These small Wera Kraftform bit holding screwdrivers (813 R) are absolutely perfect for EDC (everyday carry) use. Pop one of these drivers into your pocket, tool bag, or car, along with a few of your most commonly used screwdriver bits, and you can tackle most spontaneous fastener adjustment tasks.
Despite my growing number of multi-bit screwdrivers, with the PB Swiss Insider still being my favorite, I find that screwdriver bit holders can be more convenient at times.
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The Wera Kraftform 813 R screwdriver, while quite small, is surprisingly comfortable to use. You wouldn’t want to use it for high torque applications, but it’s great for casual fastening tasks.
Just last week I used my Kraftform screwdriver along with a Phillips #2 bit to replace the brake light in my car. Equip it with a few hex or Torx bits, and it’s perfect as a bike tool for emergency field use or quick adjustments.
The screwdriver is a hair over 3-1/2 inches long, and it is built with a Wera Rapidaptor-style non-magnetic locking bit holder. It works with common 1/4″ hex bits, including 1-inch insert bits and 2-inch power bits.
There are two versions – the regular green-colored one, and ESD-safe yellow-colored one. The ESD version is made using a static-dissipating material that helps makes it safer to use on sensitive electronics.
I purchased the ESD version because it was a buck cheaper. Although I haven’t used it a lot in the two years since I purchased it, I feel I got my money’s worth. There have been times when the screwdriver’s small size has been indispensible where nothing else would have been as comfortable to use or carry.
This driver is not without its downsides. First, there’s no built-in bit storage, but I knew that before I bought it. Second, there’s no easy way to attach it to a key ring. I would have drilled a hole through the handle a while ago, but the driver is not quite small enough for keychain carry. Maybe I will eventually drill a hole anyway, not for a keyring but for a small metal bar to increase leverage.
Overall, this is a very nice screwdriver. It’s priced at $13-15 and the one I purchased from Amazon was made in the Czech Republic.
In theory the yellow ESD-safe version might have lesser properties than the green version, but I have yet to find any weakness. I mostly use my driver in clean and dry environments and cannot comment about the solvent or chemical resistance of the plastic handles.
Buy Now(Green via Amazon)
Buy Now(Yellow via Amazon)
Unfortunately, I have not yet found a perfect carrying case that fits just a few 1-inch screwdriver bits. There are plenty of cases for larger bit assortments, but not many if you just want to carry up to 4 bits. Eventually I’ll learn a few machining skills and make my own, but in the meantime I’m wondering to see what you guys might recommend.
fred
Wiha sells a small case:
http://www.kctoolco.com/Wiha-Pokit-Pak-Box-p/91010.htm
fred
The Ullman bit holder might be another alternative – I would think it would be easy enough to cut it into pieces:
http://www.ullman-devices.com/specialty_tools/BH-2_bit_holder.html
Stuart
Those and others like it are okay in a drawer, but might degrade over time if carried in a pocket or bag.
Jerry
I got a set of bits that came with a holder like that, and you are right. Over time in a tool bag, the material either stretches or weakens, and the bits are less secure than I like. It now sits in a drawer, keeping the bits organized, which it does well.
Stan
Stuart, I have bought eight of those American made Ullman model number BH-2 1/4 inch vinyl bit holders at Harry J Epstein and none of them have shown any signs of degrading and they have seen some rough exposure.
I highly recommend these as not only are these 100% made in the United States of America and you can buy these at Harry J Epstein and in addition these are very well built.
At only $1.20 these aren’t vastly expensive.
James C
I can’t really tell how big these are from the pictures, but could you put a screw eye in the end of the handle for a keychain or lanyard?
Stuart
Possibly. The end of the driver is about as wide as a US dime. Whether it will still be comfortable to hold and use is a different story.
Dan
Get a standard 1/4″ hex bit, drill it to take a key ring and plug it in to the rapid adapter, I would expect it will stay on most of the time but you could occasionally leave the handle behind when getting your keys out.
Stuart
I like that idea! Drilling through hardened bits doesn’t seem like fun, but if it could be done easily enough, one could carry a string of screwdriver bits on their keychain.
Dan
I meant as a way to carry the handle on your keys but I can see how you could carry some bits also.
Stuart
I know, I was only building on top of your idea. =)
Ball_bearing
I know this is old, but could you heat the bit with a torch so it loses it’s temper/hardness?
It will be used as a keychain so hardness wouldn’t be that important.
Stuart
Possibly. There are also more accessories available now where you might not have to go through that trouble.
MM
@Ball Bearing
Absolutely yes. I have done it many times to drill & tap the ends of hardened steel linear guide rods that were sufficiently hard they could not be scratched with a file. I’d stick the part in a bucket of water to keep most of it from overheating, then direct the torch just at the end where I wanted to ruin the heat treat. The water prevents the temper of the main body of the part from being affected.
But if one has a good stable drill press the tungsten carbide drill bit suggestions that others made is even easier, IMHO.
Mike
Drilling through hardened bits wouldnt be very tough with carbide tooling. Would just take a little time and patience.
Matt
Somethings tells me those bits will drill pretty easy. I am gonna try one this weekend
Jerry
I suspect that only the working ends are truly hardened. There is no reason to harden the shank of the bit, and in the case of impact rated bits, the advantage would be to not have the butt end hard, to help absorb a bit of the shock from the impact mechanism.
joe
At work I was repairing furniture drawers here and there where there was barely any room for a regular size screwdriver. I took the shaft off a small screwdriver handle in a vice and shoved a bit holder like this one http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31PRg48mLfL.jpg find it its easy to carry now too.
