as the DeWALT line? Probably not exactly, but… it’s a Screwdriver. Expensive Screwdriver at that! Ergonomics were never going to save this line.
On the upside… I’m not too worried about it. The factory where they made these is still there, they’ll make something else there. Maybe everyone’s precious Craftsman will go there? Maybe some actual Stanley drivers? Maybe they recommend Proto, because they’re moving in there? They’re SBD, and they have an American factory there. It is probably cheaper to at least get more tools out of that factory than to close it down. So, I wouldn’t be worried about losing the DeWALT line.
Personally… There are several DeWALT lines of hand tools that I am surprised have lasted as long as they have on the market. For all the same reasons. DeWALT’s ergonomics rarely make the tools worth the added price. The now discontinued folding utility knife? Worth it. The 5-in-1 Hacksaw (Which I nicknamed the Voltron Saw.) was also worth it. There’s a Stanley version of that, I’ve compared the grips, and the DeWALT is worth it, without question. But these are among a kind of… rarity… among the hand tools.
Despite SBD having so much experience making hand tools, for some reason DeWALT is just slapping their Ergonomics on Stanley tool designs, and calling it a day. I kinda hope for more than that. And frankly, I’m hoping they try this set again, with more than just improved ergonomics. Maybe a lower price point so the industrial competition can’t compete, or something like that. Otherwise, DeWALT doesn’t really do Hand Tools very well at all. And I’m a DeWALT user saying this. I’m happy to go to Stanley on Hand Tools, instead of DeWALT. I still often get my Black and Yellow fix from them. Or one of their sibling brands for that matter. I’d be getting the same product anyways.
One day I’ll upgrade to the REAL industrial stuff, and never have to have this conversation again. But for now? DeWALT didn’t do enough to merit the higher price point, so it’s not a surprise. We’ll see something else out of that factory instead, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing.
Stuart
My understanding is that these drivers came from the same factory that makes Proto and Mac screwdrivers, and as such they should be a big upgrade over existing Dewalt screwdrivers.
Does the factory have the capacity to produce Craftsman screwdrivers? With there be enough retail contracts and volume to support a line of USA-made Pro Craftsman drivers at lower pricing?
JoeM
Well, that’s the point, isn’t it? They were a major upgrade to DeWALT Screwdrivers. The same factory, in your own words, makes Proto and Mac screwdrivers. The question becomes, how big a step up were this line between ORIGINAL DeWALT Screwdrivers, and the Proto or Mac line?
The answer, I’d have to say, is not much. Ergonomically, the DeWALT industrial drivers were better than the originals. But… The originals, ergonomically, were akin to a kick in the face by a donkey with steel-toed boots on. Not literally, but the bar for “Better than DeWALT Screwdrivers” is extremely low on the scale. Were these Industrial drivers better? Of course. Proto, Mac, or even STANLEY/FatMAX good? Not at $7 a driver, no. They were good, not great. And at that price point, I’m sure there are team TTI fans who would say, easily, that they weren’t enough to compete with everyone else’s offerings in the same category.
Honestly? It isn’t a big deal. As noted a little further down, the MaxFIT drivers seem to be better. Perhaps that is a line that will get expanded to that factory? Or, perhaps one of SBD’s other brands will move in on that line of manufacturing, next to Proto and Mac? The Factory is probably going to keep going for a long time, so the loss of a DeWALT product that they didn’t do very well, is just as good as them making room for a better product. It may even be another DeWALT industrial line all together, with complete redesigns.
It’s just not that big a loss, when you balance out the potential for a new line in its place. Maybe Craftsman will just get plain old Screwdrivers made there, with all the quality and precision you’d expect from the Industrial level, but American Made BASIC Craftsman branded. The potential is there, because DeWALT isn’t taking up that space anymore. Same could be said for Stanley/StanleyFatMAX drivers. Maybe they are just a mould change away from releasing the same ones under a lower end line?
It’s all good, really. They were good drivers, but they weren’t exceptional. And the potential for one of the other SBD brands to benefit from what makes the Proto and Mac tools ACTUALLY Exceptional is sitting there, waiting. And the changeover is still going to require people working there to make the change, so there’s no work stoppage or anything like that.
