New Wera Zyklop
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reversegear
Well-known member
pps: Assembled in Czech Republic.
superautobacs
Well-known member
uh-oh...are you inferring that Wera's socketry tools are produced thousands of kilometers away? 
reversegear
Well-known member
Superauto: I am only implying that at least some of the components of the Zyklop are made across town from me. Nothing against Wera, their product development and Q.C. guys are pretty sharp.
Monte: Trade secrets and all that good stuff. But if you are in or near Cologne Feb. 28 - Mar. 3, 2010, stop by our booth and say hi. I'll show you all our cool new stuff, and then we can walk over to the China hall and you can see me get into fistfights with the infringing companies there. I'll let you know our booth number when I know it, or you can just find us in the show guide.
Karl
Monte: Trade secrets and all that good stuff. But if you are in or near Cologne Feb. 28 - Mar. 3, 2010, stop by our booth and say hi. I'll show you all our cool new stuff, and then we can walk over to the China hall and you can see me get into fistfights with the infringing companies there. I'll let you know our booth number when I know it, or you can just find us in the show guide.
Karl
superautobacs
Well-known member
Karl, when you're at those shows, scoping out other Chinese vendors, do you hide your name tag to disguise yourself, or is your face well known that you stick out like a sore thumb? 
;preversegear
Well-known member
Naw, the Chinese companies are clueless as to who I am, just as they are clueless as to the existence of the patents they are infringing. A lot of Taiwanese companies know me in general, and one local trade publication refused to give me a copy of their magazine at the Shanghai show. When I asked why, the publisher said "Because you'll sue all my advertisers". Well, better to be feared than loved I suppose.
haha yeh cool ! I`ll shoot the fistfights so you can put the movie on your website as the intro.... Headline: "Don`t copy our stuff or Karl will visit you !"
But it should be no problem if you bring the patent specification to germany and have a lawyer , the police and customs officers will quickly collect all infringements.
Headline: "Don`t copy our stuff or Karl will visit you !" But it should be no problem if you bring the patent specification to germany and have a lawyer , the police and customs officers will quickly collect all infringements.
Does anyone have this set? 05003594001 WERA Zyklop 3/8" SB 2 . I was curious how people like it, my gf said she would get for me for christmas if I want it. I wanted the snap on 1/4 and 3/8 set, but the 566 price tag turned her off and she said no way, but should would be up for the wera set at 259. I would ask Jerk Chicken, but it appears he got banned for some reason....
FiftyCalAl
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I do, and I love it. I have a 1/2 set 2 extra 1/2 drivers, the 3/8 set and an extra driver. I am now starting to save money for the 1/4 set. If you are are going to buy a 'set', you can find no better than Zyklops. I own snap on extensions and ratchets and torque wrenches from both.
I like the duel twin 80s and Snappy offers different variations, whereas as the zyklops only has the one size per drive size. As far as getting a complete useful set- ZYKLOPS all the way. Chad's Toolbox has proven to me to be the cheapest. And if you use this code when you check out (testthebest), you get 10 % off.
I like the duel twin 80s and Snappy offers different variations, whereas as the zyklops only has the one size per drive size. As far as getting a complete useful set- ZYKLOPS all the way. Chad's Toolbox has proven to me to be the cheapest. And if you use this code when you check out (testthebest), you get 10 % off.
I have the zyklops in 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 and 4 of the zyklops extensions in each size locking and non-locking now(12 extensions total), you have me convinced to try to get the 1/4 set also... I also got a couple of free sockets and the bit holders for 1/4 and 3/8 they seem awesome.
Any Pictures?
FiftyCalAl
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nothing better than what maunfacturer shows, plus Jerk Chicken posted some good ones already. What particularly are you wanting to see that isnt already been shown?
