David Bruce here, you are very welcome Adam. Glad I could bring some inspiration to you and help you educate others on cool tools!

@DaveDexterMusic

Ай бұрын

You're a good guy. I've been meaning to get one of these for years, just because... they're so _cool_

@brufassa1992

Ай бұрын

@@DaveDexterMusic It is very cool, some other features is storage in the handle, and i was told you could drill and tap holes but i have never attempted it.

@jphanks

Ай бұрын

My dad had one of these as an aircraft electrician! Thanks for the memory!

@brufassa1992

Ай бұрын

@@jphanks Cool jobs, require cool tools! Glad to bring a good memory back.

@mvadu

Ай бұрын

Are you sure you aren't Stanley Yankee?

Elwood uses one of these in the elevator scene of The Blues Brothers.

@lightning3822

Ай бұрын

Came here to say this, it's a 68-130 (130A), the one with the large plastic maroon handle.

@tested

Ай бұрын

!!!!!

@inkthinker

Ай бұрын

Yup! It's even the thumbnail of this clip: kzread.info/dash/bejne/Z3WOs9GxaJiwfKw.html (Actual appearance of the Yankee is around two and a half minutes in)

@DavidLindes

Ай бұрын

@@inkthinker Wow, I barely remember any of that... I clearly need to watch that film again.

@seanylewl

Ай бұрын

Dude, I knew that I had seen it used in a movie other than Brazil but couldn't remember for the life of me what it was, but that was it. Thank you!

"Could pay closer attention". I do believe we have the next Demerit Badge.

@tested

Ай бұрын

Oooooo.

@patricksanders858

Ай бұрын

A cracked magnifying glass? ".02 (crossed out) .002"

Stanley Yankee pump action screwdriver …….. the tool of the devil in the 70’s. How many times did I watch my dad struggle with his. 😂

@SierraLimaOscar

Ай бұрын

And the whole thing jumping out 😂from its locked stowed position threatening to take your eye out!

@andrewdolinskiatcarpathian

Ай бұрын

@@SierraLimaOscar I have a blurred recollection of my brother nearly losing an eye due that happening 🥴 They were a lethal weapon in the wrong hands. 😂

@russeldavis1787

Ай бұрын

In the UK 20 years earlier, the first DIY TV show was a guy called Barry Bucknell . He had a 12' Yankee , Thump, Thump Thump and the screw was in no messing. Everything pre-drilled and prepared before he came close to it though

@andrewdolinskiatcarpathian

Ай бұрын

@@russeldavis1787 Ahh, yes I do remember him. He made some neat things and made it look soooooo easy 😂

@only1muppet

Ай бұрын

I have one that was my grandfathers, unfortunately it only has one bit. I have used it a few times over the last 30 users, it’s actually not bad unscrewing wall plates.

A friend of my father’s was a salesman for Stanley. Their demo for the Yankee was to pilot drill 5 holes, then start 5 screws in a board and give a normal screwdriver to the customer. They were invited to put the screws in. While they were doing that the salesman would put a drill adapter into the Yankee, pilot drill 5 holes using the pump action. Then switch to a screw bit and drive all 5 screws home well before the customer would get his screws more than half screwed in.

Adam, there is also an attachment to use modern 1/4 drive tips, thus expanding this wonderful and useful tool. Also Elwood used one in the Blues Brothers movie.

@VraiHommeAjay

Ай бұрын

Yes! It’s made by the lovely Canadians at lee valley. I have them in every size

and that's why I watch your videos, you come off genuine. No heavy editing in your videos, so you are more relatable to the general rest of us.... Thanks for all you do.

My Father was a master shipwright just outside London UK in the 50s to the 90s. He had this driver in three sizes, I have them in my toolbox now. He loved them to drive brass slotted woodscrews into cabinetry of all sizes. He flirted for a while with powered tools but rejected them for their lack of feel. He'd drill the holes with a mechanical wheel drill, grab another one with the countersink bit in it and then with the location for the screw prepared, select the correct size and drive it in with one or two quick zips. He'd never miss, perfectly seated and cinched screws every time with no burred slots. God how I miss him.

Adam, the strait knurling forward of the switch locks the action in the collapsed position. Also the middle selection disables the ratchet setting. I have several of those from my great grandfather.

@aaftiyoDkcdicurak

Ай бұрын

And they can work like a regular screw driver when you need it.

@Bugman140

Ай бұрын

It was bothering me that he never locked it close.lol I'm sure he was doing it on purpose 🤣😂🤣 I still have the large version in my tool box. It's a Beast of a thing

@mikevandebunt811

Ай бұрын

Yes, and when it is unlocked from that position it automatically springs open, Harry Tuttle style. (At which point, one should say "I'd like to talk to you about your ducts.")

