Sounds like it might be one of those legacy things we're now stuck with due to the amount of kit out there designed for the current system .... though, with taps being quite brittle, I'm sure I could snap a six sided shank on one with a socket before the hex rounded off.

Cooperman ... never really looked beyond my current toolkit ... thanks for the lead to the ratchet tap-holders ... more tools though!! ... hex shank would let us use the full range of driving implements and extensions we already have sat there ... but then, that doesn't keep us doing our bit as good consumers!🙂 🙂

Arwyn ... that appeals to my 'make do and mend' side ... I can see me getting out my needle-files and squaring-out a suitable range of nuts ... might even thread them onto an old keyring so I still have them to hand when I need them (or, more likely, find they're all misplaced at the same time 🙂)

Thanks for the replies guys

K

Ps .... business opening there for someone to make a little set of 1/4" sockets with the relevant square business ends to fit the current tap shanks

Pps ... seems they already do ... just googled 'tap shank sockets' and there they were 🙂

Last edited by Image; 20/05/24 06:11 AM.