Why I now exclusively use Hex-Plus L-Keys: A short demonstration
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- Опубліковано 22 лип 2017
- Since this was asked about in the last KC Tool Unboxing episode, I figured I would do a little experiment on the difference between a standard L-Key and the Wera Hex-Plus L-Keys.
Some Affiliate Links to Wera Hex Plus Products:
DISCLAIMER: I receive a small commission for purchases made through these links. Buying tools through these links is a great way to support the channel!
Wera 073593 Long-Arm Color-Coded Set - Metric (KC Tool): bit.ly/2lYOh85
Wera 073593 Long-Arm Color-Coded Set - Metric (Amazon): amzn.to/2eFFE07
Wera 022639 Long-Arm Color-Coded Set - SAE (KC Tool): bit.ly/2lUnU2G
Wera 022639 Long-Arm Color-Coded Set - SAE (Amazon): amzn.to/2gUGDKl
Wera 022720 Stainless Steel Set - Metric (KC Tool): bit.ly/2qxV7Dg
Wera 022720 Stainless Steel Set - Metric (Amazon): amzn.to/2umwqv2
Wera 022721 Stainless Steel Set - SAE (KC Tool): bit.ly/2trY3js
Wera 022721 Stainless Steel Set - SAE (Amazon): amzn.to/2unpmOR
Wera 022086 Long-Arm Standard Set - Metric (KC Tool): bit.ly/2trke9l
Wera 022086 Long-Arm Standard Set - Metric (Amazon): amzn.to/2gUcX0d
Wera 022171 Long-Arm Standard Set - SAE (KC Tool): bit.ly/2uNyCfE
Wera 022171 Long-Arm Standard Set - SAE (Amazon): amzn.to/2uoRJdD
Wera 021737 Short-Arm Set - Metric (KC Tool): bit.ly/2lYIf7p
Wera 021737 Short-Arm Set - Metric (Amazon): amzn.to/2eFFrdp - Наука та технологія
I like how the solution to the problem of a hex key is to give it more of a torx profile. Haha
I've been telling people for years.
Ive actually used torx bits to remove stripped out allan key heads. Just get a tight fit and tap it in with a hammer and turn!
I also use torx on allen screws for over ten years now specially the smaller they are. ie scope mounts.
I've actually been using torx as my number 1 go to instead of hex
Yes. Torx is my favorite fastener, FAR superior to hex and torx plus is even better. But most people use the wrong torx on the wrong fasteners either the wrong size or not torx plus. Torx fits TIGHT very little slop, if it's a little sloppy on a t20 it's probably a t25 and it will be snug
Fantastic video, as I have come to expect from you. I only dread the day that you decide to not do these demonstrations anymore. I think many here feel the same. Thanks for your hard work and effort.
Thanks for this I just bought a set of wera hex plus for my bicycles.
Great vid! I'll be investing in some of the Wera hex plus "L" keys soon. Sidenote: I believe what you had there was a meter and not a gauge. I was a nuke electrician in the US Navy and we were trained that, basically, a meter takes an electrical input and a gauge takes a mechanical input to create the movement.
Thanks! I'm not sure if it is a meter or gauge, I always thought they were the same thing. It does take an electrical input 4 to 20 milliamps, but is loop powered meaning it doesn't require an additional power source.
As someone who does maintenance on CNC machines that are almost exclusively made with hex socket bolts these new hex plus look like a great innovation in hex key desighn. Thanks for the great informative video.
Recently got the large metric set, they're awesome and worth every penny. It's apparent on first use these are among the best you can get.
I've never heard of Hex-Plus and found the video very informative. Thanks German Tool Reviews for the video!
Wera and KC Tools two of my favorite things!
Excellent demonstration Thank you. Have just bought set of Wera hex plus.
Thank you for your experiment. I try to use torx heads when available but these L keys are interesting. May need to grab a set for the tool bag. Not sure if you have one already but a table vice would save your hand a fair bit, cheers.
yeah I need a vise...someday I will get one.
Nice to see someone do a real test on something. Im so tired so happy happy Joy joy sponsored reviews.
Yeah you will never see a sponsored review on this channel as I buy everything I review myself. This is also why I tend not to review very expensive tools because I'm cheap!
Not sure you should be pretending objectivity on this subject, since you clearly made obvious cuts and edits in the vid to conceal the times your super wrench "ratcheted" inside the screw head.
