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Author: Subject: Allen keys suggest me a set
locoboy

posted on 10/1/13 at 01:27 PM Reply With Quote
Allen keys suggest me a set

Hi,
I am looking for opinions on your sets of allen keys.

I am cheesed off with crap cheap keys that round off leaving them useless.

I am not into spending money on Snap on stuff as they won't be in daily use.

I need keys not ratchet mounted sockets.

Halfords don't list their professional keys any more, my dad has a set of these from 15 years ago and they would be fine, he would notice if they went missing though!

What have you got and how much were they and would you recommend them?

Col





ATB
Locoboy

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matt_gsxr

posted on 10/1/13 at 01:40 PM Reply With Quote
I am a fan of bicycle ones.
Park tools AWS-11 is very handy as I tend to lose the ones when kept loose.

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Charlie_Zetec

posted on 10/1/13 at 01:41 PM Reply With Quote
Been exactly where you are, and ended up buying a set very similar (if not identical) to 16PC T HANDLE BALL POINT HEX &' STAR DRIVER SET / HEX KEYS / ALLEN KEYS

Never had any problems with them, and find them easier to undo tight bolts without bits rounding off.





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Staple balls

posted on 10/1/13 at 01:45 PM Reply With Quote
Park tools are usually pretty good, pretty much bike oriented but damn fine tools.

I have a set of their folding keys that are a good 10 years old, and still pretty much fine.

Looking about £30 for a set.

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Ben_Copeland

posted on 10/1/13 at 01:46 PM Reply With Quote
Put in 276840 or 276857 in the halfords search bar

Should get you what you want.

Halfords Professional 9 piece Hex Key Set

[Edited on 10/1/13 by Ben_Copeland]





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owelly

posted on 10/1/13 at 01:53 PM Reply With Quote
I use these:
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=wera+allen+keys&hl=en&client=ms-android-tmobile-gb&tbo=u&source=android-browser-suggest&v=1413386 91&source=univ&tbm=shop&sa=X&ei=j8fuUIn8DoqU0QWS94CgDw&ved=0CEEQrQQ&biw=320&bih=508

Very good quality but I still lose them though!





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locoboy

posted on 10/1/13 at 01:54 PM Reply With Quote
Cheers chaps,

Ben I searched for allen keys not hex Key set, that's why I didn't find anything!





ATB
Locoboy

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loggyboy

posted on 10/1/13 at 01:59 PM Reply With Quote
Ive got a set of £1 shop jobbies, not managed to snap one yet. Had them for about 6 years. I did buy another set about 4 years ago, but only beacause I lost one or 2 of the orginal set.
Allen keys arent intended to have much force through them any that are, I tend to use socket based ones, which I have a cheapo set of (local market), both hex and torx which have also lasted well.
I only managed to snap a 45 torx one of them when trying to remove driveshafts bolts, so bought a set of Dewalt bits (tictac box) for a few quid off ebay which whipped the shafts off fine.

Also worth noting the socket based ones included a 7mm which rarely come outside of specialist kits.

[Edited on 10-1-13 by loggyboy]





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acb2713

posted on 10/1/13 at 02:34 PM Reply With Quote
I do a lot of guitar repair and setup work. I use Allen (hex) keys all the time. After a lot of frustration due to ill-fitting, cheap and nasty tools, regularly replaced, I finally came across Bondhus. I bought two sets, metric and Imperial sizes. I bought them online, through Garrison Dales Limited, in the UK.

I thoroughly recommend these keys as they fit perfectly, with no slack, unlike every other key I had in the past. Bondhus have a vast choice for you to choose from. And I had excellent service from Garrison Dales Limited so will be worth getting in touch.

Albert

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mookaloid

posted on 10/1/13 at 02:50 PM Reply With Quote
I bought a set of these some time ago and they have been great.

Ok these are in the states but the price seems right

eBay Item

Edit: Just noticed that those are imperial but they do come up from time to time

[Edited on 10/1/13 by mookaloid]





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whitestu

posted on 10/1/13 at 03:13 PM Reply With Quote
Lidl ones are great when they have them in.