Gary
FWIW, the new manufacturing plant being built in Fort Worth — which has been designated primarily a mechanics tools plant — will manufacture tools for Proto and Mac, as well as Craftsman.
Proto’s screwdrivers are made in South Carolina, in a facility that also manufactures tools for DeWalt. Having discontinued the DeWalt screwdrivers, SBD should seemingly have the available capacity to make a pro-line of screwdrivers.
Is there a market for such a line … I have no idea. I bought the full range of the now-discontinued DeWalt screwdriver line for ~$150. I think it includes 22 screwdrivers, which comes out to $7 per screwdriver … is there a market for $7 screwdrivers?
Gary T.
i bought a full set of these from Acme tools. While OK, I actually like the maxfit (black handle) screwdrivers better.
Corey Moore
I’ve been pretty pointedly moving to KC tool for hand tools for awhile now. My rachets and sockets are all Snap-on still, and my box wenches are the same Craftsman I inherited, but pretty much everything else at this point is Wera, Wiha, knipex, and NWS. Zero complaints.
Hans
Who was the founder of Dewalt Tools? Was he a french canadian, a french Noble man (de Walt) or is Dewalt just a computor generated name that shall give some Class to mundane SBD.tools?
Corey Moore
American, first name Raymond, invented radial arm saw.
Hans
Thanks, nice to know. So they have a heritage to be proud of then. I thought their roots were Black & Deckers hobby power tools.
JoeM
I hope you realise that much of Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, and the Carolinas are the home territory of the Acadian French Speaking colonists. They’re the ones that fought for US Independence from the British… They’re also the origin of the word Cajun, and its connected dialect. The Cajun and Acadian peoples of North America are incredibly proud people, whether they be from the US or Canada.
The USA owes a lot more to French speakers than your comment gives credit for here. It’s a little insulting to wait until the USA is the confirmed origin of a person’s name before allowing that person to have any pride in their origin. I’m Canadian, and quite proud of it. My Father and Grandmother were born in Montreal, and spoke perfect English AND French. Both grandparents on my Mother’s side were French speakers, and several generations before them spoke either a lost Native language, or French. I’ve known many people from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and parts of Prince Edward Island, and they are French speakers first. One of the fastest sailing ships ever built, the Blue Nose, was built in those provinces. People from the Maritime provinces, and Quebec, fought in the two World Wars, and personally liberated Vimy Ridge, and fought tirelessly for the freedom of all nations in those wars, LONG before the USA joined either one.
Being Canadian is nothing to be ashamed of. Mocking a French oriented name is not okay from anyone, at any time. Not cool, Hans. Just not cool.
And, if you had bothered to… You could have just googled the answer to that question of yours, instead of insulting everyone of French descent the way you did. DeWALT was bought by the Corporate entity SBD from its original, independent, founding company. For the full history, feel free to look here, and don’t worry, it’s in English so you don’t have to worry about any French getting involved:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeWalt
Ca va bien?
Hans
I did not mean anything derogatory or to insult anyone with my question. I just wanted to if the name was a “real” name or computor generated. I have great respect for the french and the canadian peoples and their cultures. I’m sorry to have upset you.
Corey Moore
Yeah, I’m not reading all that. Your feelings and thoughts on whatever you took from that brief exchange are of course perfectly valid, and I’m certainly not positioning myself in opposition to whatever they are. But, it was a simple question, which was provided a simple answer via an equally simple search. Didn’t mean any slights by omission, or devaluing any histories in my brevity, and I apologize if anything like that came across.
MichaelHammer
Need help removing that chip from your shoulder? Nothing you read into the question was there.
Sean Hubbard
Ace hardware still has some USA made screwdrivers. I have the cushion style drivers and have to say they are the best set I ever bought. I also have the cushion style 6 in 1. Couldn’t be happier. Get them while you can.
Andrew
Dewalt hand tools never seemed to really catch on and as has been said many times SBD has to many brands doimg the same thing. Maybe craftsman will be their hand tool brand below proto and be a real prosumer brand. After all hand tools is what made craftsman not the junk power tools Sears put out. Or I could be wrong.
