TTC: Allen Hex Key Shootout

[glenng]

He ranks them in the following order:

Wera
Bondhus
PB Swiss
Amazon Basics/Toolant
Husky
Tekton
Elead
Eklind

Would have liked to see included in the test:

Wiha
Facom
Eight Tools
Wise
Asahi
Tsunoda
Icon
Pittsburgh

Would have also liked to see testing on some of the smaller hex keys.

 

[RoninB4]

-Was an interesting video. Torque values and lean angle, to me, aren't the only aspects for choosing a brand of hex key. They did try to remain objective in testing until comfort/appearance weighed in a few times.

 

[Steiger9]

One nice thing about full hex shafts is that as they wear, you can cut off the worn parts and keep going. So as good as the Wera are, I'd pass for the Bondhus. And since I joined Garage Journal I've heard nothing but good about PB Swiss, but for $80, I'm going to pass for the Bondhus. I did own a Bondhus set 10 years ago or so. They didn't look like what was tested and my gut feeling was they were only "okay". So maybe their manufacturing changed.

I too would have liked to see Icon tested, since that's my current set. (and a Chinese Gearwrench set).

 

[DaveAndStuff]

I like the Bondhus, but I liked the Eklind too. I've always treated hex keys as consumable. A few sizes get warn out and the rest are never used.

At the plant, we just bought the 100-packs of the sizes used in production.

 

[Etchase]

I really try to avoid using ball ends at all. I’m always surprised how TTC avoids testing Stanley Black and Decker products. They are after all the biggest tool company. They typically finish near or at the top, and buy all accounts their RBRT or what ever they call it on their Allen keys is quite good. Maybe next time.

 

[MushCreek]

My Wera Hex-Plus sets are continuous hex stock. They are the best I've used for professional, heavy-duty use. I wrenched on plastic injection molds for 45 years, often using a pipe cheater, and the Wera wrenches stood up to the abuse.

 

[CHI_Tool&Die]

Wera are fantastic keys and you can buy a set without the color sleeves but with the same hex plus profile. And that hex plus design works so well. I have no qualms recommending Wera to everyone.

I had an entire drawer of Bondhus keys but just switched to Wiha. Bondhus is a great brand with a fantastic warranty. My only knocks against Bondhus are the crappy holders, the inconsistent finish, and how many of the keys were warped. Only brand I have had where the warranty keys were more bent than the ones I was trying to replace.

 

[willf650]

I like the Bondhus, but I liked the Eklind too. I've always treated hex keys as consumable. A few sizes get warn out and the rest are never used.

At the plant, we just bought the 100-packs of the sizes used in production.

I used to do the same. Worked on something where I had to remove a specific size set screw all the time. Was buying 10 packs of a specific size key. Cut them off once with a die grinder to get a clean end and next time around chuck them out.

They were probably Elkind but used to buy them at Grainger.

 

[dnschmidt]

Couple of points: There was really no ranking as such other than the first three were better and the remaining were equally average. It was basically two groups. The first suggestion of adding the Japanese brands like Eight Tools would be great as the Japanese make superior hex keys in my experience.

 

[Steve_P]

Good test. PB Swiss does well but is simply not "OMG it's vastly superior...." as everyone at GJ claims to justify the price after spending $80 on a set of hex keys. The reality is that there is only so much you can do with a hex key and the material used. For typical home use, the Amazon set would be fine because they're mostly going to be used for assembling furniture and tightening a faucet handle.

I would've liked to have seen Wiha tested.

I have Allen, Bondhus, Eklind, and Wiha and they're all fine for home use, but the Eklind are definitely lacking in cosmetic quality with the sheared ends. Obviously, most people aren't going to care about that and they're a good bargain that will be fine for most people. I really love the case/holder that the Wiha have- very easy access, which makes them a pleasure to use in comparison to everything else I have.

 

[JD Miller]

I like Hex Bit sockets. I have some sets snap on and some pittsburg

 

[KnurledNut]

Now let's see what the keys look like after a 1,000 cycles.

