slide-on ball ends for hex keys

[fmradio516]

Last year, I splurged on a set of the Silca "T-Handle folio" which looks like they dont carry anymore. Theyre a nice set of hex keys, but with one limitation.

The Pedros set they replaced had a ball end on the long end of each key. I used those an awful lot to spin things at an angle which i couldnt hit directly on.

Does anyone make a slide on ball end that I can keep attached to my silcas, and then take off when I need to really torque things down?

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0309/9521/products/T-Handle_small_side_800x.jpg

[vqdriver]

I'd just get a set of ball ends.
Theres no benefit to using the silcas in that case

[R3awak3n]

I agree with above, just get some quality ball ends. I have the park ones and they are excellent (not everything park makes is but these are top notch). I too use the ball ends a ton. Great for water bottle cages.

[fmradio516]

I agree with above, just get some quality ball ends. I have the park ones and they are excellent (not everything park makes is but these are top notch). I too use the ball ends a ton. Great for water bottle cages.

Yeah.. I have a set of Bondhus L-wrenches with a ball end but its not the same as having a handle..

for $170+, I kinda wish i didnt have to buy and have a 2nd set of shop wrenches sitting around just for a ball end.. Wish I kept my Pedros and saved my moneys. oh well.. :(

I wonder if thats why Silca stopped making these.

[unterhausen]

get the Wiha soft grip dual drive ball end hex T-handle set and sell the Silca

[fmradio516]

get the Wiha soft grip dual drive ball end hex T-handle set and sell the Silca

Might do that. Thanks.

[AngryScientist]

i like Silca and appreciate what they are doing out there, but some of their stuff is completely overpriced for what it is.

there are NO other hex wrenches better than the Wera hex+, period.


https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/610sbmM91-L._AC_SL1500_.jpg

[Bici-Sonora]

In my opinion, the German Wera hex wrenches are the best. And I say that as someone who owns a Silca set (with ball ends) in the hardwood case.


https://www-us.wera.de/en/great-tools/l-keys-in-a-two-component-clip/



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[R3awak3n]

I like t handles way better than hex wrenches, they just fit nicer in your hand and for a crank, you get way more leverage with a 8 or 10mm

[Pinned]

Thirding the recommendation of the Wera Hex+.

The Wera are phenomenal - they don't strip bolts, they are easy to hold, the ball ends have better purchase at more extreme angles than anything else I've used, and they are around $35 for the set.

[AngryScientist]

I like t handles way better than hex wrenches, they just fit nicer in your hand and for a crank, you get way more leverage with a 8 or 10mm

once we get into things that need a lot of torque, we break out the socket wrench.

https://cdn.mscdirect.com/global/images/ProductImages/9556883-21.jpg

[Gummee]

once we get into things that need a lot of torque, we break out the socket wrench.

https://cdn.mscdirect.com/global/images/ProductImages/9556883-21.jpg
I do something similar with the Wera impact bits and a 1/4" drive Snap On flex head ratchet.

or the same bits and a Makita impact driver when I need to take something off quickly (6 bolt rotor bolts for example)

M

[Veloo]

I’m surprised you had to replace the Pedro’s set. I love mine. I got the torx set as well after using the allens for a couple years.

[fmradio516]

Those with the Wera hex sets, what do you do to undo the nut under a shifter hood. Cant imagine you can get enough leverage with just an L. Thats really where I think a T-handle shines

[fmradio516]

I’m surprised you had to replace the Pedro’s set. I love mine. I got the torx set as well after using the allens for a couple years.

Thats the thing. I didnt. I just thought it would be a game changer especially when it comes to bolts heads that are starting to round out. Maybe my friend will give me my pedros set back :)

[AngryScientist]

Those with the Wera hex sets, what do you do to undo the nut under a shifter hood. Cant imagine you can get enough leverage with just an L. Thats really where I think a T-handle shines

that's what long shank ball end sockets are for.

yes, i like tools :)

https://public.snapon.com/R_RRD/Objects_lg/images/206EFABLM.jpg

[fmradio516]

that's what long shank ball end sockets are for.

yes, i like tools :)


Yeah thats nice, but im more of a quick, grab-with-one-hand and go at it guy.

I might just go with the Pedros Pro T/L handle set which is the more updated version of what I had before.

[R3awak3n]

Yeah thats nice, but im more of a quick, grab-with-one-hand and go at it guy.

I might just go with the Pedros Pro T/L handle set which is the more updated version of what I had before.

look into the park ones. They are fantastic. Before the parks, many years a go I had some cheap nashbar ones and the tolerance on the smaller bits was terrible. The park have been fantastic, are not cheap but also not crazy expensive.

Just saw this -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIp9v0_sSno

based on that, the pedros do have some advantages. I do agree that is annoying the park tool stand (whatever its called, the plastic piece the tools live in) is not in order but I know exactly which tool is which, it also works better for me in my bike room (I have a peg board). Also prefer the hard plastic handle vs the soft plastic. That said, the pedro does come with the T25 (my park didn't, I had to buy a T25 and T20 separately) and its nice that the bits are a bit longer for the RD (even though on the RD, I just use the long side and never had a problem.

[choke]

My favorites are the Bondhus ball end screwdrivers. Yeah, you can't get a lot of torque with a screwdriver handle but torque isn't the idea with ball ends.

http://bondhus.com/pages/ball-end2

[fmradio516]

My favorites are the Bondhus ball end screwdrivers. Yeah, you can't get a lot of torque with a screwdriver handle but torque isn't the idea with ball ends.

http://bondhus.com/pages/ball-end2

Yeah those are cool but I was trying to get an all in one tool... ball end and regular.

I think the answer is either the Park set or the Pedros set so I gotta do some research and figure out which has the better tolerances.

