Kincrome K5284

A quality kit that prioritises "reach, comfort, and efficiency" that will likely last a long time – Please note: I use capitals for heading/emphasis, not yelling ok? I just don't have these formatting options on this site, so please keep this in mind. ONTO THE REVIEW! First, have a look at my attached photos. The orange handle kit is what I'm reviewing here, however, I also make references to the two other Kincrome T-Handle sets that I've… Read more

owned and used for years. I've included an image of all three kits, just to verify my claims. Please forgive the sawdust, I'm in the middle of fixing the roof of my garage... and a lot has collected up in the rafters. :-)

WHY DID I CHOOSE ANOTHER KINCROME SET?

I wouldn't say that I'm some brand loyalist "fan boy". I honestly believe that no manufacturer is "the best" across their entire product line. Frankly, I buy what works for me, and don't worry about what brand it is... unless that brand has a bit of a negative reputation.

However, I bought the Kincrome "Tamperproof TORX" kit because I've owned the Kincrome metric hex (blue handle set) and imperial hex (red handle set) "T handled" kits for years now, and been very happy with them.

I (just speaking for myself here) am not critical of other brands.... I just find the balance of Kincrome's T-handled hand tools to be notably more comfortable to handle and spin in my hand than the other brands (TTI/Snap on/Park Tools and any all-plastic-handled equivalent) that I've used in various workplaces. Naturally, I think they all work, it's just that fancier brands have much higher prices that aren't bringing in any additional value to me, and cheaper brands... haven't lasted quite as well, or feel "off" when I'm using them. Your mileage, WILL probably vary.

That said...

I've just added this "Tamperproof" Torx kit to my workshop because I'm dealing with more normal Torx and Tamperproof Torx (the Torx head with the hole in the middle) fasteners, and would like to use the same kit on either interchangeably. The "tamper proof" kit can do both, unlike the green-handled "Torx only" set (no hole in the middle of the head) Kincrome provides. The green-handled kit comes with the same range of head sizes as the "Tamper proof" Torx kit with the orange handles reviewed here, and without the hole weakening the head, the green kit might may help the bit to apply additional torque and perhaps last longer, but it does make the plain Torx kit less versatile overall.

That said, the longer shaft lengths on these tools across the entire Kincrome T-handle range... are a bit of a "double edged sword". They're very long and can reach into some deep spaces, which is very handy. However, if the shaft is too long for your space.... it's not going to work well. A lot of brands have a second head embedded into the end of the T handle for "tighter spaces"... and this kit does NOT feature that, so please keep this in mind. However, I have the standard L-shaped allen/hex keys and Torx sets for this purpose. So if you already have those, then this is not an issue.

After much thought... I can't fault a tool for being really good at doing things the way it's intended to. So I won't deduct any stars for that, despite the limitations that long shafts and balanced handles might create.

KINCROME IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN SOME BRANDS, SO WHY CHOOSE THEM?

I've put my metric set "through the wringer" on bikes/motorbikes/CNC machines/lab instruments/Ikea furniture and many more. They're still in almost immaculate condition. This is in part, due to the long shaft, because even slight angles off-centre can get you around other obstacles without incurring too much additional wear and tear on the head.

If you look after your gear, then they'll last a long time. I use my imperial set mostly for servicing compound archery bows, which places some serious tension on the screws I NEED to keep tight (lest injury befall me, since I test the bows I service). Honestly, my imperial set look as new, even now after nearly a decade of use.

I can't say that the Torx set is guaranteed to last from experience, but that's only because I only recently got them, but I've already used all but the T10 (apparently I don't have anything that small) and they were comfortable to use and worked well so far.

In short, I really like the kit, they work well for me, and if anything changes, I'll update this review.

All the best in your workshop endeavours! Harmo.