Which brand/style of hex wrench do you prefer?

Living in the USA the Eklind brand is what I have been using as a mechanic then Fare Tech. for decades. They are Made in the USA and very good quality. These are about all I have needed. over the years although I do have a couple sets of short ones as well. As far as comfortable they have the T handles as well.

https://www.amazon.com/Eklind-13222-Metric-Standard-22pc/dp/B000189RGO

These sets made by Bondhus are high quality and have a lifetime warranty. They're also very reasonably priced. 

Metric

https://www.amazon.com/Bondhus-15248-T-handles-6-Inch-Length/dp/B000E7ZPXQ



SAE

https://www.amazon.com/Bondhus-15232-T-handles-6-Inch-Length/dp/B000E7XJM0

Yeah anything but wheeler. Crappy lesson to learn.

Estos juegos fabricados por Bondhus son de alta calidad y tienen una garantía de por vida. También tienen un precio muy razonable. 

Métrico

https://www.amazon.com/Bondhus-15248-T-handles-6-Inch-Length/dp/B000E7ZPXQ



SAE

https://www.amazon.com/Bondhus-15232-T-handles-6-Inch-Length/dp/B000E7XJM0

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Yes, bondhus are the ones that I use and they are very good value for money



Regards 

Enkey 

I switched to Moore’s several yrs ago and have been very happy. Have SAE and Metric - Just wish they were available in larger sizes. 

They were recommended to me by guys doing RC cars.

https://www.amazon.com/Moores-Ideal-Products-Metric-Wrench/dp/B00D7DK0NY/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=moores+hex+wrench&qid=1588858028&sr=8-3

My first choice is Always 1/4" hex bits in a magnetic screwdriver.. A superior tool. Most any name brand is very good these days. A complete set with standard, metric, torx, clutch head, phillips, pozidrive, and robertson is a good idea. Vermont American, Magna, and Apex are very good American manufacturers. 

Some of the types mentioned aren't used on airguns but you might be glad to have them someday.

An afterthought. You can also use them in a 1/4" socket or a bit holder.

Sometimes you can get a stripped socket to turn by "jamming" the allen wrench into a grinder so it raises a nice burr. Then tap your wrench into the socket. The burr can give just enough grip down deep to move the screw. Sometimes the tapping on the screw facilitates removal.++

I have a set of Brownells' gunsmiths screwdrivers and their bits are fine. I also use my Chapman's set.

Whatever brand you go with, I've found the "ball tip" style invaluable working on AG's.

There are times that you have to go at an angle (like inside a trigger guard) the ball

tips just make life a bit easier...JM2CW

 I like MIP or Team Losi allen drivers. Both are hardened tool steel that last for years and never strip a bolt head. I tend to buy the Losi more often, as they are usually a little cheaper.

I've also had Integy that were decent as well.

Thanks Mobymyster,

Never owned ball hex wrenches before, do they still provide enough contact for stubborn bolts as to not strip the heads? 

Wondering if I should invest in both types, with respect to ball hex and standard head wrenches. I have coming the ball type with crewdriver handle, thinking perhaps a non ball type in T handle configuration. 

Cheers

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I dont like ball heads on air rifles...not enough meat on the fasteners. I do like Bondhus T-handles. If I encounter a stubborn one I cut off the ball.

A lot.

If the original Poster of this tread doesn’t mind, why don’t we start suggesting the best removal tool for when an Allen head does strip round, particularly the dreaded countersunk hexagon socket heads, that sit flush to the surface of a breech block, as an example.

There are so many types and styles of EZ out removal tools. What’s your favorite for Airgun work?

I'm surprised no one recommended Harbor Freight

Bigragu,

The original poster doesn't mind at all. Valid question, let's see where it takes us.

