Hex bit socket quality - there is a difference...

[KnurledNut]

We discuss tools a lot, but less often share real world use. So ill share one...

I had a critical (14 year old) recessed M8 socket head cap screw to remove in a very inconvenient location on an engine block.

The 6mm bit sockets i have that would fit the location are fairly worn, except for a never used Gearwrench. I tried it first. It fit well, but rounded the bit and damaged the fastener, with minimal force. Like it was made of plastic.

I hesitantly grabbed my worn Snap-on bit. It removed the bolt, never complained, and didnt leave hardly a mark on the bit.

You all know the moral of the story...

 

[Hammer1963]

Sure do and that seems to be the situation

 

[d.mcfarland]

Budget vs high quality will always show a noticeable difference.

A Mercedes Benz will be more refined than a Kia.

 

[shawhite]

Moral of the story is you should have never bought that snap-on socket because it is grossly over priced and a Pittsburg from HF would have worked just as good. J/K.

My grandfather always said there is nothing more expensive than a cheap tool.

 

[KnurledNut]

Moral of the story is you should have never bought that snap-on socket because it is grossly over priced and a Pittsburg from HF would have worked just as good. J/K.

My grandfather always said there is nothing more expensive than a cheap tool.

But honestly, I wouldnt be surprised if HF wouldve done better than GW.
I really expected more out of it with it being S2.
GW is riding on a pretty decent reputation.

 

[Sumboodie]

We never had any luck with the Snap On socket hex tools in a tool room. To the point the guys called them Snap Off as they broke so often and the Snap On rep refused to replace them. Now this was on a multi-million dollar tool account, cost wasn't much of a factor.

Ended up switching to Bondhus and much less breakage. Maybe 10% of Snap On.

I have a set I saved from the trash and brought home and haven't broken any, but my use in a year or two is probably shop use in a day.

 

[Dave455]

I think hex bit sockets, and torx, are one of the tools where differences in quality really show up.

I must admit I’ve had mixed experiences with Snap On. I have a few of varying vintages, and I’ve used some of the inch size ones quite a lot on machine tool work. They certainly seem to take wear well. I’ve had different experiences when it comes to torque though, and have twisted a few, generally a bit easier than I feel I should.

Overall I think I’d conclude they are wear resistant, but not particularly strong. Having said that, the tools that haven’t twisted are generally older, as I see the OP’s is. Maybe that’s relevant?

I find Stahlwille are a frac better for less money (in the U.K). Overall best seem to be Hazet or Koken. Never tried Bondhus but most folks seem to rate them highly, so I might.

These bit sockets always seem to be relatively expensive and I don’t really know why?

 

[KnurledNut]

Sumboodie, were the problems with ball end or regular?

Dave455, ive wondered the same. Supplier of bits might have changed over the years.

 

[anndel]

Snap-on and Bondhus are the only ones I use.

 

[Yarpo]

Your socket looks like someone welded the corners pictured and then ground them down, I'm guessing you got a defective socket or its seen some **** lol.

I've been using GW bit sockets professionally "in the real world" for like 2.5 years. I've had zero issues other than the chamfer on the etorx maybe being a little shallow. Both my GW and Capri bit sockets have actually been probably the BEST sockets I've bought for the money outside of the Pittsburgh pro impact sockets when I look at what I paid vs how much use I've gotten out of them.

 

[Sumboodie]

Sumboodie, were the problems with ball end or regular?

Dave455, ive wondered the same. Supplier of bits might have changed over the years.

We tried both std and ball end. They were used with hand tools as well as low powered 3/8" impact. Maybe 20-30ft lbs.

Was for assembly of bombs, like tail kits on Mk82 and 84s among several other models.
Mostly 1/4", 5/16", and 3/8" I believe, but it's been a while.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

I haven't been overly impressed with Gearwrench tools. Much like Craftsman the popularity is largely based on availability at common retail stores and a little better than the other choices there.

 

[Sumboodie]

Your socket looks like someone welded the corners pictured and then ground them down, I'm guessing you got a defective socket or its seen some **** lol.