@mikevandebunt811

Ай бұрын

Correction: only the longer ones have the spring. I didn't realize this, because I have only ever used the long model, not the shorter ones. My bad. Adam will need to get a 131A for his Tuttle Tool Bag.

@eDoc2020

Ай бұрын

@@mikevandebunt811 From the way it responds on video it looks like Adam's has the spring. Looking closer he has a 135A. The '35' is the smallest size and the '1' indicates spring return.

I remember this screw driver being my dads go to when growing up like 30 years ago or so! The one tool he always had to hand and used for everything!

Elwood Blues uses one in the elevator scene to open the panel.

@mdpolaris

Ай бұрын

My first thought was exactly that scene!

@Wborogoal478

Ай бұрын

Same. Glad I’m not alone!

I love this, finally a tool I recognize, and making me feel somewhat old as well, I remember one of these being in my fathers toolbox for many years, as soon as Adam picket it up I knew exactly what it was, because I used it so many times in the country house.

You can lock the screwdriver in the compressed position by twisting the collar near the switch, it will then operate as a rachet screwdriver too in either direction, selected by the switch.

Oh man, the memories that just came rushing back to me upon seeing that. My family had a small one bedroom lake home turned cottage getaway that stayed with us for several generations. In the boathouse/shop stood one of those Stanley screwdrivers in the wooden homemade screwdriver holder made by my great uncle. My great uncle ,whose house this was, was an electrician by trade. I always played around with that odd looking tool amongst all the other tools and now vintage motors and gadgets. As we NEVER threw out any of his stuff, as it was like a time capsule in there, and was still functional in todays world. It was magnificent! Also, the vintage fridge was always full of ice-cold beer and soda. 😊 My family sold that cottage a few years ago when my dads health declined (ALS) and the new owners gutted the boathouse, house, and garage, and it all looks like a display from Homegoods now. It's very sad, and all that history is lost. I took a few tools for myself before we handed over the keys but failed to grab that piece. I am incredibly disappointed that I didn't, what a great tool of the trade that is, so well made to boot. Unbelievable. I can't believe I missed that. Oh well, hopefully someone has it and enjoys it as much as they should. Glad to see you've got one in your shop now!

I use my Yankees regularly, I love them, I also upgraded the bits to the Lee Valley hex adapters which lets you use regular 1/4" bits same as you would use in your battery powered drills.

@shartazokhan1043

Ай бұрын

Whenever Lee Valley says that it has a lifetime warranty, they honor it.

@j1gsaw

21 күн бұрын

I've done the same with my granddad's Yankee.

As a Yankee, I've seen these since I was a young boy here in New England. Great vid Adam, keep up the great work!

My grandpa installed doors, cabinets and windows in new homes around Washington DC for years. He had several of theses tools at different lengths. I’d play with them when visiting. I was fascinated. Also, got some skin coughs in the mechanism a few times, Ouch! Good memories.

Hi Adam! The larger one you mentioned is the model 131A and the "shenk!" sound it makes when released from the storage position is soooo satisfying. The knurled ring between the base and the helix is turned to lock the driver in the shorter storage position (and then to release it with that dramatic flair as De Niro did). Lee Valley Tools sells adapters for both size Yankee's to allow 1/4" hex bits to be used.

I got one of these from my old man, 'No.130A' starting a restoration as i watch this. Going to be an awesome addition to my "Old Box".

Another daytonian here, if you come to the Air Force museum plan to spend a whole day there simply for wandering, as there is so so much in those hangers. Including a great deal of rocketry and space travel exhibits that I am sure would fascinate you Adam!

Not only were there screwdriver bits for the Stanley, there were drill bits!! A very versatile tool once you mastered it's intricacies.

I still have my Stanley Yankee 88-130 (130A) from 45 years ago that is somewhere between the one sent to you and the one used in Brazil in size. It's been retired since the cordless revolution, but I keep it in the box as an antique reminder of simpler and harder times. Now I really feel old...

I remember selling these in the 80’s in the UK, when I was working weekends at Texas Homecare

The USAF museum is amazing! They have a B-36 inside, and with the XB-70, which looks like something Gerry Anderson could have designed for "Thunderbirds". So many more great aircraft, it's well worth the trip.

@stevelaferney3579

Ай бұрын

Yeah for the Yankee Screwdriver Gerry was a genius Thunderbirds Are GO!

We have these too in the UK, that brought back quite a few childhood memories. 🙂

I'm almost 50 and my dad and grandfather were both electricians they both had 3 or 4 of these and used them daily.