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Thank you, Houli. The Allen sets reccomended are all known good sets. I want to add a set I’ve reccomended to others to have as a stand by set, for the “just in case” stubborn allen fasteners come about, or if you end up buying a used pcp that someone’s been into too many times, and it’s this set from Home Depot-





The tips of these allen bits have “teeth” that engage into semi rounded allen sockets, which will help pit a grip to the inside corners. I would not use these as a sole single set, but only for initial stubborn fasteners, or like I mentioned, fasteners that are starting to round off in the socket. Plus, being a Husky line of tools, they are a lifetime warranty. 

From my experience the one style of EZ out I dislike are the ones where you have to pre drill the compromised socket head prior to using the remover bit. This style may have worked for others, but never for me. 

The one thing I’ve learned for sure is when removing a stubborn fastener with an ez out type of tool is to pre heat it first with a micro torch. Bust loose any lock tite or vibra tite solutions first, before attempting to use an ez out. I learned the hard way in removing a thermostat housing on a power stroke when doing a maintenance. My plan was to change out all coolant hoses for new, pulley belts, and install a new T-Stat. The last bolt of the three that held the T-Stat housing busted off. No problem, I’ll use one of my many types of EZ outs 

well, the worst of the worst happened, and that’s when the EZ out tip breaks snaps off while inserted into the busted fastener, and is locked in place. That mistake caused me to replace the entire water pump assembly Although not too difficult off a job to replace, it was $$ I didn’t want to spend and additional work I didn’t want to perform. From then on, heat gets applied first.

Heres a final tip. If there are certain fasteners that need removal constantly when opening up a gun(to adjust a regulator, as an example) the first thing to do once those fasteners come out is to apply anti seize to them. These are for external fasteners only, that are not a part of the HPA system.

These are not the cheapest set, but I use allen wrenches every day at work and I can say without a doubt these are the best I have ever used. They have a small ring on the ball end that grabs the bolt head and causes it to hold the bolt. One other nice thing is: They are all the correct size! Many of the less expensive set are not the correct size as labeled. 

:edit Not all of the Wiha allens have the ring on the ball end 

https://www.grainger.com/product/4NB45?gclid=Cj0KCQjw-_j1BRDkARIsAJcfmTFyo8vL72EDUVmMl0of_44P9TqtUUbRo_DXxPyW3vDYK6Agw4mk_7YaAlENEALw_wcB&cm_mmc=PPC:+Google+PLA&ef_id=Cj0KCQjw-_j1BRDkARIsAJcfmTFyo8vL72EDUVmMl0of_44P9TqtUUbRo_DXxPyW3vDYK6Agw4mk_7YaAlENEALw_wcB:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!2966!3!264955915865

Bigragu,

Great information! I was unaware of such hex wrenches, such a hex would provide solutions for many here doing there own maintaince. Only experience I have is with the toothless hex. As yourself, I think we all have experienced nightmares when using easy-outs. People would be of the wiser, as stated, to use a little anti-seize, as noted; under the right circumstances, as it provides cheep insurance as the saying goes.

Well "Hex", I think I am going to make a trip to my local Hm Depot store.

Cheers

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Let me know how you like that set from HD, Houli. When you first insert it into a socket head bolt, you will feel that it grabs the corners tight. I did notice that the tips of these allens grab into a socket head so tight in the corners, it could easily distort it a slight bit. Not distort it so later on the fastener won’t be removable, but distort it where if it was on a show piece side of a gun you’d be able to tell that the fastener has been removed. That’s why I’m saying to not make these Home Depot sets with the teeth your first grab when working on a gun, but instead a grab only if need be.

The four breech screws that hold down the barrel onto the air tube on a Marauder, as much as I’ve been into mine I noticed that I had to be extra careful anytime I went to cinch things down when buttoning things up. One day I just went a little too far clockwise, and BAM! The Allen tool spun without the fastener moving. Tried to re grip, but no go. 

I made a mental note that that one breech screw gets the Home Depot set on it come the next time I removed those bolts, and when the time came, that Home Depot set just latched onto the inside corners like the fastener was brand new.