New set of Allen Keys needed

[Jsf721]

Looking for L shaped - not pocket knife mounted. I need to tighten a set screw in my shower door handle.

My current set is pocket knife mounted and won’t fit.

Are Husky quality ok ? Better than ICON ?

Or perhaps something from Amazon.

I don’t want poor quality ill fitting keys that will mess up the set screw.

Thanks.

 

[Squankum]

Looking for L shaped - not pocket knife mounted. I need to tighten a set screw in my shower door handle.

My current set is pocket knife mounted and won’t fit.

Are Husky quality ok ? Better than ICON ?

Or perhaps something from Amazon.

I don’t want poor quality ill fitting keys that will mess up the set screw.

Thanks.

My opinion is that every country, even the Asian ones, does hex/Allen keys pretty well.

Back in the 90's I bought a set of T-handle hex wrenches for about $12 at the flea market. Made in China back when that was kind of novel. Bought at the local flea market because this was before Harbor Freight. They are still trucking, zero complaints.

To me, the best combination of quality and fair price and made in USA are Bondhus.

Here's Mr. Project Farm's overview:

 

[four.cycle]

^ My personal opinion is that all of those "folding all-in-one" hex key sets with the plastic scales on the handles that are currently flooding the market are all coming out of the same plant, but that's just my opinion.

Highest marks for hex keys go to
Bondhus
Eight
PB Swiss

GJ member @Dave455 did a pretty comprehensive review of several brands a while back.

 

[ecotec]

I like Eklind and Bondhus.

Historically, a lot of other brands of Allen keys were just rebranded Eklind or Bondhus. I have Snap-on Allen keys manufactured by Eklind and Bondhus.

 

[The Cobbler]

...And the set screw could be metric

does you pocket knife style come apart?

 

[Stuart in MN]

Bondhus. Made in Minnesota.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

I use Eklind long T-handles and Bondhus for the shorter L-style. If I ever need another set I'm tempted to buy the color-coded Wera set.

 

[bwringer]

Wera Hex-Plus are the absolute best for tough turnery.

PB Swiss and Bondhus are great too.

 

[BombShelter]

Bondhus are everywhere, and cheap, up here, Wiha's big new warehouse is just down the street from them and they always have their own on sale.

I don't like the attached versions, just give me the individual pieces but the small ones tend to get lost. Maybe I'm not normal but I have 3-5 sets of each style in both mm and inch and a huge loose box of them that came with furniture and Chinese Motors. Plus the kit boxes for impact wrenches in both short, long and balled ends.

 

[BurtEggley]

old fashioned hardened craftsman sets in plastic pouches; that and a baggie full of the misc ones that come as tools in things you buy. And an assortment of snap-on sockets when a torque is required, that have allen heads in metric and fractional sizes.

 

[reader2580]

Torque Test Channel recently tested L shaped hex keys.

 

[four.cycle]

Wera Hex-Plus are the absolute best for tough turnery.

Thank you.
I knew there was a German one that got favorable review here... just couldn't remember which one.

 

[dscheidt]

old fashioned hardened craftsman sets in plastic pouches; that and a baggie full of the misc ones that come as tools in things you buy. And an assortment of snap-on sockets when a torque is required, that have allen heads in metric and fractional sizes.

Most of the craftsman hex wrenches were supplied by eklind. I still have the ones that came in a bag, and never use them because the ones in holders are easier to find the size.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Too bad we aren’t neighbours I’ve got some I’d like to give away.

 

[Dave455]

There is an entire thread on hex keys here :-

Hex Keys - The Whole Story

It’s a rainy day here in the U.K. so I decided to write a post I’ve been meaning to write for a while, and write about hex keys. Now, I know this isn’t the most exciting of topics to some (flip to the next thread if that’s the case) but over the years it’s become apparent that most of the big...

www.garagejournal.com

In fairness, that thread is probably something more suited to enthusiasts, or those with special needs.

To “cut to the chase”, if you’re in the U.S. you are probably best served by buying Bondhus. Top quality tools and made in the U.S.

Yes, a lot of the Taiwanese keys (which I believe is where Icon originate) are fine, but given the minimal savings compared to buying Bondhus, I’d probably buy the Bondhus.

I think the Husky can originate in Taiwan or China. Same applies, but I’d be wary of the Chinese ones anyway.

If, having used the Bondhus, you still feel you need something better, then that’s the time to opt for something a grade up, but you will pay a considerable amount more for only marginal improvements in fit!

 

[NUTTSGT]

I've had good luck with Eklind brand and have a few sets across the garage. Easily found at Menard's if you have one local.

 

[dnschmidt]

^ My personal opinion is that all of those "folding all-in-one" hex key sets with the plastic scales on the handles that are currently flooding the market are all coming out of the same plant, but that's just my opinion.

Highest marks for hex keys go to
Bondhus
Eight
PB Swiss

GJ member @Dave455 did a pretty comprehensive review of several brands a while back.

CORRECT!! But for the OP's application anything should be able to work to tighten a screw on a shower door oven Chineseium.

 

[four.cycle]

^ You can pick up those folding units cheap at Home Depot, Lowes, or Harbor Freight. I paid $9.99 for three of them on a card: SAE, metric, and torx. Gave them out as stocking stuffers at Christmas.
Not really all that much more money to step up to better quality stuff, though.

 

[Qualitytools]

Another vote for WERA Hex Plus.

 

[esben57]

Over egging it for a shower door. Chuck some thread locker on the screw and lather up.

 

[rust in the eye]

"pocket knife mounted" ?
FWIW; Those folding sets usually come apart with a single screw. Loose ones shown in post 14 above.

