Mechanics in the House. Quick question

[bamendaboy]

Why is it so hard to find 6 point wrenches? We all know from experience that they work better than the 12points. So Why do they keep feeding us with the 12 point wrenches instead of the six point? I can't just go to the store and buy me a six point wrench. This is messed up.

 

[GMCGarage]

Why is it so hard to find 6 point wrenches? We all know from experience that they work better than the 12points. So Why do they keep feeding us with the 12 point wrenches instead of the six point? I can't just go to the store and buy me a six point wrench. This is messed up.

Its sometimes easier to use. I would look on craigslist.

 

[Shawn S]

In hard to reach places you need the extra options as far as bolt head position in the wrench goes.
Imagine a socket wrench with only 6 teeth, no fun. Your 12 point wrench is similar to a socket wrench with 12 teeth. A 6 point is even worse.

 

[tonyciambrone]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F512HOU/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Buy these...

6 pt and ratcheting. Still a bit bigger head than a standard combination but these rule

 

[BillK]

We all know from experience that they work better than the 12points.

Not sure why you would say that. I am not sure if I own any 6 pt wrenches except for line wrenches and a couple of ancient brake bleeder wrenches.

 

[ItsNemo]

There are some out there...

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B004IQSETQ/?tag=atomicindus04-20

Although really, with 6 point you might not be able to turn the fastener enough in a tight spot to get it on the next teeth. I've never really had trouble with a 12 point box end rounding anything off either. Most of the time with really high torque stuff you can just use a ratchet/breaker bar anyway.

 

[ssdave]

They're not hard to find, I have a set of these:

https://store.snapon.com/Standard-H...nt-Combination-Wrench-Set-3-8-1--P633036.aspx

They do not work better, I almost never use them. 12 point work infinitely better, easier to get on the nut, position easier with 30 degrees instead of 60 degree rotation.

I think they exist more to satisfy a perceived need from guys that have gotten sold on the advantage of 6 point sockets than to provide a real benefit.

I'll throw this out there: I don't think there is a substantial benefit to a 6 point socket over a quality 12 point flank drive style socket. Most of the advantage is when you compare a lower quality socket; in that case there may be some advantage to a 6 point.

 

[TractorJeff]

When you have to hammer a 6 point on because some yahoo rounded it off with a 12 point.
You'll be glad you have them!

 

[bamendaboy]

I guess the issue is that I leave in Minnesota where I deal with a lot of rusted nuts and my six points hold better than the 12 points then.

 

[TractorJeff]

UH? Yep!
On the Rust!

 

[ssdave]

When you have to hammer a 6 point on because some yahoo rounded it off with a 12 point.
You'll be glad you have them!

I used to think that way also. That was my thought when I got the 6 point wrenches. When I got better quality sockets and wrenches, most of those problems went away. Of course, you can't help what was done by the fellow before you. But, I have spline wrenches and rounded nut sockets that apply to most of those circumstances.

Before you start telling me that I don't know what rust and salted roads are like, I lived 21 years in North Idaho, and 10 in South Dakota. I do understand rusted fasteners. I just don't see very much advantage to a 6 point over a 12 point in holding power; and I see a lot of advantage of rotational angle with a 12 point. Given the prevalence of ratcheting wrenches, the 12 is less of an advantage, where you have enough space to fit in a ratcheting wrench. For overall clearance and rotation usefulness, nothing beats a 12 point, though.

 

[kbs2244]

I use the black HF "impact" 6 sided

They work most of the time and are cheap enough hat I don't wince if they break.

 

[DudeManSpecial]

12 points only bite well on brand new bolts. 6points have greater surface contact area and hold onto the fastener better. Anybody who thinks otherwise has never done any real rusty bolt work on cars. Look in any pro mechanics box and the 12pt sockets are for 12point bolts. 6point wrenches work great when there is no option for a socket.

 

[toolman9w]

Diesel Tech for 18 years. Never owned a 6 point wrench. Used one once.

