Recommend a good T handle allen wrench set

ukbass&bikes

ukbass&bikes

New Member
Aug 4, 2023
4
0
Los Angeles
Hey all:
T handle allen wrench set needed-basic decent set for the less involved repairs /maintenance-
Pedal removal/install. Rotor and pad installs. Bar replacement etc
Park Tools or is there a good less pricey option on say Amazon or Home Depot. I just took delivery of a 4.5 star set from Amazon and it's garbage.
Appreciate any info!
 
B

Brian VT USA

New Member
Oct 2, 2023
81
56
VT, USA
I have a cheap set that has mostly worked fine. Except one of them that the wrench now just spins in the handle.
I wish I had bought better. But will $100 actually be better or just more China crap with a better warranty?
 
irie

irie

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Have a 7-piece T-handle Teng Tools boxed set, not cheap but accurate and nice to use (have ball point heads). Better made and nicer to use than a SnapOn set I have which have worn and rusted badly.
 
Last edited:
p3eps

p3eps

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I got Park Tool THH-1 for Christmas. I had a decent set of Facom J shaped Allen keys which were fine, but having the T shape is a lot better and easier to use.

IMG_6535.jpeg
 
CrispyDesigns

CrispyDesigns

Member
May 25, 2023
194
169
UK
Same here, I had a set of Park Tool Allen’s for my birthday last year. Excellent fit and very well made. Working with them is a pleasure.
 
Ou812

Ou812

Active member
Jun 26, 2022
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Fort William
I have Wera T-handles, it’s set 6 in their bike tool sets. They’ve been awesome, the set comes with allens and Torx on the most common sizes on bikes.
 

Stihldog

Stihldog

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Jun 10, 2020
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Coquitlam, BC
The ball heads are nice for fast spinning or those really weird angles …but be careful. I rescued my son-in-law once because he used the ball-head Allen key incorrectly. It was a costly mechanical mistake and lesson.

IMG_7373.jpeg
I use the Klein assortment the most.
 
RustyIron

RustyIron

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Jun 5, 2021
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La Habra, California
Stihldog said:
The ball heads are nice for fast spinning or those really weird angles
Click to expand...

Right? I don't have a use for ball-end wrenches. I like my allen wrenches to be straight sided with no wear. And if they start to show wear, I dress them until they're nice.

I have trays and trays of L shaped allen wrenches -- enough to last several lifetimes. But I'm envious of you guys with your fancy t-handles. I like your Kleins for their full-length hex. I'll try to resist the urge to click "buy it now," but it's going to be a long, rainy weekend and I might not be able to stay strong.
 
2WheelsNot4

2WheelsNot4

E*POWAH Master
Oct 17, 2021
891
689
Scotland
Ball end have the downside that when at an angle, they can jump out. Annoying at best, but can also damage the socket bit of the bolt, which is less that desirable.

Park for the win. Though I've been using a cheapo set for years.

Plus with the non ball end type, you can grind the end down shorter to fresh metal if they slip from being worn.
 
C

CaptKirk

Member
Feb 28, 2022
31
10
Port Huron, Michigan
ukbass&bikes said:
Hey all:
T handle allen wrench set needed-basic decent set for the less involved repairs /maintenance-
Pedal removal/install. Rotor and pad installs. Bar replacement etc
Park Tools or is there a good less pricey option on say Amazon or Home Depot. I just took delivery of a 4.5 star set from Amazon and it's garbage.
Appreciate any info!
Click to expand...
Been shopping at "Harbour Freight" for years, their quality has improved, and prices are always great. They carry an "Imperial/Metric" T handle allen wrench set that will follow you through many years of repairs, just wish they would carry a "Thin" metric wrench set
 
Ou812

Ou812

Active member
Jun 26, 2022
628
423
Fort William
CaptKirk said:
Been shopping at "Harbour Freight" for years, their quality has improved, and prices are always great. They carry an "Imperial/Metric" T handle allen wrench set that will follow you through many years of repairs, just wish they would carry a "Thin" metric wrench set
Click to expand...
Unfortunately there’s no Harbour Freight in the UK, not even sure what the equivalent would be here. I haven’t really shopped for tools since I moved over here so not really in the loop.
 

RustyIron

RustyIron

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La Habra, California
Fie on all you enablers!
A severe case of Tool Envy has been plaguing me since this thread started. I couldn't resist the urge to find out what all you T-Handle Fans are all going on about.

