Recommended L-Hex Set?

[bsaint]

Those green wera ones are terrible. With age, the plastic starts rotating down on the shaft and runs into the screwhead.

We have a Mazak guy that has broken the ball ends off his Wiha or the "magic ring" jams inside cap screws that have schmutz in them.

Bondhus or Bust.

Eklind have a bad fit and finish.

 

[shoturtle]

Well the ball end is not to torque down and break free the nut, that is improper uses. I have broke ball ends of of bondhus as well. If you torque down with a L hex, You are suppose to use the short end. So user error is not the fault of the tool.

But the wera stainless is the nicest of all the sets mention.

 

[bsaint]

The biggest problem was the magic ring screwing up. The more tools I buy in life the more I dislike German tools. Although I am not giving up on NWS.

 

[shoturtle]

That is about 9 euros. You can not beet that deal for stainless. I may end up ordering a set

12 bucks ?!
that´s almost theft

 

[shoturtle]

The sold out, but I got the 12 bucks price. And they will ship it to me when they get more. Sometime amazon has the greatest deal when they run low on items, and when they just ran out. It is work the wait.

 

[shoturtle]

The biggest problem was the magic ring screwing up. The more tools I buy in life the more I dislike German tools. Although I am not giving up on NWS.

That is why I have wiha non magic ring with the chrome coating for work. And the wera set in stainless is actually stronger then most other hex out there and it does not come with the plastic. But if you look at the design of the wera. Only the ends are hexed out. The long and short shaft are stronger them most as there is more metal. I have used long hex, and have snap the shaft of thiner hex. Not as likely with the wera design.

 

[archirelic]

that's an interesting different perspective concerning the magic ring Wihas. I have both this set, METRIC and this one, SAE and have never had an issue with the magic ring becoming stuck.

Then again, I am not a pro by any means.

 

[bsaint]

That is why I have wiha non magic ring with the chrome coating for work. And the wera set in stainless is actually stronger then most other hex out there and it does not come with the plastic. But if you look at the design of the wera. Only the ends are hexed out. The long and short shaft are stronger them most as there is more metal. I have used long hex, and have snap the shaft of thiner hex. Not as likely with the wera design.

I do own a set of Wera's normal black finished I got from a wood working place. The scalloped sides are great. But I use them as my spare set so I dont have a lot of wrench time on them. Ive been using them since I lost my bondhus set. New briteguards are in the mail.

Im interested in what grade of stainless they use is which is stronger than tool steel.

 

[shoturtle]

I do not remember, but I think they use 465 or 440C I read a material data sheet a while back, but do not remember exactly which one it uses.

 

[Trucky]

Probably one of these: 403, 410, 416, 420, & 440 A,B,C

I do not believe that those have the same strength as tool steel. They can harden it, sure. But I'm thinking while they might achieve close to the same strength, it isn't exceeding the normal steels. I'd have to witness a test to believe that. Maybe give Bondhus a call?

 

[shoturtle]

I do think they are almost as strong a carbon steel, but unlike uncoated tool steel, they do not rust easily.

Are the bondhus Protanium steel just a fancy 1095 carbon steel?

 

[Trucky]

I have a feeling it is, but they've tested it against the normal brands (Wera notwithstanding) and proven that it's stronger. How accurate are those tests? I have no idea. But generally when someone uses Bondhus keys, they are very satisfied compared with the likes of using Allen, etc.

 

[shoturtle]

Anything is better then allen, I am happy I have not broke my wiha set form work. If I did I would be stuck with Allen.

But 440C with the hardening is as strong as 1095 steel. Greber actually have one of their multitools that is made of a 440C that was harder then 1095. So it is all in the hardening process.

But they have been making vast improvements in all steel over the last decade. The 465 stainless is super hard. Used in allot of marine grade tools. I only see them making tool steel, stainless or non, even stronger time passes.

 

[Holt]

Shorturtle. Thanks for all the info on the hex keys. I use to only see sae hex and never saw a metric. I went out and got a gearwrench bit ratchet with sae hex bits. Happy I finally got a good set of hex bits the it seems now all I run into is metric......

I've been eyeing the weras for a while now but couldn't justify the 40+ price. Saw the 12 bucks and jumped on it 2 nights ago. Of course it didnt cost enough for the free shipping so more shopping. 1 stainless rapidaptor and 1/4 nut driver later my order will be here next week.

 

[Holt]

Also I do have a get of the bondhus gorrila grips and for the flip out style they are pretty bad azz. Way better the the Eklind. I was at the local hardware store and everyone of the Eklind had deformed ends. Kindla like a mix between a hex end a a oval.

 

[bsaint]

440c is the hardest and I don't think that's what wera uses. Also I dont think Bondhus uses 1095 unless they temper it. Those two alloys seem too hard for hand tools. I guess its all about manufacturing process. I can't find those weras for less than 33. The problem is its still 400 series steel. If I buy stuff stainless I like it to be 300. But I understand 300 is not hard enough for tools.