I wasn’t going to do this review.
I didn’t feel I needed to. I wasn’t asked to. I mean, the Wolf Tooth 6-Bit Hex Wrench is a great little tool, and I’ve had it on my keychain since I got it, but I haven’t had to use it yet while on the bike, and I work for a bicycle publication, so I just chalked it up that I wasn’t going to review it. At the same time, after having it for a few months, the tool has become one of those things that I felt I would need the second I didn’t have it. So, I always have it.
After a few emergency needs, while moving over the last three weeks, I’ve decided that maybe a review of this little tool was in order. So here ya go!
The Review
I received the 6-Bit Hex Wrench from Dan and Kurt of Wolf Tooth Components while visiting them at the Sea Otter Classic last April. It was a slim, compact, well-thought-out, and high-quality tool, as you would expect from Wolf Tooth. I thought it would be a good addition to my keychain.
As mentioned above, while moving to a new place, this tool legit saved my butt no less than 3 times…. not from dying or anything super serious, just from wasting time and energy. Trust me, it felt like a big deal when it happened.
Save #1
On the first day of moving, I found myself stuck at the bottom of my new stairway with a huge, heavy refrigerator. I had three additional people taking time out of their day to help me take this beast up the stairs. It ends up being a very tight fit only 1″ away from the wall on each side. We were going to need to remove the handles from the fridge and the banisters from the stairway wall to make this work. I didn’t have my tools moved over yet…so, I used this little tool’s T10 Torx bit to remove and replace the refrigerator handles. Then I used the #2 Phillips head from the tool to remove and replace the banisters. Boom, problem solved!
When the tool was in the “L” configuration (as in the photo above), it had plenty of leverage to tighten the banisters back onto the wall… I didn’t need to go back later with a full-sized screwdriver to tighten the screws further.
In this particular situation, if I didn’t have that tool, I would’ve had to have all of the people helping with the refrigerator, wait at the new house, while I drove back to the old house to pick up a screwdriver and Torx driver, wasting precious time.
Save #2
This time, I needed to pull a set screw from an item so I could take it with me to the new house. Again, I was sans tools (you’d think I’d learned by now) as they were at the new house while I was at the old. The set screw was a tiny hex head. I pulled the multitool off of the optional keychain attachment and pulled the smallest hex bit that was in there out…voila, it fit! Again, a small crisis was averted.
Save #3
This next butt saver didn’t feel quite as urgent as the fridge moment but was still a time saver. This time, I was at the old house (now my tools are at the new house) and needed to remove some candle holders and the drywall anchors from the wall. I used the Phillips #2 bit again and in the “L” configuration had plenty of leverage to get the job done.
Again, not as dire of a situation as the fridge, but still saved me a fair amount of time and kept me from driving back and forth.
Some More Details
This tool is a slim, and seemingly very strong multi-tool. It has 11 functions (2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8mm hex; flat head #3.5 and Phillips #2 screwdrivers; and T10 and T25 Torx-compatible bits). These functions are perfect for the common bike repair as well as some everyday uses away from the bike as sampled in this review.
It has six hex bits that are stored inside the handle. These hex bits fit into the end of a swivel head that uses a ball detent. Wolf Tooth claims that the ball detent swivel head was tested to over 40Nm of torque. Also, according to Wolf Tooth, the bits are ED-coated and corrosion-resistant. This tool is pretty small, making it easy to fit into a tool wrap, jersey pocket, or in your regular ol’ trouser pocket if you don’t want it danglin’ from your waist area.
As mentioned above, the tool has an optional keyring attachment to fit on any keychain for use away from the bike. The 6-Bit Hex Bit Wrench is locked shut while the keyring is attached. According to Wolf Tooth, this prevents it from opening while you’re on the go. So far that has worked… it’s been on my hip since early April with no issues.
You just press the end of the keyring attachment separating it from the keyring. When I finished with it, the handle cover rotates closed with a satisfying, solid magnetized feel to it. Then you can just click it back onto the keyring attachment to lock it shut while dangling from your keys.
Conclusion
The Wolf tooth 6-bit Multi-Tool has been a bit of a life saver for me as of late. I find it essential, along with my pocket knife, as an everyday-carry item. It has been at my side every day since April. It looks to be durable and has a lot of “bang-for-your-buck” value. It’s got the quality and well-thought design I have come to expect from the peeps at Wolf Tooth Components.
If you are looking for an EDC multi-tool that is well designed, well constructed, that’s light, and has just the essentials with no fluff or gimmicks, then I’d for sure recommend picking one up.
Not to mention it’s made in the US of A.
Weight: 53g | 62g with Keychain
Material: 7075-T6 aluminum
Retail: $47.95 (with keychain), $39.95 (without keychain)
Check out more from Wolf Tooth here.
