Doctor Who Sonic Screw Driver

My desk at home and work is usually full of odds and ends and some memorabilia from some of my favorite games and shows.  I have ordered through Ebay two versions of the Doctor Who sonic screwdriver.  The sonic screwdriver was actually first introduced by the 4th Doctor played by Tom Baker.  It was employed as a plot device that enabled the Doctor to open panels and locks that barred him from escape or simply reaching his goals.

The first photo shows the earlier version I bought a couple of years ago carried by the tenth and actually a smaller version of the one carried by the ninth.  It's about 5 - 6 inches in length and slightly under an inch in diameter.   This screw driver extends 1.5 inches by pulling on the LED assembly (front) or sliding the extension tab along the slot on the side.  Two buttons on the false blue groove on the opposite side actuate the simulated buzzing and lights depending on whether the LED assembly is fully extended or not.  The LED glows blue and can be used as a black-light to expose writing traces from the UV ink marker concealed at the other end underneath the black cap.  I was a little disappointed with it.  It was made of really cheap plastic which to some purchasers broke in their bags or purses.  I would have easily paid more to get a more substantial version of this toy which I'm sure many Doctor Who fans would do as well even if they removed the UV ink pen at the bottom end.  In the above pic it doesn't seem that bad but up close it really cheapens the novelty.

The second pic is my recently received Eleventh Doctor's sonic screw driver.  It's a substantial half a foot long with a spring loaded button actuated extension (found on the side on the black section of the device).  The LED assembly on this one glows green and a four arm claw like appendage grasp the LED assembly when retracted.  Pushing the spring loaded extension button opens the claw like appendages and pops the LED assembly an extra inch or so forward.  The device is made of a harder plastic and is better put together than the previous version.  The sonic screwdriver no longer doubles as an invisible ink pen which is fine by me, but it still lights up and buzzes significantly louder when pressed from the button on the side when retracted (also on the black section just below the spring actuation) and underneath a hinged flip cap at the end (when extended or not).  The screw driver looks a little steam-punkish which fits the rest of the new look of the series 5 tardis.

Both screwdrivers cost me about $40 CAN each but I've been seeing a $20 CAN hike on the newer version since the release of series 5 here in North America (which I should have cashed in on).  Both sonic screwdrivers can be found on Ebay.