(see 13:05 for example)
When you examine the cuts and edits, this smells more like a sales pitch than an honest review.
The cuts were to prevent everyone from falling asleep as I have a tendency to use long pauses in my sentences. I am designing an experiment that should address any concerns that will be repeatable by anyone who wants to try and won't require any expensive test equipment, just a torque wrench.
Do R/C! Sounds like you'd enjoy AvE's BOLTR videos
Nevir202 I was of aves original 1000 subs:)
Great demo with DIY measuring equipment and a visible result! Thanks for sharing. ATB, Gereon
I don't even know how this ended up on my feed, but I watched it till the end. Fascinating.
UA-cam must have changed their algorithm, I don't normally get this many views lol
Popped up under 'lifestyle' just now on my feed.. I watch a lot of machine tool videos. I'm not surprised the threads started to strip. Fine thread + aluminum 😔
The aluminum threads weren't stripping. The bolt threads were stretching. Basically, the amount of tension on the bolt was causing it to go past its plastic deformation point.
Nathan Shaffer I still think that the tread on a steel bolt is quite a lot stronger than that of a piece of aluminium. I have seen a lot of bolts pulled out with the aluminium thread embedded into them bacause of over thightening.
It is kind of a misunderstanding with words. It's not the thread surface. The threads on the steel and aluminum are intact. To make it more clear, the bolt is stretching and getting longer. Yes aluminum isn't as strong as steel, but the aluminum is being compressed and the steel is being pulled. The compression strength of aluminum is much much higher than the tensile strength of steel.
Project Farm did a video on different types of L hex keys, including the Wera Hex Plus, and the Wiha came out on top. But this is a great video also, thanks for sharing. I buy Wera.
Interesting video, as a mechanic I rarely use these right angle shape hex tools, nearly always in bit form, I.e. attach to a ratchet or gun, the beauty of them of course is use in conjunction with a hammer to make bigger sizes/other shape tools fit into badly damaged/rusted bolt heads.
Thanks for the insight. Yeah I rarely use Inhex bits (sockets with hex profiles), but I hear that mechanics use them all the time. Wera does make those with this profile as well as 1/4" drive hex bits. I don't have any Wera inhex bits so I can't speak to their quality because I believe all Wera sockets are made in Taiwan. It is about the only thing that they don't make in the Czech Republic.
Wera is king! I’m a bicycle me mechanic and bikes use predominately hex heads for most fasteners. I need to make sure I’m not stripping/wearing bolt heads, & am remove/install worn bolts. Wera’s hex plus keys are the only tools I like to use/ recommend. They also make torx plus bits/ L keys along with hex sockets and Phillips head tools all with the same idea in mind. Super nice screwdriver handle torx and hex tools as well. definitely highly recommend!
Great video thankyou you learnt me something useful. .going to buy these hex plus keys as I'm always stripping allen key heads...great channel
A solid education without boring bread and circuses with some of the others. Subscribed.
Thanks for bringing attention to these. It looks like the inverse of Snap-On's flank drive for sockets, where the force is not just applied to the points. I will have to give them a try for sure. See how they fare against my favorite Bondhus.
Yeah it definitely looks like it was at least inspired by the flank drive design. Thanks for watching!
Rambozo Clown, I thought the same thing.
Rambozo Clown. D.K. FAN?
There are others that have had that for years as well as snap on fwiw . Wright tool and Grey Pneumatic impact sockets are just 2 examples I personally have sold at my store for years.
True
Excellent review! Thanks very much.
Hex Plus Vs Torx. Which would be the ultimate do you think? Let's assume you have the choice of fastener type. And for hand screwed Vs drill / impact drill.
Great find!
But what were you doing in that dumpster in the first place?
An excellent test and review. Thank you.
Thanks I appreciate you taking the time to say that since it appears most comments seem to be negative lol.
What about against bits for e.g. in my 1/4" ratchet vs this? I have a full set of drivers of hex, why would I use an L key instead?
I just ordered a set of the metric long arm wrenches. Thanks for turning me on to these tools. To bad the metric wrenches don't come in a pouch.....
You can buy the pouches empty, which is what I did for my metric set. Much easier to use with the pouch. I suppose the holder could have some advantages such as space and security.