 

[WhiffySpark]

You’re not going to put enough torque on a Wrench for it to matter. I live in the rust belt as well. 6 Point sockets and 12 Point wrenches. Never had an issue.

The only wrenches I’ve split are xl ratcheting gear wrench. Split the box end on a couple doing stuff I shouldn’t have been doing with them lol

 

[tdkkart]

Because if you spend your days working with wrenches you'd soon realize that 6 point wrenches and sockets have their place, but for most work are a royal pain in the ***, for the reasons listed above.

 

[BoostedOne]

Do I live in the rust belt? No.. But I work on 30-50 year old cars all the time, and with our humidity we get rust here. We also get rust belt cars from all the snow birds moving here.

That said, I have a handful of 6 point wrenches(Craftsman makes some, or they did).
Do I use them? Sometimes, but never because its a 6 point, just because it was the first one I found and I had the range to use it.

Fact is, 85% of the time if a head is rounded or rusted where a QUALITY 12 point wont work, a 6 point won't either. The flat offers very little to grip to. 6 point or 12 point, once the corner is gone the ability of the flats of the fastener itself to resist the stress is pretty low.

Therefore once its too round for a 12 point Im usually right to vice grips and or heat.

 

[bamendaboy]

When you have to hammer a 6 point on because some yahoo rounded it off with a 12 point.
You'll be glad you have them!

Thank you!

 

[bamendaboy]

12 points only bite well on brand new bolts. 6points have greater surface contact area and hold onto the fastener better. Anybody who thinks otherwise has never done any real rusty bolt work on cars. Look in any pro mechanics box and the 12pt sockets are for 12point bolts. 6point wrenches work great when there is no option for a socket.

Thank you. That is why I said Mechanics in the house because people who do not work a lot on cars will come and tell me how the 12 points are better. Based on experience as in daily work on cars, nothing beats a 6 point socket. They hold better no doubt.

 

[WhiffySpark]

Thank you. That is why I said Mechanics in the house because people who do not work a lot on cars will come and tell me how the 12 points are better. Based on experience as in daily work on cars, nothing beats a 6 point socket. They hold better no doubt.

Not when it comes to wrenches. You’re going to piss yourself off with a 6 Point Wrench.

If you’re buying cheap wrenches then buy 6 Point by all means. A quality 12 Point will be fine.

 

[Codejack]

We all know from experience that they work better than the 12points.

Not all of us know that...

 

[bamendaboy]

I guess it is a matter of preference.

 

[gungatim]

I've got a handful of craftsman RP 6-point wrenches. always from trading in a 12pt when they were out of stock.

though I prefer 6pt sockets, I find I don't care for them at all in a wrench. if you think about it, you have much more limited area to put the wrench in a specific location, especially when clearance is narrow. with a 6pt socket, the fine tooth, or even regular ratchet takes care of the access...
but I would add that it is a moot point when speaking of ratcheting wrenches. Gearwrench's would be better served as a 6pt since you have the ratcheting freedom.

interestingly, most of my old style laminated ratcheting wrenches are 6pt, and I do only use a 6pt on the 5/16 battery terminals since they are always rusty and rounded from some doofus using pliers...

 

[toolman9w]

6 point wrenches when trying to access a fastener is a pain. Especially trying to turn flat rate. Would be very frustrating.

 

[Tim C]

I've got a handful of craftsman RP 6-point wrenches. always from trading in a 12pt when they were out of stock.

though I prefer 6pt sockets, I find I don't care for them at all in a wrench. if you think about it, you have much more limited area to put the wrench in a specific location, especially when clearance is narrow. with a 6pt socket, the fine tooth, or even regular ratchet takes care of the access...
but I would add that it is a moot point when speaking of ratcheting wrenches. Gearwrench's would be better served as a 6pt since you have the ratcheting freedom.

interestingly, most of my old style laminated ratcheting wrenches are 6pt, and I do only use a 6pt on the 5/16 battery terminals since they are always rusty and rounded from some doofus using pliers...

