Knowledge
Chrome-Vanadium and S2 Steel Screwdriver Blades
Every standard screwdriver sheet in this catalogue carries the same blade specification block. It is worth reading, because it is where a tool programme either works or generates returns.
The steel
Highly alloyed chrome-vanadium steel or S2 steel. Chrome-vanadium is the mainstream screwdriver steel: tough, forgiving, and good at resisting the twisting load a driver sees. S2 is harder and is normally used where the tip has to hold an edge under repeated impact.
Fully hardened, not just tip hardened
The sheets specify a fully hardened blade. A tip-hardened blade with a soft shank twists before the tip fails, which is how a driver ends up permanently bent.
Black magnetic tip
The tip is blackened and magnetised. The magnetism is what lets a fitter start a screw one-handed - a small thing that decides which driver comes out of the bag.
Satin finish and chrome plating
The shank is satin finished and chrome plated. Chrome resists rust in a damp toolbox; the satin finish keeps glare down and hides handling marks in a blister pack.
The blade size ladder
The standard families run A 3.0 x 75 mm through I 8.0 x 250 mm in slotted, Phillips and Pozidriv, with packing from 50 doze/piece on the smallest to 10 on the largest. Several families extend to 8.0 x 300 mm.
Compliance
The sheets state that all materials are PAH free and completely meet the RoHS standard.
Products referenced in this article
Screwdrivers
48 screwdriver series in chrome-vanadium and S2 steel, from budget acetate handles to VDE 1000 V insulated electrician drivers.
Bits & Key Sets
Item HY-B531 to HY-B590: blister bit sets, cased bit tool sets from 10 to 154 pieces, and 8 to 10 piece hex and Torx key sets.
Precision Screwdrivers
Item HY-B591 to HY-B624: 4 to 36 piece precision sets with swivel caps, plus the mains tester series.
Questions
Follow-up questions
Chrome-vanadium or S2 - which do I get?
The catalogue lists both against the standard families. Specify which you need on the enquiry and we will confirm against the current production.
Are the tips magnetic on every family?
The standard specification block says black tip with strong magnetic hold.
Can you supply without chrome plating?
Ask. Finish changes are a production question rather than a tooling one.
Still deciding?
Send us the market, the size range and the pack format you have in mind and we will tell you which items fit.