Grace Screw Drivers and Picks

[John Morris]

I just ordered this set of screw drivers and picks, I have a couple black powder revolvers and I really need to get into the guts and clean em up really good. Regular screw drivers will mess up the screws and finish, these Grace Drivers are hollow ground, made for guns, once I get em in my hands, and use them I'll follow this up with a review.

 

These picks will come in handy too.

[Fred W. Hargis Jr]

I don't have the picks, but I do have that set of screwdrivers. I smile every time I use them, but they are confined to duties with my guns. You're going to love them.

[John Morris]

2 hours ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

but they are confined to duties with my guns. You're going to love them.

That's what they will be used for Fred in my shop, guns only, and thanks for the positive feedback on them, I feel great about the purchase even more now!

[aaronc]

I've looked at these many times,...just never pulled the trigger. Don't leave me hanging on the review 

[p_toad]

On 11/1/2020 at 6:44 PM, John Morris said:

That's what they will be used for Fred in my shop, guns only,

until someone in the family needs a prybar. 

[Cal]

On 11/1/2020 at 2:53 PM, John Morris said:

these Grace Drivers are hollow ground,

 

Hey John, what does "hollow ground" mean?  What does this do for a screw driver?

[HandyDan]

Here is a visual.

 

Edited November 4, 2020 by HandyDan

[Gunny]

14 hours ago, p_toad said:

until someone in the family needs a prybar. 

Meaning they suddenly have a death wish.   

[Cal]

23 hours ago, HandyDan said:

Here is a visual.

 

Thanks Dan!

[John Morris]

Well I've had a chance to use these drivers for a few outings now. I have completely disassembled three revolvers with these drivers, an 1851 Colt Navy by Pietta, 1858 Remington New Army by Uberti, and an 1860 Colt Army by Uberti. All .44 cal if that even matters.

Stock images below

 

1851 Colt Navy - Pietta

1858 Remington New Army - Uberti

1860 Colt Army - Uberti

 

Regular screwdrivers just won't cut it when it comes to working on guns, there is a huge issue with slippage and the driver will strip the slotted screws in your guns or the driver will slip out during torquing and mar and scratch the gun surface and bluing. It can get ugly real quick. Gunsmithing drivers are hollow ground and will not slip out or strip the slotted screws.

 

This Grace set ($32.99) worked really well, actually it worked perfectly. I have a comparison between regular drivers and smithing drivers, my first percussion revolver I purchased last spring was my 1851 Navy, I did not have a smith set of drivers yet, so after my first go out to the hills, I came home to clean my gun, and I took it down all the way, not that I had to get into the trigger housing after just one go out, but I just wanted to see what was inside and to get familiar with these black powder revolvers.

I couldn't feel a positive grab on the screws, I was using my standard Stanley electricians drivers, and one eyeglass driver for the very small screw at the cylinder bolt spring. I was nervous using those drivers, like I said they just felt like they would disengage any moment and disaster would hit. And actually while backing out the screw at the loading lever, it did slip out of the slot and caused a small hair of steel from the screw slot to raise up.

 

That is when I decided since I am getting into the black powder sport, long rifles, pistols and revolvers, then I had better get a legitimate set of gunsmith screwdrivers.

 

So now to the Grace drivers, what a difference! Night and day as a matter of fact. Firstly, the Grace set has all the driver sizes I need to fully disassemble all of my revolvers. When I set the driver into the slotted screw, it was a positive fit immediately, I could feel zero slop, and that gave me a whole lot of confidence to turn the screw without fear of the driver slipping out, and in turn I was able to do the take down of my revolvers much more quickly, because the confidence is there to just insert driver and turn without fear. A very pleasant experience I may add.

Another wonderful feature with the Grace drivers, and most smithing drivers on the market, is the tips are magnetized. Once the screw is loose, I can pull the driver back and the screw comes out, instead of getting my fat fingers in there to grab the tiny screw, and risk the screw flying out of my fingers to land in some far off corner of the shop where other misfit screws probably have populated never to be found, since I have worked in my garage the last 20 plus years.

