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Our screwdriver took three years [video]
- seqastian 4y agoBecause it's the first time they made a tool and found out it's hard as they went.
- PaulKeeble 4y agoThe vast majority of the 2 year delay seems to be fraud by their Chinese manufacturer. They were given exact specifications but they didn't build the parts to it to avoid competition with their own production. They had a bunch of design iterations issues along the way but the bulk of it was fraud.
- dom96 4y ago> Chinese manufacturer Isn't it Taiwanese?
- PaulKeeble 4y agoI believe it is now I don't think they mention it in this video but have done so on the WAN show, the original manufacturer in 2020 however was Chinese, they had to change due to the fraud and lost $130000 in the process.
- tabokie 4y agoNo it isnt. It's literally mentioned in the video. (https://youtu.be/2K5Gqp1cEcM?t=1009 https://youtu.be/2K5Gqp1cEcM?t=1009) > we changed to a different factory in China potentially losing our $130000 deposit in the process.
- TakeBlaster16 4y agoYep. And 15:25 is when he said the first factory was in Taiwan. EDIT: Also a bonus mention at 27:35
- KptMarchewa 4y agoVideo claims it's the other way around. Taiwanese manufacturer screwed them, they changed to Chinese.
- philliphaydon 4y agoThe Taiwanese company was bought out by another company who is focusing on their own products. The original company had megapro as a long time customer which is why LTT used them initially. Originally company isn’t the issue. The new company is who screwed over LTT. But we don’t know who the new company is.
- Dylan16807 4y agoWell unless it was a hostile takeover or something, I think the original company shares the blame for not taking care of their customers.
- philliphaydon 4y agoDon't know unless we know who manufactures them, then we can find out. But according to Linus, a company which makes tools bought them out to manufacture their own tools. So it /sounds/ like a hostile takeover.
- blackoil 4y ago
- philliphaydon 4y agoNo.
- Maursault 4y ago
- dtx1 4y ago> I would not doubt that, but you're ignoring personality disorder (and/or drug abuse, impossible to say) and fiscal irresponsibility, which each obviously contributed significantly. who are you refering to? Linus?
- Maursault 4y ago
- ChuckNorris89 4y ago>you're ignoring personality disorder (and/or drug abuse, impossible to say) Huh? Does Linus suffer from that?
- Maursault 4y ago
- hbn 4y agoYour comments read like something written by one with mania more than anything I've ever observed from Linus
- Maursault 4y ago
- mrguyorama 4y agoDude puts on an excited demeanor so he can get 10% more views in his videos and these assholes out here claiming he has issues. Geeze. How dare you enjoy yourself on the internet.
- designcode 4y agoImagine because they’re first time product designers.
- Havoc 4y agoThey’ve been making merch for years, just perhaps nothing of comparable mechanical complexity
- shapefrog 4y agotshirts / hoodies != custom designed mechanical item with many moving parts.
- DrudgeCorporate 4y agoTheir engineer that they hired specifically for this task had years of previous experience. It's stated in the video.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- yurishimo 4y agoThey have in-house clothing designers as well that specifically tailor each garment before mass production. None of their merch from the past 2 years is "off the shelf" in any way.
- bigyikes 4y agoThe primary employee responsible for the screwdriver seemed to be a production engineer with 10 years experience. I’m also aware of experienced product designers they employ. Linus himself has product management experience, and probably employs some PMs too.
- tpmx 4y ago> The primary employee responsible for the screwdriver seemed to be a production engineer with 10 years experience. The first primary employee responsible for the screwdriver was the affable but very young Alex ("I know SolidWorks"). I like his car review videos! Then towards the like the last third of the project lifecycle they hired this guy with a decade of experience, but wasn't it mostly in EE? > Linus himself has product management experience In a PC hardware reseller company. That's about making decisions about what products to buy/stock, not about designing/building something. Quite different. He's most likely aware of the difference, but was still using that phrasing in the video. shrug.
