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Stubby Irwin


Warden Callaway

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Stubby Irwin. Sounds like an alias, doesn't it?

 

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Well last winter I invested in a Brownell's magnet screwdriver and 4 bits specifically for Colt SAA screws. I've had a love/hate relationship with it. 

 

The bit blades are the love part. They fit and hold well.

 

The magnetic part I don't care for. It is always picking up and scattering screws and small parts. I try placing a screw in a hole and the magnet pulls them out. Sometimes the bit gets pinched and will pull out of the holder.

 

Besides that,  the screwdriver is much too long for most everything.  Maybe I'm getting old and shaky but I have more problems getting the blade lined up with the screw slot.

 

I figured,  just get a stubby screwdriver with magnetic bit holder.   Simple as that sounds,  it turned out to be a unicorn hunt.  I went first to a very large, well stocked hardware store that also sales automotive parts and has basically a double inventory of hand tools. Nothing. 

 

Today we stopped at two other large stores with tools.  Nothing.   

 

The fourth stop was the "Tool Barn" ran by Mennonite.   Acres of tools.  Two young Mennonite men ran the store over like beagles looking for something.   One finally came up with this Irwin tool.  It had 8 bits hidden in the handle.  I wasn't what I was looking for but they had put in an effort in finding it, I want ahead and bought it.  It may grow on me.

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I keep one in my gun parts box.  I like it.  Doesn't take up too much room and able to keep everything right in the handle.

 

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Brownells offers (or used to) a stubby non-magnetic screwdriver for their magnatip sets. I think it is called the armorers holder. I have one, it does not hold bits in the handle but it solved the problems you described for me. It is longer than your stubby and shorter than the standard magnetic. 

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1 minute ago, Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life said:

Brownells offers (or used to) a stubby non-magnetic screwdriver for their magnatip sets. I think it is called the armorers holder. I have one, it does not hold bits in the handle but it solved the problems you described for me. 

 

I'd rather not have the bits in the handle like the Brownells I have.  There are lots of times I find I need to bump a part to align a hole and the top end of the handle makes a handy tool for that purpose.  I'm already doing damage to the soft plastic cap by forgetting to not use it for that.

 

I seen the assortment that Brownells offer and seen the Armour's handle. I didn't realize it was non-magnetic. How does it hold the bits? 

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22 minutes ago, Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life said:

Brownells offers (or used to) a stubby non-magnetic screwdriver for their magnatip sets. I think it is called the armorers holder. I have one, it does not hold bits in the handle but it solved the problems you described for me. It is longer than your stubby and shorter than the standard magnetic. 

 

I also have the stubby from Brownells.  I bought four tips recommended for Vaqueros and keep these on my gun cart.  I also carry the standard Brownells holder on the cart.  I use whichever one fits the bill for what I am doing on the range.

 

I use my complete set if I am doing anything at home.

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I bought the Super set. It has the stubby and regular length handles. Both are magnetic.  I would like 2 middle length handles. One magnetic and one not. I don't one that has a hollow handle with a cap. The cap always ends being a problem. 

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When still in the business, I found magnetic screwdrivers to be a ROYAL PITA.  I threw one in the corner.  I don't remember which corner.  I'm not interested in finding the thing.  I had/have three or four Brownells stubbies.  Perfect.  Spring retainer snaps into the recess in the Mag Tips.  Perfect.  Most excellent product.

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1 hour ago, Crooked River Pete, SASS 43485 said:

I made my own "stubby" took the blade out of a cheep screwdriver and replaced it with a short extension from a power drill kit.

 

I actually was considering buying a bunch of bit holders for power drill and then making handles from deer antlers.  And I may still do that.   I found some 10 for $8 on Ebay.  

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The place where I almost have to have a magnetic driver is when replacing set screws, especially the teeny tiny set screw that hold the hand spring in the Uberti SAAs.

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When I saw the title of this thread I thought it was someone’s alias! Lol

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16 minutes ago, Warden Callaway said:

 

I just leave that set screw out. 

do you get enough tension on the spring with the set screw out?  Nice.  I think I'll try that next time I have it completely disassembled.  The last few times I've cleaned the inside of the revolver I just left the hammer in and squirted a bunch of Moose Milk in there and used a queue tip and pipe cleaner to dry it out.  Compressed air helps too.

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14 minutes ago, Diamond Jake said:

do you get enough tension on the spring with the set screw out?  Nice.  I think I'll try that next time I have it completely disassembled.  The last few times I've cleaned the inside of the revolver I just left the hammer in and squirted a bunch of Moose Milk in there and used a queue tip and pipe cleaner to dry it out.  Compressed air helps too.

 

Works for me.  Not much risk in trying it without the set screw.  Just pull the back strap off and put it back in if the hand don't rotate the cylinder reliability. 

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