TFB Review: Fix It Sticks – Shooting Kits

I have used the Spuhr Fix It Sticks kit for years, and if I forget them I feel handicapped. It’s a small but great piece of kit for anyone who mounts and dismounts a lot of riflescopes, which you know I do for my reviews. But that kit is more or less designed and limited to scope mounts and therefore is too minimalistic if you run into other “obstacles” in your gunsmithing.

Below: “ The Works” from Fix It Sticks at the shooting range. I have added a knife as well as Knipex Cobra Pliers and some other parts from Knipex in the soft carrying case.

The company started back in 2013 as a Kickstarter campaign. Initially, a lot of cyclists used them, then someone discovered that their tools can be used by professional and amateur gunsmiths as well.

Enter some of Fix It Sticks’ larger kits like the AR-15 Tool Kit with Hard Case and The Works Kit with All-In-One Torque Driver plus some other bits and pieces they have on offer. I had a wish to extend my tools and on Black Friday of last year, I ordered the tools you see in this review. I think the discount was in the region of 10-15%, but everything you see here was paid for by myself without the knowledge of Fix It Sticks.

Below: Where “The Works” kit belongs. Tikka T3x TAC A1 in 6.5 Creedmoor at the shooting range.

It took me some time to find and decide which kits to order, but I finally fell for these;

My order summary:

The Works with All-In-One Torque Driver × 1 $220.00

AR-15 Tool Kit with Hard Case × 1 $90.00

Ratcheting T-Way Wrench with Locking Hex Drive × 1 $48.00

Fix It Sticks – Bottle Opener × 1 $6.00 (for the fun of it)

Aimpoint Bit × 2 $20.00

Here’s how they describe one of their most comprehensive kits:

The Works with All-In-One Torque Driver

Get our All-In-One Torque Driver, AR15 Field Maintenance, and Accessory Bits all in one Kit! This kit contains numerous bits and accessories designed to help maintain your AR-15, tighten down your optics and rifle parts to the correct torque, and work on pistols and shotguns as well.

It includes all of these parts :

• T-Handle Wrench
• All-In-One Torque Driver
• 1/2″ Socket and Bit Adapter
• Universal Choke Tube Wrench
• 1911 Bushing Tool
• Glock Front Sight Bit
• Mini Pry-Bar
• Bolt Carrier Group Scraper 
• Metal Pin Punch
• Castle Nut Wrench 
• Bronze Scraper
• Steel Pick
• Non-Marring Plastic Pin Punch
• Cleaning Brush Bit
• A2 Front Sight Adjustment Bit
• Set of Brass Cleaning Rods (can accept 8-32 threaded attachments)
• Set of two bit adapters to allow for 8-32 threaded components
• 24 Chrome Plated 1/4″ Bits: [hex 2.5mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, .050, 5/64, 3/32, 1/8, 7/64, 9/64, 5/32, 3/16, 1/4] T8, T10, T15, T20, T25, T27, T30, P1, P2, [slotted 3/16, 3/32]

This is all packed into a convenient soft carrying case, and although it becomes a bit heavy I can highly recommend it. There’s also a magnetic patch for small parts.

I upgraded the kit with a Ratcheting T-Way Wrench with Locking Hex Drive, which I can recommend if you plan to use the bits a lot.

The kit below is more or less specific to Spuhr mounts. I have been using the Spuhr Fix It Sticks kit for years, and it’s been a great help for getting those scope mounts on and off, with the right torque. I use other brands of mounts as well, but my preference is Spuhr if I have the possibility.

Spuhr Fix It Sticks kit – €105 + Taxes. (Europe)

Fix It Sticks Spuhr-specific torque kit containing two Fix It sticks, a 25 in/lb and a 45 in/lb torque limiter, and two each of standard length and extended length Torx 20 bits. Delivered in slim soft pouch with Velcro panel and PALS. Includes an Approved by Spuhr PVC Velcro patch.

By the looks of it, they have stopped marketing the AR-15 Tool Kit with Hard Case, at least I was not able to find it on their website any longer. In my opinion, you’re not missing out. While the tools and bits are mostly the same I never became friends with the hard case. It was really difficult to open and needed a redesign. I don’t like to write bad reviews, but the hard case itself was a major disappointment. The soft cases are much better.

Below: AR-15 Tool Kit with Hard Case (likely discontinued)

While I don’t really have a need for all the tools in Fix It Sticks The Works, I can highly recommend it. The soft case is a great gathering place for all my small tools in my range bag, and I recommend that you browse around to see if you want to add some accessories. If I bring it, I know I can face most of the challenges that can happen to a firearm on the range or at home. In fact, the tools can probably do a lot more than I know (or would dare to do). The tools can of course be very helpful to battle other tasks at home, in the garage or at the office. If the total package feels too heavy to carry put it in your car so it’s close to where you’re at. If you don’t buy a kit yourself, they would make an excellent gift. Highly recommended!