Lee Valley Trick Bolts V2

Name
Trick Bolts V2

Designer
Unknown

Manufacturer
Lee Valley & Veritas. Available for US$19.50 per pair. 

Type & Classification
Take Apart

Dimensions
3.3 cm (Length) x 1.8cm (Width) 1.8 cm (Depth)

Materials & Construction
Stainless steel. Made in Canada, this pair of trick bolts is very well made and exudes quality, belying their inexpensive price tag.

Overview
Trick bolts come in all sorts of shapes, size, materials and quality. Prices also range from inexpensive (like the ones featured here) to the high end, hand-tooled bolts and nuts like the Wan-Wa-Sure by Rocky Chiaro. And there are some like the Bolt & Washer that fall somewhere in between the price spectrum.

This is the second pair of trick bolts to come from Canadian hardware retailer Lee Valley Tools. The first (and slightly cheaper) pair which they now call the Trick Bolts V1 was reviewed earlier in this blog.

From Left: Trick Bolts V1 & Trick Bolts V2

Physically both bolts look similar in appearance but have different mechanisms. Lee Valley claims the V2 to be harder than the V1. Well, yes and no. For puzzlers who have experience with trick nuts and bolts, they are pretty simple. I solved both bolts in about a minute. For new puzzlers and the uninitiated, yes, they may prove to be a bit of challenge. The tricks the V2 bolts employ tho' are not entirely new for this genre.

Difficulty Rating
Generally easy for most puzzlers other than the absolute novice.

Summary

Extremely good value for money given the high quality of manufacture. If you are new to bolt puzzles and not sure whether you want to invest in them, well, they represent a good starting point. And if you are collector, definitely a must-have.