and these are different because....???

[p_toad]

not sure i understand why one company makes them one way, etc., etc.

yes, they are both supposed to be 8 point sockets.

[amecks]

Hard to figure.  The one on the left looks like my Craftsmans I use often at work. Never seen one like the right hand socket.  One set of four points looks smaller than the other set.  Is it made to fit two sizes?
Al

[coolford]

The one on the right is a square/hex made to fit both square nuts and hex nuts.  They are far less common and the two sets of them I have were made by Wright, although one is marked PowrKraft, made by Wright for Montgomery Ward.  Under hard usage they don't hold up well.

[Bill Houghton]

The one on the right is a square/hex made both to fit square nuts and to efficiently round the corners on hex nuts.

Fixed it for you (required a little grammatical manipulation of the sentence).  I don't see how that design would ever work well on hex nuts.  It's hard to round the corners on square nuts, but, as we all know, it's a constant hazard on hex nuts.

[p_toad]

The one on the left is indeed a Craftsman and the one on the right is a Wright.   
44343 3/8"  and a 2310 5/16"

[lptools]

Hello, Bill. I get to work on rusty, frozen , 100 year old hardware. Sometimes I can't even see what I am trying to loosen, so I can round a square nut with ease!! Regards, Lou

[bill300d]

If I'm not mistaken Wright calls that socket a 10pt socket

[coolford]

That is correct, they call it a 10 point??

[lptools]

hello, Guys. I only see 8 points on both sockets pictured. Don't the 10 point sockets have a different configuration? Regards, Lou

[bill300d]

No lp they don't. Wright adds the 4 points for square nuts and the 6 points for hex nuts to get 10 points. I guess they didn't want everyone to get it confused with a true 8 point.

[Bill Houghton]

If I'm not mistaken Wright calls that socket a 10pt socket

For those uncommon ten-pointed nuts?

[lptools]

Okay, guys, I am now way behind on points, and more confused than usual!!!!. Remember, I am a Carpenter who occasionally uses wrenches to take something apart, so that I can forget how to put it back together.  These in the photo are what I have always used, ( for square nuts & bolts) where a 12 point would not work, and have always referred to them as 8 Point Sockets, ( I'm not too old to change). I dug out a Snap-on Catalog to see if I could get a better idea of what we are talking about. Snap-on shows an SW-121  (3/8" opening) Double Hexagon Socket that truly has 8 Points. They also show an SW-12 (also 3/8" opening) Double Square Socket that looks more like what I have here. Regional differences? Manufacturer differences in labeling??? The sockets shown are mostly Craftsman, the largest being a Williams. Regards, Lou

[Downwindtracker2]

I have both styles, I like the true double squares better. But the just finding any 8pt, makes it worthwhile to pick it up.

[lptools]

Hello, Guys. Okay, I think I've got it!! The Double Square are the 10 Points, and I agree with Ray, these are the most effective. Here are a few more, Craftsman H logo 1/4" Drive Double Square Sockets ( in the tray on the left) and a couple 3/8 Drive. Outside the box are Wrights, I can see where you would get in trouble with these, the broaches are far from crisp. Around here, the 10 Point , or, Double Square , pops up fairly often, the true 8 Points (I sit corrected), are very hard to find. Regards, Lou

[Bill Houghton]

Interesting; I've never, to my knowledge, seen a 10 point socket.  I'll have to watch for them.

And, yes, eight point sockets aren't common.  My wallet quest list card has a couple of sizes I have yet to find.  I don't need them often, but it's sure nice to have them when I do.