 

[liliysdad]

I like Hex Bit sockets. I have some sets snap on and some pittsburg

There are a lot more places hex sockets won’t fit than will.

 

[Dave455]

Basically good info, but some thoughts occur.

There were a number of features that I consider important to a good hex key that were not tested.

He didn’t really test “fit“. That’s quite easy to do, by measuring the amount of “slop” and giving the figure. I think that PB Swiss would have done well here, but from my experience Facom, had they been tested, would probably have led.

He didn’t test how much damage was done to a fastener, or how good each design was at removing a damaged fastener. This is more difficult to measure, but in my experience Wera would do well here.

He didn’t test the torque that the ball ends could withstand. All other things being equal, there’s a trade off between the greatest angle you can use the ball end, and the torque it can withstand. Depending on the job, one or other feature might be more important.

He didn’t really compare “like against like”. Both PB Swiss and Wera offer hex shank or oversize round shank tools, and it would have been fairer to compare both hex shank. I agree that the round shank are very nice to use though

Most importantly, while each tool was tested under static load, repetitive loads were not considered. Some manufacturers do much better than others here, and in my experience Wera are quite weak in this regard, whereas PB Swiss excel.

So, by no means the full picture, but with the exceptions of the products not tested, I would broadly agree with the top three.

I am slightly surprised by Eklind, as I have always considered them a top quality product, on a par with Bondhus. My sets are older, which may be relevant, or perhaps, once you reach a certain standard, those relatively small differences in maximum torque are not actually that important?

 

[L.Cheapo]

Shoutout to Bondhus for making high quality tools in the USA at very reasonable prices.

 

[WhataTool]

He didn’t really test “fit“. That’s quite easy to do, by measuring the amount of “slop” and giving the figure. I think that PB Swiss would have done well here, but from my experience Facom, had they been tested, would probably have led.

He didn’t test how much damage was done to a fastener, or how good each design was at removing a damaged fastener. This is more difficult to measure, but in my experience Wera would do well here.

He didn’t test the torque that the ball ends could withstand. All other things being equal, there’s a trade off between the greatest angle you can use the ball end, and the torque it can withstand. Depending on the job, one or other feature might be more important.

Fit's included in how well it turns something before damaging it, as the Tekton found out

It sort of is mainly a test of how much they damage the fastener, ones that damage the fastener earlier stop turning it sooner, less torque

How y'all gunna break a ball end with the short 2" long lever on the top of an L key? Don't we here usually shun testing absurd things to failure like this?

 

[CHI_Tool&Die]

Basically good info, but some thoughts occur.

There were a number of features that I consider important to a good hex key that were not tested.

He didn’t really test “fit“. That’s quite easy to do, by measuring the amount of “slop” and giving the figure. I think that PB Swiss would have done well here, but from my experience Facom, had they been tested, would probably have led.

He didn’t test how much damage was done to a fastener, or how good each design was at removing a damaged fastener. This is more difficult to measure, but in my experience Wera would do well here.

He didn’t test the torque that the ball ends could withstand. All other things being equal, there’s a trade off between the greatest angle you can use the ball end, and the torque it can withstand. Depending on the job, one or other feature might be more important.

He didn’t really compare “like against like”. Both PB Swiss and Wera offer hex shank or oversize round shank tools, and it would have been fairer to compare both hex shank. I agree that the round shank are very nice to use though

Most importantly, while each tool was tested under static load, repetitive loads were not considered. Some manufacturers do much better than others here, and in my experience Wera are quite weak in this regard, whereas PB Swiss excel.

So, by no means the full picture, but with the exceptions of the products not tested, I would broadly agree with the top three.

I am slightly surprised by Eklind, as I have always considered them a top quality product, on a par with Bondhus. My sets are older, which may be relevant, or perhaps, once you reach a certain standard, those relatively small differences in maximum torque are not actually that important?

