Earliest examples of vde / rated insulated tools

[Dustydazzler]

I have seen some older steadfast screwdrivers possibly from the 1980s with a sleeve over the shaft to achieve some level of insulation from live parts.
but what were the first brands to do fully insulated and rated hand tools ?

 

[R-fur]

When I started with an Electricity board in the mid seventies we were issued with tools from Insulated tools Ltd. These tended to be good quality insulated tools from British manufacturers that had extra insulation added. I still have some of them in regular use. The older guys used to talk about 'special' wooden handed screwdrivers that they had for live meter changes.

 

[Dustydazzler]

so it looks like ITL might be the first company to manufacture proper rated hand tools ?

My dads first electricians knife has a wooden handle and hooked blade.

 

[R-fur]

ITL are still going, they supply the DNO's.

 

[Pete999]

When I started with an Electricity board in the mid seventies we were issued with tools from Insulated tools Ltd. These tended to be good quality insulated tools from British manufacturers that had extra insulation added. I still have some of them in regular use. The older guys used to talk about 'special' wooden handed screwdrivers that they had for live meter changes.

Got two of those wooden handled jobbies. Made by Stanley, they did a complete range of them, got mine from SWEB in Bath, Albany Road works. Bought two ITL ones as well never used them, just liked the look of em, you know what us tool tarts are like?

 

[telectrix]

Got two of those wooden handled jobbies. Made by Stanley, they did a complete range of them, got mine from SWEB in Bath, Albany Road works. Bought two ITL ones as well never used them, just liked the look of em, you know what us tool tarts are like?

as 1 tool tart to another, what's your latest acquisition. mine is this:
View attachment 59933View attachment 59933

 

[Pete999]

as 1 tool tart to another, what's your latest acquisition. mine is this:
View attachment 59933

Can't enlarge pic Tel, and I aint bought any tools for a while now, last was at ELEX last September.

 

[telectrix]

Can't enlarge pic Tel, and I aint bought any tools for a while now, last was at ELEX last September.

same here. can't enlarge .if i get on ebat to enlarge, can't copy.messed aboutwith it. is this better?

 

[Pete999]

same here. can't enlarge .if i get on ebat to enlarge, can't copy.messed aboutwith it. is this better?
View attachment 59934

Yes Ta very nice

 

[telectrix]

£40 WITH POSTAGE. AND ALL SHAFTS FIT MY SNAP-ON HANDLES.and caps lock came on when i went for the 3shift to get £.

 

[Pete999]

£40 WITH POSTAGE. AND ALL SHAFTS FIT MY SNAP-ON HANDLES.and caps lock came on when i went for the 3shift to get £.

SAUSAGE FINGERS. . .
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I have seen some older steadfast screwdrivers possibly from the 1980s with a sleeve over the shaft to achieve some level of insulation from live parts.
but what were the first brands to do fully insulated and rated hand tools ?

Eliot Lucas I think for pliers etc screwdrivers Steadfast (PVC) or Stanley with the insulating strip in the handle area.

 

[Pete999]

I can recall insulating pliers, snips and screwdrivers with outer insula tion from larger cables. Had the Leccy board visit some flats I was wiring, got talking admiring his Leccy Board tools ended up swapping some cable for his tools, no brainer really not his tools, not my cable job done, birth of a tool tart, evolution is a wonderful thing isn't it?

 

[Pete999]

Going back to the original question about VDE tools, I mentioned ihat I swapped some cable for some SWEB well I checked my stash and found one of the drivers a big heavy duty one it's a Steadfast yellow handle with an Orange shaft insulation which has been added as an extra, still going strong after my tool tart initiation in the early 1970s. Trouble with it is some philistine has used ut as a pry bar and dented the insulation so can't guarantee it's VDE qualities, nice to keep though.