The unprecedented production and commercial boom that the 1940s and 1950s brought with them saw the reliable and cheap hex key emerge as an increasingly common feature across a broad swathe of consumer products and DIY assembly kits. This 6 piece jumbo hex key set has been manufactured from heat treated steel and features a blackened oxide coating to protect against corrosion.

There are numerous Allen key types sold on today’s market, many of which adhere very closely to the fundamental early design blueprint. Furniture Repairs– Allen screws are an essential piece of hardware for securing furniture at its place. In short, a ball end hex key features a rounded hexagonal bulb at the driving end, as opposed to the standard flat hexagonal profile you’ll find on the majority of more basic models.Although the race to bring various different drive sockets to the mass market was already well underway by 1900, it was William G. 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). 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.

It’s a simple design innovation that offers a nice usability bonus, and while not necessarily a dealbreaker - overall hex key quality is far more important when it comes to making a purchase decision - it might be a feature worth looking out for if you’re in the market for a new hex key set anyway. Now, as you are aware of the different types of Allen keys, you can choose the one as per your requirement.Allen keys are helpful while accessing the areas under the seat, and places under the dash like behind the glove compartment. As electronics are becoming more and more compact in size, Allen keys are being used to support their size. As most people who’ve ever assembled a flat-pack will know, this can often be an issue with products designed around hex drive assembly, as one ‘feature’ of hex bolts is that they can be manufactured without protruding heads (much like grub screws), and thus squeezed into far lower clearance areas than most standard fasteners. The set features high impact plastic handles with all popular sizes, two end drives for open jobs and for enclosed spaces to ensure. They are a 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.