Eklind keys are fine. I use them all the time. It’s true they are softer but I’d rather hose the key than screw up the SHCS. In my opinion, fit is everything and that is where Wiha, Bondhus, and the SBD family shine. I’ve never been impressed with our PB Swiss keys at work. They are mid to me.

 

[Dave455]

How y'all gunna break a ball end with the short 2" long lever on the top of an L key? Don't we here usually shun testing absurd things to failure like this?

Usually by sliding a bit of pipe over!

That’s my preferred method at least!

I know it sounds wrong, but sometimes it’s the easiest way - saves removing a lot of other stuff. Sometimes it’s the only way.

And ball end bit sockets, are of comparable strength and utility, so the strength of the ball end is a factor.

 

[American Locomotive]

Eklind keys are fine. I use them all the time. It’s true they are softer but I’d rather hose the key than screw up the SHCS. In my opinion, fit is everything and that is where Wiha, Bondhus, and the SBD family shine. I’ve never been impressed with our PB Swiss keys at work. They are mid to me.

I'm not sure how valid that is. It's been my experience that soft wrenches are way more likely to damage fasteners. Once they start camming out or slip out (like the Eklind) did, the screw is ruined.

The Wera outshine Bondhus and Wiha, IMO. They would remove screws that Bondhus wrenches ruined and couldn't get out. We used cheaters on them all the time. The extra large diameter body and sleeve makes them much more stiff compared to most hex wrenches.

However while the Wera hex-plus wrenches are great, the socket bits have a retaining ball and it noticeably weakens them. We broke a lot of the 6mm socket bits.

 

[WhataTool]

Usually by sliding a bit of pipe over!

That’s my preferred method at least!

I know it sounds wrong, but sometimes it’s the easiest way - saves removing a lot of other stuff. Sometimes it’s the only way.

And ball end bit sockets, are of comparable strength and utility, so the strength of the ball end is a factor.

Haha, if that's what you want to see fair enough.

But replicating a scenario in which the screw head is so hard to reach you need the ball end to get it from an angle, and yet you're using a pipe extension on the short end of an L-ey to the point the ball ends snaps off is the exact thing these tool tubers get roasted for testing 'till a tool breaks. I'm not sure there's any way to win here.

 

[Dave455]

But replicating a scenario in which the screw head is so hard to reach you need the ball end to get it from an angle, and yet you're using a pipe extension on the short end of an L-ey to the point the ball ends snaps off is the exact thing these tool tubers get roasted for testing 'till a tool breaks. I'm not sure there's any way to win here.

Yes, absolutely, I totally agree! But sometimes you pretty much have to do this stuff.

I was installing an oven once, and the only way to secure it to the carcass was to use the long arm of a “ball torx” key. Thankfully I owned some. The only alternative would have been to remove the door, which doesn’t seem right on a new appliance.

And I had a task in the defence industry, that involved securing an awkward steel block, with 4 cap screws. You couldn’t get straight on any of them, they needed to be tightened to a fair torque, and the things were button head too….!

Sometimes I hate designers….!

 

[T45]

I'm guessing I'm not the only one here with alot of hex keys and bit sockets.

Kind of agree with the conclusion that there's basically two groups of hex keys, the "good" ones and the OK ones...I mean there's also junk which isn't worth mentionioning...but there's luckily less of that today.

The application really is important, if you are working on something that really uses alot of SHCS in critical areas, you'll soon start to get fairly strong views on thinks, but its usually a bit biased by your application. I've had pretty good luck with a decent varietry of tools and pricpoints.

Another design aspect is the chamfer. As you use less chamfer, you're tryin to get less flex or twist or spring-loading as you work, but at the cost of some user friendlines for insertion/extraction. Same thing with running low vs normal clearance.

The PB swiss are excellent metalurgy, not to mention fit and finish, but they don't fit super-duper "tight", since they have both chamfer and clearance spec'd into their design. They do move pretty effortlessly accross the work, however.