Corey Moore
I’ve got 2 dewalt hand tools and I avoid all the rest. The xp tapes have been great, and are one of a very few that have a 4 way blade hook, and the model or two back auto loader utility knife that lets you store blades under the retractor. To be fair these are getting long in the tooth and I’m leaning towards a Lufkin shockforce and a fiskar folding knife as replacements, but the two Dewalt tools have done admirably. If there’s a well known manufacturer of a hand tool I need, I’ll grab it way before any power tool brand “us too” hand tool.
Andrew
The dewalt set looked ok to me for w truck set. Kinda heavy and bulky. I find basically all SBD tapes basically the same just a tad different than the fatmax. My preference is the craftsman just because of the white tape is easier for me to see. The fatmax has a better feel though.
Corey Moore
If my timeline is correct, I believe the latest “ergonomic” fatmax was actually styled after the Dewalt XP, which is more spherical than most tapes.
Mike (the other one)
I have a feeling we will see these again in red and black.
Thom
I think so too
Kent
I think the tool brands sold in big box stores are mostly ignored by industry. If a company normally buys xxx brand of high end, US made tools, DeWALT isn’t going to be on their radar for hand tools.
I’m not surprised at all. They would have needed a massive marketing push to convince everybody to step up to their upscale line, an dmost of us have never heard of it.
The company I work for builds prototyping machine shops for tech companies. We wouldn’t consider DeWALT screwdrivers, no matter the COE, price or quality becuae our customers wouldn’t consider them to be a high quality tool – and would think that we were overcharging for Home Depot quality tools.
JoeM
I think you’ve pretty much summed up the entire line of DeWALT hand tools, if we’re being totally honest here.
They’re using Stanley-originating designs, with DeWALT industrial ergonomics, sold at Consumer-level stores, to target an Industrial market that has entirely separate preferred tool brands. I get that business is business, and DeWALT is trying to reach out to a new demographic, which is admirable. But to do so SBD has to break ties with Home Depot and Lowe’s permanently in the US, and Canadian Tire, Home Hardware, and Rona in Canada, who have exclusivity contracts with the parent company. Not to mention the mass market stores worldwide. (In fact I might have missed at least 3 other stores in the US alone. Canadian, so, I don’t know them all.)
If SBD wants DeWALT industrial to survive, they’re going to need to move their exclusivity contracts to places like Aucklands-Grainger, Fastenal, and Guilevin, at the very least. Those are just the first three off the top of my head that are North-America-Wide industrial suppliers. And even then, they’re going to have to compete with their own industrial brands, like Proto and Mac. Otherwise, DeWALT is going to consistently fail in the hand tool market as a whole. Not because they are bad tools, but rather because they’re overpriced versions of Stanley tools, and the DeWALT install base knows better. Stanley hand tools are not perfect, but they are pretty good for the home market. Rebranding them DeWALT, making them more comfortable to use, and adding a 50% markup for the name, is not going to work on the public, or the industrial market.
In fact, if you could give me the names of some of those industrial suppliers, I’d be happier dealing with them than the Box Stores. At least I’d know I’m getting something I specifically want and need, not that plus a bunch of impulse buys.
It’s a great point you’ve made Kent!
Kent
Your comment made me thing even more about how we purchase for our clients, and it made me think of McMaster Carr. We don’t but that much from McMaster for tools, because they can be more expensive, but they also don’t list the brand name of most things. SInce we do laser cut foam inserts for tool box drawers, buying the exact same brand each time lets us reuse the laser art, which is terribly time consuming to make.
Thinking about McMaster… when I order from them, I know I’ll get a good tool, even if the brand name isn’t mentioned before purchase. I can promise you that you’ll *never* get a box of DeWALT “professional” hand tools from them; their customers would send them back.
Bobby
They looked decent from the pictures, but as you said there are similar Proto models still available. Not that I need more screwdrivers, but I still like to buy different brands because I like to see what I like, what I don’t like. The Proto Duratek are on my list to try. I agree with Mike(the other one) that we may see a Craftsman version in the future, which would be cool to see. Wright Tool also makes some nice screwdrivers (USA made).
Hans
If you look for function in lieu of flashy design I’d recommend Vaco’s mighty “Bulldrivers”. They are, as far as I know, still made in the USA. They can transfer a real good amount of torque. Vaco is owned by Kein.
Enderes screw drivers also have well designed handles for big torque transfer..