- abestic9 4y agoProject Farm, a YouTube creator that faces various brands of tools off against each other, has purchased an early (but apparently production) release of one of these. In a recent comment on one of his videos he’s stated he aims to have a video of ratcheting screwdrivers including this one out in a few days. I’m optimistic given the attention to detail portrayed in this video, and the fact that Linus displays a passion for quality workmanship in his reviews of other products.
- geerlingguy 4y agoEven without many third party reviews, they've sold through 60,000 drivers (and counting) in less than two days. Seems like plenty of people are already taking them for their word, or just want to show support for the channel.
- marginalia_nu 4y agoLTT has a lot of goodwill. The brand is managed incredibly well and feels consistently personal, honest and authentic. Probably a lot of people that just want them to do well in what they do. If you get a decent screwdriver out of it, that's nice I guess.
- simonebrunozzi 4y agoAnd this is not a bad thing.
- graton 4y agoTrue. But they did hurt some of that goodwill with the "Trust Me Bro Warranty" in regards to the $250 backpack they sell. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdxVtAiYeL0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdxVtAiYeL0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsX3tUA-wJk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsX3tUA-wJk
- compsciphd 4y agoeh. the warranty that they have now issued is less than what the level they want. so people still want to trust them to "underpromise and over deliver" as they say. I'm not convinced it really hurt them.
- kalleboo 4y agoIt's pretty impressive how they've sold 60,000 $70 screwdrivers in under 48 hours
- brailsafe 4y agoThat's a lot of coin!
- flopit 4y agoplus 23,000 $250 backpacks in the last few weeks
- bigmattystyles 4y agoIs that expensive because it’s a way to support the channel or is it a really nice backpack?
- Dylan16807 4y agoMostly the latter. Or at least, it has really high design goals and is expensive to produce.
- BeefWellington 4y agoThe power of branding at work.
- jansan 4y agoEspecially since you can buy a comparable product from Amazon Basics for 14€ https://www.amazon.de/AmazonBasics-12-in-1-Magnetic-Ratchet-Screwdriver/dp/B07V5WYXP5 https://www.amazon.de/AmazonBasics-12-in-1-Magnetic-Ratchet-...
- jgoewert 4y agoI could grab a handful of leaves of a tree and shove it in my face hole for lunch. It would be cheaper, but I prefer a salad made of lettuce.
- zxcvgm 4y agoNot an apples-to-apples comparison, but I just wanted to see the price positioning for this screwdriver. It goes for $69.99 [0] and Megapro ratcheting screwdrivers (which they mentioned in their video) goes from ~$50 to $59.99, depending on what bits it comes with. [0] https://www.lttstore.com/products/screwdriver https://www.lttstore.com/products/screwdriver [1] https://megaprotools.com/collections/ratcheting-drivers https://megaprotools.com/collections/ratcheting-drivers
- shapefrog 4y ago"The ratchet is based on Megapro's long-standing & reliable design, but has been significantly modified to suit our needs. We reversed the ratchet direction (right for clockwise, left for anti-clockwise), adjusted the spring for lighter back-force which allows you to ratchet-drive even very small screws, and optimized for smoothness and quiet function. It's rated for operation of up to 220 inch-pounds of force." optimized for an extra $10.00
- throw0101c 4y ago> optimized for an extra $10.00 Megapro may have larger economies of scale and therefore lower costs, or Megapro may have already paid off / amortized the cost of development and so felt its margins were already without having that included in the price anymore.
- brianwawok 4y agoThat’s not how a business sets prices. It charges as much as consumers are willing to pay.
- V__ 4y agoIf more people are willing to buy the product for a lower price and due to better economies of scale / amortized cost of development the margins also improve then of course they may lower the price.
- 4y ago
- causality0 4y agoAs someone who spends a good portion of his workday using screwdrivers on industrial equipment and computers, I still don't understand why you'd want a ratcheting one.