For some applications, I like a tighter, more snug fit, mostly because I want to know if the tool is slipping in the fastener, and also if I have the tool fully into the fastener before turning it. I find applications working with finer threads in more exotic or delicate applications the places where I tend to assigna specific kit to a specific workpiece.

My working sets of Wiha and Bondus are coated for corrosion resistance and just in general are easier to see/locate when put down on a work surface, they seem to work just fine even with low-tolerance, high quality hardware.

There's also times when L-keys just are not the right form factor, either because you need to spin them alot (want T-handles), or need torque control (ie sockets) and so-on. No point in being critical of the form factor in those cases, since its just not the right tool.

 

[dnschmidt]

I have almost no L-keys but I have a lot to T-handles (Bondhus). That's my preference when using hex keys. TOPTUL, and man, many others make T-handles with the business end on one end of the T-handle and the other in the normal center position. This might be the best of both worlds.

 

[RoninB4]

It’s true they are softer but I’d rather hose the key than screw up the SHCS.

-There's a reason they're softer, which I've posted about several times (phone call from a liability lawyer) and I was part of the decision to lower the hardness (Rc) of the keys back in the mid 90's when I worked at Eklind as a die maker. That hardness may have been lowered even further since then, wouldn't know. I would also like to add that the steel used may/may not be what is usually used for a given brand. I've previously posted about an attempt by a competitor to corner the market on extruded hex coils (attempting to cripple Eklind) and we had to buy a different steel on the spot market to remain in constant production. The steel used during that period was inferior (IMO) to what we usually used so an inferior (IMO) product resulted. It could even have been that the heat treating was not tailored to THAT spot market steel during that period, hard to say when a variable enters the production stream. I'm not aiming this at @CHI_Tool&Die, he's likely very well aware of variables in toolmaking. I'm only offering this to inform the uninformed that there's far more to manufactured products than just buzzwords and published/tested numbers. Published numbers are often used by marketing to guide the uninformed.

In my opinion, fit is everything

-I agree and this is rather dependent on the fastener itself, the socket opening dimensions across the different brands and fastener types isn't uniform. I've posted about this on a few occasions too.

and that is where Wiha, Bondhus, and the SBD family shine.

-I've several different brands of hex keys, I still consider them all a perishable item to be modified or replaced when no longer useful.

I’ve never been impressed with our PB Swiss keys at work. They are mid to me.

-There's a couple of higher cost brands that focus on visual appeal. For those with higher profile jobs or just want the visual appeal that's ok too. Most of those jobs likely employ hex keys on, what I consider, a limited basis compared to what the average mold/tool maker does all day long. Constant industrial duty is going to wear out a hex key far sooner than spinning out the fasteners on a bicycle repair. I can understand the high end bicycle mechanic wanting the more expensive visual appeal hex keys but the industrial criteria is a different world. Both fastener and hex key are subject to wear/deformation and the the end result of the task. The task and environment often dictate what the appropriate tool should be.

-As for the ball end....I won't even begin to comment on what should be obvious besides structural inconsistency.

 

[woody 73]

Very interesting results, I guess I'm a bit different as I go ape **** whenever I find boxes of used hex keys and buy them all up, if something fails out it goes for another one. About 4 months ago while I was in a trip to Wisconsin, I found an old building that was having a flea type sale and lordy I about fell over buying up several boxes of keys, mind you nothing exotic as PB Swiss, or Japanese but rather old American stock, enough to last me for several lifetimes.

Still interesting results.

 

[mikey03]

For typical home use, the Amazon set would be fine because they're mostly going to be used for assembling furniture and tightening a faucet handle.

idk about you but I like to crank my ikea fasteners down to 200 foot pounds to make sure they never move

 

[mikey03]

Very interesting results, I guess I'm a bit different as I go ape **** whenever I find boxes of used hex keys and buy them all up, if something fails out it goes for another one. About 4 months ago while I was in a trip to Wisconsin, I found an old building that was having a flea type sale and lordy I about fell over buying up several boxes of keys, mind you nothing exotic as PB Swiss, or Japanese but rather old American stock, enough to last me for several lifetimes.

