Craftsman has come out with new Extreme Grip ball hex key sets. There’s an 8pc inch set, and an 8pc metric set. So what makes these new hex key sets deserving of Craftsman’s Extreme Grip branding? Diamond-coated ball hex tips.
That’s right, diamond-coated ball hex tips.
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Both Craftsman Extreme Grip hex key sets are fold-out designs, with each key being able to lock in place at 90° and 180° positions. This means you can lock in a driver size and grip the entire tool like you would a screwdriver, or as a T-handle driver for greater torque.
See Also: ToolGuyd Roundup of 16 Awesome Hex Keys and Hex Drivers
Craftsman says that these drivers provide up to 1.9 times the gripping power compared to standard black oxide ball end hex keys. The diamond coating is meant to help reduce cam-out and slippage on fasteners, and to allow for removal of stripped screws.
If you haven’t used ball end hex keys before, you don’t know what you’re missing! The ball end allows for angled access, and so you don’t have to engage a fastener from a completely straight head-on position.
The downside to ball hex tips is that they aren’t great for higher torque applications, as you can shear a ball head right off, leaving it stuck inside a fastener. Because of this, a lot of brands only offer smaller hex keys and hex drivers with straight hex ends.
- Inch Sizes: 1/4, 7/32, 3/16, 5/32, 9/64, 1/8, 7/64, 3/32 inch
- Metric Sizes: 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 mm
Price: $20 each, “regular price” is said to be $30 each
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Buy Now(8pc inch set via Sears)
Buy Now(8pc metric set via Sears)
Compare(Fold out hex key sets via Amazon)
Want More Hex? Sure you do, check out our roundup of recommendable hex drivers!
First Thoughts
Although a lot rare (in my experience) than Phillips-head screws, hex-socket fasteners can strip out a little bit. Do you know what I use when I come across a hex fastener that cannot be properly engaged with a ball hex end? I flip the tool around, or reach for a double-ended hex L-wrench, and use the straight hex end. Or I find a socket. Or I reduce the angle a little bit.
I work with hex fasteners a LOT, in my own fabrications and projects, when assembling furniture, and when maintaining or adjusting various types of equipment.
For removal of stripped fasteners? Yes, I can definitely see how these could be useful. These Craftsman Extreme Grip diamond-coated ball end hex keys might be the only tools I have seen that could potentially remove lightly stripped hex socket fasteners from an angle.
But for reducing cam-out and fastener slippage? I’m sorry if this sounds a little judgemental, but if you’re damaging a hex socket fastener and slipping with a ball hex driver, you’re using the wrong tool. Ball hex for access, straight hex for torque. If you need angled access and torque, get some nice stubby hex keys.
I find myself with two thoughts. One is that these Craftsman Extreme Grip ball end hex key sets could be useful tools for intermediate and advanced users who might just need to extract partially stripped or damaged hex keys at an angle. The other is that these are aimed at gift-buyers, homeowners, and whoa that’s really cool impulse tool buyers.
They seem a little gimmicky, but that doesn’t change the fact that I really want to try them out.
What I’m worried about is that the diamond coating won’t be very effective on the smaller sizes, which is where I have run into fastener damage in the past.
Thinking about it more, I really wish Craftsman would have made these as L-key sets, rather than a fold-out. Fold-out hex key sets are convenient and portable, but can be easily defeated when working on tight spaces.
What do you think? Problem-solver or gimmick?
I don’t think I have ever seen diamond-coated ball end or straight end hex tools before. Have you?
Somewhat related, have you ever wondered what diamond grit looks like? Here are super high magnification images of high quality diamond abrasives, and images of “economy” quality diamond, taken by yours truly. Here’s a taste:
Dennis
The Craftsmen ones look interesting. I like that they have a locking mechanism. Although the blades themselves look short, which might make these harder to work with.
Are these Craftsman tools made in the USA? With the way things have been going at Craftsman, I’m guessing no. However, on the Amazon comparison page you link above, for a very comparable price, I can get American made Klein or German made Wiha. I’m more likely to go that route, diamond coating or not.
Stan
These are likely made in China and sadly the Sears some of us remember back in the good old days is long dead. There was a time when Sears picked manufacturers that had domestic facilities and produced quality tools. Really shameful what Sears has become and very little under the Craftsman brand is American made.
Eklind, Klein, Bondhus, Snap-On, Mayhew all produce proper American made hexagonal wrenches. These might not have a super fancy “diamond” coating, but they are dependable and support American manufacturing.
Tools are meant to be used and honestly, at some point gimmicky features aren’t worth the cost.
Stuart
Apparently Mayhew’s aren’t made in the USA any longer either: https://toolguyd.com/mayhew-hex-key-sets-twisted/
Bondhus doesn’t make ball hex fold-outs in these sizes.
