Talk:Hex key/Archive 1

Older comments

...but what is so special about an allen key - the suggestion that it reduces tooling costs could equally apply to standardising on a pozi-drive screw.

Does anyone know what the special characteristics are of the hex bolt?

about the information about europe, they seem incorrect, spanish people call it allen key, northern countries Inbus, can someone confirm unbrako?

"Unbrako" is live in Norway, and probably the other Nordic countries as well. arj 29 June 2005 23:10 (UTC)

"unbrako" is used in West Flanders (a Belgian dialect) as well

I've never heard of "Unbrako" and as far as I know it's most widely known as an "Allen Key" in the UK.

It's called an Insexnyckel here in Sweden. Sex like the word six is in English. You perv! --84.217.120.86 23:56, 5 July 2006 (UTC)

"Allen Key" is the most common in the UK, but I do have one with "Unbrako" on it. LDHan 04:53, 9 July 2006 (UTC)

Self-contradictory

Added {{Contradict}} because the article can't agree with itself when the Allen key was invented. arj 29 June 2005 23:17 (UTC)

What to do when you don't have one

Really useful info to have on this page would be tips on what you can improvise with if you have to undo an Allen key and you don't have the key... Gerv 22:33, 25 September 2005 (UTC)

Sometimes if you have just the right size flat screwdriver that will work, but it's a pretty sad solution and likely to damage the bolt or the screwdriver. Depending on the type of bolt, it may be possible to grab the outside with vice-grip pliers, but this is obviously not unique to Allen bolts. -SCEhardt 23:03, 25 September 2005 (UTC)

This is not a genuine problem. A gentleman is never without a set of Allen keys. Never. -- Tom Anderson 2007-04-17 17:58 +0100

Removed Content

A bit of non-mainstream history about Allen key

A Harvey Norman delivery-and-assembly guy from Melbourne, Australia told me that his grandfather was actually the person who invented Allen key. At the time of invention, his grandfather was in a partnership with a person whose last name was Allen. Allen was supposedly in charge of the marketing. However, Allen supposedly back-stabbed his grandfather in their partnership and became the only owner of the Allen keys, and his grandfather got nothing.

This Harvey Normal delivery-and-assembly guy has a very obvious British accent and he claims to hail from Manchester and his grandfather was an apprentice to Professor Singer of Singer Sewing Machine.

Removed speculation/rumors from the article. -SCEhardt 16:09, 4 November 2005 (UTC)

Replacing Allen with Hex - Done

I know we all grew up calling these Allen keys but the correct term is Hex key. There are a number of articles that reference Allen where they should reference Hex.

I would like move all this information on this page to the hex key page and redirect Allen Key to the Hex Key page. Then move the information on the history of the Allen brand to a new page about the company. The Hex key page can refrence the Allen company page.

At the same time a clean up of other references should be done.

So if anyone has a reason why the brand name should remain in place of the generic speak now. Raelx 05:50, 20 November 2006 (UTC)

Sounds like a good idea - just make sure to use the move function. -SCEhardT 08:43, 20 November 2006 (UTC)

Moved and corected all links Raelx 06:26, 23 November 2006 (UTC)

The nefarious Dr Keye

Just removed this:

A Hex Key has often been known as the 'Allen Key'. This is because Irish inventor Dr. Alan Keye claimed he invented the device in the mid 1820s

Since it's pretty obviously a lie. But recording it here just in case, and for your entertainment.

-- Tom Anderson 2007-04-17 17:59 +0100 —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 128.40.81.114 (talk) 17:00, 17 April 2007 (UTC).

Redirect from Alum Key

If it's worthy of a re direct, shouldn't there at least be a reference, however fleeting, to Alum Key within the article? 164.36.142.217 11:59, 7 June 2007 (UTC)

Allen is mentioned; is Alum anything more than a misspelling of Allen? -SCEhardT 19:53, 7 June 2007 (UTC)

It is certainly in common use in East London. 164.36.142.217 11:29, 14 June 2007 (UTC)

Ah, I do see a few search results from furniture makers so I've added alum to the article. -SCEhardT 18:44, 14 June 2007 (UTC)

Hrm... I've done some more searching around and I can't find the term in any reliable sources so I'm going back to the theory of misspelling and/or slang. I've removed the term from the article and I don't think it should be added back unless a reliable source is found. -SCEhardT 18:25, 15 June 2007 (UTC)

I'm of the opinion that a reference to Alum should be included. It's certainly in common use in more than one part of the world (England as mentioned above, and here in New Zealand). 219.89.72.3 (talk) 23:31, 28 November 2007 (UTC)

Accordingly, I've added it in the first sentence. 219.89.72.3 02:11, 1 December 2007 (UTC)

Hex key "with a post in the middle"

In public spaces in Australia, it is becoming common for equipment which would often use hex key fasteners, to have a "post" in the centre of the hexagonal opening.

I don't know if this is a seperate named fastener or not?

VERY common on (for example) playground equipment. It's seen as an "anti-tampering" modification, since you can't undo the fastener with a "standard" allen hex key (but hey, you can go to any tool / hardware shop and buy the "hex with a post" tool). --Garrie 22:51, 23 July 2007 (UTC)

Allen key - origin of name

Okay, so who or what was "Allen", such that half the world knows these things as "allen keys"? -- 82.10.108.49 (talk) 17:10, 16 November 2007 (UTC)

Have you actually read the article? --Escape Orbit ^(Talk) 19:46, 16 November 2007 (UTC)

Sizing hex keys

Are the sizes measured from flat side to flat side or from angle point to angle point? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 131.92.41.84 (talk) 21:29, 19 November 2007 (UTC)

It is across-flats. Added to the sizing section. AstroNox (talk) 14:19, 17 February 2008 (UTC)

Zeta key name origins?

Where did the name "Zeta key" come from? It is mentioned in the beginning of the article as a name for this type of wrench, but it is never mentioned again in the article. Could someone who actually knows this add it to the article? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.130.130.117 (talk) 00:46, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Silly me, Zeta is the 6th character in the Greek alphabet. Added a quick description of that to the article. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.130.181.243 (talk) 11:40, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Brugola

In Italian can be interesting to know that lots of people doesn't know the tool name brugola is coming from who invented it: Mr Brugola. --93.147.133.19 (talk) 03:27, 7 August 2008 (UTC)