T-Handle vs Loop T-Handle

[impactims]

Bondhus offers both.

Would you say one is better than the other?

Loop:



T-Handle

 

[Dave455]

The proper T handle.

That design from Bondhus is particularly nice, and is the reason I bought Bondhus originally, rather than other offerings. I have both Imperial and Metric.

I must admit I don’t particularly like their ProGuard finish. It’s very rough to the touch so not pleasant to use and hard to wipe over. A careful scrub with some wire wool removes it, or at least the roughness, though.

Overall though, I think Bondhus are superb quality, and awesome value!

 

[KnurledNut]

Depends.
I have and use both. If weight is a concern, like for a portable kit, the bent style are lighter. They also take up less space and are easier to store flat or hang up by the loop. I have used a screwdriver as a cheater in the formed handle opening.

The welded ones are top heavy which can be unwieldy for certain uses, but that extra mass works better for quickly spinning out fasteners. They certainly feel better ergonomically, and the snap when breaking stuff loose doesn’t tend to sting as bad.

I prefer molded T-handles over either design though.

 

[dnschmidt]

Splitting hairs. Six of one half dozen of the other. I have the Bondhus T-handle and the Eklind loop handle. You can generate more torque with the loop handle. The reason I bought the Eklind was that I didn't want the ball end on one of my two sets.

 

[Steve_P]

I don't have either style, but I've used both and I don't care for the loop type because of that "snap" occurrence that's mentioned by NurledNut. So, I wouldn't want that style.

 

[AEAdam]

I have the version before the Tee handle, where the T is straight across. These have either thick pipe or solid steel handles and they spin really nice and aren't lop sided like some of the new ones with a second stubby bit coming out of the handle. On those, those I've played with seem to have plastic handles such that they are unbalanced. Correct me if I'm wrong. Ones I had access to felt terrible to me. I spin the shafts of these between my thumb and fingers. Need the handles balanced.

I used my tee handles in the rebuild of my Bridgeport mill. Lots of cap head screws. Any grit or paint in the threads, the high mass of the handle, allowed me to spin right thru. Those Tee handles have inertia!

 

[FigN⋅m]

We received a T-handled metric set from one of our vendors and they're pretty awesome.
Heck they even double as a makeshift "persuader" depending on the rack's condition...

I thought they would be a bit unwieldy, but I've grown to appreciate the extra spinning mass.
You can tell the most used ones, as my only (very) small issue is the ink's durability.
The ball-ends start at 4mm, so really stubborn fasteners get the straight-end sockets.

 

[whateg01]

I prefer the solid handles 99% of the time. The loop ones always start flexing before I think they should and give the impression, whether real or not, that I'm not getting the fastener as tight as it needs to be.

 

[impactims]

I have both.

I’ve been noticing that an advantage to the loop design is that it has more flex to it.

Which can be a good thing in that it help prevent over tightening, rounding out the drive But also it can limit the amount of torque that you can apply. A totally different feel.

Anyone else notice that?

 

[dnschmidt]

Typically, you can get more torque out of the loop handle simply because the loop handle has a larger diameter than the straight t-handle. PHYSICS WINS AGAIN!

 

[whateg01]

Typically, you can get more torque out of the loop handle simply because the loop handle has a larger diameter than the straight t-handle. PHYSICS WINS AGAIN!

I would like to see the data on that. The handle on the loop design twists long before the solid handle.

 

[KnurledNut]

I have the version before the Tee handle, where the T is straight across. These have either thick pipe or solid steel handles and they spin really nice and aren't lop sided like some of the new ones with a second stubby bit coming out of the handle. On those, those I've played with seem to have plastic handles such that they are unbalanced. Correct me if I'm wrong. Ones I had access to felt terrible to me. I spin the shafts of these between my thumb and fingers. Need the handles balanced.

I used my tee handles in the rebuild of my Bridgeport mill. Lots of cap head screws. Any grit or paint in the threads, the high mass of the handle, allowed me to spin right thru. Those Tee handles have inertia!

The Wiha grips have good balance.
I also use the Wera Rapidaptor T-handle with 6” bits. The greater bit shank diameter lessens wind up.

 

[Submariner733]

During my industrial years we performed maintenance on cathodes, each with 52 stainless steel M8x10 flat-head hex screws mated with Heli-Coil in copper jacket. Due to extreme thermal load and dissimilar metals, cold welding was common despite spraying all fasteners with MolyKote.

Due to a legacy of abuse, Heli-Coils were in sad shape and replacing them in the damaged copper jacket was always iffy. We thus hand started all screws. There was a torque spec on the cathodes but no torque wrenches in the plant, so we hand finished all screws.

Solid Tee Stubby Bondhus were favored, but due to to the heavier weight, hand and forearm fatigue became an issue.

Loop handles were much lighter, but they truly flexed on fasteners that were galled. You could actually see the twist in 5mm hex key, exaggerated by the six inch blade. The "snap" when the fastener broke loose, was hard on the hands and wrist. I do not recall any stubby loop handled in the Bondhus and Eklind line-ups.

The tradeoff was the twist and the awkward 6" blades on the loop-handled vs the weight of the solid stubby Tee-handles.

Having moved into facilities maintenance, there is much less repetitive labor compared to line maintenance. This brought another perspective and solid-handled are the clear favorite.

Both styles have merit, each according to your current application.

 

[dnschmidt]

I think there is a dividing line here. I've not noticed any flex in loop handles of 8 mm and 10mm. For stuff under 6mm there is flex but to me that's not that big of a deal.

 

[NHtoolguy]

I prefer the solid handles 99% of the time. The loop ones always start flexing before I think they should and give the impression, whether real or not, that I'm not getting the fastener as tight as it needs to be.

I typically prefer the solid handles for their feel. And, as mentioned previously, their higher mass gives them a superior ability to "spin" loose screws out. My all-time favorite handles, though, are the old-school Allen forged ones, with inserted blades and set screws.

 

[AEAdam]

I'm not 100% convinced flex is bad. Lots of tools like this wind up torsionally, regardless of the handle. If you really want super stiff, get bit sockets. I use them frequently. Tee-handles are maybe a bit faster and have better feel?

Hit me in the face with a pie: One aspect not discussed is storage. Lying flat, these take up a lot of space. In the Bondhus plastic stand, they take up bench top space. The loopy handles could easily be hung from a nail or 2. That might be worth considering.

PS- I am REALLY trying to keep metric out of my machine shop. It's VERY hard to do. Almost any new equipment, new machines, have metric hardware. So it's not one set of these, it's 2. I'm fighting to keep just one and losing.

 

[whateg01]

Storage space and convenience are always a trade off. On the bench I would much rather be able to just grab a tool and use it, no assembly required. For the tool bag that goes in my suitcase, space and weight matter, so I prefer bits there.

I have SAE and metric in my shop. Even my 1980s milling machine is a mix of both. I prefer metric for some stuff, but even if I didn't, it has "invaded" so much of our lives it's silly to try to avoid it.

 

[KnurledNut]

Hit me in the face with a pie: One aspect not discussed is storage. Lying flat, these take up a lot of space. In the Bondhus plastic stand, they take up bench top space. The loopy handles could easily be hung from a nail or 2. That might be worth considering.

Post #3:

Depends.
I have and use both. If weight is a concern, like for a portable kit, the bent style are lighter. They also take up less space and are easier to store flat or hang up by the loop. I have used a screwdriver as a cheater in the formed handle opening.

 

[FigN⋅m]

In the Bondhus plastic stand, they take up bench top space.

If it matters at all, the stand is designed to also mount to a wall/vertical surface