You find a nice hex universal. Usually not though. Also, from the same barrel, 3 screwdrivers with moving parts and an X branded offset. Only one is a whatsit though. The top screwdriver is Vaco K44 (is it missing a sleeve?). Next is a "ReadyWedge, Salt Lake City" and the last is a whatsit. It says Hunter 10 and when you push the shaft into the handle, a small bit of metal reveals itself, perpendicular to the blade, making it + shaped, with one cross on the + being much shorter. What is that for?

Quote from: kxxr on August 10, 2011, 08:34:55 PM
and the last is a whatsit. It says Hunter 10 and when you push the shaft into the handle, a small bit of metal reveals itself, perpendicular to the blade, making it + shaped, with one cross on the + being much shorter. What is that for?

It serves the same purpose as the other captive screw drivers, in that it binds in the slot of the screw head.

Wayne

Those were used to hold the screw on the driver as you went toward the threaded hole. The split blades would hold against the flats of the screw and keep it on the driver. The second one may have had a sleeve which when pushed forward, closed the two blades, and when pulled back, let them open up against the flats. They were really just screw starters, not for putting any torque on a screw.

I have found these screw starters will snug up to about a #10 machine screw, with enough torque. And, they sure beat the bubble gum/tar/wax,etc. stick on methods that I still use when I can't find my starter.! Lol !

Wayne

The K 44's I had all had the sliding sleeve, VACO was my preferred brand when I worked electrical.

I thought the Vaco might be missing a part. Probably still making it's way to the bottom of the bin I took the screwdriver from.
The sleeve on the second one is still there, it slides down just as described by papaw.
The 3rd one, the Hunter, I still don't really get. The spring inside is so stiff that you have to put a good 5-6 pounds of downward pressure on it to activate the device. Not good for screw starting I wouldn't think.
But hey, how 'bout that universal ... no comments from y'all, but I thought that was quite a find.

Looks like the bottom of the bucket was good to you.

Quote from: kxxr on August 11, 2011, 06:45:28 AM
But hey, how 'bout that universal ... no comments from y'all, but I thought that was quite a find.

We aim to please here on tool talk, so "I'll Take It"! Lol  Seriously though, if you want to part with it, please PM me.

Thanks,

Wayne