- GarrickDrgn 4y agoIt really is a matter of convenience. Linus's work is obviously mostly with computers and servers, where you often work in tighter spaces; not having to reposition your whole hand (and/or pull the screwdriver out of the screw and reposition it because of a lack of space) is a nice convenience. Plus, most computer screws are not really tightened very much, so you'll be done with a few flicks of your wrist. He also explicitly mentions he uses the ratchet by turning only the axle and keeping the handle steady in his hand for a lot of the screws.
- smcl 4y agoI'm not sure I understand the reposition-your-hand thing. If you're turning the screwdriver you either continuously manipulate it with your fingers or keep rotating your wrist back and forth regardless of whether you have a normal or ratcheted one. Only difference being in the ratcheted one you don't have to release the grip on the screwdriver (and in non-ratcheted you just have to not grip tightly). And if the screws aren't tightened too much - like in a PC - then you'd need a really light ratchet action for it to be of any use. I guess it's just a personal preference thing rather than a real need of some sort, which IMO is fair enough
- brailsafe 4y agoSeems like it would be the same reason as any, keeping the driver in place.
- TimMeade 4y agoSometimes you can't see the screw in computer racks. If you have to pull the screwdriver off even so slightly it might be difficult to get back on the screw head. Ratcheting negates this slight issue.
- tuetuopay 4y agoI still don't get why they, as a tech channel with a tech audience, chose the default bit set to include Robertson instead of Torx. It'll be no surprise this driver will be used mainly in an electronics context, where torx is commonplace and robertson hardly seen, even more so outside of north America.
- jonatron 4y agoIt's a Canadian thing.
- BeefWellington 4y agoWhile true, I've never seen it on a piece of tech. If this is meant to be a general around-the-house screwdriver set, then the price point is way off. If this is meant to be more of a tech-focused set, missing Torx seems really dumb.
- mrweasel 4y agoFor most tech related tasks they could get rid of the flat-head bits and replace those with the Torxs. If they really wanted to keep the Robertson bits.
- BeefWellington 4y agoI don't agree because I've seen plenty of consumer-grade tech that uses flat-head screws. It's becoming less common but as one example I have a couple of external USB-nVME enclosures that came with flat-head screws to open the external casing. Inside it's Philips.
- brailsafe 4y agoIdeally if I spent 1 billion dollars on a screwdriver, I'd want it to be useful for general use as well
- bagels 4y agoIt is my understanding that Robertson drive is very common in Canada, where Linus is located.
- dt3ft 4y agoLooks rather bulky for a screwdriver. Kudos on launching, hope they can at least make the cost that was sunk on the injection molds.
- chunkles 4y agoOut of curiosity, did you watch the video or just look at the title image and make a call on the size? They actually spend a portion of the video discussing the size and how it is smaller than other ratcheting screwdrivers on the market specifically to fit well in all hand sizes.
- dt3ft 4y agoI did, both the video and the pictures on their website. It is too bulky for my taste, sizably larger than what people tend to use here in Europe. It must also be heavier, due to it housing the metal inserts. But then again, I'm probably not their target market. It's a niche product.
- jaclaz 4y agoYes, but I wonder which niche. The 1/4" socket and shaft is bulky (as well as the handle) and the ratcheting is largely unneeded, a good set of screwdrivers, unless there is a portability issue, is much more practical in a workshop.
- zibby8 4y agoIt's not just the ratchet that is bulky. It's the shaft that is bulky as well, which is necessary to accommodate the bit at the end. I inherited a screwdriver with this type of shaft, and it just doesn't work for a lot of screws due to clearance issues. As a result, I have a set of normal screwdrivers, which makes the one with changeable bits totally redundant for all but the most esoteric bits.
- KptMarchewa 4y agoThey've now sold around 60k of them before even one reached customer. They'll be fine.
- whoibrar 4y agoI wish more companies made videos like this.
