Bondhus 10999 vs Wera 950/9 Hex-Plus Hex Key Sets

Who this comparison is for

This page is for anyone replacing the hex keys that came with their printer, or adding a set to a printing bench for assembly, belt and pulley work, and toolhead maintenance. We compare Bondhus's Balldriver Ball End L-Wrench Set, part 10999, and Wera's 950/9 Hex-Plus Multicolour 2 L-key set, metric, BlackLaser. Both makers sell inch sets and other metric sets, which we mention below.

Most printers ship with the hex keys their maker's procedures call for, so check your printer's manual for the sizes it uses, and whether any screws are Torx instead, before you buy. If you're tightening things because prints are shifting, start with our layer shifting troubleshooting, which covers belts, pulleys, and grub screws. For other bench tools, see the 3D printing tools shortlist.

How we compared them

This is a research-based comparison. Every detail below comes from Bondhus's ball-end page and home page, and from Wera's product page and datasheet for article 05133164001, all listed in the sources. We haven't used either set, so nothing here is a measured result of ours. Where a maker describes its own product, such as "dramatically reduce stripping," we label it as the maker's claim.

The two makers document different things. Bondhus describes its ball-end range as a whole and lists the 10999 in a table of sets with its sizes and a length of "Long." Wera publishes a page and a datasheet for this exact set, with each key's dimensions. Neither publishes a torque test or a wear test, so there's no test table on this page. We searched Bondhus's site and Wera's L-key pages and found no mention of 3D printers.

Side-by-side specs

Sizes: the same nine in each set

Bondhus's metric set table lists the 10999 as nine long wrenches in "1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10mm." Wera lists the same nine sizes, each with a second figure: 1.5 x 50, 2 x 56, 2.5 x 63, 3 x 71, 4 x 80, 5 x 90, 6 x 100, 8 x 112, and 10 x 125 mm. Wera doesn't say which dimension the second figure is. Bondhus's set table gives no per-key length, only "Long"; its separate table of long metric singles lists a length for each size.

Neither set includes a 7 mm key or the 3.5, 4.5, and 5.5 mm sizes some sets carry. Bondhus sells other metric ball-end sets with those, such as the BLX10M, which "INCLUDES 7mm," and the 15-piece BLX15M, which adds 1.27, 3.5, 4.5, 5.5, 7, and 9 mm. It also sells the same nine sizes in an "Extra Long" set, the BLX9MXL (part 16099).

Neither maker names a printer or says which sizes printers use. Match the sizes against your printer's manual. If your manual calls for a size outside 1.5 to 10 mm, or for Torx, neither set covers it.

Tip design: ball end vs Hex-Plus

This is the main difference between the two.

• Bondhus 10999. Bondhus says its "Ball End inserts into screw at a 25° angle," "saves time by quickly funneling tool into screw," and "Works in hard to reach places." It says it chamfers every hex tool it makes, for "faster insertion and full tool engagement in the screw head." Bondhus also says its precise machining gives its ball-end tips "more surface area contacting the screw wall than any other competitor" and that they "dramatically reduce stripping." Those are Bondhus's claims. Its page text doesn't say which arm carries the ball end.
• Wera 950/9. Wera says ordinary hex keys deliver force through "very small surface areas," so the screw "can become damaged (rounding out)," and that "Hex-Plus tools have a greater contact surface that prevents this from happening!" It also says the profile "almost completely eliminates the risk of destroying the screw recess" and that "as much as 20 % more torque can be applied." Wera adds, "Hex-Plus tools fit into every standard hexagon socket screw!" The ball end is on the long arm and, Wera says, lets you swivel the tool for "angled, “around-the-corner” screwdriving jobs." Wera doesn't give an angle.

Both makers use a 20% figure, but for different things. Bondhus describes its "High Torque Steel" as "Up to 20% stronger, with more torque and twice the wear resistance of standard grades of steel." Wera's 20% is about torque through the Hex-Plus profile. Bondhus compares against "standard grades of steel," Wera doesn't name a baseline, and neither publishes a test, so don't compare the two numbers directly.

Grip, markings, and holder

• Bondhus 10999. Bondhus lists the keys in its ProGuard finish and describes no sleeve or grip for them. Bondhus's page says "Cases are color-coded for easy recognition," but it doesn't describe the holder for this set, so check what comes with the listing you buy.
• Wera 950/9. Each key has a color-coded thermoplastic sleeve. Wera says round keys "fit into the hand better" and "are more robust, particularly where smaller sizes are concerned," and that the sleeve "provides a pleasant grip, particularly in applications at low temperatures." The same paragraph calls it a "rubber sleeve." Size markings are "laser-engraved and thereby wear-resistant," and the set comes in a "practical clip fastener out of wear-resistant material." Wera gives the set as 145 x 95 x 30 mm and 425 g.

The sleeves add bulk around each key. Wera publishes no sleeve diameter, so if you work in a cramped toolhead, check the photos against the space you have.

Finish and steel

Bondhus says its tools "are made with Protanium® steel which is heat treated for more torque and longer tool life," and lists the ball-end range under its ProGuard finish. Its page describes several finishes in general terms but doesn't match each description to a finish name in its text.