Stan
Stuart, go figure. Well country of origin information does change and I hadn’t called Mayhew about this, so I figured this was still the case. They are a global manufacturer, despite bringing the jobs back for scrappers, pry bars and picks.
As for Bondhus, I know they make ball end hexagonal wrenches and perhaps some day they might? For the record as I am sure someone is going to mention this, yes Bondhus owns Felo and Felo items aren’t USA made, but that is why I mentioned Bondhus and not the companies they own.
Stuart
Bondhus does not own Felo. Bondhus is Felo’s exclusive distributor in the USA (Bondhus’s words).
T
Wurth owns Felo.
Vaheh
Mayhew select is their budget diffusion line most of which is imported. Mayhew still forges proper punches and chisels as well as being the oem for many american tool makers. If you want the good stuff you’ll need their pro line but the selection doesn’t necessarily overlap, some items are offered in select that do not have a corresponding american made counterpart in the us made pro line. Their main focus is striking tools.
ken
You can pry my PB Swiss ball end hex keys out of my cold, dead, hands.
Adabhael
I vote gimmick, specifically because it is a fold-out, rather than an L-key: if the coating is so awesome, use a better form factor. When I was a less-savvy tool buyer I purchased fold-out hex drivers in both metric and fractional (from Craftsman, no less). They are always bulky awkward a to use, and torquing them hard in the T-shape position strained the plastic handle in a disconcerting sort of way. They were soon replaced in my tool bag with some nice Bondhus L-shaped ball-hex sets.
Jerry
Elkind makes a folding hex key set, with a sturdy all-metal body that does not flex, is more compact than the ones with the plastic handles, and is made in the USA, which you can get for under $8.
http://www.amazon.com/Eklind-Fold-Up-Hex-Key-Piece/dp/B008FM3I5E/
Jerry
A similar set, with slightly different sizes, for $4.07 and free shipping in qualifying orders.
http://www.amazon.com/Eklind-Fold-Up-Hex-Key-Piece/dp/B008FM3I5E/
Stuart
You mean this one? http://www.amazon.com/Eklind-20911-Fold-Up-64-Inch-4-Inch/dp/B000189QNS/
Jerry
Yes, that’s the one! Somehow I copied the same set twice instead of the other one I found.
Hang Fire
I agree. Too short keys, too bulky handle.
In a pinch you can remove the key from the handle and use a screwdriver through the loop. However that’s a lot of work, and kind of assumes you have another key that isn’t locked into the same handle!
BikerDad
My concern would be how is the steel under the diamonds? Ball drivers get mashed, and cheap ball drivers are too often of really cheap, soft steel.
I find the folding Allen wrench sets (yes, I will always call them Allen wrenches) useful when you have to sort out the size needed. Often, the fastener can be worked with the folder, if not, you at least know which size you’ll need to fetch from the toolbox.
John
I dunno seems a bit bizarre that they tout the “extreme grip” and increase torque but then put it on ball end which I always thought was only used for the completely opposite situation (low torque, angled, etc).
The diamond coat, if its as good as the Wera diamond bits I’ve used and love, isn’t a gimmick and does actually work quite well so maybe it be worth it again so long as the finish stays and done right. I’d still use the space and money for a upscale set of standard and more upscale higher quality L-key set like PB Swiss, Wera, Bondhus, with dual ends.
John
I should have mentioned I wish they’d done that grip and/or the same setup in a standard non ball end option. That probably would make me take the risk on it. But as is, i don’t see the ball end being too useful in this setup.
Toolfreak
I find ALL of the Craftsman “Extreme Grip” tools to be gimmicks of the holiday-gift variety, much like the other “new” Craftsman tools of the past few years.
They seem to be appealing to ignorant buyers.
This is one of the first complete misses though, ball-end hex keys have nothing to do with getting an “extreme grip” on a hex fastener, diamond coating or not.
They should have put ball-end hex keys into the “Max Axess” line.
If it were a set of folding regular hex keys, sure, add the diamond coating and maybe it works a little better, with the locking mechanism adding some usefulness to the design in terms of making it easier to use the tool.
I too would have liked to see some stubby hex keys, but probably not ever from Craftsman. Too practical, too useful. They have mostly just released a lot of useless tools prior to the holidays for obvious reasons.
Ben Foldsew
I saw something like this from Steelman PRO. They have these in a variety of sizes in hex metric, sae, and star bits.
http://steelmanpro.com/hand-mechanics-tools/bit-drivers/22-pc-tamper-proof-diamond-force-hex-bit-drivers.html
Tom
I have to admit that I really like the idea of a locking setup on these. I am always frustrated by all the keys flopping around when I use something like this.
