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decent torx bits but decent price

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ozaudio

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Joined
Jun 8, 2020
Messages
99
Location
uk
i have both some halfords pro torx bits and also some cheap US pro ones which are OK ish for light jobs, but i managed to twist one of the US pro torx doing some bolts on a clutch pressure plate, now im thinking of just buying a just a few of the main sizes which i use, anything thats small wont need much force so my halfords will do for them and ive never used anything over a t55 so far. the cheapest option i have seen so far is wera torx bits were you get just the bit and use your socket for them to fit into. i have seen a bahco set for around £33 or so but below is an example of what i mean, dont think ill get better value than this. unless anybody in the uk knows of any decent brands of offer or somthing right now

below https://uk.farnell.com/wera/0506612...K-SHOPPING-SMEC-Whoops-Newstructure-31Aug2020
 
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Negen

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Jul 15, 2015
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1,909
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Seatltle WA
I have black hawk , wera , koken and gear wrench.

Black hawk and koken are 3/8 drive socket bits koken being pressed in and back hawk being one piece.

Gear wrench I have are 1/4 drive and 3/8 drive pressed in sockets. But are essential pot metal one time use bits.

Black hawk are good but still wear out fast.

Koken are the best and seem to last the longest but do not twice they just snap when it's time to break.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using The Garage Journal mobile app
 
C

cheechi

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Feb 29, 2012
Messages
4,384
Location
Triad, NC
sponfit said:
VIM Tools
Click to expand...
x2

also Wera if you find them on sale have not been bad although I have not abused them by any means. I only use either of these with hand drive tools. I would suggest the harbor freight impacts to you but doubtful you can get them or if so they'd be a different brand.
 
F

FuzzyTiger

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Joined
Aug 17, 2020
Messages
429
Location
Canada
I am really enjoying the Matco RBRT torx bits. Expensive but they'll warranty them if you chip or break the bits where most other brands will just say they're consumable items. Plus their unique design will grip better than anything else.

A set ranges from $150 to $250 though depending on what style you want (stubby, impact, long, speed etc). But you might be able to purchase just the individual bits you need for around $20ish each I think so you could build up your set over time?
 
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Dave455

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Mar 19, 2013
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5,801
Location
Sussex, England
I assume, if you want to go up to T55, you need something more than a 1/4” hex bit. Probably the best two, strictly from a U.K. point of view, are Hazet and KoKen.

Hazet are German, probably the best out there, and not as expensive as you might think. I get mine from TBS Aachen, who are reasonable on both price and shipping.

In the same league are KoKen. Japanese, and utterly superb. I buy KoKen from Consolidated tools in Manchester. Website’s messy so just ring and order. KoKen are probably the best value.

If you want to go cheaper maybe have a look at makes like Stahlwille or Gedore and go with whatever you can get the best deal on.

Another option is Beta. They offer a bit holder for 10mm hex bits in all the usual sizes. This is a cheaper option as you only need to buy one holder, much as you might for 1/4” hex bits. Beta are not such good quality as the above though!

I don’t personally like to go too cheap on these Torx bits as the cheaper ones seem to twist at the slightest!
 
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R

_Riddle

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Joined
Sep 18, 2018
Messages
135
Location
Storms End
Another vote for VIM, very happy with the long torx sockets I have, a necessity when working on VW/Audi cars.
 
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ozaudio

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Jun 8, 2020
Messages
99
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uk
some good suggestions here, VIM tools isnt somthing i can see in the UK. looked a Koken and its around £80-90 for a set which is more than i would pay as a non everyday user. TBS Aachen look to have quite a few options , i can see the proxxon you can buy each torx bit fairly cheap, the above link to the UK site seems like one of the best price points so far i think, i dont own any toptul tools but have seen them mentioned and have good feedback
 
T

Tonyuk

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Joined
Jun 9, 2017
Messages
1,539
Location
Scotland
Cheap torx wear quickly.

For sizes up to around T30 buy 1/4" inch bits in boxes and use them until they show signs of wear, then toss them. Milwaukee and dewalt sell them in tic tac like boxes for a reasonable price.

For anything over my bits are from Mac, and again i warranty them whenever they start to wear out.

