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by Peter Brett - April 2006
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1000 Volts Guaranteed
But not all screwdrivers are equal, and the top end, where Wera usually operates, is a cutthroat market, where innovation and high quality are a must. For example, in the aircraft industry, Wera screwdrivers are commonly used. These drivers have accurate torque settings, specialized functions and are made using specialist materials. A £19.99 set from the local DIY shed simply won’t do at your local Boeing repair shop!
Similarly, in the electrical industry, where standards are being driven up year on year, any old screwdriver could be used by the unwise, but it will probably be safer and more intelligent to invest in a good set, where the safety of the product is tested and guaranteed. In this review I looked at a couple of Wera sets, and frankly, I think that they would make even the most demanding, if not unreasonably demanding, electrician happy.
For those that are unfamiliar with the Wera sets, the commonly used handle is the Kraftform(r) design. This has long been a feature of Wera screwdriver products. It is genuinely ergonomically designed, not just lazily called “ergonomic” because it has a bit of rubberised plastic here and there, the effectiveness of the shape is such that the design has been patented. In the VDE sets the handles are red and yellow, not the familiar Wera green and black. As is usual for Wera, the electrical safety testing of these handles is extreme. The plastic material from which the handles are made has been individually impact tested to minus 40 degrees Celsius and
will not break or shatter. So working in our winters shouldn’t be a problem then.
As far as I could ascertain, there were no visible metal parts on this handle, and indeed there are probably none. There has to be some metal on the interchangeable screwdriver bits, but they are protected to the last 15 0r 20mm by a plastic coating that is insulated to protect at least 1000 volts. In truth Wera subjects all its interchangeable VDE blades to a 10,000 volt load in a water bath, so again, they should be safe for most commonly encountered electrical work. Each blade is also marked with the VDE marks and a date of manufacture, so that the end user can check when it needs to be replaced.
For the end user, all this testing stuff may not be that important, after all, you don’t buy Wera and expect to be checking up on quality. What may be most important is whether it works well. In truth, it couldn’t be easier. Take an interchangeable bit, push it into the hexagonal hole in the handle until the collar clicks. The blade is then held securely in place. To release it, simply push the collar back and the blade slides out.
Since all the blades are interchangeable, the end user can buy them as they are needed, or make up a custom set to suit without having to end up with all the bulk of extra handles.
To get back to the two sets I was sent for this review. The smaller of the two is the magnificently titled the Kraftform Kompakt(r) VDE 60i/7. It consists of the Kompakt Kraftform(r) handle and six interchangeable blades, four slot type drivers and pozz 1+2. They are all housed in a nylon pouch. The pouch can be held on a belt and when the Velcro catch is pulled open it falls to reveal the handle at the top and the blades below it. Thus it is easily available for use. This is a compact set that would suit most jobbing electricians doing routine tasks. What is clear from using the tool is that the quality of it shines through. The blades are accurately made and fit well into the slots. Unlike some I have used, they seem to get better with some use, and are not in danger of bending or twisting out of shape, even with hard use.
The bigger set has got 18 pieces, again accommodated in a well made nylon pouch with a belt loop. As you would expect this is an altogether more comprehensive array of tools. There are four slot type screwdrivers ranging in size from 2.5mm to 5.5mm wide. There are also four pozi/Phillips type screwdrivers in a couple of different sizes each. The Wera masterstroke as far as I am concerned is the inclusion of the four blades that will undo an increasingly common type of screw these days that appears to have a mixture of straight and crosshead slots in the top. I have had the experience of using both straight and pozi-type screwdrivers with these and sometimes neither will work. However the Wera product does this brilliantly, and I suppose is just another indication that if you want to stay ahead of the game, you have to innovate and give customers solutions not problems.
To complete the set are four switchboard bits. These will fasten and undo the large-headed screws that hold the faces onto switchboards. There are two different square sizes, a triangle and a shape with two wings and a circle that I have never seen used in anything I have come across, but if Wera supply it I am a willing believer. Made of solid glass fibre Reinforced Plastic, they are again fully insulated to protect the electrician who has to delve into the faulty switchboard.
Finally, there is a mains tester with a transparent miniature version of the Kraftform(r) handle. Compared to the previous set it is a lot more bulky, but not that much heavier. It is still possible to wear it on your belt and sit down comfortably! What I do know is that I could have sold these two sets a couple of times over to the electricians I showed them to. Quality always counts, even if the punters can’t always afford to buy the best quality.
Independent Review by Peter Brett
Airstream Communications