Socket Broach - your preference?

Joined
Aug 30, 2004
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Location
CA
Anatomy of a socket:
1678819469293.jpg


Item E (highlighted) is the socket broach.

Some folks prefer sockets with a shallow broach. This enables you to use the socket to start a nut. Most Snap-On sockets, even their deep ones, have a shallow broach to allow for this practice.

Many of the imported sockets lack the shallow broach.

I am personally indifferent to this feature because I do not use sockets to start nuts. What is your take?
 
I think it becomes much more of an issue with the advent of powered wrenches. We learned to start nuts by hand "possibly" because we only had the long broach sockets to begin with. Those with more money, and Snap-On tools, may have learned differently.
We work with our hands, and feel is important to us. Power tool users don't get to enjoy that part of mechanical ability. Or just learn it differently.
 
I'm more concerned about the placement of the hole / detent above ||

You'd be surprised my how many manufacturers screw that up. Mainly the fake tool manufacturers.
 
Explain...
Two things need to happen at the same time :

The friction ball of the square drive needs to enter the socket and get perfectly centered in the hole at the exact same moment that the square drive bottoms out in the socket.

Some of the Taiwanese made sockets are fantastic quality, but they fail at that one critical design standard that the American manufacturers have had implemented for decades.
 
Two things need to happen at the same time :

The friction ball of the square drive needs to enter the socket and get perfectly centered in the hole at the exact same moment that the square drive bottoms out in the socket.
Interesting. I have not experienced any issues with this on my imported sockets. Ever.
 
I like lots of broach. Good for zipping nuts down on upper strut mounts and a whole lot of other apps.

Nuts that need help starting, often have captive washers that catch on the end of the socket anyway. If they don't, and a short socket won't do it, I'll put a glob of tape in the socket or something. I've even... carefully... started a nut with a magnet.
 
I prefer the full broach, as Trav discusses and for the same reasons. Provides the best chance to get at sensors or other bits that a shallow broach would not allow.

As for the detents, none of that bothers me so long as everything stays on together.

I remember this lively discussion from another forum a few years ago:

 
I rear the link above.
All the "EXCAT MOMENT" (in red highlight) business is distracting.
The detent groove just has to be in the right place.
Careful engineering/machining = GOOD POSITIVE/FUNCTIONAL FIT
Sloppy engineering/machining + BAD...you know

Also: Thanks to everyone for putting the word ''broach' into my vocabulary.
 
I don’t start nuts with a socket usually, so I don’t have need for that rationale.

I don’t really care. For most of my needs I would just use a wrench or a deep socket if no luck.
 
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