How to use a ratchet screwdriver without rounding the screw
Updated: 23 October 2026
The screw is in the hinge and the handle is about to click while nothing moves. A magnetic ratchet screwdriver works when the bit fills the recess, the direction is set, and you stop if a magnet or a switch starts to fall out. This is the sequence for a set you already own. It does not compare prices. The rows are on the [magnetic screwdriver set comparison](/hub/hand-tools/magnetic-screwdriver-set). We did not run a lab test. A qualifying purchase through our links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
The screw is in the hinge and the handle is about to click while nothing moves.
The screw is in the hinge and the handle is about to click while nothing moves. A magnetic ratchet screwdriver works when the bit fills the recess, the direction is set, and you stop if a magnet or a switch starts to fall out. This is the sequence for a set you already own. It does not compare prices. The rows are on the magnetic screwdriver set comparison. We did not run a lab test. A qualifying purchase through our links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Ratchet | Magnet | Limit in use | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Anesty Anesty 10-piece magnetic screwdriver set | No | Magnetic tip on each driver | Fixed shaft when the pawl will not bite | 9.2 | about £9.68 | View offer |
 Amazon Basics Amazon Basics 73-piece ratchet screwdriver set | Three-way plus locked | Magnetic bits; precision bits non-magnetic | Pawl needs tension before it drives | 9.2 | about £13.99 | View offer | |
| Alternative |  ZBXSNK ZBXSNK 43-piece magnetic screwdriver set | No | Magnetic tips and a magnetiser | Phillips tips reported worn | 7.3 | about £18.99 | View offer |
On this page
Match the bit before you turn
Look at the screw head before you look at the ratchet. A Pozidriv screw has four ticks between the arms of the cross. A Phillips screw does not. PZ2 is the usual size for a 3.5 to 5.0 mm wood screw. PH2 is the usual plasterboard bit. If you drive Pozidriv with Phillips, the tip climbs out and the recess rounds. Stop and change the bit. The bit should fill the recess, and the shaft should stay on the axis of the screw. A bit that is too small snaps. Press until it seats, then turn. Amazon Basics says the precision bits are only for small devices. If the case has no PZ2, do not invent one from a PH2.
Set the ratchet, then test one click
A three-way ratchet has forward, reverse and a lock. On a Wera Kraftform Kompakt RA sold in the UK, clockwise on the ring drives clockwise, anticlockwise undoes, and 0 locks the shaft. Read the marks on your handle, set it to tighten, and make one click with the screw already resisting. If the handle clicks and the screw stays still, push along the screw, then turn. UK reviews of the Amazon Basics set say the pawl needs that tension. If it still freewheels, lock the ratchet. A lock is not a stronger shaft than a fixed driver. Stop if the Faireach switch has fallen off, or if a VMAN ratchet has seized.
Put magnetism on, or take it off
Use the magnet when the screw is steel and you need one hand for the hinge. If the tip has gone dead, swipe it. Klein Tools UK's MAG2 method is to insert the shaft fully, draw it out slowly, and not rotate it. The magnetise slot and the demagnetise slot are separate. ZBXSNK includes a small magnetiser. Use that the same way. Do not heat the tip. The magnet will not hold brass or most stainless screws. Test the screw you are about to drive. Take the magnetism off beside a sensor, a watch movement, or a small electronic part, drawing the shaft through the demagnetise slot slowly.
Stop when a part comes loose
Stop when the magnet leaves the holder, the direction switch comes off, or the bit climbs out of the screw. Holder magnets are the failure reported on Saker, VMAN, Faireach and KELIN. On Wesdut a UK review says the handle cover unscrews in use and drops the stored bits. Put the tool down and use a fixed driver for that screw. Do not hit the handle with a hammer. That is HSE INDG229. A stripped screw on a stair, a bed rail or a child seat is the point where you get a competent person, and the same hand-off applies to a live circuit or a gas appliance. If you have a pacemaker or an ICD and you feel unwell, move the tool away and contact your clinic.
Common questions
Which way does the switch go to tighten?
Set the collar so the handle drives the screw in. On the Wera RA sold in the UK, clockwise on the ring drives clockwise, anticlockwise undoes, and 0 locks for a direct turn. Marks differ. Test one click with the bit seated and the screw resisting. If the handle clicks and the screw does not move, the pawl is not loaded.
Why does the handle click while the screw stays still?
The pawl has nothing to bite on. UK reviews of the Amazon Basics set say it needs tension before it drives. Push along the screw and turn again. If it still clicks, lock the mechanism. If the switch is loose or the pawl is seized, as on Faireach and VMAN, stop. Do not add a hammer.
How do I magnetise a tip that has gone dead?
Use a two-slot magnetiser. Klein's UK MAG2 method is to insert the shaft fully and draw it out slowly, without rotating it, through the magnetise slot. Do not heat the tip. Brass and most stainless screws will not stick after any swipe.
The cross bit jumps out. What do I change?
Four ticks between the arms means Pozidriv, and Phillips will cam out. Match the size so the bit fills the recess. A small blade snaps because it touches too little steel. Press along the screw before you turn. If the set has no PZ2, stop using PH2 as a substitute.
The magnet is loose in the holder. Do I keep using it?
No. A magnet that has left the holder is a failed part. Reviews of Saker, VMAN, Faireach and KELIN report that. Carrying on drops the magnet into the furniture. Use a fixed driver, or retire the ratchet. The same stop applies if Wesdut's handle cover unscrews.
Can I hit the handle?
No. HSE INDG229 says you do not strike a screwdriver or use it as a chisel. A ratchet handle is not an exception. If the screw will not move with the correct bit seated, use a fixed driver, or a competent person when the screw is structural.
When do I stop and get a fixed driver or a professional?
Use a fixed driver when the pawl will not bite, the switch has fallen off, or the screw is seized in a deep recess. Get a competent person for a live circuit, a gas appliance, or a stripped screw on a stair, a bed rail or a child seat. Do not keep turning once the bit is climbing out.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources are listed below. Shelf prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures captured on 22 October 2026. This page did not lab-test the sets. No field strength was measured.
- BSI, BS 2559:1994 screwdrivers and accessories (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- BSI, BS ISO 8764-1:1999 cross-recess driver points (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- ISO 1173:2001 bit shanks, 6.3 mm hex (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- British Heart Foundation, pacemaker questions (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- HSE INDG229, using hand tools (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- Bolts.co.uk, common recess styles (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- Compel, magnetic screwdriver tips (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, Part 1 Chapter 2 (retrieved 22 October 2026)