Extractor Socket Types (Wedge, Spiral, Straight Flute) Get Multiple Types?

[YoshiMoshi3]

I remember seeing someone on YouTube that you should carry a variety of different extractor socket types. Is there any validity to this statement? Now I'm not taking SAE and metric, but types as far as (1) spiral, (2) wedge, (3) straight flute. As far as I know these are the only three types of extractor sockets. I take it if say for example a 10 mm straight flute extractor doesn't work, a 10 mm wedge or spiral socket would also not work?
(1) Spiral
(2) Wedge
(3) Straight Flute

 

[Rusted Nut]

All I have ever used is the spiral type; they’ll work on most anything, even Whitworth!

 

[413dan]

Grip Edge seem to be a pretty popular product these days, however Ive never used them personally and am unsure what pattern number they would correspond with above.

https://www.gripedgetools.com/collections/extractors-all

 

[rsanter]

I have several types
yes I think it’s a good idea

 

[YoshiMoshi3]

Grip Edge seem to be a pretty popular product these days, however Ive never used them personally and am unsure what pattern number they would correspond with above.

https://www.gripedgetools.com/collections/extractors-all

Isn't GripEdge straight flutes?

 

[YoshiMoshi3]

I have several types
yes I think it’s a good idea

That's what I've heard as well. How do you know when to use one type over another?

 

[Callelle]

That's what I've heard as well. How do you know when to use one type over another?

I have straight and spiral fluted extractors. 9 out of 10 times, whatever's rounded is gonna get torched out anyway, but I've had more success with the spirals than I have anything else.

 

[Buckgnarly]

I have 2 full drawers of removers. If you live in the real rust belt, you will need every single one of them eventually. Never have too many nor too many varities!

 

[Hannahranga]

Personally I'm fond of Lincoln branded thread removal tools (expensive but also very multipurpose). For the people with a fair variety of removal sockets what makes you pick a particular style for a given rusted fastener

 

[drokihazan]

The Mayhew square ones with straight flutes rarely fail me and Mayhew rebrands them for all the trucks. If I can't drill a hole, then fluted sockets work pretty well. I bought the Icon spiral insert extractors and they've worked okay, but I think the square Mayhews bite harder and break less.

You can always just use the best extractor, the welder.

 

[bonneyman]

I have 2 full drawers of removers. If you live in the real rust belt, you will need every single one of them eventually. Never have too many nor too many varities!

Agreed. Better have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

 

[johninct]

I have the Blue-Point ones and it saved me on the job I am currently working on.

 

[rsanter]

That's what I've heard as well. How do you know when to use one type over another?

Often it’s based on where it is, how much room I have, and what size it is.

i mostly try to start with a left hand drill bit, im hoping it will grab and spin out.
then I will try a splined or short spiral type.
if you muck up the ID with the splined or short spiral type then you can only go with a larger hole or the taper square type. At this point you are praying

 

[finn]

I’ve got a couple sets of the spira. They often work, but when the don’t, it’s first try a little heat, and if that doesn’t work, the mig welder and a nut usually does.

Maybe it’s time to pick up the straight flute Mathew’s.

Who’s got the best price?

 

[YoshiMoshi3]

I think in terms of likelihood to extract a socket, from most likely to least likely, given all other variables the same for a rounded bolt or nut:
(1) Wedge
(2) Spiral
(3) Straight Flute
Does this seem right? This based purely off of surface area to grip the bolt. You should start from the bottom of the list and work your way up, as there's increase in probability as you go up the list of damaging the fastener.

(3) Straight Flute
One of the pros of straight flute extractors that is often advertised is that it doesn't damage the bolt. If I'm understanding correctly how these work, these attempt to grab in the middle of the flats, with the flutes not meant to be sharp enough severely damage the bolt.

(2) Spiral
The spiral flutes create more surface area, by instead of having a straight up and down flute to grab the socket, a spiral shaped is design, with each flute being overall longer in length. These extractors have probability to damage the fastener some.

(3) Wedge
If I'm understanding correctly, these types of extractors are meant to "cut" extra "points" into the rounded nut or fastener, effectively turning a 6-point fastener into a 12-point fastener. This increases surface area to grip the bolt. The bad thing with these extractors, is that if they slip, they will just round out the fastener even more, as the wedges cut into the bolt or nut and take a chunck of it off.

Deep extractor sockets = Necessary?
With most extractor sockets having an external fastener that you can grip onto with a box end wrench, I'm questioning the need for deep extractors. Is there a need for them? When shallow ones can be put through a threaded rod to unfasten a nut, if a box end wrench is used over the external hex of the socket.

 

[YoshiMoshi3]

BUMP
went onto second page

 

[blown94conv]

You can never have enough variety when it comes to extractors. Living in CT means rust, and rust never makes your life easy.

 

[Hakeem]

Personally I'm fond of Lincoln branded thread removal tools (expensive but also very multipurpose). For the people with a fair variety of removal sockets what makes you pick a particular style for a given rusted fastener

Can you post a link? A google search only turned up some tools for removing grease fittings.

 

[Hannahranga]

Can you post a link? A google search only turned up some tools for removing grease fittings.

Ah sorry, I was making a reference to using a welder to weld a nut on to the uncooperative fastener.