- Fnoord 4y ago
- ilogik 4y agohere you go: https://www.lttstore.com/products/screwdriver https://www.lttstore.com/products/screwdriver it even has pictures!!!
- alias_neo 4y agoOn the contrary, I loved this video going into the details of the process. I'm an engineer, and a huge nerd though, and I've always hated ratcheting screwdrivers with a passion for the poor quality. I can't wait to try out one of these, if for nothing more than to pay for the LTT entertainment/content I enjoy.
- Fnoord 4y agoAll I did was ask for a summary. Then those who want can go into detail, and those who first want to read a summary (which used to be quite normal when you read e.g. a news article) only read that, or decide afterwards if they want to read further. Another commentator provided the summary [1], the feature set is available in text supported by pictures at the second half of this page (you can skip the first ~50% of the page if you want to read the summary). [1] https://www.lttstore.com/products/screwdriver https://www.lttstore.com/products/screwdriver
- jbarberu 4y agoI always reach for the non-ratcheting screwdriver when working on electronics. I find the ratcheting mechanism on all drivers I've used to have too much resistance and just start screwing the screw back in rendering it useless and bulky. A bit drive with an end cap that rotates seems to work best for me. For automotive it's a different story, but then I'd use a ratchet wrench anyway, and fixed screwdrivers in the engine bay as the bits like to fall off in the worst places.
- afiori 4y agoThey claim to have and extremely low resistance ratchet.
- tootie 4y agoIdk what you call it but ones with a back knob that spins freely so you can press with your palm to hold it in place are my favorite for tiny screws. I definitely prefer ratchet for bigger stuff.
- rocqua 4y agoThose are called jeweller's screwdrivers.
- SeanLuke 4y agoA screwdriver that fits custom bits. In an industry that has standardized bit design. This seems set up for failure. I understand the reason they did it. It's not a good reason.
- whermans 4y agoShorter bits, but with an industry-standard diameter. You can use third-party bits.
- pmarreck 4y agoYou must have not watched the whole thing. There's a "ninja star" (they call it) which when turned allows it to store (fewer) standard bits.
- compsciphd 4y agono, it fits standard bits, the length of the bits is smaller so it can hold more in its internal carry. there's a difference.
- philliphaydon 4y agoIt fits standard bits. The bit loader holds standard long bits, just 6 instead of 12… People are clearly commenting without actually watching the video.
- SeanLuke 4y agoI watched it but missed this somehow.
- what-imright 4y agoThree years to make a screwdriver. That says it all
- ghosty141 4y agoNo it doesnt. Have you ever developed any product?
- what-imright 4y agoYea, I have. But look designing something often comes from the heart. You see a need and dream of filling it as a foothold for the next person in their experience. It’s a conquest, for others. But someone that designs a new screwdriver, with a trillion already made, is in a different place. You can extrapolate the world view from what people create, or aspire to.
- omega3 4y agoFor the same price you could get a Wera screwdriver, small screwdrivers and a bottle opener. https://products.wera.de/en/kraftform_kompakt_kraftform_kompakt_with_ratchet_function_fine_tooth_system_for_precision_work_kk_27_ra_2_sb.html https://products.wera.de/en/kraftform_kompakt_kraftform_komp... https://products.wera.de/en/screwdrivers_series_kraftform_micro_kraftform_micro_12_universal_1.html https://products.wera.de/en/screwdrivers_series_kraftform_mi... https://products.wera.de/en/tools_for_bicycles_and_e-bikes_flaschenoeffner___bottle_opener.html https://products.wera.de/en/tools_for_bicycles_and_e-bikes_f...
- hollywood_court 4y agoWera makes quality stuff. I keep a small set of Wera drivers and sockets in each of my vehicles. And I keep one of their multi drivers upstairs in my office and one downstairs in the kitchen. They get used weekly.
