Even American brands like Harley Davidson use SAE bolts and metric hex bolts on their bikes, sometimes causing garage breaks.

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Standard SAE and metric measurements can be problematic when working on a car, truck or motorcycle. International production results in a seemingly random application of these sizes, meaning that some drawers in your toolbox need to double in size to accommodate all the wrenches, sockets, and wrenches you might need. (Don’t even get us started with the British Wyeth standard.) Even American brands like Harley Davidson use SAE bolts and metric hex bolts on their bikes, sometimes causing garage breaks.
Discover the Eklind Hex-L wrench set, consisting of 22 hardened alloy steel hex keys. The set is divided into two parts: a 13-piece SAE series and a nine-piece metric series, each with its own hard plastic shell.
The Eklind Tool Company, founded in 1923, has been making hex wrenches in Franklin Park, Illinois since 1948. While the Eklind name isn’t as well known as Snap-On, Craftsman, or even Amazon Basics, they claim to dominate folding hex wrenches, a key segment. They have been producing these special keys since 1991.
Eklind kits are supplied in cardboard-lined blister packs designed to be displayed on retail hangers. The keys are secured in two hard plastic sheaths. One is red with white letters and contains the standard SAE set of 13 keys, and the other is blue with white letters and nine metric keys. Imperial sizes have been reduced from 3/8″ to 0.050″ and Metric sizes have been reduced from 10mm to 1.5mm. The blister pack is easy to open with scissors. There wasn’t much information printed on the packaging—no instructions, specifications, or accompanying warranty card—so it went straight to the trash can.
At The Drive, we always have products in our garage to work on during the review process. I was repairing a teardrop trailer for sale, so I took the opportunity to apply a set of hex wrenches to each of the hex bolts on the trailer. I loosen every clasp that has corrosion, oil the clasp, and re-tighten. I checked the bolts all over the trailer and found that I have a mix of SAE and metric fittings. Luckily, Eklind comes with keys for both.
Compared to some key sets I have used, Eklind key sets do not have bevelled edges. This provides a very close match to the head of the bolt, but requires approaching the bolt from a perfectly straight direction to get the key into the slot.
Because the Eklind wrench set is made in the USA, it must meet or exceed all applicable ANSI, ASME, RoHS, REACH, California Proposition 65, and Dodd-Frank Conflict Minerals laws if you are concerned. Both the keys and their plastic brackets look solid and excellent. The keys smoothly and securely fit into the grooves of the corresponding brackets and do not slip out, even if the brackets are turned upside down and shaken – hard or even hard.
The markings are printed on the plastic, but it seems like it will last a long time, at least until you lose the device and have to replace it anyway. The size of each key is engraved on the side of the long stem. You will need a magnifying glass to read the markings on the smallest keys, depending on the age of your eyes, but the markings are there.
While the precision of a hex wrench’s angle head has its advantages, beveled edges offer a bit of indulgence. Sometimes accuracy is frustrating as you have to insert the Elkind key exactly into the bolt slots to get the bolts to engage. This can become an infamous problem if you’re unsure whether to tighten a metric or inch bolt and have to use good old trial and error to find the right wrench.
I don’t agree with the idea that each set should have every key size on earth, but it seems to me that the metric sets are a bit lacking. Sizes in metric group: 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.5, 2 and 1.5 mm. Notice any noticeable gaps? I came across a couple of 7mm bolt heads and they made me redo a set of wrenches, I’m pretty sure I used 9mm bolts recently.
The entire Eklind set has a solid feel, but I could bend the smallest 3.0-inch keys (0.050, 1/16 and 5/64-inch) with my fingers, which I couldn’t do on competing Tekton sets.
The Eklind Hex-L wrench set retails slightly more expensive than its Chinese competitors but is available from major discount retailers at competitive prices.
There is a reason why Eklind has been in the hex key business for so long. They are all very good and in a simple presentation they get the job done. This set isn’t the cheapest or most complete you can buy, but it’s a worthy contender that deserves to be in your toolbox.
Answer: Yes. The Allen Manufacturing Company was the first manufacturer of hex keys, a name that has become the generic name for hex keys or hex wrenches.
A. No, the hex wrench has a hex (hexagonal) head, while the star wrench is designed for other types of bolts with star slots. The two tools are very similar, but not interchangeable.
The A. Allen Manufacturing Company originally made hex head set screws and made a hex wrench (or hex wrench) for driving and loosening screws. Hex screw heads and hex keys are now manufactured by a number of companies around the world, and the term Allen has become an all-encompassing description.
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