Hand tool rules

Keeping a close eye on hand tool selection and use can keep workers safe and productive.

by Paul Markgraff

Hidden costs exist everywhere on the plant floor, from the largest machinery to the smallest equipment. Even wrenches, screwdrivers and pliers can increase costs.

Today, hand tool companies are busy designing and manufacturing new hand tools that reduce the risk of injury, increase productivity and feel more comfortable for the end-user. These tools eliminate waste on the plant floor and save manufacturers time and money, two commodities always in short supply.

Creature comforts
A comfortable worker is a happy worker, and comfort can manifest itself in a number of ways. One way is through quality. To purchase a top-quality hand tool, manufacturers will need to spend a few extra bucks. But it’s worth it.

“Maintenance guys are looking for quality, which is often hard to perceive because a piece of metal can be treated to look like any other piece of metal,” says Downie McCarty, president of Baltimore Tool Works. “So, he’s looking for a quality brand name. That means good steel, good heat treatment, accurate machining, good cutting edges, a precision formed product.”

Quality tools feel good in the hand. McCarty’s company produces the Hard Cap Safety Chisel, a chisel that eliminates flying metal chips, reduces spalling and mushrooming of the chisel head, and cuts down on vibration and noise.

“It normally takes 15 to 20 blows to cut a 1/4-inch diameter bolt,” says McCarty. “Just think of the shock going through not only the hand holding the hammer, but the hand holding the chisel. If you’re a professional worker using tools and you hurt yourself, you’ve lost your income for a week or two weeks or a month. It’s a pretty significant thing.”

The right tool
Using the correct tool for the job can make all the difference in the world. You don’t cut rebar with a utility knife. A hacksaw at the proper height with the proper blade tension will complete the job quicker and with less strain.

Gary Van Deursen, corporate vice president of innovation and design for the Stanley Works, understands this concept. Anyone can drive a screw with a typical round-handle screwdriver, he says. But the person has to exert more physical squeezing force to hold that screwdriver than if he used a trilobe screwdriver.

“A trilobe works better than four or two lobes, because the rotation of your hand is basically one-third of a revolution,” says Van Deursen. “Each time, you are grabbing a new surface with a flat area to put the force against.”

A textured rubber grip allows perspiration to escape. Even having texture at the correct intervals is important when the screwdriver is used on a daily basis, he says.

Money in the minutiae
The tiniest detail on a hand tool can make a difference when a person is using it thousands of times each day. Purchasers need to be aware of the production process. Is the tool heat-treated or is it laser-hardened? What types of grips cover the steel? Do the handles rest well in the hand? Are rivets part of the forge or were they punched in?

High quality will come with a professional hand tool, says Larry Speed, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Anglo American Tools.

“Let’s look at the total cost of ownership over an extended period of time,” says Speed. “In many cases, it’s going to be less because you’re going to get better life and more durability. That’s the key.”

The next step
As technology advances, hand tools will become easier and safer to use. It was true in the past and it’s true today.

“Channellock makes a better tool today than it did 20, 30, and 40 years ago,” says Scott Jonap, vice president of sales and marketing for Channellock. “The innovations and technology advances we incorporated into our manufacturing process are all designed to continually improve on a very basic tool, a pair of pliers.”

The company developed the PermaLock fastener in the 1980s and eliminated nut and bolt assembly. Channellock has never experienced a field breakage problem with the PermaLock fastener. Most recently, the company began laser-hardening the cutting edges and teeth on its pliers; this technique provides a more consistent heat treat pattern throughout the contact edges.

This article appeared in the August/September 2005 issue of MRO Today magazine. Copyright 2005.

 Back to top                                       Back to Uptime archives