I got really excited when you said you said "test to failure" . awesome video, I've been wanting those L keys and it's gonna be the next thing I get from KC
They are nice, but I didn't get them cause the hex is only on the tip, then it gets wider on the shaft, unlike a traditional L-key. It looks like that could cause problems in polaris blocks, and other lugs.
Name Of Action can't say I've ever seen polaris blocks that this would be an issue (i usually only work on larger ones) they should work for 90% of the things I do though
They are also available in a more conventional style.
www.amazon.com/dp/B003KN3HOA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_dp_T2_K8nDzb4KWY1HG
Yeah I could see the color-coded sleeve getting in the way in certain situations but I haven't yet run into that problem. They of course have styles without the coating. BTW, Wera calls this their "Take it Easy" system. Looks like someone at Wera is an Eagles fan: www.wera.de/takeiteasy.html?L=1
Mike's Tool Shed Yea, the last key he used was a Wera hex plus w/o the sleeve; but it did have a round shank. They do have standard, all hex stock, keys that are hex plus, though.
very interesting. thanks for sharing! I came to this from watching classic car restoration videos :-)
On top of making some of the best tools money can buy, Wera was the only company to respond to my customer service inquiry for some swag. They sent me some stickers for my shop. Channellock, Knipex, Milwaukee, Gearwrench and a slew of others didn’t respond at all. This is even more interesting because I’ve spent less on tools from Wera than anyone else I emailed. I don’t hold it against the other manufacturers at all, but Wera is just that cool. So, if you want the best customer service with the best tools Wera is a great choice.
Very informative video. I've been doing a lot of research into the different types of Allen keys out there I'm used to using bondhus but I found after only two years of use the square end rounded off especially sizes 4mm and below as well as chowdering up the heads on socket caps which is an absolute pain for removing. I was set on getting the PB Swiss ones but this has swung it for me I think. What's the tool life of these if used everyday compared to PB Swiss hex keys as I hear they are indestructible more or less..
Can't really speak to the tool life as I've never needed to replace any of them, but I also don't use them everyday, maybe a couple days a week. Even the ones that I really stressed by putting a cheater bar on them are still OK. I'm sure the PB swiss ones would hold up just the same as these, but I don't currently have any PB swiss L-keys at the moment.
Great video! Quick question: I'm considering either getting this set, or the PB Swiss set. Do you have any experience with the latter, to recommend one over the other? Thanks!!!
I've never owned the PB swiss L-keys so I can't speak as to the quality of those. I have heard they are good. If you really can't decide then I would get both.
Thanks for the vid. What kind of video camera are you using? Great clear picture.
Panasonic G85 with stock lens. Takes a while to figure out the settings, but luckily there are lots of youtube videos for that.
Might be interesting to have something with a slight twist to the tool. You'd need two versions, one for tightening, one for loosening.It would "bite" at the bottom of the hole where there is less chance of damage.
Nearly round my shock absorber hex screws, just order hex plus, hope that save that part
Would it not be a good idea to lube the mating surfaces to eliminate or reduce sticktion (stick-slip)?
Nice one with the hex plus... I always undo the stripped hex with torx, some tap tap with the hammer and torx make there own grooves in stripped head. You can also heat it up with fine tip blow torch and rapidly cool, most of them stress out the jammed treads, and harden the head a bit so can help on that marginal situations... (sure after you make new growes with torx, not before :) )
Where did you get the 10 dollar set? I can't find it.
Awesome! Nice way of testing this. Seems very legit!
Sorry, I seem to have missed the part where you explained the difference between the two types of Allen keys, and why you think the Wera's performed better.
Check the part at 11:12 where I go into the details of the difference geometry that a hex-plus has versus a standard hex key. It is not actually a hex shape but some very complex geometric form that is engineered to maximum force transmission. It is all detailed in the patent "Force transmission structure especially for a screwing wrench with multiple corners": encrypted.google.com/patents/US6263771
I've both discovered the benefit of hex plus...and also been surprised by Wiha hex bits, which don't seem as great as other Wiha items. Sadly Wera doesn't have a great selection of SAE hex, and I cannot seem to find any security SAE hex. So so my Wera security kraftform kit is supplemented with Wiha SAE security bits. Also, with bits you'll want to be organized because from the side at a glance, they look a lot like torx.