I've been using GW bit sockets professionally "in the real world" for like 2.5 years. I've had zero issues other than the chamfer on the etorx maybe being a little shallow. Both my GW and Capri bit sockets have actually been probably the BEST sockets I've bought for the money outside of the Pittsburgh pro impact sockets when I look at what I paid vs how much use I've gotten out of them.

I've done that in a bind. The guy at Sears wasn't amused.

 

[shawhite]

Snap-on have two different model bit sockets. The HD has gold bits and I have yet to break one but I’m sure it’s possible.

 

[mrjaw14]

Snap-on have two different model bit sockets. The HD has gold bits and I have yet to break one but I’m sure it’s possible.

I was doing a valve adjustment on a lawnmower and I broke a SO HD gold torx T15 or T20. using a ratchet. It was the first time that socket had ever been used, and I wasn't even reefing on it. SO replaced it no problem. I think what I used was a Lisle torx after I broke the SO to do the job.

 

[KnurledNut]

Your socket looks like someone welded the corners pictured and then ground them down, I'm guessing you got a defective socket or its seen some **** lol.

Im telling ya man, ive had it laying around for a while, but it was brand new. Thats from one use! I dont normally throw down on Gearwrench, but it is what it is.

...low powered 3/8" impact.

'Nuff said.

Snap-on have two different model bit sockets. The HD has gold bits and I have yet to break one but I’m sure it’s possible.

Correct me if im wrong, i know SO has heavy duty removal torx sockets, but IIRC the hex sockets dont have any strength difference regardless of coating.

 

[Yarpo]

Im telling ya man, ive had it laying around for a while, but it was brand new. Thats from one use! I dont normally throw down on Gearwrench, but it is what it is.

I believe ya, it looks terrible. I'd show them pictures and reach out by email, people say customer service can be hit or miss but I had no issues with getting a ratchet replaced even after I fucked up the snap ring and spilled the guts out into the abyss of someones car. Might not be worth your time however. I'm very fond of these Taiwan made bit sockets tho, Capris set on sale is an absolute bargain and I feel like they're nicer than my GW ones, neither set has given me issue nor could I quantify why I feel that way.

https://capritools.com/shop/hex-bit-socket-set-metric-14-piece-socket-rail/

Anything a step up seems to demand a hefty premium, no chance I'll pay the tool truck their bit socket prices, and unfortunatly even those wear out or worse, get lost.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

I’ve had really good luck with Capri bits. They fit snug and nice. The cheaper ones I usually end up snapping off before they round out the fastener. Gearwrench quality is junk these days it’s Chinese now. Williams bits are nice too. I like my SK ones as well but they come loose in the socket part whereas the other ones haven’t.


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[KnurledNut]

Yarpo, I had other bit sockets (and sets) this size, but only grabbed a few loose ones for this field repair. I had a long Armstrong with me that i could have cut down if necessary.
I think i have a lone Capri floating around somewhere. Those seem pretty decent for the price. I typically use SO, but i wanted to give the little guy a chance. It was the shortest socket i had. He wimped out. Im guessing there was some cheese in the hex stock when they made that bit. Possibly Neufchatel.

 

[plinker]

I've had bit sockets round similar to the pic in post#1, mostly Danaher US, GW & such. The smaller sizes were/are the worst. I find the Snap-on hex bit sockets seem to be harder then most, which can help, but the material of the bolt or whatever fastener is typically softer and usually corroded to some extent, so it'll deform easily and round out.

The go to bits sockets for me have been the impact set in metric from Napa and an inch Armstrong impact set, For whatever reason these have held up very well. I have a Snap-on sets I'll use as needed. I dont remember ever breaking a hex bit socket, they seem to either round off or twist like a pretzel.

FWIW, Vim seems to be pretty good, though I dont use those 1/4 drive sets that much for no particular reason.

 

[bwringer]

Different brands or even different sets often fit a little differently, especially in the smaller sizes. If something is super-critical, I'll grab a few options and see what seems to fit the tightest that day in that fastener.

 

[macgee]

If your really serious about having the best set, then get yourself some PB Swiss hex bit sockets. They make the S-O's look like Gearwrench, not saying the S-O are bad.

https://shop.pbtools.us/Sockets-Socket-Sets_c19.htm

 

[Bubba Fett]

I haven't been overly impressed with Gearwrench tools. Much like Craftsman the popularity is largely based on availability at common retail stores and a little better than the other choices there.

