So are PB Swiss hex keys that good?

[Aqua-Andy]

So I ended up with the PB Swiss wrenches in the first post. They arrived Tuesday and I used them for a few days. I would have to say yes they were worth the money. they seem to fit the fasteners better than my Bondhus set, and well they are just beautiful to look at. I went with the 1.5-6mm sat as anything above that I am using bit sockets. I will say it may not always be a tool issue but along with the standard socket head cap screws we deal with a lot of flathead and button head screws that have very shallow hex openings and a smaller size hex than a cap screw. Those were the ones I was referring to in my original post when I mentioned pristine screw. These things just want to strip out no matter what you do. With that I would recommend the the pb swiss wrenches.

 

[1cargarage]

So I ended up with the PB Swiss wrenches in the first post. They arrived Tuesday and I used them for a few days. I would have to say yes they were worth the money. they seem to fit the fasteners better than my Bondhus set, and well they are just beautiful to look at. I went with the 1.5-6mm sat as anything above that I am using bit sockets. I will say it may not always be a tool issue but along with the standard socket head cap screws we deal with a lot of flathead and button head screws that have very shallow hex openings and a smaller size hex than a cap screw. Those were the ones I was referring to in my original post when I mentioned pristine screw. These things just want to strip out no matter what you do. With that I would recommend the the pb swiss wrenches.

Right on. Thanks for the update. Glad you don't have tool buyers' remorse.

 

[tdellenburg]

I know I'm chiming in a little late, seeing as to how you've already bought them. But, I was introduced to PB Swiss Allen wrenches when I was a tech at a Bosch facility. Fell in love. It is the only tool I have ever seen techs willing to spend three or four hours hunting if they lost one, lol. I don't own any now because I don't use them often, but I have them in my Amazon "hand tools" list to buy as soon as I can justify them. Awesome wrenches, you won't regret that purchase.

 

[losvre]

Hello guys,

I am looking to buy a few hex bits and specificallya 7mm one for the front struts of the car. The reason is I tried to torque the struts to 60Nm but the hex bit I had it was halfords and could not reach the mac torque because I could feel the key slipping. I am between PBSwiss and Wera hex-plus and not sure which is best with regards to fitment.

On another note I compared the 8mm and 6mm of PBSwiss chrome plated, Facom old one and Unbrako made in England. Unbrako was spot on o tolerance at almost 8mm and 6 mm while both PB and Facom were slightly under at 5.96 and 7,97 something like this.

of course there may be some error but I used nice digital caliper and measured several times.

 

[seber]

Apex-Allen are the choice in industry for good reason. The price is right and there is nothing to complain about. Heat treat is always right and fit is as good as it gets. There really isn't anything else involved in such a simple tool.

 

[Finky198]

Bondhus used to make a nice product, seeing some recent threads on GJ relating to their current quality, I would not put them at the top of my list.

I recently got bondhus stubbies in met/ sae and could not be happier.


I think the main issue with any hex cap stuff follows this to a tee.

I am failing to see what the PB Swiss keys will do that the Bondhus keys won't do if you're running into fasteners that are junk. Whoever touched them before you must have cut corners and used something that was close, but not exact. (Metric on English or vice versa.)

yup find & fix the problem 1st! fancy tools aren't miracle solvers. Bring up the problem to management you cant solve everything on your own dime.

 

[mowkep]

I've had some Eklinds for over 25 years. Standard longs and metric shorts are still is great shape. The standard shorts are worn but that is from abuse. I've used Chesco, Holokrome, Allen, Bondhus and Craftsman. Not as good as my cheapy old Eklinds. I do like the Bondhus gorilla grips however.

 

[kythri]

Apex-Allen are the choice in industry for good reason. The price is right and there is nothing to complain about. Heat treat is always right and fit is as good as it gets. There really isn't anything else involved in such a simple tool.

Other than Allen doesn't exist as a brand that's being manufactured any longer.

 

[Sine Swept]

I own zero PB Swiss, but tons of Wera! I have plenty of Eklind, T's, L's, Ball ends, but those Wera's are tight! I have both the metric and SAE and a spare metric in a tool bag, I like the holder and the tools fit, form and function just the way I like.

 

[anndel]

Took a minute, but I found it. Here is an article I found ~6 months ago that compares some of the more common hex key manufacturers' tools.

http://www.bikeradar.com/us/mtb/gear/article/dont-buy-the-cheapest-tools-44468/

It's written by and targeted toward the bicycle mechanic (am/pro), who make their "living" with their 4, 5, and 6 mm hex keys. Bike mechanics literally use them all day long often on aluminum, titanium, steel, and nylon fasteners. Bikes that pass through a shop are often ancient and have been molested by untrained hacks using cheap mis sized tools. Bike mechanics have a lot to say about hex keys. In my experience, ~90% of them prefer the Bondhus.

That isn't to say that your (OP) experience with them isn't valid. God knows I have come unglued when a "superior" brand tool has disappointed me.

I was in a similar situation (wondering about the PB Swiss hex keys) as OP, and in the end I have been very happy with my extra long chrome keys:

They are the best that I have used. Full disclosure: I have not used PB Swiss hex keys, but I have a set of their torx keys, which are head and shoulders above anything I have used. Nothing comes close to the PB Swiss torx keys IMHO.

Sorry I don't have personal experience to lend in the way of Bondhus vs PB Swiss in an apples to apples kind of way, but hopefully that article is helpful.

Happy hunting

Worked on bicycles for 20+ years and used Bondhus and Park Tool hex wrenches. I've never used PB Swiss. When I needed to use a Hex socket, I used my Snap Ons.

 

[seber]

Other than Allen doesn't exist as a brand that's being manufactured any longer.

Really? Try this.
https://www.homedepot.com/b/Tools-Hand-Tools-Hex-Keys/Allen/N-5yc1vZc265Zb6c

We just restocked several hundred. They are all marked Allen.

 

[Tonyuk]

I've not used PB swiss allen keys, but the wera set in the first post is excellent, about £20 a set over here though. I have a few of them, they grip like nothing i've used before.

 

[kythri]

Really? Try this.
https://www.homedepot.com/b/Tools-Hand-Tools-Hex-Keys/Allen/N-5yc1vZc265Zb6c

We just restocked several hundred. They are all marked Allen.

Gosh, I'm only going by the publicly announced shuttering of the brand over a year ago (here's one article: http://www.thestate.com/news/business/article126068444.html). It's not like it hasn't been discussed on this forum or anything.

Then, of course, there's the fact that the link you posted shows a whole whoppin' 12 Allen products, all 12 of which are unavailable in any store within 100+ miles of me, and 4 of those are no longer even available online.

So please, PLEASE, forgive me. The immense breadth of variety of Allen products available from the Home Depot sure has educated me. It's completely unlikely at all that your store got a bunch of NOS dumped on it.

Of course, I could also comment that just because Home Depot sells something, that most certainly does not make it the industry choice of brand, but I'll refrain. Or not.

 

[BigBoreFan]

I have some Allen brand metric hex T-Handles, pretty beefy ones for their size. They have to be 20 to 25 years old. I use the 4, 5, and 6mm a lot. They are still going strong.

I don't know why but I seem to have all kinds of misc hex keys. These thing breed like rabbits it seems.

Those PB Swiss tools sure are pretty.