This. Ive got a 6pt 13mm craftsman wrench in my home garage set, from trading in a broken 12pt. I hate it so much that I usually use my 12pt 1/2" in its place so long as the tolerance is loose enough itll fit.

I prefer 6 pt sockets, but 12pt wrenches for the same reasons everyone above stated.

Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk

 

[Mr_B]

In about 25yrs I never needed a 6 point wrench once, trick with wrenches is buy good, I use stahlwille as fit and style suites me, plenty other quality options but avoid cheap wrenches as they ballache and waste of money ...

 

[bamendaboy]

Interesting perspectives I may add. I feel like the 12 points have a way of stripping especially rusty bolts.

 

[crewchief888]

the only 6pt wrench i own is a DBE ratcheting wrench i picked up at a pawn shop...

cant ever remember using it....

if a 12pt wrench starts to round a rusted-*** nut or bolt off, it gets cut off, even if i manage to get it off with a 6pt, it's not going back in...
i might be the one that has to take it off the next time...

ive been wrenching on const eq for over 30 years.

 

[WhiffySpark]

Interesting perspectives I may add. I feel like the 12 points have a way of stripping especially rusty bolts.

How many more people do you want to tell you this.

12 Point wrenches are fine. 6 Point sockets are terrific. 6 Point wrenches are nothing more than a pain in the *** and won’t help you

If you strip a bolt with a 12 Point Wrench you’re using the wrong tool.

 

[firebirdparts]

I work on cars an awful lot and I don't use 6 point wrenches. I will say that there is no real reason to make a 12 point ratcheting wrench, but that's how mine are. I don't round off much of anything, but I have been wrenching for 40 years, and I have learned not to. Once in a while I will get ahold of something that just really doesn't want to turn. I am patient, though.

 

[slip knot]

I've got a set of 6point wrenchs that get used very little. usually on a bolt I cant get a socket on and usually after I've heated it up with the torch. They are the "last " option short of cutting it off. my main wrenching work is on 50-75 year old tractors so I know a bit about rusted parts.

 

[Gmonkee]

What everybody knows seems to vary some.

But what I mostly use is DOE and second choice is 12 PT combo wrenches. Suspensions and strut rebuilds seem to be my heavy work anymore and this is fine.

But somehow my DOE don't strip every bolt to useless by just touching them like everyone else's.

I suspect the trick is having good wrenches and more importantly knowing how to use them.

 

[Lelandwelds]

Not a mechanic but I strip components for other projects. Some are so bugggered, I use a 6 pt just before I use a grinder. I have lots of room usually. But, yes, 6 pt ratchet is more useful.

 

[Big-Red]

I brought a set of bluepoint ratchet spanners (wrenches). They have both 6 and 12 point sides

 

[Tonyuk]

I bought a set of 6 point hex Britool spanners a few moths ago, more to see how i liked them rather than any need for them and they were only about £60 for the set. I can't say i've needed them really as with a good 12 point spanner it'll still grip the flats of a fastener.

I use the 11mm often on brake bleeders but that's only really because i keep it in with my pressure bleeder kit.

One thing i have noticed with the 6 points is that working in cramped engine bays a lot of the time there isn't enough of a swing arc to use a 6 point spanner.

 

[racestatus]

the only time I pull a 6pt wrench out of my box is when a bolt or nut is slightly rounded off on the corners. other than that I never ever use them

 

[Firebrick43]

I live in the rust belt and would/do not want six point wrenches. Also work/restore horse drawn and early pre 50,s farm machinery as well. There are times I can't get enough of a turn with a 12 point.

It's been years since I have rounded off a bolt, back when I owned only craftsman. Now that I own snap on and wright wrenches (prefer the wright's ) it just doesn't happen any more. Only my brake line wrenches are six point.

Further more nine times out of ten it a 3/8 drive socket turning fasteners on a car. On an old tractor you can get a 6 point 1/2 socket on the fastener nearly 100 percent of the time.