It seems their quality has diminished a lot in recent years. They are mostly made in China now, correct? Apparently Apex is hell bent on moving everything to China eventually.

 

[KnurledNut]

If your really serious about having the best set, then get yourself some PB Swiss hex bit sockets.

Those are beautiful indeed. Its a shame the sizes are limited. Hard to have the best set with missing sizes.

 

[Yarpo]

It seems their quality has diminished a lot in recent years. They are mostly made in China now, correct? Apparently Apex is hell bent on moving everything to China eventually.

Nah, people just keep repeating that and nobody backs anything they say up.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=8124470&postcount=38

https://ibb.co/yPrdW20
https://ibb.co/zs6znLK
https://ibb.co/FHXSXgx

If you avoid their impact sockets, basic combo wrenches as well as basic ratcheting wrenches, most of their stuff still seems to be made in Taiwan. A few of their misc sets have now been outsourced too, but they've added USA pliers, new torque wrenches, etc

Those are beautiful indeed. Its a shame the sizes are limited. Hard to have the best set with missing sizes.

I was thinking the same thing. I want to pull the trigger cause those prices aren't bad, but 3-6mm doesn't cover much at all. They do look damn good tho.

 

[RedneckWelder]

Socket head bolts **** to deal with and they **** a lot more if rounded. I insist only on quality hex bits. The gold snap on ones are my personal favorite.

 

[Bubba Fett]

Nah, people just keep repeating that and nobody backs anything they say up.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=8124470&postcount=38

https://ibb.co/yPrdW20
https://ibb.co/zs6znLK
https://ibb.co/FHXSXgx

If you avoid their impact sockets, basic combo wrenches as well as basic ratcheting wrenches, most of their stuff still seems to be made in Taiwan. A few of their misc sets have now been outsourced too, but they've added USA pliers, new torque wrenches, etc




I was thinking the same thing. I want to pull the trigger cause those prices aren't bad, but 3-6mm doesn't cover much at all. They do look damn good tho.

That's good to know. I've been thinking of getting a ratcheting wrench set, but I want to check the COO first.

 

[shawhite]

Im telling ya man, ive had it laying around for a while, but it was brand new. Thats from one use! I dont normally throw down on Gearwrench, but it is what it is.



'Nuff said.



Correct me if im wrong, i know SO has heavy duty removal torx sockets, but IIRC the hex sockets dont have any strength difference regardless of coating.

Pretty sure the gold are made from a different alloy then the standard bit socket.

https://shop.snapon.com/product/Hex...-Metric-Hex-Bit-Socket-Set-(4-10-mm)/207EFAMY

 

[Yarpo]

That's good to know. I've been thinking of getting a ratcheting wrench set, but I want to check the COO first.

I would not look to Gearwrench for those, COO will be China unless youre look at the long zero offset wrenches, as noted in my screenshots those where made in Taiwan and actaully one of my favorite wrenches. I'd check out Carlyle, Capri, Blackhawk, Tekton, or any of the German/US brands.

 

[macgee]

Those are beautiful indeed. Its a shame the sizes are limited. Hard to have the best set with missing sizes.

I was thinking the same thing. I want to pull the trigger cause those prices aren't bad, but 3-6mm doesn't cover much at all. They do look damn good tho.

They actually offer sets 4mm up to 10mm in the 3/8 size (just no 9mm, but then who uses them?). The set is also cheaper ($94) than Snap-On's gold coated version (you pay for a 9mm). I think there is zero comparison to the Swiss made ones and both have life time warranty. The 1/4" goes down to 3mm.

Out of all the tools that PB Swiss offers, their hex sockets seems to get the highest praise of all which is really tough to do. The dark TiN coating on them is insanely hard. Go look around and see what other people say about them.

https://shop.pbtools.us/PB-V10-210-3-8-Hex-Key-Drive-Sockets-Metric_c237.htm


** They also have a set of 7 in socket Torx:

https://shop.pbtools.us/PB-V10-400-3-8-Long-Torx-Drive-Sockets_c239.htm



`

 

[KnurledNut]

Pretty sure the gold are made from a different alloy then the standard bit socket.