Jerry
If they made something like this with standard bits (folding, locking, diamond coated) I’d bite. However, I think the way it is set up, it is more gimmick than innovation. If I want maximum grip on a stubborn, or lightly buggered fastener, I wouldn’t want a ball end driver. If I want a hex wrench for hard to access fasteners, where a ball end driver would be necessary, I would not want it in a folding multi-bit tool, I’d want it either an L or T shaped driver.
I also would wonder about using a ball end driver with an abrasive ball. If it is a fastener that gets turned frequently, will it chew up the fastener head? Wouldnt the abrasive designed to prevent slippage, also possibly create binding as the ball has to swivel in the head?
I DO like the idea of the diamond coating, I just think it wasn’t used in the best application in this instance.
Make something like this, without the ball end (and keep the two position lock) and I’d like it. Or, if you like ball end wrenches, make an L shaped set, with the ball on the end of the long arm, and the diamond coating on the short end, without the ball tip.
Mike
Second that. Diamond and diamond-like coatings can be useful with slotted head fasteners, and are often pretty great removing older PH2 and PZ2 screws. But hex fasteners? Those things seem to made of too-soft alloys more than any other fastener types. You can strip little hex head fasteners just by looking at them the wrong way. I’m not sure that modifying the tolerances/dimensions of the driving tool will affect fitment is a positive way. Eventually, the diamond coating will wear away leaving a driver that is undersized. Good metal and good fitment and appropriate tool/fastener pairing seem to be the best approach with fasteners that are one step away from being a circle as it is.
Mike
Craftsman is like an injured movie villain, who begs for mercy at the last moment. When the hero gets distracted and looks away briefly, WHAM the villain strikes. No one ever confused me for a hero, but I don’t want Sears to stab me in the back all the same.
As for hex drivers, Bondhus provides some of the best quality-for-dollar tools to be found anywhere in the USA tool markets. Wiha and Wera are typically reliable as well. Klein and Greenlee market nice hex tools, but they can be priced a bit high. If money is not a top priority, PB Swiss, Beta, Facom, Gedore, Hazet, and Stahlwille are all pretty top-of-the-line. I assume the Japanese tool companies offer (some)quality drivers too, but I don’t have enough experience with their brands to posit a qualified opinion.
I’m surprised no one mentioned DeWALT. Their folding keys do lock, and the packaging contains words like “lifetime guarantee”.
I personally have been using their folding keys and ratcheting t-handle set for several years at least, and they all perform about as well as my Bondhus stuff. I favor Bondhus most, but I picked the DeWALT stuff up on sale at HD, $10/each for the locking folding keys, and $20 for the ratcheting t-handle set. I think Tekton deserves a mention as well: I have never used their hex or star drivers BUT I do know that Tekton has awesome customer service/tool replacement. They are definitely competing for the hand tool market that Craftsman USED to serve, with a replacement policy that is at least as consumer-friendly as Sears of yesteryear.
http://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DWHT70262M-Folding-Locking-Hex/dp/B0051QIC4Y/
http://www.amazon.com/Dewalt-DWHT70265-Ratcheting-T-Handle-Piece/dp/B005O1RGY8/
I found both of the above at my local HD for $10 and $20 respectively. Haven’t stripped or broken one yet, except maybe the PH2 in the 31 piece set, but that was expected. I think both sets are a good value, the 31-piece set especially. The ratcheting t-handle is decent quality, not great but not junk, and it’s especially versatile.
Mike
Gimmick, for the reasons you already pointed out. Ball head hex drivers are for limited access situations. In a limited access situation, what better tool than a short, stubby hex driver with a huge, wide handle body attached? And for a stripped fastener, what better driver than one with six tiny points of contact?
The diamond coating is just plain puzzling to me. Ball head drivers are usually polished for smooth rotation. The head is intentionally sliding inside the hex of the fastener. Why make that sliding surface as abrasive and friction prone as possible?
Brian
I hate ball hex, I’ve never found the need for one and it’s always going to damage the head of the bolt. At worse, in tight areas, I’ve had to use 1/4″ hex bits and a 1/4″ bit ratchet.
Mickey
Another tool I’d buy if it was made in the USA.
Stan
Agreed. Assuming of course, this coating actually made a noticeable difference compared to standard hexagonal wrenches.
I’d like to buy locally, but the problem is, some USA made products may not be carried locally or at least not at traditional brick and mortar venues. For me, I rather support my country as in the long run, we need these jobs.
This has been written, said a vast deal, but Sears and most big box stores cater to the majority. Those that care about country of origin, want to see fellow Americans that want to work be able to do so and have issues with lack of human rights, unsafe working conditions, child labor and very low wages are the minority.
Ultimately, because I am in the minority and not the majority, no matter how much I try to support the jobs here, the majority only seems to care about wanting products very cheap and could care less about country of origin or even how others are treated in other countries.