Hand ToolsDriver
Socket Set
Interchangeable sockets on a ratchet handle, sized to hexagon head bolts and nuts. Coverage comes from the socket range and the drive size, not from the handle.
What it does
- Tightening and releasing hexagon head bolts and nuts
- Working where a wrench cannot swing a full arc
Fasteners it fits12 standards specify external hexagon
All standardsMatched on the drive form recorded against each standard, not on the tool's own claims — so this list changes when the fastener data changes, not when this paragraph does.
What to look forthe judgement calls, before the spec sheet
- Socket size is the width across flats of the hexagon. A set that skips sizes will fail on the one fastener you actually have.
- Drive size is the square on the handle: 1/4 for small, 3/8 for general, 1/2 and up for heavy work. A large drive will not fit small sockets and a small one cannot transmit large torque.
- Six-point sockets grip the flats and are the standard for tight or damaged fasteners; twelve-point sockets reach into confined space at the cost of contact area.
Misuse and safetythe ways this tool causes rework
- A ratchet is a convenience, not a torque tool. Anything with a specified tightening torque is set with a torque wrench on the same socket.
- Chrome sockets and impact sockets are not interchangeable. Using a hand socket on a powered impact tool is a known way to break one.
Projects that call for itand what it is doing on each one
All projectsFrequently asked questions
What socket fits a 13 mm hexagon head?
13 mm across flats — the socket is named after the same dimension as the bolt head. The across-flats figure for every diameter in this database is in its dimension table.
Six-point or twelve-point sockets?
Six-point for anything tight, corroded or rounded, because it grips the flats rather than the corners. Twelve-point where there is not enough swing for a six-point to engage.