Which Wrench to Use: Match the Wrench to the Fastener

Facing a fastener with a drawer full of wrenches? Look at the fastener first. Six-sided nuts and bolts take an open-end, box-end, socket, or crescent wrench. A six-sided hole takes a hex key. A star-shaped hole takes a Torx bit. And the carriage bolt? That’s a trick question, and the chart explains it. Match what you see to the wrench, print the chart, and keep it handy.