Originally published at: Ball-end hex wrenches are the best | Boing Boing
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My beef with every hex wrench set is that I’ve found it’s near to impossible to keep them organized. If they’re on a key ring they’re often too awkward to use. In sets like these where they’re held in by friction it’s usually difficult to slide out when they’re new, but quickly become too lose and they end up scattered at the bottom of whatever bag I last put them in.
I’ll have to check out the ball-end style.
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Ball drivers are great when there is something in the way of holding the wrench straight.
Non-ball drivers are often essential when inserting a screw, since the ball driver lets the screw flop around and not go into the threaded hole straight. Highly aggravating.
I keep both styles on hand whenever building a thing that has a lot of Allen-head screws.
The Wiha 263 series of hex screwdrivers are indispensable - I have a set everywhere that I work on stuff.
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I finally bought a ratcheting hex wrench set recently after having had and loved a ratcheting screwdriver for probably 15 years. Will have to see if I can get ball-end bits for that.
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I’ve been using them for 20+ years. They work great most of the time. I have found they can damage hex head bolts if they have been over torqued previously.
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Worth getting good ones. Made from good material. I like Bondhus. https://www.bunnings.com.au/bondhus-9-piece-hex-key-set_p6115344
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I like them but the ball is a weak point. I have had one break off when I applied a lot of pressure. Just saying.
I notice Adam Savage uses those t-shaped hex wrenches which seems like the way to go but personally i want one of those lovely slim WORKPRO folding utility knives he has.
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Never buy Amazon Basics. Amazon copies products (exactly) made by other people/companies, which they also sell, but undercut their prices because Amazon. They sell them as Amazon Basics and drive the originals out of business.
Ball-end Allen wrenches rock, however. Just get them somewhere else.
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What about bellend hex wrenches?
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Ball-end hex wrenches are the best
I hope that makes it through the eBay ‘filter’.
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The Bondhus and Wiha ones are good - for what they are intended for (driving hex socket fasteners).
Apparently, they are also useful for smoothing mortar between pavers (at the neck bend). So my father-in-law thought when he used my hex set for that purpose, abraiding off the surface coating. The shed key now gets hidden when he comes to stay.
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These are convenient, since they have a straight and ball end in the same tool and you can fit a bunch of sizes in a small holder. That said, for the ball end I find screwdriver handles much more convenient. Its easier to control, easier to work with limited clearance, and easier to spin quickly when you have low resistance.
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These work great for a pretty broad range of uses: (the style, but this set is adequate for the price)
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I recently purchased a set of Wera Hex Keys.
They came in a cardboard box worthy of an expensive aftershave with a sticker worthy of a Japanese death metal band. They are absolutely beautifull. The ball end features a tiny ball-bearing detent that holds the screw in place. This is amazing to behold even though the three smallest keys don’t have the detent thing cos that would be microscopic.
My only teeny-tiny fault with them is as @pfranz pointed out, it’s disappointingly difficult to remove the keys from the beautifully made plastic holder.
I had expected them to become my hex key of choice but oddly they didn’t. That still goes to the set of Unior T-Handle Hex keys that I’ve had for over 15 years. They’ve been hammered and abused and used daily over this time and have never let me down.
Although ball-end hex keys are useful, they aren’t a replacement for regular hex-end keys. Ideally you’d want both. Also, long keys, short keys and socket keys. Sometimes you have to work in tight spaces and only one type of key will fit.
EDIT for spelling.
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use the ball end to spin the loose screw in or out, use the short no-ball end to torque tight or loose.
Also fan of Wera hex-keys, as they have a unique profile that the claim grips better and less likely to strip.
You don’t have to get the fancy color keyed versions, they have simple inexpensive black oxide coated version as well in SAE and Metric. And their holders are great - flexible with latch for storage.
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Can confirm that the Wera set is a wonderful thing. As an added bonus they are easy to identify in the shop if you happen to have a machinist with sticky fingers.
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