this post was submitted on 16 Aug 2023
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I've used one, and it actually is pretty good. For comparison, I have a Megapro Automotive (211R1C36RD) screwdriver. I like the ratchet and shaft knurling of the LTT more, but the smaller bits are a bit annoying (though the smaller handle size because of them is nice). Overall, it's not a bad screwdriver, and even though it is too expensive for me, it's another good product option in case other brands' tools don't fit someone's needs.
To be clear, LTT is plenty problematic, but I don't think "making a screwdriver" is one of their problems.
I've done a lot of low-voltage as well as high-voltage work through the years. So I have tool sets and screwdriver sets for low-voltage stuff, another set for high voltage stuff which is a lot of Klein and Green Lee and another set for mechanical work which is a lot of Wright Tools because I do all my own vehicle maintenance in my shop. And even another set with JIS tips specifically for Japanese motorcycles which are Vessels. Basically, I have a lot of different screwdriver sets that specialize for many different purposes. I also have sets for taking apart smaller electronics. I say all this only to give insight to my experience with tools so that I can say the next bit...
The LTT bit driver is overpriced garbage. I would re-iterate what the other person has already stated... there is nothing the LTT screwdriver does that something like a Wiha or Felo driver wouldn't do for 1/3 to 1/2 the cost of it. Also, bit drivers save space which are great for toolbags and working on the go, but if I were to be doing consistent work on a bench there is no chance in hell that I would pick up a bit driver over a real screwdriver set.
I see. Thanks for the correction. What would you say the issues with it are?
It's price is the most glaring problem. The tool by itself is not garbage, but when you factor the price, it's most definitely garbage for $70, you can buy much better. It's on par with $20-$30 drivers from companies that have been building tools for decades, stand by their products, and in many cases, are industry standards in tool sets. So why would anyone pay 2-3x the price for something like the LTT screwdriver? And trust me, I get why the cost of it could be so much higher, R+D costs money, but that again goes back to the point the other person already stated, "Linus was so arrogant he didn’t even think that somebody’s already made a superior product with established tooling. But no, he has to reinvent the wheel and design a screwdriver nobody’s asked for" These other companies like Klein and Green Lee and Wiha and Felo know how to do tools. They have their processes nailed down, so they have better quality for far less money.
I don't know why so many people got boners over it and didn't want to point this out but I think that shows just how much power and protection Linus wielded with his rabid, cult-like followers. And that to me goes to show it took a lot of courage for GN to release his video, and all the more courage for Madison to finally tell her story. I'm very glad they both did though.
Good point, but I see it as simply another option. I would rather have an expensive option that is overall similar but has certain advantages, such as a low ratchet force, than not have that option, even if I won't buy something that expensive. At worst, some people for whom money is no object might find it useful, or other companies might be encouraged to improve their designs to better compete. It's good for customers to have more options, even if the option doesn't suit everyone.
That's called back drag, it's really not important in a screwdriver. I think ratcheting screwdrivers are just really gimmicky, are more of a hindrance in most cases. Maybe you can enlighten me, but really there are two main reasons here for that opinion.
It's faster to spin the shaft with your fingers on a fixed screwdriver than it is to ratchet on the handle to turn in bolts. This is especially true for smaller bolts.
Many times to get threads to line up it's easiest to turn the bolt counter-clockwise until the threads align and fall into place before you start turning them clockwise into the threads. You couldn't do this with a really low back drag, or it would be cumbersome to change the ratcheting function on it. A fixed screwdriver just seems all around more efficient and faster.
So what benefit does a ratcheting screwdriver offer? It's slower and it's cumbersome to have to change it back and forth just to change directions. And because it has a ratcheting mechanism, it will fail faster under less forces.
I use a ratcheting screwdriver in my job at a computer repair shop. For smaller screws, I use a precision screwdriver, in which I do just spin the shaft with the top of the screwdriver in my palm, but I sometimes need the larger screwdriver for more force.
Yeah, if you don't like ratcheting screwdrivers, you definitely won't like the LTT screwdriver. That's fair. I think they make me faster, but it's up to personal preference.
Yeah, fair points, a lot of it really is just personal preference and it depends greatly on how you're using them.