- snapplebobapple 4y agoI love wera too, their tool check plus stuff is so portable and so versatile. I keep a set in each of my vehicles and a set in the house (that solves 99% of my tool needs, I break out my big tool box maybe once a year at home now that I have this).
- exhilaration 4y agoA cursory Google search suggests all of their manufacturing is done in Germany, the Czech Republic, and Taiwan -- is that right?
- CraigJPerry 4y agoThere's a cheap plastic handle design fairly common on old screwdrivers and i've seen it as a wooden handle on chisels too. I didn't know it's name until recently - the "London Pattern Handle". These are peak handle design IMO. It lets you hold it in a few different ways, with your fingertips for work where you need to accurately feel what the tip is doing. With the palm of your hand when you need to apply lots of torque. It doesn't roll when you set it down. You can smack the end of it when you need to shock a slightly rusty or reluctant screw. It's ironic because i think these are the cheapest design and i suspect most companies invent their own design precisely because this design is fairly evocative of old cheap mass produced hard plastic handles. They just feel so good in your hand though. It's the perfect handle design.
- bluesquared 4y agoThey also allow you to use a wrench/pliers to apply more torque/holding.
- denton-scratch 4y agoThat's what the hex section of the shaft, just south of the handle, is for.
- wlesieutre 4y agoFor the visual people, here's a london pattern handle: https://www.benchcrafted.com/londonpatternhandle https://www.benchcrafted.com/londonpatternhandle You can find the same shape in mass produced modern tools with plastic handles: https://www.sears.com/craftsman-5-pc-slotted-screwdriver-set/p-00947137000P https://www.sears.com/craftsman-5-pc-slotted-screwdriver-set...
- dkarl 4y agoIt's hard to image improving on that handle design. It's even good with the hard, slick plastic handles of my old cheap Craftsman screwdrivers. I hate handles where I have to figure out and copy how the designer expected me to grip it. I have no idea how my hand grips my Craftsman screwdrivers, and I don't care. The handle has a bunch of ridges, our hands have a bunch of bumps and ridges, just grab at any angle or grip you want, and the bumps and ridges find a way to catch on each other. The one aspect that could be improved is that the older ones I have are from the 1970s and probably wouldn't work well for people with larger hands.
- SadWebDeveloper 4y agoSeems like the juicero for screwdrivers... over-engineered tool that without the "LTT" branding could probably sink in the stores. Personally i like my tools rugged, kinda like Klein does it because "on the job" i tend to thrown them away either on purpose or by accident, this tool looks fragile, if little margins stuck the ratchet mechanism i can not wait what is going to happen when it suddenly falls from the 2nd floor while installing an Access Point or Security Camera.
- tmh88j 4y ago> Seems like the juicero for screwdrivers... over-engineered tool that without the "LTT" branding could probably sink in the stores. I haven't used one so I don't know how durable they are, but I got the opposite impression. The juicero served no purpose. If you don't need a multi-purpose screwdriver that's one thing, but it does have plenty of use-cases and there are a lot of competitors which they showed so they are in demand to some extent. I'd say their attempt is more akin to Snap-on with how much energy they seemed to focus on ergonomics and UX, especially the ratcheting mechanism.
- hotcoffeebear 4y agoPlus, it’s probably for computer builders and stuff (like ikea things or similar). I don’t think those meant for heavy duty or home building.
- jgoewert 4y agoShould watch the video they did just before this one where they did a live popup shop and had people trying to torque the hell out of this and it stands up. Or even during this exact video where he says that if you hit the max torque that this screwdriver can survive, you better have seen that your steel pc case now has a hole in it where the screw used to be.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- TradingPlaces 4y agoThis is why Apple spends so much time making new products and puts such emphasis on secrecy. All the details matter.
- CarVac 4y agoThere's a reason that ratchets all have the control turn the opposite way: so that if it rubs against something as you operate it, it won't reverse accidentally. Linus broke the convention just because he wanted to… it's just as bad as that awful "natural scrolling" that plagues laptops these days.