Robert
These are pretty slick and no doubt great as a pocketable tool. If I was going for the Wera in the first place however, I’d probably just get the Kraftform Kompakt. Although comparatively larger, it’s still ideal for EDC and other on the go scenerios. Plus the slightly larger grip can be outweighed by the benefits. You gain bit storage as well as more gripping power. While still compact, it can give you added leverage in the absence of a power tool when a fastener is more resistant to a smaller grip.
It’s also nice to have the extendable shaft if needed, and the ability to chuck it into a power tool. Granted it’s more expensive, but Wera drivers are more of a “luxury” tool to begin with . I’d go ahead and bite the bullet.
SteveR
I found these two Klein 32-piece sets (#32525 and #32526) of magnetic screwdriver bits. The -25 has 31 tamper-proof bits plus a small hex adaptor for 1/4″ sockets, while the -26 contains 31 standard bits plus a small hex adaptor. The light gray holder is of a substantial rubber material, which should hold up over time. The dimensions are 2-5/8″ long x 1-3/8″ wide x 1″ high; with bits in place it is 1-1/2″ high. Each holder also has a through-hole for your driver, to keep everything together. I believe the -26 is around $18.95, while the -25 is $20.07, both at Amazon. The same bit sets are also available at Home Depot.
I realize the quest was for just the holder; however, each contains a number of bits that you might need but which are hard to assemble on your own. It’s possible that Klein may sell you the holder alone if you contact the company. I suppose it would be considered pocketable if you were wearing cargo pants. The exposed bits would soon chew up a shirt or pants pocket, however. If I had to carry these around with me, I would chuck them into a tool belt or carry bag.
Another possibility is to just carry your Leatherman; they have screwdriver bits built into them. Some also carry one-inch bits in their body for use as needed. Most of those tools come with a nylon or leather scabbard, which attaches to your belt (which is out of your way and doesn’t abrade any clothing).
SteveR
Stuart–I came back and re-read the article. If all you want to carry around is 4 or 5 bits, how about just using a small pill box or a small metal match case (like you would have for carrying matches on camping trips)? The former could be found at a store like Walgreens, CVS, Rite-Aid, etc. The latter could be found at a sporting goods store. Cases made of aluminum would be light weight and durable. If it was a cylindrical tube (one-inch in diameter) with rounded ends (pull-apart or threaded), it would be less likely to damage your pants pocket.
Stuart
What I have in mind is a cylindrical section of Delrin with 1/4″ holes bored in. The center will have a set screw or socket head cap screw with plastic thread-locker and maybe 1/4″ protruding from the top for a screw-down top.
Or maybe a 3.5″ hollow tube with caps that takes up less space than the driver itself.
SteveR
One other possibility occurred to me; you could make a bit carrier out of PVC pipe parts (Schedule 40). You could take a short nipple (extender piece) with threads on both ends and smooth in the middle (probably 2″-3″), and two threaded caps. You simply thread the caps on both ends, and you have a bit carrier. If you wanted, you could glue one of the caps on so that only one would open.
Alternatively, you could take an existing nipple (say 6″, or whatever length you have on hand) and cut one end off to the length you want. You would thread one cap on; for the other end you would use an unthreaded cap that would be glued on with PVC cement. You probably wouldn’t need the primer for this, just the cement should suffice. Cyanoacrylate (Super Glue) would probably work, too.
Robert
As Steve R. indicated, medicine cases can be great for small items like insert bits. Here’s a link for a metal one that’s not only durable, but also has a ring for a key chain. They also tend to block out moisture, which is great for preventing rust.
http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/ezy-dose-deluxe-metal-pill-fob/ID=prod6070361-product
SteveR
I posted a lot to this at the time it was put up, and I accidentally came back to it this morning. For simple bit storage (4-6, tops), have you considered one of the small plastic film “bottles” used to house a roll of film for cameras a few years back? It’s cylindrical, it’s gray or black and the cap is easily popped on or off. You’ve probably got one or more in the house already that have been repurposed to hold odd screws, nuts and shirt buttons. You could mark the cap with a Sharpie to read “S.D. Bits” for easy identification.
Another possibility is just an empty plastic bottle that prescription medications come in. They come in several different sizes, and in any color you want as long as its see-through orange plastic. The child-proof cap assures you that your son won’t find it and be able to open it, spilling the contents.
Either way, they should be able to accomplish the task for an EDC screwdriver, and at no cost.
Alick
Noticing this old post, I thought i’d comment as I have one of these little wera 813 handles and two of the identical but larger 817 model.
Except for the pb swiss versions which i’ve not yet tried, I think these are the best bit holders on the market.
The 813 is very small- not much bigger than a micro screwdriver handle – so very pocketable. It will still shift a philips or pozi #2 if not fastened too tightly.
The 817 being bigger gives a much better grip.
A tip for all of these bit holders is to use them with longer 2″ or 3″ bits. It makes them more like a conventional screwdriver and very usable.
The little 813 with a 2″ long bit is really nice.
Iain R
All that talk of drilling hex bits for a keychain made me think of this Vessel bit that I saw on Amazon Japan – might add one to my next order (not quite worth the shipping charge on it’s own!):
https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B018JB69HE/
Don
Responding to an old thread and would like your opinion. You said: “In theory the yellow ESD-safe version might have lesser properties than the green version…”
Is there any reason not to purchase ESD rated precision screwdrivers and precision pliers, other than price? Are they weaker in some way?
Stuart
I don’t know.
In [my] theory, the regular version might be made from highest performance materials, and the ESD is made with the focus on being conductive and ESD safe. There *might* be a functional difference.
I keep saying “in theory,” because I have not seen any practical differences in regard to strength or durability, at least not yet.
I don’t need ESD protection, but I was able to buy that one for less than the regular version, and so I did.