Yeah I wish Wera did have more SAE bits. I do like Wiha L-keys as well as they are very snug with tight tolerances. That is why I used before I started using the Wera ones. You can also get Wiha L-Keys with Nickel-plating which I don't think is available from Wera at this time. Nickel-plating is supposed to be better for long term corrosion resistance.
Do these come on the holding feature also
I actually need to study, so I watched this instead and bought them. Looks like a great product!! I was in need of a pair of allen keys anyway....
Hey, I have question I hope you can help me with. I got a set of these hex plus keys, and I forgot two of them in my backpack. After finding them a month or so later, they had started to rust. They're still brand new, so I'm a bit devastated. How can I remove the rust?
I'd say you would be devastated. How are you getting on with that now... do they look like the Titanic?
This came up after I watched an AvE video and I'm glad it did. I just subscribed.
Also I saw you mentioned you'll get a bench vise one day..Even a cheap POS from Harbor Freight beats holding things with your hand.
PS, you just cost me some money as I put an order in for some of these.
Ha, yeah tell me about it, I seem to spend too much on tools and I've getting quite a backlog now so I better slow down. Yeah true a cheap vise would be better than nothing, but I'm not sure I have a good bench to mount it on at the moment. I've been waiting for a good deal on a Heuer vise.
When I first started working on Saabs I found the use of torx screws an interesting choice, but as time goes on it's interesting to me how they've proven themselves in the field. You can remove them time and time again, they're MUCH harder to ruin than almost any other bit it seems. I'm not a professional mechanic, but I've worked on probably 7 Saabs, and many other vehicle brands: the bits that can get used without distorting best is the torx.
The only thing that kills them is RUST. Those 6 little little nubs rust off and you're screwed, in those rust prone situations a hex bolt head (or) a phillips slot seems to hold up the longest. I've actually had to drill a flat slot in rusted out torx bits before...
Cool story. I've never though about rust affecting the splines on a torx screw.
this is very true, half the time even with tool truck brands such as Snap-On/Matco/Mac/Cornwell you end up breaking the bit, especially on car brake rotor screws lol. the only time ive had torx strip out was when i used the wrong torx (t27 in a t30)
What do you think of PBSwiss verse these ?
This is pretty cool!
i ordered the hex plus and torq from wera, can be more confident now on tightening or loosing, with others had always the fear of stripping, specialy on modern mountainbike frames with aluminium polts.
What a gorgeous gauge...
in all honesty stuff like that is just as beautiful to me as a Rembrandt...
How small do the + keys go? And are tolerances given for the manufacture?
Working with small RC helis I'm down in the .8-1.5mm, and have had to ask whia to hand pick drivers at the large end of the tolerance band straight off the line.
I'll be checking out the + drivers, but without tolerances (still under patent) they'll still be pretty worthless to me as they need to fit within the established tolerance band of the very small socket head screws, which is quite large. I need the keys at the large end of that band.
Any insider info/experience with the small stuff would be greatly appreciated.
The 1.5mm is the only one in their sets that is a regular hexagon (no hex-plus profile). 2.0mm is the smallest one that has the hex-plus profile. They should all fit in a socket cap screw even if it has the hex-plus profile. I haven't had to use any that small lately. I've never seen any manufacturing specs, but they do have the maximum torque rating in their catalog. For example, a 1.5mm would be 0.82NM (13.25 in-lb) minimum torque without damage to the tool.
Very interesting review. Who knew that a very small alteration in the geometry of a hex fastener could improve performance that much?
I wonder if you could test the performance of the tool steel used in Wiha versus Wera and maybe Klein, etc.?
And could you also give us some information about the metallurgy/composition of their tool steel? I saw a UA-cam video that claims that Wiha uses better tool steel than Wera but it wasn't scientific like yours is.
do they make super short stubbies or T handles?
Very nice, It would be helpful if you just mounted the plate in a vise , for example and then you could do the torquing down on camera as others mentioned. But nice info and great test. Thanks ! I hope Wiha, Bondhus and others pick up on this and pay the patent to make these.