- luma 4y agoAlso, you turn the handle in the desired direction of rotation while holding the lock ring. LTT has decided that the ring is what’s important, not the handle you are turning. I disagree but good on LTT for making something they want to use. I’ll stick with my Megapro.
- Scalene2 4y agoThey don't all follow that convention. There was one mentioned in the video that doesn't.
- JadoJodo 4y agoI think GP was saying that "all" ratchets (including the one mentioned in the video) have it go one-way to avoid accidentally toggling the direction if you rub it against something (e.g., if you put it in a tight space and bump it against the side as you turn it).
- caseyohara 4y agoNatural scrolling makes a lot of sense if you think of the trackpad as a proxy for a touchscreen, it certainly feels more natural to me. Not so much on a mouse wheel.
- CarVac 4y agoMy problem with natural scrolling is ergonomics: fingers are better suited to pulling than pushing.
- jaimehrubiks 4y agoThis makes a lot of sense.
- 3pm 4y agoAside from Wera and Wiha, would be interesting if someone did a comparison with a PB Swiss. More expensive and harder to get in US, but should be very high quality: https://www.amazon.com/PB-Swiss-Tools-8510R-30-Twister/dp/B0036W4V1S https://www.amazon.com/PB-Swiss-Tools-8510R-30-Twister/dp/B0...
- immmmmm 4y agoyes swiss tools are amazing, at least the single function ones. disclaimer: im swiss.
- geerlingguy 4y agoI will be testing that driver specifically, just waiting for the LTT driver to ship. Hopefully Project Farm has one on hand too. The PB Swiss has the best ratchet feel by far, though it's a little tight—that's one thing Linus was adamant about on theirs, making it just loose enough that you can easily ratchet the blade with your fingers to tighten without rotating the entire driver.
- some_random 4y agoAbsolutely killed by the way the ad has an ad at the beginning
- CivBase 4y agoIf that got you, you might like their April Fools video that is nothing but ads. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Slwai2Jhy_A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Slwai2Jhy_A
- cercatrova 4y agoIs there a written warranty? They faced a lot of criticism for their backpack which didn't and the response from Linus was akin to "just trust me bro," which, when called out on, they made a t-shirt out of. Left me thinking that response was in very poor taste, making fun of your own customers' hesitations.
- geerlingguy 4y agoYes, on their product page it has a "LTT Screwdriver Limited Lifetime Warranty" that you can click to expand and read.
- bobsmooth 4y agoLinus' whole point about warranties is that they're only as trustworthy as the manufacturer is.
- mrguyorama 4y agoExcept that's not even remotely true and he's wrong. The whole point of a written warranty is that it carries the force of the law behind it. I don't have to trust a business to "make things right" to attempt to get satisfaction based on a warranty. His other point about "not wanting to leave a burden to his family" is also bunk. If your business has a bus factor of 1, that's on you, that's your fault, and you can fix that. Never mind that most business laws work out to remove personal liability from business liability. He seemed to take it personally that people wanted written assurance that their $250!!! backpack could be fixed, despite the fact that he is on record, on the WAN show, talking about how Linus Media Group and Linus Sebastian are different entities with different priorities and often different desires about what to do in a situation. Even Luke thought he was going too far with his view and opinion on the matter. Thankfully Linus seems like a reasonable person who is willing to do the right thing even if he doesn't personally agree with it, and they now offer a written warranty.
- bobsmooth 4y agoIf a company really wanted to, it could dissolve itself and the owners disappear. Even if you wanted to force a company to hold up its warranty you'd have to sue them, and who would do that for a $250 backpack? That is what Linus was trying to say.
