Jakemy JM-P18 precision screwdriver set

The screwdriver body is anodized aluminium and feels quite sturdy in the hand. It has a rotary top for convenient single handed operation. It’s about 12.6 cms (4.9 inches) in length without the bits. With the bits fitted into the body, the total length comes to about 14.4 cms (5.6 inches)

As shown in the picture above, the body doesn’t have large bulges or protrusions. This is crucial when working in cramped spaces like the inside of a PC cabinet. It’s probably not the thinnest driver you can get but I’ve had no issues with its thickness so far. The body isn’t completely round but has three flat edges. This not only offers better grip but also prevents the driver from rolling off when placed stationarily. I’m always glad to see such attention to detail.

The bits are made using S2 steel and are well magnetized. They’re able to pick up screws with ease and they snap-in snuggly into the screwdriver body. The bits are 12 mm in length which gives slightly more depth than the 9 mm bits found in most other sets.

The are 48 bits in total and are as follows:

Some of the bits have a thin layer of lubricant applied, probably to prevent them from rusting. I’ve had them for over 2 months now and used a few of the bits and have not noticed any signs of rusting thus far. However, there doesn’t seem to be any special anti-rust coat applied to the bits, so I wouldn’t count on them being total immune to rusting.

In addition to the screwdriver set, the JM-P18 includes the following tools:

The opening picks and pry tools are quite handy when opening up laptops. I haven’t used the metal spudger so I can’t attest to its strength, but the plastic pry tools were strong enough and worked as intended. The triangular opening picks are also handy as they are thinner and help pry into tighter spaces. The tweezers are ESD (electrostatic discharge) safe which is a nice touch, but I wish they would’ve included a blunt tipped tweezer as well.

The aluminium alloy case is compact, sturdy and feels premium. It has a smooth matte finish with a prominent Jakemy branding but nothing too gaudy. Encased within it is an inner housing made from rigid plastic. When the top of the housing is pushed down, a spring actuates and gently releases the housing and pushes it up, allowing it to be slid out from the case.

The housing has tiny holes with metal strips on either side to magnetically hold the bits. The bits are firmly held in place and don’t rattle or get dislodged when shaken. The screwdriver body isn’t held with magnets but instead snaps into the housing. The screwdriver body is fastened only at one end. This allows the other end to wobble and make contact with the housing when shaken. There’s also a tiny amount of rattle between the case and the housing itself. I suspect if this was made any tighter, removing the housing from the case might become cumbersome. Overall, the case is sleek and fairly well designed.

The carry bag is unique to the Jakemy JM-P18 model. The waterproof, 600D oxford fabric wraps the metal case and other tools and fastens using a thick velcro strip. The bag doesn’t fully conceal its contents as the top and bottom are not covered. So it doesn’t protect against immersion in water, it’s just that the sides covered by the fabric are water resistant.

The tools and the case are held in the bag using elastic straps. The straps are a tight fit for the tools but for the case itself is quite loose. The quality of stitching of some of the elastic straps to the fabric isn’t all that great. While some threads from the stitching have unraveled, it’s nothing too drastic. The carry bag isn’t the most premium but really well made considering the price.

I was looking for a screwdriver body without plastic or rubber grips, as they tend to wear down quickly, become slippery or sticky. I also wanted a durable case, preferably made of metal but definitely one without plastic hinges. And lastly, I wanted a good variety of bits including Torx T6 and T10.

As far as the material of the bits is concerned, I’ve used both S2 steel and CV (Chrome-Vanadium) steel bits in the past. Unsurprisingly, the internet is rife with claims about why one is better than the other. In my limited experience, I’ve not had issues with either of them. I’ve had my fair share of cam-outs but almost always the damage were to the screws rather than the bits. Or perhaps I’ve just been lucky…​