 

[tarbellb]

Bondhus Gold & Silver (metric&sae) $40

Can't go wrong

 

[Steel_Rain]

I've had several over the years, Bondhus and Wiha mostly.

I've settled with a Japanese company named "EIGHT":



They make both straight and ball ends:

Pardon Our Interruption

 

[rust in the eye]

I like Eklind and Bondhus.

Historically, a lot of other brands of Allen keys were just rebranded Eklind or Bondhus. I have Eklind andSnap-on Allen keys manufactured by Bondhus.

I'm curious to know how a purchase like this is rationalized. Not knowing is one thing but when you fully understand that these are no different than what is READILY available everywhere at one third to one half the price don't you ask yourself why?

 

[KnurledNut]

I would skip the L-key for this application and go with my long bits. I’ve found the short side often gets in the way on hardware like this.

 

[ecotec]

I'm curious to know how a purchase like this is rationalized. Not knowing is one thing but when you fully understand that these are no different than what is READILY available everywhere at one third to one half the price don't you ask yourself why?

Got it at an estate sale for $2.

But, I do like that you want to discuss the rationalization of buying tools. I have mentioned it so many times on Garage Journal that people are probably sick of hearing it… but I would argue that one should not pay retail or even a “fair” price for the most common tools that you can get cheaply at garage/estate sales. The vast majority of your budget should be used for the things that you cannot find cheaply.

I would also argue that the earlier you get very picky in what you buy, the better your tools will be.

 

[T45]

Over egging it for a shower door. Chuck some thread locker on the screw and lather up.

+1 the actual HW and threads in these applications tend to be junk.

IMHO you don't need to upgrad to full-on aerospace grade tools to "work" with junk grade hardware. you just need something halfway decent, ie that's the correct size with properly finished and sized ends, etc.

Typicaly, even what is sold at the hw store (usually they will sell you even the singles) will be fine for this style of application.

I've done plenty with very inexpensive lower grade tools around the house, where its more important to have a usable tool in the correct size than it is to surivive 1,000's of cycles of "high precision" etc usage.

 

[HannibalLecter]

Wera Hex-Plus are the absolute best for tough turnery.

PB Swiss and Bondhus are great too.

Yep, wera and pb, or maybe facom

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Too bad we aren’t neighbours I’ve got some I’d like to give away.

And I found another drawer with more.
This isn’t even the drawer I keep some spares in.
Yikes I’m going to have to get control of this situation.
Oops took a pic of the wrong drawer. I’ll be back.

 

[dscheidt]

I'm curious to know how a purchase like this is rationalized. Not knowing is one thing but when you fully understand that these are no different than what is READILY available everywhere at one third to one half the price don't you ask yourself why?

Snap on guy will replace them when you break them. And they are right there when you remember you need a set.

 

[four.cycle]

And I found another drawer with more.

HINT:
"Secret Santa 2026"

 

[UserNameAttempt3]

I've had several over the years, Bondhus and Wiha mostly.

I've settled with a Japanese company named "EIGHT":



They make both straight and ball ends:

Pardon Our Interruption

THESE. Have a full set of metric and standard and they are freaking fantastic.

 

[esben57]

+1 the actual HW and threads in these applications tend to be junk.

IMHO you don't need to upgrad to full-on aerospace grade tools to "work" with junk grade hardware. you just need something halfway decent, ie that's the correct size with properly finished and sized ends, etc.

Typicaly, even what is sold at the hw store (usually they will sell you even the singles) will be fine for this style of application.

I've done plenty with very inexpensive lower grade tools around the house, where its more important to have a usable tool in the correct size than it is to surivive 1,000's of cycles of "high precision" etc usage.

Perhaps a singing set for use in the shower.

 

[Twistbit]

Just got myself a set of the black Wera hex plus...less than $9 seemed like a good buy.

 

[gizardlizard]

Just bought these for work at Grip Edge. Besides having the rounding prevention technology, they have a super heavy knurl on the shaft.

 

[In The Doghouse]

Am I the only one who dislikes the ball end on the long end of the L shaped and T-Handle Allen wrenches? Most of the time you don't need it and it prevents it from standing upright as you change your hand position.
Those without the ball end are different to find.

 

[BWWgarage]

Silica:

 

[Big Bad Jon]

I work in an industrial setting. We use Allen wrenches all the time, Bondhus is what I keep coming back to. Great value

 

[BWWgarage]

Pbswiss. Or with foam for $170

 

[bwringer]

Am I the only one who dislikes the ball end on the long end of the L shaped and T-Handle Allen wrenches? Most of the time you don't need it and it prevents it from standing upright as you change your hand position.
Those without the ball end are different to find.

I don't know if you're the only one, but there can't be many of you. I consider the ball end to be essential.

I mostly work on motorcycles, and you would not believe how often I need that ball end. I have ball end L-keys as well as short and long bit sockets, and they all get used very regularly. Motorcycle engineers just LOVE stacking stuff in the way of other stuff. Sometimes it's just faster and easier, sometimes it's literally the only way to reach something, sometimes you can save yourself hours if you can reach more fasteners without disassembly.

For example, a long 4mm ball end is the absolute cat's *** for quickly and easily reaching fairing fasteners.

If you're working on machinery where the socket head fasteners are more easily accessible, then yeah, I can see where the ball ends can be annoying and unnecessary.

I also have a set of Bondhus ball end drivers with a little plastic patch that holds the fastener. Fantastic for getting screws started in tight spaces. Wiha also makes something called the "magic ring" fastener retainer.

Oh, and don't forget the style with an extra-short short end, very often needed when stuff is too close to other stuff...

Hex fasteners are one area where the only answer to "which tool?" is "YES, ALL THE TOOLS!"