Wobble L-handles. I'm not sure I've ever really needed one but I ordered one anyway.
Another new Tekton product
- Thread starter lardy1
- Start date
VolvoRyan
Well-known member
I saw those yesterday when poking around. Looks a bit like Snap-On's first offerings 100 years ago.
-Ryan
-Ryan
Strange. Not sure the purpose of this one, although I'm sure someone will dream one up and post one in a minute. If you are going to introduce this, it seems like a 1/4 drive would be the most useful? Not that I would buy it, but.... This one goes in my WTF file with their last weird folding ratchet contraption.
A real simple product to introduce, that I'm not sure if anyone else sells, is a set of 1/2" drive impact extensions with the shaft diameters of a 3/4 drive extension to reduce torsional losses. That I will buy. Not this. Edit- and yes, I know I can do this extension with adapters.
A real simple product to introduce, that I'm not sure if anyone else sells, is a set of 1/2" drive impact extensions with the shaft diameters of a 3/4 drive extension to reduce torsional losses. That I will buy. Not this. Edit- and yes, I know I can do this extension with adapters.
Maybe they’ll make a set with some 12 point sockets and a breaker bar.
dnschmidt
Well-known member
I fail to see what this does that other solutions can't.
danielbuck
Well-known member
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- Apr 15, 2014
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it looks like an april fools day product to me, but I really don't know.
Yea, yet still most dudes here will end up buying one because more tools = better.
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Tekton could release an extension in a pretzel shape and guys here would buy it
Hey man you just never know.
KnurledNut
Well-known member
Because a set of these... 
...takes up more room than a single L handle that complements existing sockets.
It would be beneficial if Tekton offered this in 1/4 drive.
I have a custom 1/4 drive L handle bent out of an extension.
I also have a small 90° 1/4 drive to hex socket adaptor that I keep with my bit set.
...takes up more room than a single L handle that complements existing sockets.It would be beneficial if Tekton offered this in 1/4 drive.
I have a custom 1/4 drive L handle bent out of an extension.
I also have a small 90° 1/4 drive to hex socket adaptor that I keep with my bit set.
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BDT/NWMN
Well-known member
Lardy1, Thanks for posting these TEKTON socket handles. These are available in 3/8" and 1/2", and I will be promptly ordering both. There are many times My nice breaker bars and numerous ratchets are simply too fat and clunky to access fasteners in cramped quarters, where these handles would more likely fit. Again, Thanks.
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
If it's tight, why would you want a L bar?
For tight stuff, I use Astro nano sockets and a wrench or low profile ratchet
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
It could be more flexible/ useful, if they also had the wobble tip at the bent side (especially if it was available on 1/4 drive).
Edit: So many early Snap-on references and jokes. Snap-on did have a pretzel shaped handle, they just needed to twist it a bit more
Edit: So many early Snap-on references and jokes. Snap-on did have a pretzel shaped handle, they just needed to twist it a bit more
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An actual socket wrench is more handy to me since one end is a pass through design. I bought a 9/16" Facom wrench for one specific job and it works great. The Tekton bent extensions can't do anything my other tools already do and I have no interest.Because a set of these...
It would be beneficial if Tekton offered this in 1/4 drive.
I have a custom 1/4 drive L handle bent out of an extension.
I also have a small 90° 1/4 drive to hex socket adaptor that I keep with my bit set.
I first thought this was for clearance - so you could get underneath something at an angle.
If that's the case though, it could be a lot lower profile if instead of bending to 90 degrees, it was just a square drive welded to a straight handle.
Now I'm stumped. Someone show me what this does that other tools can't.
If that's the case though, it could be a lot lower profile if instead of bending to 90 degrees, it was just a square drive welded to a straight handle.
Now I'm stumped. Someone show me what this does that other tools can't.
one of the places I've seen people using tools like this is assembling C-channel structures. The L gives enough clearance for a socket to fit the nut or head of the bolt in the C-channel. There are some other situations where a fixed socket wrench is eaiser to deal with than a ratchet, low clearance or tight spaces.
Black300zx
Well-known member
I got the email as well. My initial thought was that they could be useful for an emergency tool roll type situation where you might be worried about a ratchet rusting up. For instance - an emergency tool roll that gets stored on a boat. Not efficient to use regularly, but dependable and cheap for cases where you just need to be able to turn a fastener to get out of a jam.
Fedwrench
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Perhaps
However, it seems like Tekton, Astro, and Harbor Freight are the only ones releasing new stuff.We'll see how quick they end up in the outlet section.
Does being new matter if its useless?Perhaps
We'll see how quick they end up in the outlet section.
So, I bought a set. They're really nicely made, and I will probably never use them. I could see someone who needed to fiddle with small engine spark plugs all the time sticking the socket on the 3/8 one, and sticking that in a pocket. There are probably other low torque, but tighter than finger tight, applications, too, but I can't think of any. The thing that gets me is that double end L socket wrenches aren't new, they were in all sorts of cheap socket sets too cheap for the crappiest ratchet in the 50s to 70s. They disappeared after that, as far as I can tell, except for big ones sold as breaker bars. So did some bright bulb at Tekton think "you know, all they really needed was wobble!'? or did they see a demand for these things? Or did they see it in a supplier's catalog, and think there are enough suckers like me around to make it worth while? (being in the catalog implies there's some demand for them, though...)
Wamsutta
Well-known member
You're looking at the back cover of the 1995 catalog. I have that one too.
There are a bunch of "mechanic" videos on youtube with dudes from India rebuilding equipment in the dirt using socket drivers like those. I see the idea, simple and functional, but I have lots of other options since I'm in America and can afford other stuff.
I wouldn't be surprised if they had a stock pile of extensions that didn't make a QC and someone thought "hey, instead of destroying these and losing money, let's put a bend in them and sell them as the hip new thing". Cause let's be honest, these things are esentially useless or there are better options for what they do (aka: An actual breaker bar, which hardly anyone uses anymore as well)
four.cycle
Well-known member
^ I use a breaker more than I use a ratchet. All depends upon what you're working on.
I want a 1/4" drive "ell" handle. I sent them a note but they didn't reply.
I want a 1/4" drive "ell" handle. I sent them a note but they didn't reply.
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mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Wrong thread, FYI
dnschmidt
Well-known member
As the A#1 lover of angled socket wrenches (the whole reason I got into the TOPTUL thing) I'm failing to see the usefulness of these new Tekton releases.
I genuinely can't think of why. Breaker ratchets are tough as nails at these points, I just see it as a waste of time to break it, pull the socket off, put it on a ratchet, and then continue. I know it's not the "proper" way, but it's 2024 and these aren't the ratchets from the 50s.
four.cycle
Well-known member
Well.... probably because 90% of the time that I'm using a socket is on a lawnmower engine, so there are not a lot of turns involved.
Rmoving and installing with a 1/4" breaker vs. removing and installing with a 1/4" ratchet = not enough difference to matter and I don't tend to over-torque stuff with the breaker.
It most certainly isn't because I have any shortage of ratchets - my "user" 1/4" set has 4 different ratchets in it, but only one breaker. Go figure, huh?
Rmoving and installing with a 1/4" breaker vs. removing and installing with a 1/4" ratchet = not enough difference to matter and I don't tend to over-torque stuff with the breaker.
It most certainly isn't because I have any shortage of ratchets - my "user" 1/4" set has 4 different ratchets in it, but only one breaker. Go figure, huh?