Stu

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Bare

posted on 10/1/13 at 05:26 PM Reply With Quote
Ensure you buy a quality set!
Also ball end ones are imo Crap.

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Charlie_Zetec

posted on 10/1/13 at 05:41 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Bare
Also ball end ones are imo Crap.


Why are ball end ones crap? I think that they're actually better as it means you can still undo bolts when you can't get a perfectly square drive on them....





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Peteff

posted on 10/1/13 at 06:18 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by whitestu
Lidl ones are great when they have them in.

Stu


Second that, mine are still going strong after much abuse. They are ball end and a good length, you use the solid end to crack the stud and then ball end to undo it. They are very good quality steel I have had mine bend to ridiculous angle using a ring spanner for extra leverage and they spring back to straight every time. Also if you can get at it whack the bolt top with the flat face of a hammer before you start to undo it, helps to seat the key and break the joint.

[Edited on 10/1/13 by Peteff]





yours, Pete

I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.

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Tatey

posted on 10/1/13 at 07:22 PM Reply With Quote
I have a set of the Jetech Axminster Allen keys which seem to be really good quality, however I only bought the ones I commonly used not the full set:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/set-of-8-jetech-tee-handled-ball-end-hex-keys-prod822065/

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NigeEss

posted on 10/1/13 at 07:26 PM Reply With Quote
I've a set of these, think I got them from Buck and Hickman a long time ago. Still good after years of abuse.





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Ben_Copeland

posted on 10/1/13 at 07:32 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by locoboy
Cheers chaps,

Ben I searched for allen keys not hex Key set, that's why I didn't find anything!


Did think it was strange they didnt have any... had to search for "advanced key" to find them





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hillbillyracer

posted on 10/1/13 at 08:37 PM Reply With Quote
I've had a CK set for years now & they've been the best I've come across. Often used to slacken drain & level bungs on quads which can get silly tight, cheap will not do!
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omega 24 v6

posted on 10/1/13 at 09:39 PM Reply With Quote
Just got a set of lidls this week special offers last monday. Look OK for quality but not used them yet. 2 year gaurantee as well.





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paulf

posted on 10/1/13 at 09:55 PM Reply With Quote
We went through a lot of different sets at work and found Facom to last well, Bondhus are also very good.We did try some Allen branded ones which were supposed to be good but im convinced they were no better than the pound land Chinese quality but much more expensive.
Paul

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Fred W B

posted on 11/1/13 at 05:24 AM Reply With Quote
I'm very happy with the Cromwell supplied Kennedy brand. Proper tools for not a lot of money.

allen keys

I also don't like the ball end type, they tend to break where the shaft necks down, plus you can't stand the bolt on the key and then offer it up to the hole. So one hand holds the key with the bolt and the other puts the nut on the end of the bolt.

Cheers

Fred W B



[Edited on 11/1/13 by Fred W B]





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FuryRebuild

posted on 11/1/13 at 09:26 AM Reply With Quote
Machine Mart Extra Long Keys worked really well for me - it's definitely worth having the extra length. Girth is your own problem

They're a good fit and well packaged.





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owelly

posted on 11/1/13 at 09:37 AM Reply With Quote
The Wera keys I mentioned earlier are not to be confused with the stuff you get from Lisl or the pound shop! They are shaped to drive the corners of the Allen bolt so prevents rounding. Since buying mine, the 20yr old Snap-ons have been retired!





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adithorp

posted on 11/1/13 at 09:58 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by omega 24 v6
Just got a set of lidls this week special offers last monday. Look OK for quality but not used them yet. 2 year gaurantee as well.


Aldi have sets on offer this week. I know they're cheap but I've had a set in dailey use in the workshop for 2 years with no problems... well apart from the odd time a bolts so tight they need a spanner on the end for extra leverage. Not stuffed one yet!





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roadrunner

posted on 11/1/13 at 10:21 AM Reply With Quote
Another vote for the Lidl set.
Have two sets with ball ends. The newest set has an extra handle grip for greater leverage.

Brad.

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