Engineer Dr-54 Low-Profile Stubby Ratchet Palm Screwdriver

I have always been a firm believer that it's best to do things in the most impractical way possible. If something COULD theoretically be pulled away from the wall by no means does that mean it SHOULD. By the time you factor in all the stuff that would doubtless fall off and then land down the back and all the cables that would get wrenched out and someone would complain about what I did to the floor... No, it makes more sense to jam a screwdriver round the back, scrabble about blindly leaving black rubber streaks all over the wall, stripping the head of the screw and eventually slipping and punching the wall so hard you either leave a dent or a bloodstain... If that sounds familiar... Someone made a screwdriver for us... Well, technically it's not really for us... technically it's for people who have no other choice whilst working on engines or in places you genuinely can't move things but it works AMAZINGLY for people too lazy to actually move things too. It even works for those people who compromise by tilting furniture forwards a bit. It really is a unique item and one that is incredibly well made... which just about justifies the price that is not all that much less that I paid for a set of Wera screwdrivers not that long ago. The ratchet, elegantly reversible by just swapping the bit from one side to the other, and the fact that you can put a lot of strength through something so small also help justify it. You may well still clench your teeth a little bit but the first time it helps you do a job you couldn't have done with any other tool or without having to exert a great deal more effort you'll feel it was worth it. I've given a couple as gifts now and they've gone down well despite my initial fears that people might just think I gave them some tat and chuck it in the back of a drawer. Even beyond its usefulness for both legitimately reaching inaccessible spaces and being lazy it also can serve as an easy pocket screwdriver if you're the kind of person who either feels confident they'll mainly encounter phillips bits or quite sensibly doesn't mind a few regular hexbits sloshing around in the pocket. The closest I can get to nitpicking is sometimes a bit of kitchen roll or similar is needed to grip the bit to pull it out but that's not surprising as I keep one of my hands in a glove full of moisturiser at all times when working to keep it soft for brushing my wife's cheek and the other in a glove full of moisturiser at all times to keep it soft for brushing my cat's cheek. Other than that the ratchet could be a little more sensitive but I guess I will trade sensitivity for it not breaking which I guess could be a risk with something this size. Nitpicking aside, I do love this screwdriver, it's as if someone looked at me, took pity on me, and found a way to stop me taking responsibility for my actions for a few more years.

Small and mighty, very well made and will get those jobs in tight corners done.

Useful, but if the ratchet was finer would be more usable in tight places.

Best thing since sliced bread, this thing is awesome!

This has turned out to be a fantastic yet simple tool. I had to remove some screws where space was extremely limited. Even regular stubby screwdrivers were too long. This tool did the job perfectly. The ratchet action makes it really easy to use. To reverse, there is no "switch" as found on larger tools, but you simply remove the bit and stick it in the other side so you are now using it in reverse. So if you have the bit pointing out one side, and the printed "arrow" is on the top, you are tightening. If it's reversed and the printed area is on the underside, you are unscrewing. The tool feels robustly made. It is of metal construction, and I get the impression it will last a long time. The "socket" has a small magnet inside which keeps the bit snugly in place. The bonus is that I can use all those standard hexagonal bits I have from my power screwdriver with it, so I can use short bits and long bits, cross-heads, flat and hex key (alum key) etc with it which make the tool much more versatile than it would be with just the single bit supplied. The supplied packaging gave me concern at first, as it was mostly "hieroglyphics" and a few non-English words. These were probably instructions, but didn't mean much to me. However, once removed, and having ascertained that the bit could be removed and inserted in the other side, it was quite clear that no further instructions were needed. All in all, I'm very pleased with this. It did the job for which I had bought it, and it is a useful addition to the tool box.