Wera says "The BlackLaser surface treatment provides outstanding surface protection, even against corrosion, and a long service life." Wera doesn't name the steel.

Warranty and origin

Bondhus says "All Bondhus® products are guaranteed for life," and that if you're not happy with a Bondhus tool "for any reason," you contact customer service and "A replacement will be shipped right out at no cost." Its home page says its ball, hex, and Torx tools "are made in our Monticello manufacturing facility" in Minnesota.

Wera's product page and datasheet don't state a warranty for this set. The datasheet gives the country of origin as CZ (Czech Republic).

What each maker says it's for

• Bondhus 10999. Bondhus sells its ball-end wrenches for screws in "hard to reach places" and says its tools "far outwear the competition." That's Bondhus's claim.
• Wera 950/9. Wera sells it as a "High quality L-key set for hexagonal socket screws" and says "Hex-Plus allows socket head screws to live longer." That's Wera's claim.

Bondhus

Bondhus Balldriver Ball End L-Wrench Set (10999 (BLX9M), 9 pieces, 1.5–10 mm, long arm, ProGuard finish)

Best for

General printer assembly and maintenance on metric hex-socket screws.

Skip this if

Your printer uses Torx screws, or you need inch sizes.

Specs, strengths, and limitations

Maker notes

Bondhus table: part 10999, model BLX9M, 9 long ball-end L-wrenches in 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10 mm. Bondhus states the ball end 'inserts into screw at a 25° angle', the tips are chamfered, and the tools are made of heat-treated Protanium steel. The ball-end range is listed under the ProGuard finish. Bondhus makes no printer-specific claims; check your printer's manual for the hex sizes it calls for.

Strengths

• Manufacturer lists nine metric sizes from 1.5 to 10 mm.
• Manufacturer states the ball end inserts into the screw at a 25° angle, for hard-to-reach places.
• Manufacturer states the keys are heat-treated Protanium steel with chamfered tips for full engagement.

Limitations

• Metric only. Bondhus sells inch sets separately.

View on Amazon ↗ (opens Amazon in a new tab)Details checked 2026-10-06 against the manufacturer. Price and availability are on Amazon.

Wera

Wera 950/9 Hex-Plus Multicolour 2 L-key set, metric, BlackLaser (Article number 05133164001, 9 pieces, 1.5–10 mm)

Best for

Frequent printer maintenance where you want color-coded keys that resist rounding small screws.

Skip this if

You want the slimmest keys for cramped toolheads, or you need inch sizes.

Specs, strengths, and limitations

Maker notes

Wera datasheet: article 05133164001 (EAN 4013288207517). Set contents: 1.5 x 50, 2 x 56, 2.5 x 63, 3 x 71, 4 x 80, 5 x 90, 6 x 100, 8 x 112, and 10 x 125 mm. Set size 145 x 95 x 30 mm, weight 425 g. Wera states the Hex-Plus profile has a larger contact surface in the screw head and allows up to 20% more torque, with a ball end on the long arm, BlackLaser surface treatment, and color-coded thermoplastic sleeves. The Amazon listing's model reads '5133164001', the same article number without the leading zero.

Strengths

• Manufacturer states the Hex-Plus profile 'almost completely eliminates the risk of destroying the screw recess'.
• Manufacturer lists nine metric sizes from 1.5 to 10 mm, with a ball end on the long arm.
• Manufacturer states the color coding and size markings make the right key quick to find.

Limitations

• Plastic sleeves make the keys bulkier than plain L-keys in tight spaces.
• Metric only. Wera sells imperial versions separately.

View on Amazon ↗ (opens Amazon in a new tab)Details checked 2026-10-06 against the manufacturer. Price and availability are on Amazon.

Verdict: which should you buy?

Choose the Bondhus 10999 if…

• You want a ball end Bondhus says inserts into the screw at a 25° angle.
• You want a lifetime guarantee and US-made tools.
• You may later want the same nine sizes in Bondhus's Extra Long set, or a set that adds 7 mm.

Choose the Wera 950/9 Hex-Plus if…

• You work on small screws that round off, and want Wera's Hex-Plus profile.
• You want color-coded sleeves and engraved size markings to find the right key fast.
• You want a clip holder and a maker that publishes every key's dimensions and the set's size and weight.

Safety and limits

How this page was checked

Every size, feature, and warranty detail above comes from the Bondhus and Wera pages and the Wera datasheet in the sources section, retrieved on 2026-10-12. We haven't used either set for this page, so nothing here is a measured result of ours. Bondhus documents its ball-end range on one page, and the 10999's sizes and "Long" length come from its table of metric sets. Wera's product page and datasheet both list the per-key dimensions; the set size, weight, and country of origin come from the datasheet. Wera's page calls the sleeve "thermoplastic" in its heading and "rubber" in the text, so we've reported both. We searched Bondhus's site and found no mention of 3D printers, and Wera's L-key pages don't mention them either, so we make no printer-size claim for either set. Read more in our editorial standards and affiliate disclosure.

Tools: what to check before you buy ↗