Chad's has a couple of 3/8 sets on sale. A pretty sweet deal if you need a set!
http://chadstoolbox.com/05003594001werazyklop38sb2.aspx
http://chadstoolbox.com/05003594001werazyklop38sb2.aspx
I spoke to Chadstoolbox today and they said the 2 deluxe 3/8 zyklops kits would be on sale until 12/31 because the factory lowered the prices, so that is why they are on sale. Just wanted to let people know when the sale would be over. I was hoping to get the 1/4 sa2 on sale, but they don't think they are going on sale, but they will price match for 60 days, so I am think I might pull the trigger.
FiftyCalAl
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TireTracks
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Weird looking.
FiftyCalAl
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SCOTT post 666-yuck!
anyways, yes, I have tried them. USe them a lot and have nothing but praise for them. I did buy my first set (sight unseen) on faith, but am very glad I did. I have all the SAE size sets now and will probaly buy the 1/2 and 3/8 metric.
I use Snap On as well. For daily use on general around the house stuff, I go for the Zyklops first. If I need a specialized size/length - I obviously go for SO
TIRETRACKS
did you not have a MOM?
you know, what they say...if you can't say something nice.....don't sya anything at all
anyways, yes, I have tried them. USe them a lot and have nothing but praise for them. I did buy my first set (sight unseen) on faith, but am very glad I did. I have all the SAE size sets now and will probaly buy the 1/2 and 3/8 metric.
I use Snap On as well. For daily use on general around the house stuff, I go for the Zyklops first. If I need a specialized size/length - I obviously go for SO
TIRETRACKS
did you not have a MOM?
you know, what they say...if you can't say something nice.....don't sya anything at all
TireTracks
Well-known member
SCOTT post 666-yuck!
anyways, yes, I have tried them. USe them a lot and have nothing but praise for them. I did buy my first set (sight unseen) on faith, but am very glad I did. I have all the SAE size sets now and will probaly buy the 1/2 and 3/8 metric.
I use Snap On as well. For daily use on general around the house stuff, I go for the Zyklops first. If I need a specialized size/length - I obviously go for SO
TIRETRACKS
did you not have a MOM?
you know, what they say...if you can't say something nice.....don't sya anything at all
Just saying what i thought, not that it's anything bad, they just look different than most other tools
FiftyCalAl
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TT,
You are , of course, correct. They are 'different' looking. But they are a pleasure to use. Especially good on repetitive actions, like when assembling/disassembing stuff, like furniture, appliances, recreational equipment, etc. I found them exceptional in a plumbing sitrep, b/c in the tight confines, the ability of the head to change angle of presentation was extremely helpful.
I really like their screwdrivers as well. They are wonderfully ergonomic and have heads that , when properly sized, bite like none other. The two torque drivers I have pictured are also handy for using Brownells inserts to properly torque firearms applications.
You are , of course, correct. They are 'different' looking. But they are a pleasure to use. Especially good on repetitive actions, like when assembling/disassembing stuff, like furniture, appliances, recreational equipment, etc. I found them exceptional in a plumbing sitrep, b/c in the tight confines, the ability of the head to change angle of presentation was extremely helpful.
I really like their screwdrivers as well. They are wonderfully ergonomic and have heads that , when properly sized, bite like none other. The two torque drivers I have pictured are also handy for using Brownells inserts to properly torque firearms applications.
I also got sets for christmas and I now have the SA2, SB2, and SC2 and a spare set of all three ratchets and 12 extensions as well. I would total recommend them to anyone and think they are great. I can take more pictures if people want to see the metric sets.
I like that bit driver, I am going to have to get one of those... I think these are some of the nicest and best tools I own, and I would put them up to snap on any day of the week. I think the sockets look really strong and they are very heavy compared to the same size craftsman socket. I think they will last a long long time, even under heavy use.
I think they did a good job. Also with the sockets. The knurling is good if you use them to turn nuts + bolts by hand, the recess/groove is good to remove the socket with oily hands if you use them with different ratchets without "locking" feature and the hole if you use the sockets with an electric/pneumatic nutrunner so you can use the pin/o-ring so the sockets are also useable in industrial applications (e.g. assembly-line work)
Snap50
Well-known member
Do the Zyklop rackets work properly with other manufacturer's sockets?