I often use stubby screw drivers in my work servicing ice cream machines and when needed they are essential. After leaving one at a job I needed a replacement (urgently) I came across this advertised on Amazon. This is much more versatile than just a standard stubby screwdriver as I can use my vast range of screwdriver bits and it has a light but very positive ratchet action. It seems to be a very well engineered tool, the height is much lower than other ratchet screwdrivers and it's very grippy in use, the anodising is very attractive (what engineer doesn't like nice looking tools?) I am very pleased with my purchase which arrived very quickly and will definitely buy again if I leave it on site somewhere. The fact that it came with a Philips No2 bit was a nice bonus. Edit. After nine months of use the only signs of it having had a lot of heavy use is very slight wear on the edges of the anodising and the arrows indicating the ratcheting action has disappeared. The ratchet mechanism has never once given way, slipped or in any way malfunctioned, being as positive, yet light in action as when first used. I expect it to be going as strong when I retire in six / seven years (why wasn't this available twenty years ago?) I now carry it I'm my pocket rather than my tool bag due to the fact that it is usually the first tool I reach for. It's so much easier than using a standard ratchet especially if I am reaching behind a unit where a ratchet or stubby screwdriver would be unstable in use. I have now ordered a second to keep in a small tool roll on my motorcycle where space and weight are at a premium and as a result only the most useful, premium tools are carried - if it doesn't perform, it doesn't get a free ride! With a conversion bit to 1/4" drive I am able to use it for sockets up to 13mm and with long reach as well as standard bits it can secure or loosen any fastener, although sometimes I may have to use a standard ratchet to break the initial bond.

solves access problems

This arrived yesterday, and I have used it already. I had some screws that were very tight on the end of a shower screen fitting. I had tried to unscrew them with a normal screwdriver, but I could only approach them from the side, and as I tried to apply torque, the fitting was waving around in the air, and it was difficult to apply enough force while still keeping the screwdriver perfectly straight onto the screw-head.. I had spent 15-20 minutes and gave up using a combination of normail screwdrivers and a rechargeable cordless driver. With this stubby driver, I was able to keep the screwdriver shaft perfectly straight with repect to the screw head and apply plenty of force along the shaft of the screwdriver towards the screw without any sideways wobbling, while applying as much torque to undo each screw as my hand allowed. Each screw came undone with little problem. This is a great tool, and I might not need to use it very often, but just like now, I am sure that there will be other occasions where it is the percect tool for the job. It is compatible with all the standard screwdriver bits that I have already for my cordless drivers.

I immediately took it trough the test. This product feels very high-quality. The ratchet mechanism is smooth and precise. To change direction, you simply turn it around. This means it has no switch to break, and it remains compact yet easy to use.

Der Preis ist natürlich heftig, aber das ist ab sofort mein neues Lieblingswerkzeug: eine Ratsche ohne Griff und ohne Umschaltung, stattdessen mit einer Aufnahme auf jeder Seite - genial! Ich fand die üblichen Ratschen mit Hebel schon immer irgendwie fummelig. Die hier genügt zum "handwarmen" Anziehen vollauf, und sie passt in jede Hosentasche und sicher auch in so manches Bit-Sortiment (das damit zu einem eigenständigen, vollwertigen Werkzeug wird). Daß sie keine Vierkantaufnahme für Nüsse hat, stört mich nicht, weil ich fast nur mit Bits arbeite. Dadurch ist sie schön klein, und schließlich gibt es ja Adapter. Ich kaufe mir heute gleich noch ein zweites Exemplar.

Short version, buy it. It's a well made tool, functions exactly as designed. Learned a few important things from this purchase. ENGINEER® is the brand name for tools (mostly) sold by the Japanese company Engineer Inc. DR--54 as indicated, is the model number. No English, almost no French, not packaged with export in mind. Alloy (aluminum? Light, non-magnetic) body measures just under 1.5" diameter, just over 9/16" thick, red finish is nice and evenly distributed. Center drive is steel, holds any 1/4" bit on EITHER side, 25/32" long . Ratchet mechanism works in a single direction, you relocate the BIT to reverse. The printed arrow on the labeled side indicates drive direction. Magnets on each side hold the bit in place. There are approx. 45 teeth in one revolution, so pretty fine "swing". Comes with a single bit, marked PH 2, presumably a Phillips #2, an important distinction from the deceptive JIS fasteners. Overall quality is really nice. I will absolutely come back if and when this tool fails to update this review. At time of purchase, value's Japan was the least expensive seller, and delivered quickly.

Un'idea geniale prodotta con ottimi materiali, si riesce ad avvitare/svitare anche in spazi molto piccoli (basta che possa passarci la mano). La presa è buona e l'ingombro minimo, attacco universale per tutte le punte da avvitatore. Prezzo un po' elevato per uno "sfizio" da tenere nella valigia degli attrezzi! Lo ricomprerei

Lo elegí para poder hacer faenas en espacios reducidos, es senzillo y parece de buena calidad. Recomendable para cualquier manitas o professional, una herramienta muy útil