Seized fasteners are never a fun thing to deal with, but so far the EXD35 has made them a bit less painful in my shop. You’ve got three good options for seized fastener removal: cobalt left-handed drill bits, fluted extractors, and multi-spline extractors. Each has shown to be useful in specific situations, but the price can be a little hard to swallow.

The left-handed drill bits in this set are probably my favorite part about it. If you’ve never used a left handed drill bit on a seized fastener, then you really should give it a try; many times the fastener will spin itself out during the drilling process, eliminating the need to follow-up with any other extractors. Do be careful that you keep your left-handed bits separate from any standard bits though, as trying to use them as right-handed bits can ruin them.

After drilling I typically use the multi-spline extractors. They have a fantastic grip, and the splines seem to be nicely resistant to wear. These adapters do, however, have a limited depth of reach, and may not be suitable for recessed fasteners, or ones otherwise requiring a deeper grip. Another positive of the splined extractors is that they work very well with rounded or corroded allen bolts, such as those found on certain CV axles.

The fluted extractors are of a standard variety, though seem to be well made. These provide a good grip, though not quite as much as the splined extractors due to the number and width of the flutes. The sacrifice in grip is made up for in the reach of the extractors.

One last point of note for this set is the warranty. My Snap-On dealer has informed me that while the drill bits are not warranted, the extractors are. I find this to be a nice perk as I plan on using the extractors to their fullest potential.

 

Specs as of this writing:

Brand: Snap-On
Link: EXD35
Price: $327
Re-brand: Yes
Original tool: Irwin 11135
Original tool pricing: $132.61