On Tue, 24 Apr 2018 15:45:10 +0000 (UTC), David Scheidt
wrote:

John B. wrote:
:On Tue, 24 Apr 2018 03:10:35 +0200, Emanuel Berg
:wrote:

:I have an old combination spanner which on its
:closed/ring side has an opening that has six,
:and not twelve sides as we are used to.
:
:Safe for clearance, are there any plus and
:minuses to this type of tool as compared to the
:"12s"?

:Generally speaking 6 sided wrenches are either the cheap wrenches or
:those designed for really high loads. High loading as the 6 sides fit
:the hexagon bolt head or nut more closely and cheaper because the
:broach used to make the 6 sided hole are cheaper to make.

I was recently looking at real wrenches recently, and 12 point
combination wrenches are much cheaper than 6 points. That's from
real made in the USA brands. I don't know if that's demand, or a
result of production costs.

I suspect it is more a matter of what type is most marketable. My
comment about 6 point being cheap was based on seeing the absolute
bottom of the pile wrenches that were all 6 point.
--
Cheers,

John B.