I took advantage of Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale pricing to get myself a PB Swiss interchangeable screwdriver set, available with “trendy” tool roll colors.
I had previously dismissed these rollups and other PB Swiss rollup tool sets as excessively priced, and they are pricey. Right now, they’re $76 via Count on Tools at Amazon, more on Count On Tools’ website.
Plus, I’m not usually a fan of interchangeable shaft screwdrivers. 1/4″ bit holders are different. Interchangeable shafts work with a proprietary system, leading to potential issues. What if I need a replacement bit? The only option is usually a few bucks plus lots more for shipping.
Here’s my thought process for ordering 2 sets for review: 1) I really like PB Swiss tools, 2) this would be a great opportunity to try out a bunch of tools I wasn’t compelled to buy in the past, and 3) this is probably the best pricing we’d see until next year.
I ended up splurging on a bunch of PB Swiss Tools – more than I care to admit to right now. Part of the reason is I was still sick that weekend and had lost my mind a little, part of the reason is wanting to do more PB Swiss tool reviews on ToolGuyd (nobody else is doing them).
And a big part of it is that I ended up missing the Cyber Monday ordering deadline. I spoke to Count On Tools on Tuesday, telling them what happened and asking if there will be another sale later in the year. They said that if I ordered that day, they’d be willing to apply the Black Friday/Cyber Monday discount. Somehow, that led to my order more than tripling in size.
SORRY! Back to the set.
This set comes with a SwissGrip handle, 2 precision screwdrivers, 4 slotted screwdriver blades, 2 Phillips screwdriver blades, and a pointed awl for making small holes. There’s also the tool roll.
That’s not a lot for $76. That’s for 11 pieces, including the tool roll, so figure $6.90 a piece.
See Also: PB Swiss Screwdriver Set
Alternatively, there’s a 6-tool screwdriver set for $59, including separate Phillips and slotted drivers. I have that set, and I love the screwdrivers, but I don’t know if I’d buy the same set again for $60. I was comfortable spending the $30.50 it cost me back in 2008.
PB Swiss tools are pricey. But, the tool quality is PHENOMENAL.
As to why I think this set might be a great gift item, I like to gift items that recipients wouldn’t buy for themselves, and it’s great to receive things I wouldn’t buy for myself.
For me, this set is too pricey for personal use. But for a pro or industrial user who needs a compact screwdriver set, maybe it’s much more justifiable.
In my first draft of this post, I wrote a lot more about the pricing, but I then started looking at Wiha and Wera pricing on similar products, and they’re not that much better.
I’ve only used this screwdriver set a few times, but I’m really liking it. The performance compares well to regular PB Swiss screwdrivers, and I find that the shaft sizing works better in some applications than bulbous bit holders.
There are 5 color choices – purple, grey, blue, blue-green, brown, and I think there’s still a black roll set out there.
If you’re not yet done with your holiday gift shopping, or requests, considering adding this one to your list.
And other times of the year, just remember – the superb performance of these excellent tools will last a lot longer than the sting of the high price will be felt. Good or bad, I convince myself of this far too often these days.
