Inside hex nuts

[cowpaste]

I've used both inside and outside ones, and I find the outside ones to be 3948732908465 times more convenient. Is there any benefit at all to the inside ones?

[MyraTrue]

Oh, I've got one!

The advantages of the outside hex far outweigh the inside hex- namely, they don't strip out as much, and they can be screwed down as far as you need to. An inside hex becomes a problem when the tang is cut a little too long, and you cant tighten the stupid thing far enough to get a good tightly constructed weapon.

However, when I was in the UK, NOWHERE could I find someone with an outside hex (which was what my electric foil was). My blade even BROKE, and the store in London I went to did not have an outside hex, or recognize one, and had to get back to the US before I could put a new blade on it. Inside hex keys can be picked up at any hardware story.

But thats the only advantage I know!! But an outside/inside combo tool, and you're good to go!

Myra

[DHCJr]

The other problem with the current outside hex is it can crack and also it can slip down the handle, if you do not use a washer. The current outside hex is 8mm and the thread is 6mm diameter, which means the wall is a thin as 1mm. Also some handle have a wide hole which the pommel can slip down.

A solution is to use a Tokyo-Sport style pommel. It has a round base and an outside hex top. Basically, I've only seen West Coast vendors ever have them.

[cowpaste]

Couldn't the problems you state also happen to an inside hex nut? Are the walls not as thin? Why would they be less prone to sliding down the handle than an outside hex?

[Mergs]

The only disadvantage I have found with the outside hex is when you have a significant cant in the tang. The bend could cause binding between the tool and the handle. The solution is to file the face handle (where it contacts the guard) to an angle that matches the bend in the tang.

Also, when REALLY bored, I can take a standard 5/16"/8mm standoff and drill and tap it out to 6mm to make my own pommel nut. Can't do that with an inside hex, unless you broach a hex hole and then drill and tap. just my $.02

[cowpaste]

The thing is, wouldn't the inside hex suffer the same problems with a strong cant?

[Tomas N]

Cowpaste,

No, an inside hex wouldn't do the same thing. Your allen wrench is inside the nut, not outside, so you won't get the binding between the tool you're using to tighten it and the inside of the pistol grip. At least, if what Mergs is describing is what has happened to me in the past. My experience is that I've tightened an outside nut pistol grip, pulled my tool out, and then was only able to get the tool back in with much work.

The "Tokyo-style" (didn't know it had a name) that Donald mentions (that I've also bought from west coast vendors) doesn't have that problem and seems to me to be the perfect nut technology.

Tomas

[Windsor]

Originally posted by Tomas N
Cowpaste,


The "Tokyo-style" (didn't know it had a name) that Donald mentions (that I've also bought from west coast vendors) doesn't have that problem and seems to me to be the perfect nut technology.

Tomas

Can someone post a picture or it or a link to where you can get a "Tokyo-style" handle? I'm having trouble visualizing but it sounds pretty cool.

[qatet]

The only "advantage" that I have found is when you get grips with a very narrow bore for the nut. Turns out that neither the outside hex nut nor the tightener fit into the PBT grips. Just one more way in which PBT and I are completely incompatable.

[DHCJr]

Cowpaste, no the walls and the whole pommel is bigger. In fact they are about as big as most lock washers used in handles.

Windsor, I got this web address from the web site for fencing post for their outside pommel. This should give you a good look at what they are.

http://www.thefencingpost.com/Pictur...Parts/FF52.jpg

Also, check with American Fencing. I'm not sure if they still have them.