My first Cordless Drill – 1985 Makita 60995D Cordless Driver Drill: A nostalgic look back at one of the most important tools of my early locksmith career—my very first cordless drill, the 1985 Makita 60995D. While cleaning up the shop, I came across this heavyweight 9.6V cordless drill that was truly revolutionary for its time. Purchased in 1985 for just under $300, this drill was a serious investment and an absolute workhorse in daily locksmith operations.

I talk about how this Makita drill changed the way I worked, especially when servicing older GM dash-mounted ignitions that required precision drilling and manipulation of the sidebar. Compared to the hand drills we relied on before, this cordless drill saved enormous amounts of time and effort and quickly became an essential part of my mobile locksmith setup.

Despite its size and weight by today’s standards, this drill delivered impressive torque (when the battery lasted) and held up to years of heavy use. What surprised me most is that these early cordless drills are now becoming collectible, with growing interest from tool enthusiasts and tradespeople alike.

This is more than just an old tool—it’s a piece of locksmith history and a reminder of how far cordless technology has come. If you enjoy vintage tools, locksmith stories from the field, or seeing the evolution of professional trade equipment, this one’s for you. (Source: Terry Whin-Yates)

Source: Mr. Locksmith Youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/24hrMrLocksmith

My first Cordless Drill – 1985 Makita 60995D Cordless Driver Drill

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While cleaning up the shop the other day, I stumbled across a real blast from the past—my very first cordless drill. I wouldn’t call myself a hoarder… I prefer the term collector. And this particular find brought back a lot of memories.

The drill is a Makita 60995D, a 9.6V cordless driver drill I bought back in 1985. At the time, I paid just under $300, which was serious money in those days. But this thing was absolutely revolutionary. Cordless tools were still new, bulky, and expensive—and this one felt like a game changer.

My first Cordless Drill Mr Locksmith

Makita Heavy, Powerful, and Built Like a Tank

By today’s standards, this drill is incredibly heavy. Pick it up and you immediately notice the weight. But back then, that weight came with confidence. When the battery cooperated, it delivered around 200 inch-pounds of torque, which was impressive for its era.

This drill wasn’t a shelf piece—it was a daily workhorse. I used it constantly for years before eventually upgrading to newer cordless drills (yes, also Makita). Somewhere in the shop, I still have the original charger and kit for this one, although the battery itself is long dead. One day I’ll dig everything out and see what can be revived.

My first Cordless Drill Mr Locksmith

A Locksmith’s Lifesaver in the 1980s Makita

What really justified the purchase back then was automotive locksmith work—specifically GM ignitions mounted in the dash. In the mid-1980s, I was regularly dealing with GM 6-cut ignitions, where removal required drilling a very small hole (often 1/8″ or less). Applying pressure to the sidebar. This made it easy to pick the ignition so it could be turned to the accessory or “on” position for removal.

Before this drill, I was using a tiny hand drill, and let me tell you—that was painfully slow. The Makita cordless drill turned a frustrating, time-consuming job into something efficient and manageable. It quite literally paid for itself.

From Tool to Collectible

Here’s the part that surprised me most: these drills are now showing up on eBay selling anywhere from $40 to $140. Collectors are starting to appreciate early cordless tools like this, especially ones that helped define a new era in the trades.

For me, though, this Makita isn’t about resale value. It represents a turning point—when cordless tools started changing how locksmiths worked in the field. It’s a reminder of how far technology has come… and how tough the old gear really was.

Sometimes the best finds in the shop aren’t the newest tools—they’re the ones that tell a story. Source: Terry Whin-Yates Mr. Locksmith Linkedin