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Clever Swedish Tool Designs that are Hard-to-Find in America

By Rain Noe - April 8, 2014

in Hand Tools

Shots from the German catalogue. Read it and weep, Yanks

To an American, the old-world European way of doing business can be frustrating to encounter. You have these companies making incredibly refined, sophisticated products, yet their websites are from the '90s, they often lack high-res video demos on their YouTube channels, and many do not bother distributing in the 'States.

At the Holz-Handwerk show I snapped up the very last 808050P Ratcheting Screwdriver at the Bahco booth, as it's not currently for sale here in the 'States (even though the Bahco brand is owned by U.S-based Snap-On!). At press time there was no demo video of this new product on their website, so I just shot a rather lousy one at my workbench. Check it out:

If you've never heard of Bahco, they're a Swedish tool company whose founder invented the adjustable wrench way back in the 1890s. Today they make over 7,000 hand tools, many of them highly specialized. Like this sweet nail-puller:

Or this pair of electrician's pliers that transfer the bulk of the force towards the base of the blades, rather than the tips:

Watch this shamefully low-res video of their modular handsaw design:

And this ratchet that can get into really tight spaces:

Something that drew considerable interest in the booth at Holz-Handwerk was this belt-worn, insulated electrician's ratcheting screwdriver with interchangeable bits. Fast-forward to 0:47 to see how it's meant to be used:

Sorry, my Yankee friends, there's no word on when cool toys like the 808050P will make it to our shores; I mean just look at their English-language website, for chrissakes. Makes me want to have a snap-off with Snap-On.

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tyler macdonald

10 years ago

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Hipstomp: I don't see anything about the side cuts not being hinged at a single point. I think their selling point is that the cutting edge is smaller at the tip than the base. I'm pretty sure the maximum force in this and any other single pivot pliers is at the base of the jaws, not the tips.
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hipstomp

10 years ago

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James: All pliers/shears that are hinged at a single point provide the maximum force at the tips. That's basic mechanical advantage 101. Watch the video closely
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Liam Woolley

10 years ago

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I have the 808050P Ratcheting Screwdriver and am very satisfied :) Super smooth ratchet and the bit holder is such a nice detail.
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bar

10 years ago

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They improved the nail puller for sure, but largerly copied the idea from Hultafors Atle. While you looking that up, check out the Hultafors youtubechannel for even more Swedish innovative handtools also not available in US.
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James P

10 years ago

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"pliers that transfer the bulk of the force towards the base of the blades, rather than the tips"

Don't all pliers do this? The only thing different that I see is the retractable spring.
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dave

10 years ago

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I have a ratchet screwdriver that does most of what that one does. it is not as well made, actually it's broken, but I think it cost three pounds, has been used as a hammer as well, and I've had it 10 years. it doesn't pivot into a pistol-grip like that one, but how many times are you really going to use that?
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Blair Miller

10 years ago

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Ahem. You can buy the screwdriver through Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/808050P-Magnetic-Ratcheting-Screwdriver-Pistol/dp/B002SH4JIW
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