Do Your Screwdrivers Stink? Restoration
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- Опубликовано: 30 июл 2024
- This video will tell you why old plastic handled tools may stick and show you a possible solution to fix the issue. This may or may not be a long term solution. Time will tell.
Two years ago I restored an old Craftsman screwdriver that have a thick somewhat gummy opaque film covering the entire handle. It turned out great and I was very proud of it because it was used by a dear old family member. A year goes by and I notice a terrible smell in my toolbox. Took a moment of sniffing each tool but the handle of the old Craftsman was the source.
Vintage clear handled screwdriver were usually made from cellulose acetate butyrate, a material created about 1930. Its primary ingredient (cellulose acetate) is made by reacting the cellulose from wood pulp with various acids. Under the right circumstances-the presence of various types of bacteria, moisture, and warm temperatures, all readily found in Alabama or most anywhere on the planet. Normally a very resilient type of plastic, cellulose acetate plastics can degrade quite easily, giving off a stink some describe as dog vomit.
Total time invested in the seven drive handles restoration was about 1-1/2 hours. It can be done a bit quicker if not for making a RUclips video.
All video was captured and edited using an iPhone 8 Plus, Shure MV5 Microphone, an iMac with iMovie and Photoshop.
Timecodes
0:00 - Intro
0:22 - What makes an old screwdriver stink?
2:00 - Development of a fix for stinky screwdriver handles
6:47 - restoration of stinky driver handles
9:27 - Prep for clear coat application
10:57 - Presentation of the restore screwdriver handles
11:19 - Ready to work!
11:35 - Parting shot
#restorationbyalabamacreeks
#LynnWrayDillard
#screwdriverrestoration
#celluloseacetateplastic
#screwdriverhandlestinks
#skscrewdriver
#fullertools
#craftsmantools
#sktools
#smellyscrewdriver
#clearcoat
#clearcoatapplication
DISCLAIMER: I am not sponsored. I do not endorse any products or services. Nothing is for sale. My videos are strictly for entertainment. I don't recommend the use of any techniques or procedures that may be dangerous or could inflect serious bodily harm. If you view my video(s) you are acknowledging that you have read and understand this disclaimer in full. 
Хобби
We all learned what Butyric acid smelled like in high school…..peeyoo..!
That stuff prolly contributed to that very early plastic compound stench…!
Thanks for your video
Holy crap! I never realized it was the plastic! Have old tools and figured it was cause tool box wasn’t used since the 1960’s. Everything stinks…
Thanks for the information! I'll be setting up my last shop in the near future and will be doing some flea marketing shopping and will keep an eye out of items like this to restore.
The transformation is fantastic! Certainly a game changing technique, Mr Wray! Awesome 🤠👍
Thank you Big Vic!
Very nice clean up on those drivers. Thank you Wray. This is a very instructive video.
Thank you JohnFix.
This is nice to know. I was at my brother's house last week and needed to use one of his screwdrivers. When I opened up his screwdriver box the smell was overpowering. It smelled like something died in his screwdriver box. I have some leftover automotive clearcoat left from another project, so I'll take your advice and clean up his screwdrivers next time I go visit.
Thanks for the comment Dan.
The gas from the decaying plastic will corrode any metal nearby including the drawer runners.
Excellent video
Those came out phenomenally! I like the fine wire brush approach. That’s what I’ll have to try out.
Appreciate your comment Ian.
Nice clean up 👍 thanks for sharing, I'm heading straight to the shed to do mine now.
Thank you. Can’t wait to see your work! 😁
Great work Ray they look brand new. I need to do that to a multitude of my own drivers. I didn’t know that bacteria will actually eat away the cellulose in the plastic. I found that fact very interesting. Another well done video and I’ll see you in the next one. Take care👍
Appreciate you my friend.
Will be interesting to see how they hold up long term if used regularly.
Information is power!
Thank you for sharing.
Thank you David!
Great info and video, Wray!
Laura Hunter’s daughter, Ella, said my video stinks. Hahaha.
I've routinely cleaned up a bunch of my "legacy" screwdrivers and, as you found, in time some of them get nasty again.
I've used the clear acrylic clear coat on headlamps because it is UV resistant, unlike the polish sealer that comes with headlamp restoration kits, and it works well.
But I never thought of using the clear coat on my plastic tool handles. DUH. 🙄 That is a GREAT idea. 👍👍
THANKS!!!
Time will tell. Clear coat it really tough stuff. If the tool is in a toolbox hidden from UV rays it should last a while.
And thank you for watching and commenting, greatly appreciated.
Nice job! Thanks for the tips. I checked the comments to see how it held up. Sorry it didn’t eliminate the smell completely in the long term.
This helps, certainly is better than nothing.
I really appreciate your video idea on how to remedy this poor engineering flaw. I too have some tools that were passed down to me from some family members that are no longer with me, and I don’t want to throw away these stinky handled tools, but I cannot keep these in my nice new tool chest. Also, every time my wife looks for a screwdriver she has something to say about something stinky in my tools, HAHA. Anyways, this is worth a try and thanks for the idea!
Thanks my friend. Might need to get your wife a toolbox she can call her own with some fresh screwdrivers!
Thanks for the tips. I learned a bit.
Bob, after 6 months some of the screwdrivers begin to give off a slight odor. Not sure how they will smell in several years. They certainly look better. May have to give them a refresher coat every few years so they don’t stink up the toolbox.
Excellent idea!
Thank you very much!
Well done I like your trick to cleaning up the screwdrivers
Thank you sir.