My Tuttle sized Stanley Yankee screwdriver cost me a week's wages, back in '77, and was stolen from my toolkit within a month. I replaced it with a half-the-price German made "Guys" model, and I still have it to this day. Keep it clean and well oiled, and it will last another lifetime. Press in the little stud at the top of the body to slide off the cover, to remove the clag that collects inside the gubbins. 😁

Soviets made the same screwdrivers in 1960x, I believe. My father had one and use it constantly, until clutch mechanism falling apart. Thank you, for bringing in tool from my childhood.

My Dad had one and I loved using it. I wish he had kept it along to pass on to me. I have many of his tools but didn't notice this was missing until now. Now I'm kind of sad......

Wow I remember my dad or my grandfather having one of these. I thought it was so cool in the mid 80's. I don't remember the brand but I remember having a blast using it to attach screws to pieces of scrap wood

My dad was an Electrician back in the 60's until about 2000. I remember seeing him use this type screwdriver wiring up a houses. I remember playing with it. If you remember in the Blues Brothers movie. Elwood used one of these to torch the elevator.

This Screw Driver was my important Tool in old GDR(DDR) East Germany from 1978 -1985, in this time I was a Cabinetmaker ❤😍😍😍

Wonderful, my late Father in Law gave me his tools before he died in 1992, among the beautiful collection was his Yankee screwdriver bought around 1938, it's still working perfectly! He served his apprenticeship in the British Co-operative Society as a Carpenter, built Ansons for AV Roe throughout the war and went back to the Coop afterwards, fitting shop floors and stairs and lately building posh coffins...

I've been fascinated with this tool since I first saw the Blue Brothers as a kid.

Simple but genial tool. Absolutely brilliant. Mechanical engineering at it finest :)

I HAVE ONE OF THESE! It belonged to my late father and it fascinated me as a kid and I do believe it looks just like this one.

my dad still has a long version of this, and i have a modern slightly shorter version. Brilliant

I've got 2 of these sitting in a box next to my desk right now. Both are larger, around 40cm unextended. Got a bunch of vintage tools I'm gonna be selling soon and they're amongst it

I still remember the first time I saw one of those. In the Blues Brothers, Elwood uses one to take the elevator's button panel off.

I have installed thousands of doorsills using a Yankee SD, working with my dad. Great tool, great design. Perfect for the off-grid crowd.

They also lock in the collapsed position to make a short regular screwdriver. I have 3 of em, hand-me-downs through 3 generations. They were very popular in the UK in my grandfathers day.

Thanks for leaving in the the "Stanley Yankee". It was a funny mix up that I am sure many of us creative folk make all the time. I know I do.

@1pcfred

Ай бұрын

It was like the Mr. Plugs scene from Freejack but Adam wasn't trying to be a wise ass.

I have one of these, given to me by my dad who is an electrician and it was given to him by his dad who was an electrician! Super cool!

Thank you so much for this video. This tool has been a grail item for me for years. I just got around to watching this the day before yesterday, then yesterday, by chance, I stumbled on to one at a Goodwill of all places in a bundle of other old hand tools wrapped in cellophane tape for $7.49! It seems the universe just wanted me to catch a W.

I have directed a few Air Force Museum employees to Tested. Hopefully one of them reaches out for some behind the scenes tours.

ive been trying to find one of these since forever. my grandfather also had one of these. think he still has one somewhere. but i had since forgotten about wanting to find it out of losing hope. then a few years ago, a scene from 'better call saul' (a breaking bad spin-off) showed character Mike using one of these, and i remembered i needed to find it. awfully coincidental that the day after i went looking for it again, you post this video, showcasing one.

Wife and I watched Brazil two days ago. I pointed out the rather elongated Yankee and we had a good laugh. Then you mention it several times today. There is no such thing as coincidence

@christianweagle6253

Ай бұрын

Look into the Baader-Meinhof effect.

First, I had one of these great tools, given to me by my then-father-in-law. I called it my push-me/pull-you screwdriver. Second, OMG!! GO TO DAYTON AND THE AIR FORCE MUSEUM!! I went back about 20 years ago (I'm sure it's changed a LOT since then) and I've never gotten over it! Amazing experience!

I've been using a Yankee screwdriver for years. Love them.

i remember my dad showing me one of these in the late 50s. I was fascinated! it was the first 'auto'-tool I ever saw or used.

I have one of those, same colour handle and everything! It belonged to my grandfather, then my father and now I am its custodian. I was fascinated as a kid by how it worked.