 

I can recommend these drivers, I love them. There are many great smithing driver sets out there, you can spend a lot of money on complete sets, and or some good money on only the sizes you need. There are driver sets assembled for specific models of guns, revolvers, and the like, I shied away from those sets, since I plan on having a good collection of these percussion revolvers in the future, I didn't want to lock myself in to custom sets for each style of revolver.

 

The Grace drivers are a pleasure to use, and for me, style is also important, I like the wood handles, and when working on my old style revolvers, I love seeing the wood handles laying on the bench next to my old revolvers, I like to get in the mood when around these older looking "things", when it comes to woodworking, or working on my guns, I tend to be a man of my surroundings, and my surroundings can dictate my feelings and joy of working.

 

Sorry to keep you hanging on this review, but I had to actually use them for a few runs, and it took awhile for us to even get out to the hills and use these shooters.

Cheers!

 

PS: I have not used the picks yet, I forgot I even had them! Next go out I'll see if I can use them and come back for the review on those. We are planning on the whole family heading out to the hills after New Years for a day of fun, I'll have a lot of cleaning to do then.

[John Morris]

On 11/3/2020 at 5:41 PM, aaronc said:

I've looked at these many times,...just never pulled the trigger. Don't leave me hanging on the review 

Done

[Larry Buskirk]

..Those look like they could be handy for working on old machines also!

[Gerald]

Beautiful guns. I am just not into black powder and have to believe there are reasons almost everyone changed when smokeless came along over 100 years ago. Besides mine are easier to reload. I have seen that Hickock would fire and reload his every day.

[John Morris]

Oh for sure Gerald. It's a different experience all together. I love the entire process with these guns, just as I do my flintlock rifle. 

I'm not out to go bang bang bang. I'm doing it for the history, the joy, the work it takes to create a load that works for a specific revolver, or sidelock, it takes a lot of skill and patience to get all the components singing and accurate. The shooters in this sport aren't concerned with how quick we can load, or how fast we can shoot. 

 

I love the smoke that belches out of these guns and rifles, I love knowing that I'm experiencing exactly what the rifleman experienced with his flintlock at the revolutionary war, and what the cowboy and civil war soldier experienced with his revolver.

 

And, cleaning and tinkering, black powder has to be cleaned same day of shooting, our purt near I love sitting at my bench and bringing my guns back to new after a day of shooting.

 

It's a great sport and tradition. Sorry to ramble, but there's definitely more to this type of shooting than load and BAM!

[John Morris]

40 minutes ago, Larry Buskirk said:

..Those look like they could be handy for working on old machines also!

Probably!

[kmealy]

On 11/3/2020 at 8:41 PM, aaronc said:

I've looked at these many times,...just never pulled the trigger. Don't leave me hanging on the review 

Oooh, the pun!

 

[Larry Buskirk]

On 11/1/2020 at 1:53 PM, John Morris said:

These picks will come in handy too.

 

...Got a tooth that the P180H, or P180L might help remove. 

[FlGatorwood]

If I rework anymore chairs, I could use a set of picks.  That is to remove the wedges to fit into the back upright spindle.  I have been using a nut pick.  Slow.  But, now back to the topic of guns.  

[Gerald]

On 12/22/2020 at 2:30 PM, John Morris said:

It's a great sport and tradition. Sorry to ramble, but there's definitely more to this type of shooting than load and BAM!

But , isn't black powder smoke a "known Carcinogen" in Cali?

Edited December 23, 2020 by Gerald

[John Morris]

1 hour ago, Gerald said:

But , isn't black powder smoke a "known Carcinogen" in Cali?

 

I'm sure it is! Just another reason to move upon retirement!

Our state has outlawed lead for hunting too. I guess their concerned the lead may lead to death?

California's Full Lead Ammo Ban is in Effect. Here's What You Should Know

WWW.WIDEOPENSPACES.COM

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The lead ammo ban in California kicks in before this year's fall hunting season.