I have Wera keys and bits/bitsockets, but I prefer to NOT use them, except in specialized cases. I almost exclusively use my Bondhus. The problem with Wera is with regular usage, the corners will wear out and I've not seen the greatest tolerances right out of the box and the amount of torque one can apply, all things being equal, is lower than a well-manufactured hex tool. I've been using Bondhus for 15 years now, still have my first set and it's my primary. The Wera eventually wear and slip, plus are much more sensitive to the profiling of the hex in the bolt. They work well on fasteners that they fit very tightly into and the walls of the hex are rounded. They are very good, but best kept for special cases rather than everyday usage. For the latter, it's Bondhus. I've had good experiences with Wera Torx, BUT not their ball ends. The ball ends are miserable and easily damaged with one usage at extremely low torques. For hex, I also recommend Koken from Japan and Gedore sockets. I also have Wiha with the magic ring. I don't like them and the difference in quality is very noticeable compared to Bondhus. They are likewise only occasional tools and with regular usage I can totally see them not lasting long. N00bs count Bondhus out because they price lower than competitors, not realizing that this company has done little branching out and has focused on making nothing short of THE BEST hex tools available without the hype. This is backed up by numerous technical reviews.
This is interesting because what you just said contradicts what is shown in this video, and also that L-key comparison test done by Project Farm. In that test, Todd showed that the Wera Hex Plus actually has the least wear compared to other brands such as Wiha and Bondhus.
Does her a have this style as socket bits for a ratchet or is it just L keys
I'll look into the Hex Plus system thanks for that! A good comparison I was gonna do myself is test cheap Allen sockets vs say high end ( snap on ect ) sockets and see how much of a tolerance difference there is. Is you have cheap and expensive Allen sockets around I'd love to see a video like that as I've only got cheaper Allen sockets.
Yeah that would be a good comparison between expensive and cheap L-keys. I think you are going to find that they have the same tolerance since this is specified by the DIN 911 standard. I bet the biggest differences would be in the quality of the metal and the finish.
German Tool Reviews yeah I had a feeling the tolerance would be about the same :/ was just curious though. Thank you for your help!
Are the stainless steel hex plus a stronger (last longer) L-Key? And not just for working on stainless steel fasteners?
I would doubt that they would last longer as they will be a softer metal than regular L-Keys.
Thanks for the test. I've been looking at the hex-plus and now I'll be ordering some.
Pretty genius experiment rig
Did you measure any of the tools? It appears that the test (traditional) hex keys were undersized. I wouldn't be surprised if they were soft also. What would happen if you used an S2 tool steel bit?
The Husky hex bits were a little bit worn out which may have influenced the results. I did a follow-up video with all brand-new tools and found that for the large hex keys the quality doesn't really matter as the DIN/ISO tolerances are large enough to compensate for poor quality. The smaller bits (less than 5mm) is where it makes a difference.
DIN/ISO tolerances, ok I was wondering about that. In my opinion, the only way that the Wera Hex-Plus is going to be any better is if they are larger than normal tolerance.
It's the contact pattern of the shape that changes the force profile and minimizes the chances of the hex key "plowing" into the sidewalls of the inner hex. The details are in the patent if you are interesting in the geometry: www.google.com/patents/US6263771 It is only really useful up to a certain size because at some point the head would be more likely to break off before you round out the surface.
Is hexplus a different hex tool or do you need both a hexplus fastener AND hexplus tool?
No, it is just a trade name for their hex key profiles. They will work on any hex socket cap screw. I've never heard of a hex plus fastener, not sure if you meant Torx plus.
Got two sets, stainless and multicoloured. Only ballpoint keys I haven't broken yet!
Thanks much for the test. Very informative as all your demonstration and comparison videos usually do.
Had a set for 5 Years+ Best set of allen keys going
I know you basically just do German tools but I would really like to see you do a review on the PB Swiss PB 3212 LH-10 and hear your opinion. from the research I’ve done it seems people love them and if there is anyone who goes into details or finds flaws you would be the guy
WOW... well explained... thanks... :-)
So normal L-keys work fine if you don't overtighten your skrews (which you shouldn't do either way)?
Yes, this is correct. It is more of an issue of loosening an over-tightened or rusted screw. Most people don't use a torque wrench when installing socket cap screws though so they are often over-tightened.
I would have liked to try these about 15 years ago. I worked on Woodward hydraulic governors and they use a lot of hex head recessed in servo assemblies. If the rusted ones couldn't be coaxed out with EZ outs or forcing a metric wrench in then I had to do a lot of drilling. Those little bolts in the middle are the worst things ever designed. The socket for the wrench is not deep enough. Nice demonstration!