I've to to get some of that clear coat. I'm wondering if it would be good on metal, too.
Nicely done. Those drivers look great.
Thanks Ben.
Headlight restoration information was a bonus that i was thinking about doing but i wondered why some screw drivers had that smell
Thanks for commenting.
Any updates on if they smell or not. My dad had a set of acetate craftsman screwdrivers and i just love the nostalgic look
very helpful!
Skip to 6:45 if you want the remedy / solution. Works great!
Those look great now and like you said only time will tell if it keeps them from "Rotting" again......................I use Krylon Triple-Thick Crystal Clear Glaze Spray on those type of handles, works great and it's usually only about 4-6 Bucks at most of the big box type stores.
Thank you my friend.
@@OldSneelock Hopefully it's not 20 Bucks a Can now with Inflation the way it is.
Nice job!
Thank you sir!
Thanks
I just scraped some kind of white film off the plastic handle of an old screwdriver. I had no idea it could be mold!
Yours are beautiful!
Sheesh Bud..... All I wanted to know is how to de-stink my screwdrivers!! What a ride!!
Thank you.
I wonder if there is a way to first kill that bacteria before doing this process. I suspect that once that is on the "plastic" it stays. And even under that clear coat, I bet it comes back - maybe slower. I'd be interested to see what this looks like in 5 years. I've dealt with this as well, I started by cleaning in vinegar which takes off all the "stuff" then soap and water, then the light sanding process. Great idea on the clear coat... thanks
Thank you Tim.
Interesting technique, I think I'll give it a shot. What respirator do you reccomend? The 3M filters for organic vapor?
If I were painting a car inside a booth I'd certainly have on a respirator. For these few screwdriver handles, I painted them in my garage while wearing my RX mask. I'm aware the clear coat fumes are much stronger than regular rattle can paint. I only sprayed for maybe a minute for each coat.
How have the screwdrivers held up..being the vid was 2yrs ago?
We’re lucky out here in Australia as I have never had a screwdriver handle cloud up and stink like that. Hope I never do.
Regardless, great job on them. Hope it works out long term for you.
Thank you Shed Man!
I need to mail one down to you so you can truly appreciate how blessed you are. 😁
Any update on how this held up?
Did reduce the issue but they still cause a stink.
Every time he says, "uhm" take a drink! 😂😅😆 very informative though. Thank you!
@@tomwyrick2824 A majority of my restoration videos have NO narrative. I am keenly aware that I’m NOT Walter Cronkite nor Ronald Reagan.
I’d much rather have a box full of restored USA made tools than any piece of china garbage! I so miss USA making quality stuff! I don’t know how RUclips knew I needed to see this video but I’m glad I got here! I do have some tools in need of help as I’d like to get another 30 yrs out of them!
Derp
did the smell come back?
A bit. Not nearly as strong. I have those screwdrivers stored in a footlocker so there’s not ventilation. The classic “dog vomit” odor is there so the clear is doing about a 60-70% odor reduction. Maybe 2 more coats would help.
You need to increase your volume
Okie
Plastic is fantastic... not. Not sure what was wrong with wood and metal.?
Thank you for watching my video & commenting.
Plastic is fantastic, it has transformed the modern world - sterile medical products, extending food shelf life, low cost electronic products etc etc. You just need to choose the right plastic and the right design.
My favorite screwdriver by far was one I made a wood handle for. I bought the driver without a handle and made a birdseye maple handle shaped just so. Super comfortable, great torque when needed, attractive to look at. It just felt right in my hand. I had it for 30 years until some scumbag stole my toolbox off my back porch when I wasn't looking. I lost a number of good expensive tools but that was my favorite. I was really upset at losing it. I'll make another one day. But yes, wood and metal can make great handles. Better than plastic.
Can we get an answer...while we're young?
My experiment with clear coat was a moderate success. The odor is still apparent when I open my tool box but just more subtle.
Didn't mention anything about the stinky smells
Thanks for your comment. I though I said they smell like dog vomit 🤮
Smells like poop
Have a set I've had since the 80s they smell like cat poop,
My experiment with clear coat was a very moderate success. The odor is still apparent when I open the tool box but just more subtle. Cat poop is bad stuff.
I'm sorry, but do you know what drives me absolutely NUTS about most "How to do it" RUclips videos? People who take 15-minutes or an hour to tell you something that they could tell you in three minutes. Why do people feel like they have to tell you about their life story and all their friends and acquaintances. Just get to the point!!!!! I don't have time to listen to all your rambling.
Mountain Man, my video was 11 minutes , 45 seconds long. I’m sorry you felt like it was a waste of your time. I do my best to focus on presenting a concise but informative video in the 10 minute range. However, I’ve had a few last a good bit longer.
You can put a video on up to 2x speed so you can listen for the parts you like.
You can also fast forward very quickly in 5 second increments here on RUclips.
Hope reading my comment didn’t waste your time.
No one cares what you "have time for" or your opinion about anything. 👍
@@16-BITFPV They should, because they'd get more people watching their videos. But, if you like listening to people ramble on about inane things that are completely off subject when you are trying to learn something...more power to you.
From a first-time viewer's perspective, why did I (and everyone else) have to wait until 1/2 through this video to get to the meat? Next time just start with the meat, and do yourself, and the rest of us, a favor.
Sorry I wasted your precious time. Judging from the content you have created you certainly qualify as an experienced expert. Maybe one day I’ll create a perfect RUclips video that pleases everyone.