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What is the use for 12 point sockets/wrenches? To grab rounded off nuts/bolts? If I use them on good nuts/bolts enough they round those heads as well.

they work much better on 12 point and 4 point bolts, both of which are common in a number of industries, 6 point sockets leave you using pliers .... they also allow double the starting places on 6 point bolts in tight places .... if you're rounding off 'good' bolts with them it's more likely you're using cheap sockets or junk bolts or mixing metric and SAE

Bill

Not ever seen 12 point bolts. Four point? Like stovebolts? These are Snap-on 12 pointers - quarter drive.

12 point are mostly for aircraft and marine use, 4 point are square head, stovebolts actually have slot screw heads .... not sure why you'd have trouble with SnapOn unless you're dealing with seized or poorly formed fasteners, the only place you'll consistently find 6 point sockets used is with impact wrenches because the 6 points normally have thicker walls and are less prone to break

Bill

I use 6 point sockets for everything I can, they are more sucure and less likely to round things off. Yet I still have a set of 12 point for use mostly on 12 point bolts under the valve covers on my Detroits, even some of the valve cover bolts are 12 point, starter bolts and a few others are also 12 point.

While 6 point sockets are my choice I only buy 12 point combination wrenches because for tight spots it gives you shorter swings before repositioning (exception of line wrencehs which are mostly 6 point for the better grip).

For square nuts and bolts I have 8 point sockets, not 12.

Any 12 point socket in 1/4" drive is a pretty small socket and those 12 points are going to be quite small, so a slightly damaged 6 point bolt or the socket and it's likely to round.
You'll be better off buying a set of 6 point 1/4" drive and saving the 12 points for 12 point stuff and/or the rare occasions when it's necessary to use them.

Grigg

I remember a snap on man showing me a Snapon 12 point and another brand 6 point demonstration. He used a hex shaft made of plastic. He then used the Snap on 12 vs. the 6 point (which came out of my toolbox). When he worked the wrenches in oposit directions at the same time, the 6 point slipped and rounded the hex shaft. The rounded edges of the snap on 12, will hold more than a regular 6 point.

What about the Snap-on 6 point instead of "another brand 6 point"?
I'd expect in an apples to apples test of the Snap-On 6 and 12 point that the 6 point holds better?

Snap-on has had "flank drive" sockets and wrenches for a good while now, so do most others these days.

grigg

i have both types, i make sure to use the 6 points on older stuff and 12 point newer stuff i know isnt rusted or stuck. i also use the 6 point sockets on stuff that isnt a straight shot with a wobbler extension. if a bolt is really tight and use the 12 point your going to bust your knuckles. also i never use 1/4 inch drive unless its a very small bolt or nut say under 3/8. i think the 1/4 drive sockets just aren't made for the bigger stuff although they sell them in sizes upto 9/16 i think.

i have had that experience too. a snap on 12 point turning a rounded off bolt when a cheaper 6 point was rounding it off. i guess, in some tight places, the 12 point doesn't have to turn as far to engage head. the 6 point might have to be taken off ratchet to engage. also like they said 12 points are thinner. they work ok for 90% of stuff. i do feel safer with 6 points on the stuck stuff.

not sure how you guys use your sockets, but I've used a set of Craftsman 12 point sockets as hard as possible -including a 2-3' piece of pipe on the ratchet as a cheater- I did break a socket once, and eventually broke the ratchet [Sears replaced it], but don't recall ever rounding a good bolt head maybe you're using long extensions that make it hard to stay square on the bolt head? the only set of impact sockets I have are 6 point, but I don't use that much except for big stuff, like lug nuts or boiler work

Bill

...bottom line I guess is there is a time when either/or is best suited for the job.
I'm rambling here but its just a couple of my thoughts.
...I must admit that I have OLD set of craftsman,SK, and some old proto sockets (6 & 12 point) that I beat to death and still work good. (I have new ones that I leave laying in the drawer)Also, I'm a bit "shamed" to admit it but I do not even own a set of impact sockets. Never had any need. The OLD ones(most are at LEAST 26 years old) mentioned above serve me well and I've put lots of pounds on them......anymore and I'd need to go to 3/4" drive!!
And, we all know how well we are "on the bolt head" has about as much to do with it as the type socket, as long as its not a worn out socket,as well as the condition of a bolt head before we even start.

Unless we use a cheapo set I'd like to think a good socket, properly fitted to a bolt would either loosen it or twist it off..... but then I do NOT wrench for a living everyday and see all the challenges real mechanics are faced with.

I'm the exact opposite, most of my sockets are impact sockets, as that's what most of mine get used for. Most of them are 6 point, but I do have a few sets of 12 point regular sockets that I use at home, and a set of 3/8" drive and 1/2" drive metric 12 point impact sockets at work for the few time I run into 12 point fasteners, which are mainly on Ford and Chrysler hub assembly bolts.