Wera has introduced Kraftform Kompakt VDE GO, an insulated screwdriver set that rides in a belt holster so an electrician can pull a handle and swap blades with one hand. The company published the press release on September 17, datelined Wuppertal, Germany, and gives no price or on-sale date.
Built for one-handed work
Wera says the idea came from conversations with tradespeople on building sites, who asked for tools that do not occupy one or both hands while being carried, and that are quicker to reach and easy to change. The answer is a compact holster that fits on a belt and holds each tool with elastic loops, so nothing drops out while the user climbs. The press release singles out ladders, scaffolding, and awkward working positions as the cases where one-handed handling helps most.
The centerpiece of the sets is the 837 i RA VDE blade-holding handle. It has an integrated ratchet with 40 teeth and a return angle of 9 degrees, which Wera says reduces repositioning during screwdriving. A fast turning function speeds up smooth-running threads. The handle takes four interchangeable VDE blades, and each blade carries Wera's Take it easy tool finder, a color and size marking system that identifies the right blade at a glance.
The ratchet specifications give a sense of the speed gain. A 9-degree return angle means the handle only has to swing about 9 degrees before the ratchet re-engages, which is useful in tight spots such as a switchboard or a junction box where there is little room to turn a wrist. A 40-tooth ratchet gives a fine step between engagements. The fast turning function is aimed at long smooth threads, such as terminal screws that have been backed out, where a user can spin the handle without ratcheting.
Insulation ratings
VDE tools are insulated screwdrivers and similar hand tools tested to electrical safety standards, named for Germany's VDE association. Wera says each tool in the VDE GO sets is tested individually at 10,000 volts under IEC 60900 and is rated for safe working up to 1,000 volts. A tool that carries the rating has to keep its insulation intact. Damaged insulation, such as a nick or crack in the coating, takes a tool out of service regardless of the logo on the handle, so the rating is not a reason to skip normal inspection.
Where it sits in the market
Insulated interchangeable-blade screwdrivers are an established category. Wera already sells Kraftform Kompakt VDE sets, and the new product page lists the Kraftform Kompakt VDE with ratchet functionality, which uses the same 837 i RA VDE handle. Other makers of insulated sets include Wiha and Knipex, both German brands that also sell VDE-rated screwdrivers and pliers. What Wera is adding with the GO sets is the holster and the one-handed access, not a different insulation system.
The press release gives no list of what each set includes beyond the handle and four blades, no weight, and no set sizes. Wera says only that sets include insulated tools, each individually tested. The company offers a press kit with images and the full text, and the press contact is Wera's head of corporate communications.
Electricians who already own a Kraftform Kompakt VDE kit will want to compare the holster and handle against what they carry now. The price, the blade selection, and the holster's fit on a tool belt are not stated in the release.
The release is dated September 17 and was issued by Wera Werkzeuge GmbH in Wuppertal, with a press kit that includes a PDF of the text and images. Wera's English-language site carries it through its Canadian and US press pages. The price, the retail launch date, and the set configurations are not given, so electricians and tool buyers will have to wait for Wera's catalog or retailers to list the sets. For anyone comparing against what they already carry, the key questions are whether the holster hangs comfortably on a tool belt next to pouches, how the elastic loops hold the handle during climbing, and whether the four blades cover the slotted and Phillips sizes used in switchgear.
The press release was available in English and several other languages on Wera's site, and a PDF and a zip of images are offered to journalists.
Sources and image credits
- Wera press release: Kraftform Kompakt VDE GO, quick access and one-handed operation
- Wera: Kraftform Kompakt VDE with ratchet functionality
- Images: Wera press and product materials