Still interesting results.

I used to be like that until I saw what happened to a few older family member stuff when they died and now all that 5 lifetimes worth of hex keys you got turns into trash that your family literally pays someone else to cart away

or in 50 years turns out no one uses hex fasteners anymore like if I came across some 100 year old 15/32” wrenches that my great grandpa was excited to buy 5 lifetimes worth turns into 100 lifetime worth supply of dealing with worn down 1/2” nuts which youll never see once metric is of the world in a few decades

now I stop being such a hoarder even when old relatives offer me tools for free I honestly will never need

 

[CHI_Tool&Die]

I'm not sure how valid that is. It's been my experience that soft wrenches are way more likely to damage fasteners. Once they start camming out or slip out (like the Eklind) did, the screw is ruined.

The Wera outshine Bondhus and Wiha, IMO. They would remove screws that Bondhus wrenches ruined and couldn't get out. We used cheaters on them all the time. The extra large diameter body and sleeve makes them much more stiff compared to most hex wrenches.

However while the Wera hex-plus wrenches are great, the socket bits have a retaining ball and it noticeably weakens them. We broke a lot of the 6mm socket bits.

Man, I can see where you are coming from. Our shop tends to use cheaper fasteners so when a strong unyielding key slips it jacks everything up whereas a softer key, like the Eklind, will still leave enough on the fastener so I can use a Wera or whatever to pop it out and finish going.

-There's a reason they're softer, which I've posted about several times (phone call from a liability lawyer) and I was part of the decision to lower the hardness (Rc) of the keys back in the mid 90's when I worked at Eklind as a die maker. That hardness may have been lowered even further since then, wouldn't know. I would also like to add that the steel used may/may not be what is usually used for a given brand. I've previously posted about an attempt by a competitor to corner the market on extruded hex coils (attempting to cripple Eklind) and we had to buy a different steel on the spot market to remain in constant production. The steel used during that period was inferior (IMO) to what we usually used so an inferior (IMO) product resulted. It could even have been that the heat treating was not tailored to THAT spot market steel during that period, hard to say when a variable enters the production stream. I'm not aiming this at @CHI_Tool&Die, he's likely very well aware of variables in toolmaking. I'm only offering this to inform the uninformed that there's far more to manufactured products than just buzzwords and published/tested numbers. Published numbers are often used by marketing to guide the uninformed.

-I agree and this is rather dependent on the fastener itself, the socket opening dimensions across the different brands and fastener types isn't uniform. I've posted about this on a few occasions too.

-I've several different brands of hex keys, I still consider them all a perishable item to be modified or replaced when no longer useful.

-There's a couple of higher cost brands that focus on visual appeal. For those with higher profile jobs or just want the visual appeal that's ok too. Most of those jobs likely employ hex keys on, what I consider, a limited basis compared to what the average mold/tool maker does all day long. Constant industrial duty is going to wear out a hex key far sooner than spinning out the fasteners on a bicycle repair. I can understand the high end bicycle mechanic wanting the more expensive visual appeal hex keys but the industrial criteria is a different world. Both fastener and hex key are subject to wear/deformation and the the end result of the task. The task and environment often dictate what the appropriate tool should be.

-As for the ball end....I won't even begin to comment on what should be obvious besides structural inconsistency.

Thanks for the history lesson. I was always curious why my Eklind keys were always so hit or miss regarding longevity in the field. I even noticed that the bright finish keys seem more robust than the standard black. That would make sense knowing that you guys have had to deal with a competitor muscling you out. I’ll always have some Eklind sets in my boxes just because they are the neighborhood guys.

 

[RoninB4]

Thanks for the history lesson.

-I dislike making long, wordy replies but sometimes a concise answer isn't enough. As with many things, there's a back story to account for with things that seem less than they should be. Most other members aren't concerned with Rc numbers, alloy properties, or how they all tie together but I figured at least ONE shop donk (like me) would digest the info. Hope it was somewhat useful, I've posted at length about all this in older threads on hex keys.