I was ready to go out and replace all of mine current Wera's with these. However I just looked and they actually are hex plus hahah
amazing how you now only use hexplus but have a nice set of wrenches for them and dollar bin hex
I’d like to see a show down of these with the wiha unis.
Really? ua-cam.com/video/oTBiPjCeVwI/v-deo.html
I wish Wera made those color coded hex plus wrenches in imperial, but they don't. The stainless ones he had on his bench were the imperial set.
I know this is an older video, but i was trying to figure out what is the difference between the Wera 950/9 Hex-Plus 6 SB L-key set, metric, BlackLaser and the Wera 950/9 Hex-Plus 6 L-key set, metric, BlackLaser ? I have the same issue with the 950/9 Hex-Plus Imperial 1 SB L-key set, imperial, BlackLaser and the 950/9 Hex-Plus Imperial 1 L-key set, imperial, BlackLaser. With the imperial set I know the 950/13 Hex-Plus Imperial 1 L-key set, imperial, BlackLaser has 13 in the set as opposed to 9 in the other 2 sets, but otherwise I am not sure what the difference is. My suspicion is that some sets will have Hex-Plus on both ends and some will have Hex-Plus only on the ball ends. You have any clarification on this?
The "SB" items come in retail packaging, while the other ones are sold to distributors in bulk packaging. The retail packaging is usually one of their standard black boxes.
Thanks. I had read an Amazon review that stated these sets only have the Hex-Plus profile on the ball end. I thought maybe there was an older & newer set were the old set had the profile on the ball, but the new set had the profile throughout. Either way its been hard deciphering which sets have the Hex-Plus profile and were.
you hit the jackpot finding that gage. i work in a nuclear power plant and most of our gages are that type, those things are almost a thousand bucks sometimes depending on the accuracy
I'm sure it was at least $1K new. I have another one but says "Line Speed" instead of "Feet per minute." One of these days we are going to mine our landfills for these type of things.
Are all the hex key made of stainless? steel with those prices i have to buy individual as the need arises....
False economy. Buy the set, as the need arises, and be done with it!
That was a pretty good informative run down for the hex-plus set but it would be nice if there was more comparison with competing brands. I know Eight from Japan is supposed to have a better ball-joint design and then there is Wiha with their line-up. Would you consider doing a 1 to 1 comparison between those? The reason that I'm mentioning it is that the information really isn't available else-where.
There's also Stanley (made in China but cheap and generally considered reliable), Bondhus (made in USA) and Tekton (also made in China but has a good reputation). These would be a great choice to contrast against German and Japanese brands, thanks!
The Wiha one I used for the first part actually performed well above what I thought it would. It looks like they have pretty high tolerances on their L-Keys.
Missed that part, good point. Still curious how they would match up against Eight, PB Swiss and Bondhus but that's probably overkill.
It looks like an inverse flange drive excellent for cheesy soft cap screws. I would be a little concerned using these in grub screws as it is loading in the thinnest section. Once they split you have to drill them out.
Excellent, accurate and simple test. Please keep the videos coming.
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On a barely related note, I used to have a task that required the removal of a M20 X 35 grub screws that had been thread locked in. To get to the screws long series Allen keys were required a 10 mm to be exact. I tried Unbraco, Eight, Bondhus, Sidchrome, Gedore and from what I was told was a PBSwiss. The depth and surrounding elements meant that the use of heat was difficult and if done to much would scrap the entire part.
The Sidchrome and Eight would shear off or nearly shear off well before the screws would release(Flush with the top of the screw). No good for that job.
Unbraco would usually break the screw loose but could only be relied upon to do it once or twice before shearing off. The key would usually have 1 3/4 twist in it when completed (Like this but on the long side goo.gl/JhyZkX)
The PBSwiss and the Gedore Sheared off randomly(Only tried a couple of each) before twisting.
The only ones that you could rely on were Bondhus. When new you would put in about half a twist then they would last until they were bent. I only ever broke one Bondhus key and it shattered with a shower of sparks. I think that particular one was incorrectly hardened.
Over the years I probably did that job 60 times? Please bear in mind that nearly one meter of leverage was being used and the keys would have 1~2 turns of rotation on them before the screws would give way. The screws had the hex go all the way through so they never split. In reflection I'm glad that I don't do that job anymore.
