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Screwdrivers for lenses and cameras


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Buy lots of them.  You will often have to file the tips to get a custom blade for the precise fit you need for precision work.  For older lenses the screws can be very tight.  I have filed the tips of screwdriver bits from the hardware store to put in a tap handle to achieve the required torque.

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I think the Swiss A+F (Albert Froidevaux) are the best quality price compromise. Bergeon and Horotec are a bit more expensive and I can detect no difference in quality from the A+F. I also don't like the very slim shanks on the Horotec. If you use them a lot like I do, you will need a sharpening stone and jig. The other very useful tools are a set of Flexiclamps and a lens ring tool. I haven't got them with me but in the UK, I also have a set of rubber plugs for undoing rings and a few more Flexiclamps for Barnack Leicas. The final tool which I seemed to have lost and ordered another one yesterday, is an anti-magnetic pair of tweezers. I suspect my last pair are now being used for eyebrows. 

 

Wilson

 

PS. I also use Micro-tools.de. Very efficient and reasonable prices. 

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Edited by wlaidlaw
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I think the Swiss A+F (Albert Froidevaux) are the best quality price compromise. Bergeon and Horotec are a bit more expensive and I can detect no difference in quality from the A+F. I also don't like the very slim shanks on the Horotec. If you use them a lot like I do, you will need a sharpening stone and jig. The other very useful tools are a set of Flexiclamps and a lens ring tool. I haven't got them with me but in the UK, I also have a set of rubber plugs for undoing rings and a few more Flexiclamps for Barnack Leicas. The final tool which I seemed to have lost and ordered another one yesterday, is an anti-magnetic pair of tweezers. I suspect my last pair are now being used for eyebrows. 

 

Wilson

 

PS. I also use Micro-tools.de. Very efficient and reasonable prices.

 

Bergeon and Horotec are the Rolls-Royce tools under the screwdrivers, but I think they are more meant for watch makers.

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Bergeon and Horotec are the Rolls-Royce tools under the screwdrivers, but I think they are more meant for watch makers.

 

So are the A+F, who started as watch part makers in La Chaux de Fonds, one of the watchmaking centres of Switzerland. When I was lucky enough to taken round the Omega-ETA plant about 20 years ago, including the customisation shop, I would say the majority of the technicians were using either A+F or Bergeon in carousels. I was particularly interested as I was using German Wera jewellers screwdrivers at the time and did not particularly like them, with rather large and clunky plastic handles. I bought a lovely wooden box of the A+F screwdrivers the next day at a shop in Zurich (Uhren-Borse or something like that). They were sadly stolen from a cupboard in my office at work, along with two Minox cameras, so I now just have the same screwdrivers but in plastic packets. 

 

Wilson

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WIHA also makes excellent micro screwdrivers. The old standby for camera repair guys was NIWA from Japan. I still have several of them, but they have been out of business for some time. One of the great things about their screwdrivers were the interchangeable bits.

The best tool I have found for lock ring removal is made by SK Grimes

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I think all three makes of the Swiss Screwdrivers have replaceable bits. Certainly my A+F ones do. In the nice wooden box of them I had stolen, there was a tube of spare bits for each size. 

 

Wilson

 

 

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I get by with Starrett, Moody, and for ultra small screws some unmarked jewelery screwdrivers (far right).  All metal, interchangeable hardened and ground blades.  Old school, I guess.  Newer leicas use "cross-point" screws which I believe are not Phillips.

 

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Sometimes to see those really small screws, I use this 2.5x binocular attachment, from Leica Microsystems.  Not sure if they make them anymore.  A good light is necessary, here is a  cool LED unit made by Electri-Tech , New York, but with Leica logo. In later days, Leica, the new company, put their brand logo on a lot of things.

 

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Sometimes to see those really small screws, I use this 2.5x binocular attachment, from Leica Microsystems.  Not sure if they make them anymore.  A good light is necessary, here is a  cool LED unit made by Electri-Tech , New York, but with Leica logo. In later days, Leica, the new company, put their brand logo on a lot of things.

 

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I have difficulties adjusting to my wife‘s microsurgical binoculars. Instead I prefer one of those large low cost illuminated loupes they use in nail studios (not that I frequent those)...

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  • 6 months later...
19 minutes ago, Nordvik said:

I never came around to buying those AF Switzerland screwdrivers (18970 A). When I look at Amazon it says they are "Dispatched from China". Is this the real thing?

My guess is that they might not be real ones. I buy mine from Cousins a jeweller's tool and part suppliers in the UK. https://www.cousinsuk.com/category/screwdriver-sets My A*F screwdrivers are all marked "Made in Switzerland". They are a little cheaper than Bergeon or Horotec but seem pretty much as good. With all these Swiss screwdrivers, the blades are both sharpenable using a jig and stone and replaceable. 

Wilson

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  • 2 years later...
On 7/20/2018 at 4:50 AM, wlaidlaw said:

I think the Swiss A+F (Albert Froidevaux) are the best quality price compromise. Bergeon and Horotec are a bit more expensive and I can detect no difference in quality from the A+F. I also don't like the very slim shanks on the Horotec. If you use them a lot like I do, you will need a sharpening stone and jig. The other very useful tools are a set of Flexiclamps and a lens ring tool. I haven't got them with me but in the UK, I also have a set of rubber plugs for undoing rings and a few more Flexiclamps for Barnack Leicas. The final tool which I seemed to have lost and ordered another one yesterday, is an anti-magnetic pair of tweezers. I suspect my last pair are now being used for eyebrows. 

 

Wilson

 

PS. I also use Micro-tools.de. Very efficient and reasonable prices. 

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@wlaidlaw Sorry to revive an older thread. I'm in the market to stock up on some precision screwdrivers. Are all of the dimensions in your post needed?
Also, I would imagine the German stuff (Leica) uses Metric and the Japanese stuff (Cosina) uses JIS, am I right?
Looking online there are a ton of different sizes and kits etc and choosing what to get is difficult. I can't find any A-F kits like the one you have above other than on their own website which needs an account etc.
I have a mix of Leica and Cosina so I want to be well covered.
Thanks for any tips! (no pun intended)
Haig

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