I was always curious why my Eklind keys were always so hit or miss regarding longevity in the field.

-There's a few more possibilities for this that come to mind but I've been gone since around 96 so I wouldn't know for certain.

I even noticed that the bright finish keys seem more robust than the standard black.

-One wonders what had to happen to use the bright finish? Perhaps they had to change the steel used (8650 IIRC) to get the bright finish to adhere or the heat involved in the bright finish brought the temps up high enough to lower the hardness, or the chemical part of that process lowered it, or another phone call from a lawyer came in, or...... the list goes on. I was told the standard black finish was purposeful to make them stand out as a visual in the marketplace.

That would make sense knowing that you guys have had to deal with a competitor muscling you out.

-The VP at the LARGE competitor knew the VP at Eklind and both were sometimes engaged in d*ck measuring, power playing games just to demonstrate what they were capable of. This happens far more often across manufacturing than most people know, same goes for industrial espionage on new products in development (this occurred while I was in Germany developing the "ball" end process).

I’ll always have some Eklind sets in my boxes just because they are the neighborhood guys.

-I probably will too, acquired a small chest of them over the years of employment. This was while they were still located on Logan Blvd. near the river, before they relocated to the burbs. I was living at Irving Park and Austin during that time. Hope things are well for you and yours.

 

[moemc]

I felt like the Eklinds didn't get a fair chance with the way that machine applies the torque. It doesn't seem like their testing machine has the adaptability to keep the torque load axis centerline concentric with the fastener. So depending on the length of the short arm on the key, and depending on the snugness of the fit, etc, the machine might give testing advantages or exaggerate weaknesses that aren't real world accurate.

Like.. if you actually kept the Eklind in the fastener instead of letting it go off canter and then shoot across the room, I doubt it would have taken so much damage, and the test results would have been more meaningful.

At any rate, I have been a Bondhus guy forever. Even more so, their BrightGuard ones are my favorite. Even more specifically, their extra long stubby ones (short arm stubby, long arm long, such as set 16792).

This video did make me top off a KC Tool order with a set of the Wera though.

 

[GeoBruin]

Even more so, their BrightGuard ones are my favorite.

Good deals on this set right now.

Bondhus 22pc BriteGrd/GoldGrd Ballend L-Wrench Pack (20399) | JB Tools https://share.google/dRXkYdIfROEyzL7eL

 

[DaveAndStuff]

I have four Klein folding sets I think I got in the '80s sets that are still great.

I really like the ball-ends for running screws in and out. The Bondhus ball-end screwdrivers are great.

 

[Farmall450]

I like Hex Bit sockets. I have some sets snap on and some pittsburg

Me too. I have Carlyle and Apex impact ones for the big stuff and the Gearwrench master set for everything else.

Allen heads are an area you want to (gently) use an impact vs stripping it out by hand (e.g. brakes). They're also nice to put on a hand impact for those pesky rusted rotor screws.

https://www.homedepot.com/pep/GEARWRENCH-1-4-in-3-8-in-and-1-2-in-Drive-SAE-Metric-Master-Hex-and-Torx-Bit-Socket-Set-84-Piece-80742/304588745?g_store=&source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&fp=ggl&pla&utm_source=google&utm_medium=vantage&utm_campaign=123203&utm_content=126148&mtc=SHOPPING-RM-RMP-GGL-Multi-Multi-NA-GEARWRENCH-NA-PMAX-NA-NA-FR26A222DXHG-123203-NBR-3313-NA-VNT-FY26_Q1_Q4_Apex_Tool_Group_GEARWRENCH_D25H_OAM_BAU_Opportunity&cm_mmc=SHOPPING-RM-RMP-GGL-Multi-Multi-NA-GEARWRENCH-NA-PMAX-NA-NA-FR26A222DXHG-123203-NBR-3313-NA-VNT-FY26_Q1_Q4_Apex_Tool_Group_GEARWRENCH_D25H_OAM_BAU_Opportunity-23560462996--&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23560466365&gbraid=0AAAAAolLu9-rYLU29wCc9LlOdngm_KDW9&gclid=CjwKCAiA-sXMBhAOEiwAGGw6LJzE6kjxCEXLpFcAvafCKXiwgY-cb_mBDUA4WbKKihDlLvwMmgBMRxoC28EQAvD_BwE

 

[RoninB4]

I have four Klein folding sets I think I got in the '80s sets that are still great.

