Hex drivers: regular vs. ball-tip

[simplechamp]

Which do you prefer?

I have always liked and used the ball-tip style myself. Seems to me like I find plenty of situations where I'm wrenching on my RC's and it's helpful to access a screw at a (slight) angle. I have never noticed them to be more or less likely to strip a screw, and to me it seems like the tips last longer without having as much edge/points to dull. I use Bondhus ball-tip for both my L-keys and drivers.

The reason I ask is because the other day someone needed to borrow my hex drivers and made a comment that the ball-tip were no good, would strip screws too easy, etc.

[bruce750i]

Yes, Having less contact area will increase the chance of stripping. I use them on lower torque applications. I would not use one to set a pinion grub screw. Also sometimes I'll place the bolt on my hex driver first then take it to the hole, you can't do that with ball drivers. I use the ball-tip set from bondhus too.
I prefer to have both on hand, but in a jam I'll take Non-ball.

Just as said above. You really want to have both. Ball-tip ones are only good for when you have to work with awkward angles and hard to reach places but for final torque I always use the standard hex drivers. Less chance of damaging the head of the screw or damaging your ball-tip hex drivers.

[simplechamp]

I do have both, one end of my Bondhus L-keys is regular tip. I still haven't ever stripped a screw with the ball-tip, and I've reefed pretty hard on them, even using a "helper" bar to the point where you can tell the hex is starting to flex/twist a tiny bit and I stop. I think the small sizes like 1.5mm and 0.050" are the most at risk for a ball-tip to cause issues. A lot has to do with the quality of the hardware and the tool also. Bondhus makes tough stuff.

Simplechamp,
Thanks for bringing this up, I had been eying the Bondhus stuff on Towers, but hadn't really seen anything about them before. Also good to hear that the ball tips work well, I like the idea of being able to get in at an angle.

[magman]

Originally Posted by bruce750i

Yes, Having less contact area will increase the chance of stripping. I use them on lower torque applications. I would not use one to set a pinion grub screw. Also sometimes I'll place the bolt on my hex driver first then take it to the hole, you can't do that with ball drivers. I use the ball-tip set from bondhus too.
I prefer to have both on hand, but in a jam I'll take Non-ball.

Well said...I use both as well..ball tips for less torque

[brian015]

Originally Posted by magman

Well said...I use both as well..ball tips for less torque

+2

[Bondonutz]

Ditto for me also, I use the straight tips for tightening and losening or a "L" angle then use the ball tips for hard to reach spots to run the screws in or out.

If a choice of one or the other, Straight tip every time.

[JAILBIRD]

I use both. For L wrenches, PB Swiss are the best made. They are pricey but well worth the cost. I use alot of their tools every day at work and have never broken one in the past 5 years. They don't even show any signs of wear. All of their tools are ultra high quality.

http://pbtoolsus.thomasnet.com/viewi...socket-scre-2?

They also have an RC tool set. Again, it's pricey.

http://pbtoolsus.thomasnet.com/item/...=prod&filter=0

[George16]

Originally Posted by 76Bentley

Simplechamp,
Thanks for bringing this up, I had been eying the Bondhus stuff on Towers, but hadn't really seen anything about them before. Also good to hear that the ball tips work well, I like the idea of being able to get in at an angle.

I have a set of the Bondhus hex wrenches and they haven't failed me so far. You can get them cheaper from Ebay.

[Overdriven]

The depth of the socket in the fastener plays a role too. Cap screws have about the most depth, but most countersunk screws I've encountered don't have much depth in the socket for the hex. In those cases its straight tip every time for me.