In particular, the T-handle design provides a more comfortable grip than the standard L-shaped hex key, but importantly it can also allow for significantly increased torque (provided the gauge of the hex wrench itself is high enough), because the additional weight of the T-handle acts as a counterbalance that can help to seat the tool more firmly and securely in the head of the fastener. This makes for a far more flexible tool overall, but these wrenches tend to be considerably more expensive than the basic L-shape Allen key; whether or not this would prove a cost-effective option for you will depend on how often you need to use the tool, and in what sorts of applications. Even though all Allen keys feature a hexagonal cross-section, these come in various sizes to better suit different applications. Copper washers are reusable, they work harden so you just have to anneal them (stick them on the stove till they glow red) before reuse. For the most part, however, you’ll likely be choosing between just one or two notable variants on the classic Allen key design format to cover you for more or less any scenario, By far the most popular of these variants are T-handle hex keys and ball end hex keys, each of which we’ve outlined in more detail below.

Although there’s always some potential for confusion wherever two different terms are used for the same item, in this case it’s pretty straightforward - to all practical intents and purposes, hex keys/wrenches and Allen keys are indeed essentially the same thing. These comfortable T-Handle HEX bits make it easy to apply more torque and are much preferred by professionals and regular users.This 6 piece jumbo hex key set has been manufactured from heat treated steel and features a blackened oxide coating to protect against corrosion. As you might well have predicted already, the name ‘Allen’ when attached to these basic wrenches is actually a registered trademark, whereas the term ‘hex key’ is the generic version - although in casual use, the distinction between the two has become almost entirely blurred over time. The trade-off for this improved user-friendliness is that T-handle hex keys can be less versatile when it comes to working in tighter spaces or with very low clearance above the fastener. Hex key sets with T-handles are especially popular with mechanics and automobile enthusiasts, thanks in part to the fact that the T-handle Allen wrench offers certain user luxuries that standard hex keys don’t. In fact, their use is now so widespread that the inclusion of a free hex key with flat-pack furniture, bicycles and other products requiring quick straightforward assembly is now an extremely common practice (although, unsurprisingly, the quality of such giveaway tools is often very questionable).

Since furniture pieces can have tight spaces and require long reach, you can use a set of long arm Hex keys. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Unlike other Allen keys, it is nearly impossible to lose a folding Hex wrench, as they are enclosed in the handle. e. screws and other fasteners) than to the driver itself, and thus would seldom be applied to the actual hex key by most professional users. Tools –Apart from other uses, Allen keys can also be helpful in maintaining and repairing heavy tools and machinery.

Note, too, that hex keys and Allen wrenches are often sold in both metric and imperial (or SAE) versions, depending on the brand, supplier and origin/purchase location. In the following section, we’ll look more closely at some of the best value options among the numerous styles of hex wrenches you’ll commonly find on sale, and discuss some of the potential pros and cons of each type. It’s also worth noting that you’ll occasionally find hex wrenches being referred to as ‘hex head’ keys or similar. The advantage of this design is that it allows the hex key to be inserted into the fastener’s hexagonal recess at various angles other than 90 degrees straight down, which can be incredibly useful when space to manoeuvre is at a premium (for example, when trying to access a bolt that’s awkwardly positioned in a narrow gap between two panels, which is a fairly common occurrence with hex head fasteners). As we’ve already touched on - and as most people would already have been well aware - the short and sweet answer here is that hex keys are just a simple hand tool system for tightening and loosening certain types of bolts and screws.

Hex keys have a number of important characteristics that make them particularly well suited to the straightforward, user-friendly fastening role that has made them so popular among operators of all experience levels. However, if the widespread embracing of this new standard spread quickly throughout the industrial world, it wasn’t until the onset of WWII that hex drive screws and wrenches - be they trademarked Allen originals, or any number of similar duplicate designs that popped up around the same time - really began to gain traction on the domestic market. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience.The set features high impact plastic handles with all popular sizes, two end drives for open jobs and for enclosed spaces to ensure. Hex keys, commonly known as Allen keys/wrenches in the UK and various other countries, are a very simple hand tool of the general spanner and socket family, used for tightening and loosening hexagonal bolts and other compatible fasteners. However, the longer shank can also be used as the ‘handle’ when more torque is required, provided the work area allows enough room to turn a longer-handled tool in.