-If you did get those in the 80's and they're a metal fold-up then they're likely made by Eklind, we (I) just changed the stamps for marking the fold-up handle. Klein was also in the same city (Chicago) as Eklind and when I worked at Klein I don't recall them actually making the keys.

 

[DaveAndStuff]

-If you did get those in the 80's and they're a metal fold-up then they're likely made by Eklind, we (I) just changed the stamps for marking the fold-up handle. Klein was also in the same city (Chicago) as Eklind and when I worked at Klein I don't recall them actually making the keys.

It would not surprise me. I've always thought the Eklind product was good. The holders were pretty nice two. I think Enco used to sell a metric and inch sets has a package for like $8. I think we bought 40 sets for workstations one year,

I do miss Enco, what a great company that was. Like Harbor Freight for machinists.

 

[Callelle]

Me too. I have Carlyle and Apex impact ones for the big stuff and the Gearwrench master set for everything else.

Allen heads are an area you want to (gently) use an impact vs stripping it out by hand (e.g. brakes). They're also nice to put on a hand impact for those pesky rusted rotor screws.

https://www.homedepot.com/pep/GEARWRENCH-1-4-in-3-8-in-and-1-2-in-Drive-SAE-Metric-Master-Hex-and-Torx-Bit-Socket-Set-84-Piece-80742/304588745?g_store=&source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&fp=ggl&pla&utm_source=google&utm_medium=vantage&utm_campaign=123203&utm_content=126148&mtc=SHOPPING-RM-RMP-GGL-Multi-Multi-NA-GEARWRENCH-NA-PMAX-NA-NA-FR26A222DXHG-123203-NBR-3313-NA-VNT-FY26_Q1_Q4_Apex_Tool_Group_GEARWRENCH_D25H_OAM_BAU_Opportunity&cm_mmc=SHOPPING-RM-RMP-GGL-Multi-Multi-NA-GEARWRENCH-NA-PMAX-NA-NA-FR26A222DXHG-123203-NBR-3313-NA-VNT-FY26_Q1_Q4_Apex_Tool_Group_GEARWRENCH_D25H_OAM_BAU_Opportunity-23560462996--&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23560466365&gbraid=0AAAAAolLu9-rYLU29wCc9LlOdngm_KDW9&gclid=CjwKCAiA-sXMBhAOEiwAGGw6LJzE6kjxCEXLpFcAvafCKXiwgY-cb_mBDUA4WbKKihDlLvwMmgBMRxoC28EQAvD_BwE

I got that set from school and it was one of the worst fitting sets I'd ever used. I constantly broke the T40 (Last one I warrantied they also told me that bit sockets are now considered consumables and won't be warrantied further) and stripped hexes constantly. I had originally replaced the long bits with Tekton ones, but have since replaced the entire set with GripEdge's master set. The only thing I kinda miss is the E24 I need for A26 head bolts, but I can always buy that single. For home and hobby use, the Gearwrench set is probably okay, but for me it didn't hold up to expectations professionally.

 

[Farmall450]

I got that set from school and it was one of the worst fitting sets I'd ever used. I constantly broke the T40 (Last one I warrantied they also told me that bit sockets are now considered consumables and won't be warrantied further) and stripped hexes constantly. I had originally replaced the long bits with Tekton ones, but have since replaced the entire set with GripEdge's master set. The only thing I kinda miss is the E24 I need for A26 head bolts, but I can always buy that single. For home and hobby use, the Gearwrench set is probably okay, but for me it didn't hold up to expectations professionally.