If your working on torx and triple square etc.. you really need lifetime warranty bits, atleast 2 sets, and a driver who'll chnage them without any fuss.
 
M

mc4life27

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 2, 2014
Messages
404
ozaudio said:
i have both some halfords pro torx bits and also some cheap US pro ones which are OK ish for light jobs, but i managed to twist one of the US pro torx doing some bolts on a clutch pressure plate, now im thinking of just buying a just a few of the main sizes which i use, anything thats small wont need much force so my halfords will do for them and ive never used anything over a t55 so far. the cheapest option i have seen so far is wera torx bits were you get just the bit and use your socket for them to fit into. i have seen a bahco set for around £33 or so but below is an example of what i mean, dont think ill get better value than this. unless anybody in the uk knows of any decent brands of offer or somthing right now



below https://uk.farnell.com/wera/0506612...K-SHOPPING-SMEC-Whoops-Newstructure-31Aug2020
Click to expand...



Remember you get what you pay for, for the most part. Good tools cost money. If a company has top of the line bits for the bottom of the line pricing they will not stay in business.


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal
 
L

lynx40

Active member
Joined
Dec 15, 2012
Messages
33
Location
United kingdom
hi also consider proxxon range from axminster tools .Also a new brand to me is lexivon just brought set xzn sockets good write ups at good price from amazon
 
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Dave455

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Mar 19, 2013
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Location
Sussex, England
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O

ozaudio

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Jun 8, 2020
Messages
99
Location
uk
Dave455 said:
I doubt it. BGS are not well known brand, and they’re going to be generic Far Eastern bits anyway, so no point ripping them off.

I’m sure you will find the same bits with a variety of brand names on, so I’d buy the cheapest, if they’re what you want!
Click to expand...

i dont want them, just curious about them been fakes. they are even cheaper than the us pro ones i bought

lynx40 said:
hi also consider proxxon range from axminster tools .Also a new brand to me is lexivon just brought set xzn sockets good write ups at good price from amazon
Click to expand...
just looked that place up, they are pretty close to me, 10 mins drive in a car! might be onto a winner here, i can just buy the single torx sockets and stick them on a rail or somthing
 
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Dave455

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Mar 19, 2013
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Location
Sussex, England
ozaudio said:
i dont want them, just curious about them been fakes. they are even cheaper than the us pro ones i bought
Click to expand...

There’s certainly some fake stuff around, there was a load of fake Hazet a few years back, but it wasn’t that good and wouldn’t have fooled anybody who’d seen the genuine stuff!

I think if you’re going to fake something, it will generally be something from Europe or the U.S. that’s relatively high priced. There’s not a lot to gain by faking BGS, which wouldn’t probably be that different from the fake in terms of quality anyway.

I think BGS is one of those brands that’s targeted at the German market, so I’m not surprised they’re more expensive there. I generally find TBS to be very competitive for decent stuff though.

Proxxon is mostly Taiwanese I believe. Again, targeted at the German market and not that common in the U.K. Remember what it is and don’t pay much for it though. Some of this heavily promoted Taiwan stuff can be priced up there with some German or U.K. produced stuff.

Axminster are generally good though, especially for woodworking tools. Got quite a bit from them over the years, and they usually hold the stock, if you need something ASAP!
 
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S

SpannerMonkey

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Joined
Oct 25, 2012
Messages
306
Location
Scotland, UK
I've hunted for VIM tools and we can't get them at a sane price in the UK.

Halfords - I started out with their torx bits and they've been ok apart from one which must have missed the hardening process as it just twisted under light torque. I'd rate them much higher than US Pro.
Bergen, BGS, Laser, Neilsen, Sealey, US Pro - For light use only IMHO!

Nowadays, I mainly use this Bondhus 31038 PHTX10 torx socket set. It's excellent. The bits are a really tight fit which helps with the rusty old stuff I deal with a lot. One time, I used the T25 and a bunch of adapters and put it on my big Milwaukee 3/4" impact gun to bust off a bolt on a compressor motor that was never meant to come off!

Hazet, Koken, Stahlwille, etc are all excellent too. Maybe just see what you get the best price on?

If you're going to go Taiwanese then Toptul are my recommendation. If you don't need the T55 and T60 sockets then this is a bargain: Toptul GAAG0803 set for £19.99 delivered
 
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