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Stuey
Well-known member
Yes, they do.
One of the items in my Chads order (received yesterday) was the Wera SB2 3/8" drive metric Zyklop set. I haven't used the tools for anything real yet, but so far I'm very impressed with them, especially given the price I paid (which sadly is higher now...it's back to the pre-discount levels).
The fit and finish on all of the items in the set is near perfect -- this will be of little surprise to anyone that has had their screwdrivers. I mean, everything is impressively perfect. I've had each piece out and have been unable to find any flaws.
As for the kit itself:
1. I wish it came with regular Torx bits instead of tamperproof Torx. I knew this when I ordered, but I still thought I'd point this out.
2. the bit adapter is very nice, the nicest I've seen. I am inspired to buy more bits to go with it.
3. the hex plus bits are very nice (I also got the hex plus keys as part of my order). I compared how they engage with my PB Swiss keys...I think the PB Swiss are still better for "intact" fasteners, but if the fasteners have seen some wear, I think the hex plus will work better.
4. the Zyklop ratchet is admittedly a little bit gimicky, and it does have plastic on it, but I think it's a great tool for certain applications. In particular, I suspect that this is going to become my go-to ratchet for "clean" work, where the fasteners are in near-perfect shape. I'm talking about things like furniture, appliance repair, working on computers, etc.
5. the "rotating mass" concept seems to be BS. I don't think the ratchet is heavy enough for this to make much of a differenc e in practice. Between the lack of weight and the friction between the plastic sheath and the underlying metal, I was unable to get the ratchet to spin freely as shown in the promo videos.
6. the socket locking mechanism, with the extra pin to aid with removal, is the nicest I've seen anywhere. It's really awesome. Very solid and easy to use.
7. the locking option on the extensions is also a nice touch...a very nice idea. With the push of a button, you can make the extension locking, and then change it back just as easily. Also, you can get your sockets off of the extension without using a tool!
8. the included universal seems OK at best. I need to play with it some more, but it doesn't measure up to a Snap On as far as flexibility and overall fluidity of movement. It's better than Craftsman quality-wise and strength-wise, but it seems to bind about as easily.
9. I like the way the head swivels. It can be set to free swivel, or lock in a variety of useful positions, including 90*, 0*, and 15*. The 15* is sure to come in handy, as it gives that little bit of extra clearance.
10. the direction changing mechanism is a "turn type" as seen on a Hazet ratchet, but with a really welcome improvement -- you don't need to hold the anvil to change the direction. This is a great mechanism, that like the Hazets, should prove near-impossible to accidentally switch, but is more convenient to use.
11. I often hold my ratchets at the head for quick tightening. The Zyklop accommodates this very nicely, with ergonomic recesses that your fingers fit on.
As you can probably tell, I'm very impressed with this product. I am considering if I want to get the 1/4" set, or just the ratchets, or what, and also what bits I want to add.
The fit and finish on all of the items in the set is near perfect -- this will be of little surprise to anyone that has had their screwdrivers. I mean, everything is impressively perfect. I've had each piece out and have been unable to find any flaws.
As for the kit itself:
1. I wish it came with regular Torx bits instead of tamperproof Torx. I knew this when I ordered, but I still thought I'd point this out.
2. the bit adapter is very nice, the nicest I've seen. I am inspired to buy more bits to go with it.
3. the hex plus bits are very nice (I also got the hex plus keys as part of my order). I compared how they engage with my PB Swiss keys...I think the PB Swiss are still better for "intact" fasteners, but if the fasteners have seen some wear, I think the hex plus will work better.
4. the Zyklop ratchet is admittedly a little bit gimicky, and it does have plastic on it, but I think it's a great tool for certain applications. In particular, I suspect that this is going to become my go-to ratchet for "clean" work, where the fasteners are in near-perfect shape. I'm talking about things like furniture, appliance repair, working on computers, etc.