Any proof? This has been questioned on GJ in the past with no definitive answer that i can remember. I would think there would be a premium for a better bit, but IIRC the dealers will interchange them equally.

...just no 9mm, but then who uses them? The set is also cheaper than Snap-On's gold coated version.

Some caliper bolts and turbo encabulators use 9mm.
The price on those PBS are quite tempting!

 

[plinker]

From what I remember in a catalog a long while back, they use gold for metric and silver-ish for inch. This is the way my S-O hex key sets are as well. I doubt there is a difference in material.

 

[Sumboodie]

Snap-on have two different model bit sockets. The HD has gold bits and I have yet to break one but I’m sure it’s possible.

I'm guessing that wasn't available around 2007?

We went rounds with them on it. They claimed they weren't impact gun rated so we went to speed handles. Still broke them with torque wrenches set fairly low.

 

[Yarpo]

They actually offer sets 4mm up to 10mm in the 3/8 size (just no 9mm, but then who uses them?). The set is also cheaper ($94) than Snap-On's gold coated version (you pay for a 9mm). I think there is zero comparison to the Swiss made ones and both have life time warranty. The 1/4" goes down to 3mm.

Out of all the tools that PB Swiss offers, their hex sockets seems to get the highest praise of all which is really tough to do. The dark TiN coating on them is insanely hard. Go look around and see what other people say about them.

https://shop.pbtools.us/PB-V10-210-3-8-Hex-Key-Drive-Sockets-Metric_c237.htm


** They also have a set of 7 in socket Torx:

https://shop.pbtools.us/PB-V10-400-3-8-Long-Torx-Drive-Sockets_c239.htm



`

I've got this bookmarked, thanks I use a 7mm all the time, and need to replace a 6mm I lost. Might pick those two up to give them a test run.

 

[FuzzyTiger]

Im telling ya man, ive had it laying around for a while, but it was brand new. Thats from one use! I dont normally throw down on Gearwrench, but it is what it is.



'Nuff said.



Correct me if im wrong, i know SO has heavy duty removal torx sockets, but IIRC the hex sockets dont have any strength difference regardless of coating.

My understanding is that the gold coating on the Snap On heavy duty (or similar offerings from Hazet, Nepros and a few others) is titanium nitride. Same stuff you get on drill bits. I'm not an engineer or anything but if I had to guess, the coating allows the bit to resist wear on the finely machined edges (especially on a torx bit) for longer which in turn allows them to fully engage the torx shape and deliver more torque without breaking or damaging the fastener. Based off that reasoning, it makes sense that the gold hex bits aren't going to be a huge improvement over regular ones.

The underlying metal is probably the same though maybe they can use a different alloy thanks to the coating. Who knows.

 

[Skin]

The Snap-on HD torx are exactly the same in material. The difference is they're slightly oversized so they need to be hammered in and dont leave much, if any, room to cam out

PB Swiss hex are nothing special. That whole brand is overrated in my experience and floats on prestige more than performance. Anyone who thinks otherwise can argue with some hard data. They came in second to last and last out of the 8 4mm and 6mm hex keys tested and last in bit sockets. Even their phillips driver came in last or second to last. This jives with what little i've bough of theirs. Looks good, performs mediocre, pain to warranty. With so many other far better (and cheaper) choices I dont see any reason to buy their stuff unless you just want your tools to look pretty.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

PB swiss picks and punches failed to impress me
They're pretty, but I dont find them to be of high quality.

 

[Qualitytools]

Moral of the story is you should have never bought that snap-on socket because it is grossly over priced and a Pittsburg from HF would have worked just as good. J/K.

My grandfather always said there is nothing more expensive than a cheap tool.

I like your Grandfather's saying it is so true!

 

[Qualitytools]

KOKEN have been my choice

 

[Fedwrench]

I'm surprised no one mentioned the newer MAC RBRT type bits.
https://www.mactools.com/en-us/Sock...3-8-Drive-Metric-R-B-R-T-Short-Hex-Driver-Set

I don't have any yet but, they seem to becoming popular.