I just now ordered up a set of Klein Metric T-Handle Allen Wrenches. I chose them because they're a solid company whose tools I've used for years. Their set also includes all the sizes I need for my bike, including 2mm. The hex part of the tool is the full length, so I can be reground a hundred times if necessary. Lastly, there is no hideous "ball end."

Anyone with a set of t-handled Allen wrenches should also have a set of t-handled Torx wrenches. So I ordered a set from Gearwrench. I have a variety of Gearwrench tools that I've had for probably 20 years. I don't use them much, but they're very nicely made.

Everything is scheduled for an early delivery. So when I wake up tomorrow, it will be like Christmas morning.
 
RustyIron

RustyIron

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Ou812 said:
Unfortunately there’s no Harbour Freight in the UK, not even sure what the equivalent would be here.
Click to expand...

Fortunate or unfortunate: It all depends on what you're looking for.

Harbor Freight and Tool started off as Harbor Freight and Salvage back in the 1980's. They had a warehouse in Camarillo, about 60 miles north of here. They ordered REALLY cheap junk from China, and sold it dirt cheap to people who favored price over quality. I bought a lot of stuff from them back in the day. I was in my 20's, and it was fun to order up a box full of toys, even if they weren't very good. Times changed, the company evolved, and eventually they started selling products that were not completely awful.

I have a variety of their stuff in the garage today. I have a disc sander that I needed for one particular project 15 years ago, and it was good enough that I still have it. Same with a die grinder. I'm very happy with it. My most-used Phillips screwdriver is from Harbor Freight. On the flip side, I bought a machinery jack that was such a POS I gave it away to a friend who wanted it. A belt sander from last year was so bad that I had to rebuild it just to make it functional. It's still a POS.

The bottom line is that you will never get the best from Harbor Freight, but you might very well get the cheapest. If you intend to really USE a tool and you can afford it, buy it elsewhere.
 
Stihldog

Stihldog

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Jun 10, 2020
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Coquitlam, BC
CaptKirk said:
Been shopping at "Harbour Freight" for years, their quality has improved, and prices are always great. They carry an "Imperial/Metric" T handle allen wrench set that will follow you through many years of repairs, just wish they would carry a "Thin" metric wrench set
Click to expand...
I think the equivalent in Canada 🇨🇦 is Princess Auto. Or at least here. Lots of tools and other stuff.
 
Stihldog

Stihldog

Handheld Power Tool
Subscriber
Jun 10, 2020
2,939
4,156
Coquitlam, BC
RustyIron said:
Fie on all you enablers!
A severe case of Tool Envy has been plaguing me since this thread started. I couldn't resist the urge to find out what all you T-Handle Fans are all going on about.

I just now ordered up a set of Klein Metric T-Handle Allen Wrenches. I chose them because they're a solid company whose tools I've used for years. Their set also includes all the sizes I need for my bike, including 2mm. The hex part of the tool is the full length, so I can be reground a hundred times if necessary. Lastly, there is no hideous "ball end."

Anyone with a set of t-handled Allen wrenches should also have a set of t-handled Torx wrenches. So I ordered a set from Gearwrench. I have a variety of Gearwrench tools that I've had for probably 20 years. I don't use them much, but they're very nicely made.

Everything is scheduled for an early delivery. So when I wake up tomorrow, it will be like Christmas morning.
Click to expand...
I’m gonna give myself 4-1/2 ⭐️ because I use the Klein Metric T-Handle Allen Wrenches. 😉.
If the handles were red then 5 ⭐️’s
 
RustyIron

RustyIron

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
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Jun 5, 2021
1,523
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La Habra, California
Stihldog said:
I’m gonna give myself 4-1/2 ⭐️ because I use the Klein Metric T-Handle Allen Wrenches. 😉.
If the handles were red then 5 ⭐️’s
Click to expand...

The judges all scored your post at 4.5🌟, declaring the winner, by unanimous decision, the new, undisputed T-Handle champion, Stillllllldawwwwwwwg! Personally, I scored the post at 5🌟, because the blue handles of the Klein wrenches are a pretty good match to my bike.
 

p3eps

p3eps

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Weeksy said:
yeah they're ace... i have both the Allen and the Torx set.
Click to expand...
I was away to comment on how you've just cost me another £125... until I noticed you can buy them all separately.
TBH, the only one I ever use is either T20 or T25 (I'll check which one when I'm home) and I can order that 1 for about £17.

Nice to have the whole set... but I have 2 other torque driver sets ranging from T5 - T30 that I rarely open!
 
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