[Mikej]

I pretty much have all of the above- I prefer PB Swiss ball ends over the Wera, the round Wera sleeves slide off and do not offer a sturdy grip vs the hexagonal PB’s. I am really digging these -
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00312LYWM/ref=psdcmw_553414_t1_B001EQADTC

Also, I don’t feel a ball end is the proper tool for the end of a tee handle, too much torque

[fmradio516]

I pretty much have all of the above- I prefer PB Swiss ball ends over the Wera, the round Wera sleeves slide off and do not offer a sturdy grip vs the hexagonal PB’s. I am really digging these -
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00312LYWM/ref=psdcmw_553414_t1_B001EQADTC

Also, I don’t feel a ball end is the proper tool for the end of a tee handle, too much torque

Oo those are pretty too... I ordered a set of Weras last night i think for $35.. if I also didnt have to buy a P-handle set, I maybe would have went for the PB's.

Thats right, i realized that its a P-handle I want, not a T-handle. Hence trying to figure out if I want Park or Pedros.

[kramnnim]

Those with the Wera hex sets, what do you do to undo the nut under a shifter hood. Cant imagine you can get enough leverage with just an L. Thats really where I think a T-handle shines

Cheater bar

[likebikes]

aren't the silca t handles the same as the pedros master t handle hex keys?

[unterhausen]

The Wera hex keys are awesome, but I'm posting the Wiha t-handles again. They have a regular hex key sticking out the side of the handle. I wouldn't say they take the place of a hex key, I think most toolboxes would fit both. Thinking about getting another set for the garage
https://www.amazon.com/Wiha-33496-8-Piece-T-Handle-Metric/dp/B002S0O9MK/ref=pd_bxgy_2/135-7525265-4326322?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B002S0O9MK&pd_rd_r=a3393c69-584a-4859-b7f3-2afe9f9c96ba&pd_rd_w=E84R1&pd_rd_wg=d61pH&pf_rd_p=fd08095f-55ff-4a15-9b49-4a1a719225a9&pf_rd_r=66P4E4VCYCTPKZY89RSS&psc=1&refRID=66P4E4VCYCTPKZY89RSS

[fmradio516]

aren't the silca t handles the same as the pedros master t handle hex keys?

Yeah it looks like it. but prior, when I said "pedros set", I really meant the P handle set, not T. Sorry for the confusion. These guys:

https://images.worldwidecyclery.com/s/files/1/0349/7357/products/TL0664_x1024.jpg?v=1574271355

[joshatsilca]

i like Silca and appreciate what they are doing out there, but some of their stuff is completely overpriced for what it is.

there are NO other hex wrenches better than the Wera hex+, period.


https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/610sbmM91-L._AC_SL1500_.jpg

If you compare MSRP, we are generally at or below Wera pricing and are using a , superior steel, now they have a very cool patented geometry, but we match them in torque transfer by using tighter tolerances.. BUT, the real challenge for us and everybody else in this game is that they've lost control of their pricing/distribution and there are 100 sellers on Amazon selling stuff essentially at wholesale pricing. This is good at the moment for consumers, but is one of the many pressures killing off retailers and bike shops.

As for ball ends on T-handles, I only know of USAG making such a thing and it's a very rare item.. ball ends are for spinning and T-handles are for leverage, so everybody limits ball ends to L keys and P-Handles which are L keys with molded handles.
If you look at pro mechanic toolboxes, pretty much every single one of them has both T-handles and L keys with ball ends as they really are for rather different use cases.

[fmradio516]

If you compare MSRP, we are generally at or below Wera pricing and are using a , superior steel, now they have a very cool patented geometry, but we match them in torque transfer by using tighter tolerances.. BUT, the real challenge for us and everybody else in this game is that they've lost control of their pricing/distribution and there are 100 sellers on Amazon selling stuff essentially at wholesale pricing. This is good at the moment for consumers, but is one of the many pressures killing off retailers and bike shops.

As for ball ends on T-handles, I only know of USAG making such a thing and it's a very rare item.. ball ends are for spinning and T-handles are for leverage, so everybody limits ball ends to L keys and P-Handles which are L keys with molded handles.
If you look at pro mechanic toolboxes, pretty much every single one of them has both T-handles and L keys with ball ends as they really are for rather different use cases.

Thanks for chiming in.. Since you guys dont sell P-Handles and its exactly what Im looking for, what do you suggest? Pedros? Park? ..or other?

[joshatsilca]

Thanks for chiming in.. Since you guys dont sell P-Handles and its exactly what Im looking for, what do you suggest? Pedros? Park? ..or other?

Personally I'm just not a fan of this type of tool.. the long ends tend to twist up on you because they aren't reinforced and the short end is far too long for truly high torque usage, like removing a pedal. We have half a dozen brands of these on our test workbench and half a dozen sliding T-handle brands, and I don't think I've ever seen anybody choose this tool over a sliding T when it's an option. Having said all that, the PBSwiss have by far the nicest looking and feeling handles of any of the brands we have here, and we know that the S2 steel they use is absolutely top notch.

[mtechnica]

i like Silca and appreciate what they are doing out there, but some of their stuff is completely overpriced for what it is.

there are NO other hex wrenches better than the Wera hex+, period.


[IMG]https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/610sbmM91-L._AC_SL1500_.jpg[/IMG

I wouldn’t go as far as to say they’re better, but the wiha long handle Allen wrenches give the wera a run for their money for sure. We have both kinds here but my personal sets are wiha.

[Dromen]

i like silca and appreciate what they are doing out there, but some of their stuff is completely overpriced for what it is.

There are no other hex wrenches better than the wera hex+, period.


https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/i/610sbmm91-l._ac_sl1500_.jpg

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