When I was young I got a gator grip socket because I was a kid, couldn’t afford a socket set, wanted something of my own for a project I was working on... 42 now, still have it, never stripped anything with it. Don’t use it often but when I do it does it’s job.🤷‍♂️

Spline drive sockets are best used for spline drive bolts. That's how I use them. That they fit different several other bolt head profiles like hex, 12-point, Torx and so on is just a happy sidenote for the guys who invented the spline drive system...

When using these I never look at the size. I always select the one that fits tight on the fastener and haven’t had a problem. If they are tight, two splines engage per side which gives a exceptional grip even on slightly rounded bolts.

I use these as my poor man's RBRT or Bolt Biters. They're great for beating on a rusty and rounded bolt for that last attempt before the chisels come to play. If you break one, its not going to break the bank...

This seems like a solution looking for a problem.

Great review, as usual. Ty.

Another great review

I bought a set of SAE/Metric spline sockets just because sometimes I come across that some cars have bolts or nuts with both type specially when a noob mechanic installed a SAE bolt instead of a metric one. I also use 12pt sockets and wrenches for hard to reach/turn areas, 6pt for more tighten open area bolts/nuts.

I´ve got flank drive sockets (metric), which are shaped somewhere between a six point and a torx. They´re quite universal too; the lobes just engage closer to the corners when a fastener is smaller. They can be used on SAE to a certain extend, just like the splines. Come to think of it, a regular 12 point is actually a 2x6.

The only place that I have found spline drive sockets to be perfectly useful is on rusted fasteners, and actual spline head fasteners

Thanks for the review

The torque test channel did a test on spline vs 12 vs 6. spline was a close second to 6. 12 was half as good as 6

Hmm, so it seems I could use something like this on a rare occasion to remove a partially rounded socket that no longer fits a standard socket I have on hand, before trying one of my bolt extractors. The problem I have with my extractor sockets is that I have to hammer them in a bit, and although they do wonders to remove a fastener, they are stuck on the fastener afterwards and very difficult to remove. I still have a 17mm bolt stuck to one of my extractors in my tool box I've yet to pry apart.

Took a Craftsman 17mm spline deep socket and used it to fix the swivel knob on a shitty old vise, the handle was missing, socket and hammer now a 3/8 drive will allow me to swivel my vise.

A snug fitting spline socket has two splnes pressing tightly against each flat of a hex head, and two pressing tightly against each corner. That prevides more contact between the socket and hex head than a 12 point socket.

Can you tell if it works on penta head bolt? Thanks!

I suppose they could be useful if you didn't bring the right tool, or if your other socket broke, or if you weren't sure what to bring and they would still work.

THESE UNIVERSAL "spline" sockets from my experience....may need to be sized down ...unused a universal socket (husky) to remove a broken spark plug from the cylinder head of a Mercedes Benz... I know that on a fluted extractor (square fastener type) required one so,e when using a six point socket..I wiggled the spline socket a seen it was loose... I sized it down down (frome 12mm to 11mm) and I successfully remove the broken shower torqued plug.....SIZE DOWN

they were all sold out the other day and ive only seen the metric ones

No the attraction to the spline socket their universal no need for a metric set the standard set one set does both

I thought spline sockets were for spline fasteners and regular sockets were for regular fasteners?

Great public service announcement. I have never used spline drive sockets, and watching this video I would probably never buy them. Just no real reason to use them

Don’t think I’ll ever buy a spline set, just not practical for me, or gator grip for that mater.....

Great info. Try to use gloves next time for a more quality video presentment. Mechanics and people in general has ruff skin hands and dirty fingernails.....

jeezus fix your skin