Thanks for the information, it's nice to have extra information on a different fail points and the various brands.
GTR, A Japanese company called Vessel has been using a similar concept for at least 10 years. They call theirs "Ultra Hex" profile, which is registered and patented.
Conventional flats exert large wedge forces inside the socket which widens the space between flats and causes the metal to flow. The Wera design concentrates the load near the start of the flat so it can indent. Once indented, a small step is created to exert force against, and so exert torque with less spreading force.
Snap-on made its name with a similar concept, by removing the start of the flat inside a socket, so the edge of the flat could get a bite into the nut.
Are you referring to the flank drive plus design?
Am buying the whole set, and throwing out all my cheapy harbor freight hex keys. I have a couple of Bondhus hex tools, that I replace one at a time when an other one goes missing. But this seems to the perfect solution for cleaning out the junk and only getting a quality tool. I'll probably make a drawer just for them, including Kaizan foam cutouts.
Cool. At some point I'm going to make foam cutouts for my trolley. Garnett pointed me to toolbed.com that has a huge library for existing tool cutouts. I designed a drawer for just Hex keys that I plan to order at some point.
ave you need one of those load cells!
I have never in my live stripped the hex socket of an allen screw. I've shorn off the entire head, the bolt or stripped the thread, bur never the hex socket.
Maybe it has to do with your moon units, because I'm solely working with metric screws and maybe they have slightly different proportions.
Good camera, nice tools, distorted audio! Need to do some tests so that your mic doesn't overload when you talk. Maybe it's too close, or perhaps need an external mic. You can always boost the audio in the video editor using a soft limit, but it's hard to fix already clipped audio :)
Edit: I wonder what that patent actually covers, because torx bits are like this, but with a much steeper curve between points. Sometimes I even used torx bits because they seemed to fit better ;)
Yeah audio did get messed up. Gain was way too high for some reason. Got a new mic since then so hopefully future videos wont have the same issue.
I have this set of wera hex keys they are good, their screwdrivers are also very good;)
SOLD!
Is Hex plus the L keys and use normal hex bolts or is it both head and tool
If it is just the tool then i know what im using to repair bikes now
if you are asking if the hex plus is on both ends, it is only on the short end. The long end has a standard ball end hex.
Damn you, I need these like I need a hole in the head lol. Anyways I clicked on the affiliate link and bought the long arm standard metric, this will be nice for all the drain plugs and pulleys I take off cars when working on them. Usually I'm not the one who put it on and they're on there TIGHT... thanks for saving me the potential headache of stripped hex heads.
I'd like to see you redo the test with a longer normal hex. Your shakey hands would have definitely made a difference in the condition of the bolt head.
what yielded when pressure dropped off you put a grade 8 bolt in tapped aluminum the alluminun shud have yilded
Yes you are correct, it would be the internal ALU threads that would be yielding.
I don't think i've ever stripped a hex unless i was using the wrong size, or applying a strong side load.
Also, that husky seemed to fit quite loosely.
Yeah the reason why I started out with small loads is to prove that applying a proper torque should not be a problem with either type of hex key. The main advantage of the hex-plus system would be loosening an overtorqued socket cap screw or one that is badly rusted in place. I was going well past the recommended torque for these size bolts.
industrial mil-spec
where are restricted classified and covert?
hello, I’m Paolo, technical demonstrator for Wera italia.
I really liked your video and I find it very useful.
I wish I could demonstrate that to my clients.
Could you provide me with the link of the measuring instruments to demonstrate the effectiveness of the HEX PLUS system? I would be very grateful.
You’re cool and this video is cool. Thanks 👍
Awesome review! Great test demonstration... Thanks much!!! 😃👍
So what is the actual difference between ordinary hex and these hex-plus? They look quite the same and breaking strength might be just the matter of material, not the socket itself.
The profile of the tool is slightly different with the hex plus. I did a follow-up video to better quantify the differences and I found that for large screws it really didn't matter since the screw ill break before you cam out the socket, but for smaller screws it can give you more torque.
Do you still exclusively use hex plus?
In your second test with the #10-32, those bolts do not appear to be the same. The groves on the outside are different and the interior of the hex slots are shaped differently, particularly at the bottom of the slot.