5. the "rotating mass" concept seems to be BS. I don't think the ratchet is heavy enough for this to make much of a differenc e in practice. Between the lack of weight and the friction between the plastic sheath and the underlying metal, I was unable to get the ratchet to spin freely as shown in the promo videos.
6. the socket locking mechanism, with the extra pin to aid with removal, is the nicest I've seen anywhere. It's really awesome. Very solid and easy to use.
7. the locking option on the extensions is also a nice touch...a very nice idea. With the push of a button, you can make the extension locking, and then change it back just as easily. Also, you can get your sockets off of the extension without using a tool!
8. the included universal seems OK at best. I need to play with it some more, but it doesn't measure up to a Snap On as far as flexibility and overall fluidity of movement. It's better than Craftsman quality-wise and strength-wise, but it seems to bind about as easily.
9. I like the way the head swivels. It can be set to free swivel, or lock in a variety of useful positions, including 90*, 0*, and 15*. The 15* is sure to come in handy, as it gives that little bit of extra clearance.
10. the direction changing mechanism is a "turn type" as seen on a Hazet ratchet, but with a really welcome improvement -- you don't need to hold the anvil to change the direction. This is a great mechanism, that like the Hazets, should prove near-impossible to accidentally switch, but is more convenient to use.
11. I often hold my ratchets at the head for quick tightening. The Zyklop accommodates this very nicely, with ergonomic recesses that your fingers fit on.
As you can probably tell, I'm very impressed with this product. I am considering if I want to get the 1/4" set, or just the ratchets, or what, and also what bits I want to add.
arkangel06
Banned
kind of scary
1. Some of the sets I have mainly the bigger 5/16 does come with torx bits with no hole in them, but if they are as strong with the holes as if they didn't I don't care. Now if we can get someone to find out,
2. The bit adapter is the best I have used and I ordered the other version they have that are all metal and don't have the collar on it that spins, but again I wanted the all metal, but agree either one is great. The 1/2 kit doesn't come with the collar and is all metal, but then it is 5/16 and not 1/4 bits.
4. Someone on here said they have used the ratchets everyday in a work environment and never seen any issue with the plastic on the ratchet and I asked chads if the plastic broke, he said as long as it didn't look abused it would be replaced.
5. The rotating seems to be fine, when on something that the threads aren't super easy for a nut or bolt to turn, but I haven't really tested this feature, so not sure what to think... I think it would work fine, but again haven't used that feature and at the very least should be better than the snap on versions I have the th737 and f747a or even the 100 tooth version which I have as well.
6. The quick release is the greatest I have ever used and nice how it does work no matter what position the head is in, either pressing on the head or the plastic lever in "screwdriver mode"
7. The locking extensions are the best because they are smaller and the on/off lever is almost flush with the ratchet as compared to the snap on or others that have the collar that makes the pretty big in diameter where the collar is.
8. The u-joints in mine seem to be fine and quality looks first rate, but I haven't tested them as for the movement so I can't say yet, but do like how they are held in with scews because it looks like you can rebuild them if needed.
9-10 Nothing more to add.
11. You are correct these are the best ratchets to put thumb against or other hand for more leverage and the shape and texture works perfectly... I love the feel of the finish against my skin, really nice and I like it better than chrome for some reason not as slippery.
Maybe Monte, FNFS2000 or FiftyCalAl can add about how durable the plastic pieces on the ratchet are after lots of use in a non clean environment. I am sure it is durable as it appears to be to me. Also the case is nice and metal and has the nice foam as well... Shows that they care about the little things and not just the tools and putting them in a cheap case, they care about every aspect of the tool and case, the whole package.
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1. Some of the sets I have mainly the bigger 5/16 does come with torx bits with no hole in them, but if they are as strong with the holes as if they didn't I don't care. Now if we can get someone to find out,
This was discussed elsewhere, in fact I believe in a thread I started. Executive summary: the tamperproof variants are not as strong as the non-tamperproof variants when used in a non-tamperproof fastener, and several members have experienced failures related to such use.