Nipple Drivers
Browse used nipple drivers for sale from riders across the UK. A nipple driver spins spoke nipples down the thread quickly and stops each one at the same depth, so a 32 or 36-hole build starts with every spoke at an equal, low tension; the tips are slotted or square to match standard brass and alloy nipples. It is for people lacing whole wheels rather than replacing the occasional broken spoke.
What does a nipple driver do that a screwdriver doesn't?
Two things. The tip is deep and closely fitted so it does not cam out and chew the slot, which a workshop screwdriver will do within a dozen nipples on alloy. More importantly it has a depth stop, so every nipple ends up run down to the same point on the thread — start a build even and the first round of truing is a short job instead of an unpicking exercise.
Hand driver or a bit for a power screwdriver?
A hand tool like the Park Tool ND-1 gives you feel, which matters as the thread starts to bite and tells you a spoke is crossed or a nipple is picking up. Driver bits for a cordless screwdriver, offered by DT Swiss among others, turn the run-down stage of a 36-hole wheel into a couple of minutes, but only work sensibly at low speed and low torque, and you still finish by hand. Bladed spokes need a blade holder regardless, since a spinning nipple will twist the spoke otherwise.
Nipple driver or spoke wrench?
They cover consecutive stages: the driver runs the nipple down the thread while there is no tension in the system, and the spoke wrench takes over once the spokes come tight and the nipple can no longer be turned from the head. Using a driver past that point rounds out the slot; using a wrench for the whole run-down is slow and hard on your wrist. A full wheel building kit has both.
What should I check on a used nipple driver?
The tip does all the work and is the only part that fails. Look for rounded corners on the square drive or a slotted blade that has gone thin and tapered at the edges — a worn tip sits loose in the nipple, cams out under load and starts damaging nipples rather than turning them. Press the depth stop in and let it go: it should spring back cleanly and hold its setting rather than creeping under pressure. Plastic handles crack around the ferrule, which is cosmetic until the tip starts spinning inside the handle.
Is it worth buying a nipple driver used?
Only at a real discount, because they are inexpensive new and light enough that postage is a large share of the cost either way. A used one is a good buy when the tip edges are still square and sharp under magnification and the seller has photographed them; it is a poor buy at any price if the tip is rounded, since replacing damaged nipples mid-build costs more than the tool. Sellers often list one with a truing stand and wrenches as a set, which is usually the better value.