- 1970-01-01 4y agoAnd it has a terrible warranty. THE LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER: Bits, as they are considered a consumable item; Tools which have been subject to abuse, misuse, negligence, or improper storage; Tools which have been used improperly e.g. using the screwdriver as a pry bar or hammer; Tools which have been altered in any way; Normal wear and tear (including the breakdown of materials over time); Cosmetic damage (including scratches or changes in the finish of the plastic handle); Products purchased from unauthorized dealers Buy Craftsman. Craftsman's Full Lifetime Warranty states anyone can take the screwdriver to the hardware store and take home a new one. https://www.craftsman.com/support/warranty https://www.craftsman.com/support/warranty https://imgur.com/gallery/VUjZm https://imgur.com/gallery/VUjZm
- bobsmooth 4y agoOr you can just buy a quality tool and not waste your time.
- animex 4y agoI've never had to replace a craftsman tool during normal home use... 20+ years.
- mrguyorama 4y agoAre your tools from before or after Sears cashed in on the brand value?
- bobsmooth 4y agoIn a single summer I went through half a dozen 10mm sockets and one 10mm wrench. Luckily I was working inside a Canadian Tire so I could swap out during a break.
- rozab 4y agoThe point of lifetime warranties is it incentivizes the company to make something that will last forever. https://youtu.be/syii9DKnb2M https://youtu.be/syii9DKnb2M
- numlock86 4y agoLinus Trust Tips pulling off another "Trust me, bro!"-warranty here or did they do it properly this time?
- systems_glitch 4y agoHere to flog my personal favorite "insert bits and ratcheting" option: https://chapmanmfg.com/products/5573-deluxe-standard-metric-allen-hex-set https://chapmanmfg.com/products/5573-deluxe-standard-metric-... Same money (slightly less), made in USA, the kind of quality tool you find in the locked part of the old plant maintenance tech that everyone else asks for help.
- andrew_ 4y agoPerfectly balanced, until you lose a bit.
- linsomniac 4y agoLast year I got a very similar looking Channellock that WireCutter recommended and I've really despised a few things about it: The bits are not retained by magnet, but by a bit-mounted sprung ball bearing. If I don't push the bit in hard enough, it'll just fall right out when I turn it over. It's like that comedy bit: "What time is it?" when someone is holding a drink in their watch hand. This probably is what led to the #2 Phillips bit being lost the first week I had it when my kids borrowed it to unscrew something in the yard, but that first week was pretty glorious... And the bits are surprisingly hard to find. Searches on Amazon have turned up few if any replacements, and it doesn't seem like Channellock has a replacement bit set. Finally, the ratchet mechanism is surprisingly easy to flip while using it, so most sessions I have with it I end up having to reset the ratcheting one or more times in regular use. Admittedly, Linus talks up how much they worked on getting it just right, but I'd be reluctant to get another driver that used the ball bearing bits. I'd go with something that has replacement bits available, or uses the same bits that my power driver uses, because I always keep bits for it around. I hate flat screwdrivers with a passion, but that one AvE made years ago is sure a thing of beauty: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shnpPFQAugU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shnpPFQAugU
- rowanG077 4y agoI don't think they use ball bearing bits.
- linsomniac 4y agoYou are correct, I mistook the sample they showed at 1:40, which was the other vendor (Megapro?), and they have ball bearing bits. I had stopped watching at 3-5 minutes in, and didn't get to the section on bits. They do have custom bits, but say they will provide replacement bits, and also have a mechanism for using regular magnetic hold bits. That's pretty huge!
- mdtusz 4y agoI'm a bit surprised and amused by the comments here. It seems like suddenly everyone is an expert in industrial design, mechanical engineering, and product development while simultaneously missing the entire point of the product and being unable to see past the LTT brand. I for one applaud them for pushing through to release this, and while I probably won't buy one, they certainly look well made and thought through. Obviously a ratcheting multi-bit driver won't be as robust as your Klein Phillips driver that you use while working on transformers in your day job, but that's not what it's intended for - it's for the average person who needs a handy screwdriver to keep in their car or kitchen junk drawer to pull out quickly when you need to twist some screws.