We are in an age of high-tech power tools of many types. It wasn't long ago that an electric drill and maybe a sander were the only power tools found in a do-it-yourselfer's workshop.

Today, virtually every hand tool is available as a power tool. Power saws, routers, planers, drills, sanders, chisels and even screwdrivers are the rage. As power tools evolve they are becoming more powerful, lighter, quieter, safer and more affordable.

Of all the power tools available, one of the fastest selling do-it-yourself favorites is the cordless screwdriver. It can make installing screws easier and quicker. As valuable as the cordless screwdriver may be, there are some tasks that it is not designed to perform; it is not a replacement for a good set of old fashioned screwdrivers.

Just as power tools have improved, so too have so-called "old fashioned" screwdrivers. Screwdrivers today are stronger, safer and more useful than ever before. Gone are the days of bent shanks, broken handles, injured hands or wrists and stripped heads.

The first screwdrivers appeared about the middle of the 17th century. In the English, French and Dutch languages they were and still are called "turnscrews" or the equivalent. In many European languages they are known as "screw-pullers" or "unscrewers." The first use of the word "screwdriver" occurred in an order by a Philadelphia merchant to a London dealer in 1760 to supply screwdrivers. This American term has now superseded the old English term.

The basic screwdriver is composed of the head, handle, shank and tip. Each is as important as the others and each is designed to work in harmony with the others. For example, a large handle with a small shank is a recipe for failure.

The two most important considerations in choosing a screwdriver are the material of which it is made and how the handle fits your hand.

A traditional screwdriver handle swells out, forming a bulbous end that fills the hand to provide a better grip and enables the user to provide more torque at the driving end. Most handles are made of plastic or hardwood. Wooden handles are strengthened with a metal ferrule where the blade enters the handle. Plastic handles are typically molded around the blade to provide a much stronger fixing.

Straight-fluted handles also are made in plastic or hardwood. The fluting is designed to give the user increased grip. A slip-on rubber grip is available, which increases the size of the fluted handle.

In simple terms, the handle must fit your hand and be shaped to allow you to apply as much torque as possible, based on your own strength. So, shopping for a screwdriver is a lot like shopping for a pair of shoes. Proper fit can make all of the difference in the world. Note: a screwdriver is designed to install screws. Many consider a screwdriver to be an all-purpose tool that can be used to do virtually anything, even to drive nails. Using the handle as a hammer can damage it, which in turn will diminish the handle's integrity and create a safety hazard.

The shank is almost always constructed of steel and forged steel is the strongest. A square shank can add to strength and allows a wrench to be used for greater power. If you've ever bought one of those cheap screwdrivers that you see in a barrel at the front of the hardware store, you know what happens when you put them to the test. Either the blade bends, or the tip twists in the screw head.

Another important aspect of screwdriver design is the tip. There are a host of different tip configurations. The two most popular are Slotted and Phillips. These two will deal with 90 percent of the screws that most do-it-yourselfers encounter. Other, less common, tips include Hex, Clutch, Robertson and Torx.

Not all screws are created equal. It's important to have the right screw for the job. For example, a slot on a two-gauge screw is a fraction the size of the slot on a 20-gauge screw. The same is true for Phillips and other types of screw configurations. Therefore, it makes sense to have an assortment of screwdriver sizes to conform to various screws. Further, when choosing a screwdriver from your toolbox, be sure to grab the one that is as close to the size of the screw head as possible. A screwdriver that is either too small or too large will end up damaging the head. Also, it's much easier to install a screw with the proper-sized screwdriver because you maximize torque.

Even when you use the right size screwdriver for the job, occasionally the tip will slip out of the slot. To combat this knuckle-busting problem, some manufacturers have come up with a scored non-slip tip. It really works.