Stubby bits for low-profile offset ratcheting screwdrivers

This is the bent-up-end offset ratcheting screwdriver. The Japanese company‘s name, Rubicon, is translated into Chinese as Robinhood.

With a specific task in mind, I recently got a couple of low-profile, offset, ratcheting screwdrivers. The kind that accept hex-shank bits. Specifically, two Japanese Rubicon brand jobbies: RGH-9A (straight and flat) and RGH-9B (bent-up at the end). Each could be bought in a set that included either a eight-piece screwdriver bit assortment (3 Philips, 2 straight, and 3 hex-drive bits) or that assortment plus six sockets. I didn’t see a need for the sockets, so I didn’t get those versions.

The M4 hex-drive bit from a plain-jane hex-shank Chinese-sourced Stanley-branded screwdriver bit set compared to the M4 hex-drive bit from the meager set that came with the screwdriver. Measured with digital calipers.

The fasteners I intended to use were Torx-drive. I already had multiple of hex-drive screwdriver bit sets and the Rubicon screwdrivers didn’t come in a set that included any Torx anyway, so I made the purchase and waited for the screwdrivers to be delivered. Lo and behold, in a development that shouldn’t have been any surprise, the screwdrivers accepted the hex-drive bits I have on hand, but they’re longer and protrude from the top side of the screwdriver, just far enough that I can’t get the screwdriver into the spot where it’s needed. The bits in the Chinese-made Stanley bit set I’d blithely assumed I’d use are 25mm from end to end and the bits included with the screwdrivers, which were flush with the tool, ran just 16mm long.

The same two H4 (M4 hex-drive) bits laid against a ruler.

So now I would like to get some 16mm-long hex-shank bits. Alas, these seem difficult to find. I’ve seen some other low-profile offset ratcheting screwdrivers that come with bit sets which include some Torx, but don’t see any 16mm-overall-length bit assortments for sale.

Scouring Taobao for 16mm 特短批头批头组 (Simplified Chinese for 16mm super short screw head screw head set) or 18mm 特短批头批头组, which is how one of the sellers of this kind of screwdriver described the included bits, has turned up small bit sets that come with the same sort of screwdriver, but no large and comprehensive standalone bit assortments thus far. The standard length of short bits seems to be 25mm.