I haven't had a problem yet, but I also use my other impact ones on anything gnarly. I remember wanting this or the Craftsman (probably USA at the time) set for years; finally got it ~2 years back.

 

[WhataTool]

I felt like the Eklinds didn't get a fair chance with the way that machine applies the torque. It doesn't seem like their testing machine has the adaptability to keep the torque load axis centerline concentric with the fastener. So depending on the length of the short arm on the key, and depending on the snugness of the fit, etc, the machine might give testing advantages or exaggerate weaknesses that aren't real world accurate.

Like.. if you actually kept the Eklind in the fastener instead of letting it go off canter and then shoot across the room, I doubt it would have taken so much damage, and the test results would have been more meaningful.

At any rate, I have been a Bondhus guy forever. Even more so, their BrightGuard ones are my favorite. Even more specifically, their extra long stubby ones (short arm stubby, long arm long, such as set 16792).

This video did make me top off a KC Tool order with a set of the Wera though.

The arm center axis is centered from where the fastener is, it rotates about the fastener. And only the Eklind did that despite other keys of the same length. The wear it saw is also pretty unique to those ends on them. If an automated arm like that isn't perfect enough for specifically Eklind, then what chance does a human arm have at keeping it more perfect

 

[1982fxr]

-There's a reason they're softer, which I've posted about several times (phone call from a liability lawyer) and I was part of the decision to lower the hardness (Rc) of the keys back in the mid 90's when I worked at Eklind as a die maker. That hardness may have been lowered even further since then, wouldn't know. I would also like to add that the steel used may/may not be what is usually used for a given brand. I've previously posted about an attempt by a competitor to corner the market on extruded hex coils (attempting to cripple Eklind) and we had to buy a different steel on the spot market to remain in constant production. The steel used during that period was inferior (IMO) to what we usually used so an inferior (IMO) product resulted. It could even have been that the heat treating was not tailored to THAT spot market steel during that period, hard to say when a variable enters the production stream. I'm not aiming this at @CHI_Tool&Die, he's likely very well aware of variables in toolmaking. I'm only offering this to inform the uninformed that there's far more to manufactured products than just buzzwords and published/tested numbers. Published numbers are often used by marketing to guide the uninformed.

-I agree and this is rather dependent on the fastener itself, the socket opening dimensions across the different brands and fastener types isn't uniform. I've posted about this on a few occasions too.

-I've several different brands of hex keys, I still consider them all a perishable item to be modified or replaced when no longer useful.

-There's a couple of higher cost brands that focus on visual appeal. For those with higher profile jobs or just want the visual appeal that's ok too. Most of those jobs likely employ hex keys on, what I consider, a limited basis compared to what the average mold/tool maker does all day long. Constant industrial duty is going to wear out a hex key far sooner than spinning out the fasteners on a bicycle repair. I can understand the high end bicycle mechanic wanting the more expensive visual appeal hex keys but the industrial criteria is a different world. Both fastener and hex key are subject to wear/deformation and the the end result of the task. The task and environment often dictate what the appropriate tool should be.

-As for the ball end....I won't even begin to comment on what should be obvious besides structural inconsistency.

Have a link to thread or posts about a competitor trying to put Eklind under?

And the lawyer call?

Thanks

 

[RoninB4]

Have a link to thread or posts about a competitor trying to put Eklind under?

Is there an easier way to search for this besides wading through the multitude of my long winded posts about hex keys? It's an older post/thread if the date helps. If not, I guess I could just re-tell the story or send it as a PM instead of boring the collective and clogging the bandwidth.

And the lawyer call?

-Would likely be in the same post or nearby in the same thread.

-You didn't even ask about the industrial espionage incident in Germany while I was developing the ball driver. Less interesting? I don't want to bore the collective that's heard/read this all before.

Thanks

-Sure.