I still own the one I bought as an apprentice. Whilst electric is quicker, the Yankee gives you the feel you sometimes need

Daytonian here. You'll LOVE the USAF Museum; it's a much more "close" museum than the Smithsonian. Want to sit in an SR-71 cockpit? Stand on the exact spot in Air Force One where Lyndon Johnson took the oath of office? Walk through a B-17? You can do all of that and more there! Also make sure to have some Marion's pizza and Skyline coney dogs for the good regional food stuff. 👍

I saw one of these in my dad's toolbox when I was like 10 years old and I didn't know how it worked. Neat to finally learn!

The lockining collar will hold it in the closed position for storage and helps keep the spiral shank out of harm;'s way. My twins are YANKEE No 130A and STANLEY No130B. I keep one for Phillips and the ether for Slotted. Wonderful tools both!

I grew up in Cincinnati, so going to the air force museum was one of my favorite activities as a kid. You'd absolutely love it, I'm sure!

As soon as I saw it, I thought exactly what you said: My grandfather had one of these. I was amazed by how cool it was.

I've had a larger version Stanley Yankee in my toolbox since the early 1970s. Set the switch in the middle position to use the screwdriver in a traditional (wrist breaking) way. Compress the driver and twist the locking ring to store it in a smaller space.

My dad had one of these when i was a kid. One of the tools he didn't mind me playing with. Never knew the name till now.

In the 80’s this was the equivalent to battery drills. I brought my with me when I moved from Ireland I used it for times to time, just to add everything was flat head screws, star heads was mind blowing 😂

The Dayton Air Force museum along with the Packard museum are both amazing and worth the visit.

I got my dad's. It looks exactly the same, color wear and tear. Haven't used it in years but will never leave my toolbox. Fond memories

🤣So many memories! By far, my favorite of my dad, "the Phone Guy's" tool kit. I have a vague recollection of the first time I heard of perpetual motion, very young, pretty sure I confidently said something like, "Pfft, My dad has one of those." It seemed like free energy at the time...😂

Funny you said your Grandfather had one, cause mine did too! I was always fascinated by this particular tool when I went to visit him every summer.

I toured the USAF museum in Dayton, and it was a life changing event. I was fortunate enough to choose the exact date they were inducting the F-22, which is my favorite fighter jet. I even interrupted the official ceremony because I'm a huge doofus and received a really stern look from a retired general in return. I also got a guided tour of the entire bomb bay and fuselage of a B-52 from a retired Vietnam B-52 crewmember. I also got to see some ICBMs and MIRV reentry vehicles, as well as the gondola Col Joe Kittinger jumped out of (Stargazer) and the Apollo 15 Command Module! And I got to see a B-2 Spirit bomber sitting next to a B-1B Lancer bomber and an SR-71. My mind was completely blown after only a few hours.

My dad started a cabinet making business in the early 1950’s. One of specialties was building cabinetry for churches. This was well before variable speed drills and electric screwdrivers. One of my early memories is him assembling pews with a Yankee Screwdriver and Phillips head screws. He always had one with a set of bits. It was in use even in the 1970’s.

Cool! At least somebody remembers "Brazil". Bravo!

Dan Aykroyd used one of these in the blues Brothers movies. As soon as i saw that as a kid i was mesmerized. Now as an adult i have 2 of them and boy are they cool!

I still have mine from April 7, 1969 - mine is all stainless steel and the buts store in the handle - I used it mostly with drill bits to put the phone jacks on the wall - they are great tools - I also had a couple like that one and might still have one - I do still have a hand drill that has a hand crank like the old meat grinders had - also mixers had them -

My Father (a German cabinet maker from post WWII) had a couple those types of screwdrivers along with hand powered drills I now own them and enjoy them as well

I found one of these drivers in my grandfather's toolbox and he was an mechanical engineer so I'm glad to know what this does now.

Thank you! I loved this video! When I was a little girl my very gentle kind natured papa had passed away. But in the sewing room appeared his many many tools from way back. (He was born January of 1900) I used to study the tools which I was very interested in and try to figure out how they worked or what they were used for! Your new to you gifted tool is like one my father had. So it brought back memories. Maybe that experience is why my dream when I was younger was to be either a nurse or an inventor. Thanks again 🥲🌷👍

I have one. I inherited it after my grandfather passed. I have many fond memories of him using it. The original bits are very difficult to find. There are hex bit adapters, but the originals are where its at. I refinished a cedar chest that he built and used the same Yankee driver on the slotted brass screws that I'm sure he used about 75 years ago. It was a fun experience.

I know my dad had one of these when I was a kid. I remember being fascinated by how it worked... and nearly 60 years after he first got it, I'm pretty sure it's still in damn good nick. I'll need to have a look for it next time I'm over.

