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Yankee Push Driver

by Matt Nicksic

Type(s): Hand Tool
Tags: yankee push+driver screwdriver drill


http://www.lara.com/cgi-bin/store/commerce.cgi
$22 (US, estimated)

Tool photo.

Stanley bought out the Yankee brand name at some point and has subsequently diluted it by selling non-push-style screwdrivers under the Yankee name. These are great tools and for many applications are better than a brace and bit, since they do not need room for the handle to swing and they come in a couple of different sizes.

The first time I saw one of these as a kid, De Niro was brandishing one in the movie Brazil (it's also a great example of the tool's speed and ease of use). At first I thought it was some fictitious movie-magic tool until a little later when I saw Roy Underhill with one on the Woodwright's Shop. While building and tearing down stage sets in college, I never had to worry about the tool walking off either, since everyone else was too busy fighting over the last charged battery pack to learn how to use it.

Editor's Note: "Yankee" brand screwdrivers are apparently only available in England, but you can find push drivers at many sites in the U.S. Don't forget to also check eBay or vintage tool sites if you want the real thing.