Can we shorten Allen wrenches and still use them?

[Lane Gray]

In addition to my 2 personal project guitars, I've got a paying customer's MSA, and trying to remove some bellcranks rounded off my 7/64ths Allen wrench, so I want to remove the rounded end.
I know from experience that the heat of a dremel or angle grinder ruins the temper, leaving it too soft. Will my father-in-law's band saw be helpful or will it cause similar heating?
Can I save it, or just get another?

[Robert Parent]

Hi Lane,

I have just ground the end off using a bench grinder many of times. To keep the part from becoming to hot just dip it into a container of water every 10 seconds or so. Doing so will not remove the hardness from the hex key.

Robert

[Lane Gray]

Good thing I have friends to think of the obvious for me. Dad's got a bench grinder and an ice bucket.

[Colin Boutilier]

I've cut them off with a hacksaw in a pinch before.

[Lane Gray]

Fortunately, dad's bench grinder was only a 6 mile round trip away, or either 12 or 6 cents of energy in the car away (we now have one of the electric VWs, that's 2 kwh, and if we charge off-peak, that's 6 cents per, and from midnight-6AM, 3 cents per)
And an ice bucket to keep it cool. Took two minutes to do the job.

[Bobby D. Jones]

Put the hex wrench in a vise, Or secure to work bench with C clamp and thin piece of wood. Be Sure To Wear Safety Glasses, If a cutoff wheel breaks. Place your hands solid and hold Dremel and cut off wheel till you can hit slot wheel is cutting accurate. Just touch wheel to hex wrench, "1001 lift wheel up for a few seconds, again and again, Till wrench is cut through. Then true up end of wrench.
For working on steel guitars I have several shortened wrenches, On MSA/GFI guitars. Tightening the set screw in the bell cranks, They are handy on certain pulls.

[Lane Gray]

Or maybe have a glass of ice water to cool it quickly?

[Jim Cooley]

I've cut allen wrenches off many times, especially when I worked in a machine shop. There are good suggestions here. Regardless of which method you use, take your time and let the tool do the work. Don't apply too much pressure. it's a good idea to have water handy to cool the wrench if it seems like it might be getting hot. It doesn't have to be ice water. Room temperature will work well enough.