Metal socket rails - is there a trick to these?

[roofdweller49]

Got a few Williams and Proto rails to organize my sockets and the clips are either too loose and don't hold anything, or need my whole body weight to get the sockets on. With the 1/4 shallow sockets, I can't even get enough grip on the smaller sizes to get them off. Is there a trick, or should I just **** it up and get Ernst twist locks?

 

[assassin10000]

The stamped steel ones? Those are almost garbage.

I use a mix of ernst or the aluminum rails with sliding plastic posts that have a ball detent.

 

[Rickster]

If you can find the old-school Craftsman ones at a garage sale they're the good ones. Every steel clip rail I've seen in thr stores function just as you described; sockets fall off or you have to force them on and then the whole clip comes off when you pull the socket. The plastic rails with non twist feature are good as long as they have the metal spring ball.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Flip the tough ones to the side and they will pop right off.

Then bend the rest to hold that well and do the same for them.

 

[tester19]

Another vote for Ernst socket rails. Did not know what good socket organization was until I went 100% with my sockets. Had a few doubles and was missing a few. Now It's all where I need it and can see it!
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[rust in the eye]

I have a bunch of cheap HF rails I use to hold duplicates and the sockets I carry in my breakdown kits.
They can be reshaped easily using a needle nose plier to flatten the curve at the top if they are loose. Pinch them a bit if too tight.
Something of a pain in the **** but that's what I get for $1 /PC.

 

[richfinn]

The Snap-On metal rails are good as are Ko-ken.

I use the Ernst plastic rails, but have a few older metal ones for odd sets etc.

 

[Kuma601]

If they happened to have had some moisture exposure and that cheap plating I found one rail that had rusted the sockets onto them. That was really frustrating.

 

[fatfillup]

The older Snap on rails are good as are some of the older Cman's and such.
I have a mix of many kinds and I am leaning towards using more of the mechanic timesaver magnetic trays. The style I like are the ones that hold deep and shallow back to back and have a handle for carrying . Easy to get the socket out. Will fit in a shallow drawer as they lay down

Hanson stand up trays are nice if you have the height

 

[roofdweller49]

What's the old craftsman and snap on style? The trays? I like the rails because I want to throw them into a backpack or something, occasionally

 

[Junkdrawer Dog]

I have a bunch of cheap HF rails I use to hold duplicates and the sockets I carry in my breakdown kits.
They can be reshaped easily using a needle nose plier to flatten the curve at the top if they are loose. Pinch them a bit if too tight.
Something of a pain in the **** but that's what I get for $1 /PC.

^^^^^ This has been my experience as well! You have to look at these like one of those meal kits. They give you the basic components and the final result is up to you, lol. A little time at the bench with a pair of needlenose make them work reasonably well.

 

[assassin10000]

I like the rails because I want to throw them into a backpack or something, occasionally

Ernst or mechanics time savers if a larger bag.