Yeah that can be the problem with mil-spec hardware. They are from different manufacturers but are still the same part number because they meet spec and were mixed together in the same bag. The only difference I can see if the thread length and the pattern on the head. Thread length is only specified as a minimum value (no maximum) so they are both technically within spec. It shouldn't have made a difference but I should have paid more attention.
How do they compare to Torx?
You would definitely get more torque out of a Torx/Pentalobe screw. However, Torx machine screws are still quite a bit more expensive than standard socket cap and are often not available in the lengths that you need them in, which is why we still haven't seen a universal move to Torx. Wood screws on the other hand are a different story, with almost all exterior wood screws moving to Torx heads.
German Tool Reviews Thanks for the reply! Yes I see a lot of wood screws are available now, they work great. I work on industrial machines made in either Denmark or France and they use Torx for all smaller fixings now and have done for years, shame more industries don't follow. Too much penny pinching and building to lowest cost unfortunately.
Great vids, thanks for sharing your knowledge 👍
German Tool Reviews I remember changing some control arms on my '86 Ford Escort. Those (or maybe it was the anti-roll bar) were held in place with T40 screws.
I find with Torx screws if your bit is not perfectly inserted into the head it will strip. I do not find that issue with Torx Plus fasteners. While Torx screws have a pointy star burst hole Torx Plus has squared corners so it looks like a gear. postimg.org/image/enzbadetr/
what this keys price
I just found out Vessel has Ultra Hex keys which I've noticed is kinda like Hex Plus by Wera.
Yup, been around for at least 10 years.
ChrisCas are you still doing your Japan tools? Or any new videos coming up? I've watch your videos also
Roof RT In about a month from now I'll be getting some new tools from Japan so I'll likely make some videos then.
Comparing Apples and Oranges: My work in Facilities Maintenance Management, HVAC Technician and Stationary Engineer as well as DIY Automotive maintenance and repair has seen various tool or fastener failures. By far, most of these failures have been attributed to the use of inferior tools. When I switched to MAC Tools hex key sets the failures declined dramatically. The difference in quality between Craftsman (junk), Eclind (better), Bondhause (better yet) and MAC (best) is striking. You compared a Husky with the professional stuff. What kind of results would you expect!?
Yeah true, I guess I was thinking all standard keys would perform about the same. I could do a test with a high quality L-Key but I would need another setup.
The two bolts you tested to failure were not identical - what's up with that?
Someone else noticed this and I did investigate. They are Mil-spec parts which means that they can be slightly different but still meet critical specifications such as length, pitch and size. Someone noticed that the thread lengths were different and I pulled the Mil-spec and I there is only a minimum thread length specified for that part number which is 0.875 inches with no maximum. Therefore both screws are equivalent according to the mil-spec. They were definitely manufactured by different companies and I should have paid more attention, but according to the military they are the same screw.
Functionally equivalent when torqued to service maximums may be true. Certainly the weaker of the two bolts meets the minimum strength requirements. However, with a difference in shank length will definitely change the yield characteristics at the ragged edge.
That said, to be a really valid test you'd need to do several iterations anyway to help minimize skew due to minute manufacturing tolerances. And using otherwise identical bolts would be a requirement of that as well. Otherwise it's just for fun really.
Probably true, in a real test you would have multiple samples, throw out the best and worst and then average the rest. I'm also not using calibrated equipment. Look out for something in the future that should hopefully address these concerns.
The hex plus will chowder out the corners and not the sides, which is ideal as it will take a very long time before that strips out the biting.
Regardless, I don't think aluminum is strong enough to properly test the hex plus.
I use that exact set of wera hex keys at work. Still strip fasteners out every day. The only advantage I've seen is the tool itself almost never fails.
Are you using the ball end when you strip the fasteners? I don't know if I mentioned that the ball end on these is just like the ball end on any other key. It would only be the short end with the different profile. I do need to figure out how much force it takes to strip/round the hex. I'm thinking it would be around 50% above recommended torque but need to do more testing.
German Tool Reviews nope. However it is on removal of old bolts that have been in an operating tool. When assembling the tooling the fasteners have a specified torque requirements so it's almost never an issue of over tightening.
When there is no torque spec we usually use the gut n tight method of tightening it down. Go till it stops, then a little heave ho for that little extra.
I wonder if they come in a socket