These things are addictive. I bought one for odd jobs around the house about 10 years back, still use it. Problem was, it led me down a rabbit hole wondering how they came about. Almost 2 dozen later i now have a collection going back to 1874, including a couple made by F A Howard in 1874 to Isaac Allard's patent. Allard actually patented one as early as 1868 (believed to be the first) but no working example has been found to date. 😎

I had a ratcheting screwdriver with the exact same looking handle down to the missing paint. It belonged to my grandfather and It was not until I was able to buy my own tools that I realized how old it must've been because they did not make wooden handled screwdrivers anymore.

The wear pattern in the paint on the screwdriver handle is giving me hardcore flashbacks to helping my dad with various small-scale carpentry projects around the house when I was a kid. A lot of his hand tools were passed down to him from his grandfather.

I use to have one of these from my grandfather but haven't seen it in years they are satifising use

When I started with the "Phone Company" in 1984, all we used was a Yankee drill and brace and bit.

I love these screwdrivers! I have three within arm’s reach of me right now

I’m not an electrician but do a lot of DIY electrical work at home. These are invaluable for taking off face plates, receptacles, etc when you are up on a ladder and it’s hard to keep your drill handy on your tool belt. Love these screwdrivers and the design, great to see one in Adam’s collection!

As a handtool inclined hybrid hobbyist woodworker a Yankee screwdriver is my preferred method for drilling pilot holes. The straight fluted bits that came with mine are wonderful. Plus it's just so much fun to use.

My dad had one of these which was lost to the family when he & my mom died in the 90's. Brings back memories.

I recently inherited one of these from my grandfather--I haven't used it for anything other than display and fidgeting so far, but it's absolutely one of my prized possessions. Just a super cool old tool. Another film appearance of this is in Breaking Bad when Mike, Walter, and Jesse are breaking into the police yard to sabotage Gus' laptop with the giant magnet--Mike uses one of these to quickly pull the cover off the keypad. And on the Air Force Museum outside of Dayton--omg yes, 1000% a must-see. Plan for *at least* a full day there, maybe even two full days. I spent a half day there and at a certain point I just had to start snapping pictures and then running to review and read the plaques at a later time. It is absolutely massive and amazing. I can't wait to go back eventually and spend a proper amount of time there!

My father owned one of these monsters, and I cannot tell you how MANY times I painfully pinched my finger tips while using it, sometimes even drawing blood. I finally learned to avoid it entirely. However, in its favor, it should be noted that the mechanism produced almost NO useful torque, such that it was almost impossible to actually damage a screw head with it. If there was ever a tool that should go down in INFAMY in history, it's the Yankee Screwdriver. [The beloved Yankee Drill, however, is a whole nother story, and I still own one of those antique models, which proved that drill bits don't need to have a "twist" shape.]

My dad had one of those, it was so badly kept, itwas rusted to crap-much like all of his tools. I take care of my tools, never lend them, and keep them in as good a condition as possible -probably the best lesson he ever taught me! I also did what he didn't want - I got an apprenticeship as a marine engineer artificer in the Royal Navy. CMEA1

I remember that my father had one of those helical drive screwdrivers. I played with it a lot!

I’ve wanted one of these ever since I saw blues brothers as a kid!

My father had that very model. I used to play with it before I knew what it was for. Didn't expect a kick in the nostalgia gland when I clicked on this. Cheers!

The USAF museum is really wonderful!

What fun! What a wonderful gift! My father had one in his tool box ... yes a TERRIFIC tool. and such good memories. Thank you all... 🌻🌻

My dad had one of these--I recall being utterly fascinated by it when I was a kid in the 1970s. I still have it somewhere, but I rarely use it--partially because the chuck was kind of "custom", and I think I lost all but the flat-head bit for it.

My grandfather had one of these and I have no idea where it went after he passed, but I'm sure one of my uncles probably has it. I remember being amazed the first time I saw it and how it worked.

I was helping family clear out my grandparents shop and found one just like that! Fascinating mechanics.

I was recently talking to my cousin about this driver that our grandpa had. Gramps was a jack of all trades and always let me play with his tools. I miss him so much.

I'm old enough to remember that thing. Really neat as long as they were not used as a screwdriver.

As a young boy in the 1960's , I would go along with my Dad on weekends to help him install aluminum windows, doors and awnings. This Yankee screwdriver was a key tool he used.

Picked up 3 Stanley screwdrivers at a yard sale. I had been looking for one for a long time!

I've had the longer version since the 70s. Renovated my first house with it and still use it occasionally when nothing else will reach.

My dad had one identical to that and one bigger when I was young. Always loved playing with them as they fascinated me on their mechanism