To deal with stubborn bolts you need a 6-point wrench. The 12-point (aka "universal") wrenches are best used as paperweights. Yet, tool companies must have missed the memo, because here we are - universal wrenches are ubiquitous and 6-point wrenches choices are limited at best. I didn’t set out to write a comparison review. All I wanted is a decent 6-point wrench set. I ended up going through sets from Gearwrench, SK Tools, and then Stanley Proto. Here is how they stack up against each other. Gearwrench: - Thin metal, about 20% thinner than their own ratcheting wrenches (see the photos). - Sloppy fastener fit on both ends. - Premium feature: grooves in the open end to help avoid rounding corners, but they are too small and rendered moot by loose tolerances. In other words, it might have worked if the fit was tighter, but as it is, the corners will be gripped anyway. The grooves are not symmetrical either (like on the Proto or some Cresent models) and are intended to work in one direction only. - Decent finish, apart from the box ends. - Box end hex placement isn’t uniform - they seem to be almost arbitrarily rotated within the same set (why?) - Smaller size wrenches are toothpick thin and arrived slightly bowed. - The choice of sizes in the set was driven by someone in marketing: you will almost never need 6, 7, 8, or 9mm wrench (or 1/4", or 5/16”) - fasteners this size are better driven by a nut driver (and 6 or 9mm practically do not even exist). If you ever do need wrenches that small, it’ll most likely be for work in a confined space and a stubby length would be better for that than the longish ones included in the set. - No case or holder: the wrenches come loose in two small white cardboard boxes. The bottom line: unlike their other sets, Gearwrench evidently chose to compete on price with this one, which is weird because there aren’t any obvious competitors for this feature combination in this price range to begin with. This idea may appeal to someone who aims to get the most “wrenches per dollar”, but what are you going to do with them? The customer service does work, but the replacement isn’t going to be any better than the original. SK Tools: - 8 times the price of Gearwrench, if you get both the metric and the SAE sets. - Thinnest metal on open ends between three brands. - Thick, but narrow handles make them feel less than perfect in the palm. At least they don’t have sharp edges. - Decent fit on the fastener. - “SuperKrome” plating is dismal quality with plenty of sharp plating artifacts, poor polishing on inside surfaces, missed spots and pitting. - A few misshapen box ends (off center). The bottom line: If these are indeed still made in the US, the quality has to be way better to justify the lofty price. The lifetime warranty on these is a no-benefit because the customer service is impossible to reach. Stanley Proto: - The thickest (and longest) of the bunch, especially the open ends (in the photos I showed that 17mm is thicker than either 18mm from other sets). - Great fit on fastener, both open and box ends. - The anti-slip design (ASD): the open ends have 4 symmetrical grooves around the bolt to prevent rounding. - Come in full polish or satin finish - either is impeccable quality and the choice really comes down to personal preference (though it seems that full polish isn’t offered in a set, more on that below). - Almost half the price and clearly superior quality compared to SK Tools, and still made in the US. - The same lifetime warranty, only now it’s handled by the same folks who service DeWalt tools - you get an email reply, expedited replacement and a live person if you feel like talking to someone. The bottom line: This is what you should be getting if you need a 6-point wrench. You will end up paying about 4 times more than the Gearwrench, but you will get a clearly superior product. Which brings up probably the most important point: unless you are an auto mechanic, or NASA engineer, dealing with a variety of bolts on a daily basis - don't buy a set. For example, the most common metric bolt head sizes are 10, 13, 17 and 19mm. These 4 wrench sizes will likely cover 99% of your screwing needs. The same goes for SAE: the 7/16", 3/8", 1/2", 9/16" and 3/4" will get you well covered (skip 3/4" if you got the 19mm). For the final rating, I debated between 2 and 3 stars. The same beaten argument “good for the price” can clearly be made here, but what good is it if they bend on tough bolt or strip the head. From my other Gearwrench stuff, I know that they can do better. Should they make them normal thickness, address the overall fit, improve box ends, rework the offered sizing and throw in a decent case, it would have been a solid 4 or maybe even 5.
