"Crescent" wrench complaint

[T Bredehoft]

I made a few minor mistakes in the process

I agree with this observation, however, when applying heavy torque, it's best to put the stress on the large fixed jaw.

 

[Ulma Doctor]

I went all out and purchased a metric adjustable wrench
it's sitting right next to my board stretcher and my rope magnet,
you know right above the muffler bearing remover but below the Acme Portable Hole!!!


but seriously the best adjustable wrench i have is a 12" Snap-On adjustable- it was waaaay to expensive when i bought it new
but it has lasted 30 years of getting the snot kicked out if it

 

[kd4gij]

I hate when someone uses an adjustable wrench instead of getting the proper wrench. An adjustable wrench is a plumbers tool.

 

[Downwindtracker2]

You're wrong, it's a pipefitter's tool, iron fittings are all over the place size wise. The old Williams adjustable Superwrenches were blunt and heavy. Not so handy, but tough. If you find them at a fleamarket, pick them up. We used 15" wrenches a lot, you can't carry a toolbox around with you in a mill, but you can carry a 15" . The best one I had was a Procraft, but sadly it was stolen . They replaced it with a Proto. Most of the later made-in-USA wrenches had the same pattern suggesting the same factory.

Bahco claim to have invented the adjustable wrench, they might be right. Except for the backwards screw, they are good wrenches.

A simple test, pick a wrench up, shake it and, listen to the rattle.

 

[Eddyde]

My crescent wrenches range in size from 2" up to 15"

I would argue that the video in post #3 has it backwards. The weakest jaw is the movable jaw. Rotating the wrench as he shows puts pressure from the point of the nut at the outside of the movable jaw where the leverage creates the most stress on the jaw, the worm. mechanism. Rotating in the opposite direction put the pressure point on the movable jaw much closer to the body of the wrench with less stress.

With that piece of circumstantial evidence, I would expect the the wrenches are meant to be used in either direction.

I have seen it mentioned in several books, adjustable wrenches should be always turned towards the movable jaw, as shown in the video. The reasoning is the the movable jaw will be pushed down towards the body of the tool, thus giving it more support. To go the opposite way would lift the jaw away, introducing play and putting more force on weaker areas of the tool.

 

[Ken from ontario]

'll be trying to tighten or loosen a nut or fitting in an awkward spot, adjust the wrench with the nut/fitting deep inside the jaws, and then be unable to slip the wrench off.

I have two of these wrenches , bought them cheap and both do exactly what you described, very frustrating. but I hardly use them anyway.

 

[jwmay]

My only advice would be only use an adjustable wrench when absolutely no other wrench will work. Ofc this means having pretty complete sets of wrenches on size, which can be a pain. I use an adjustable wrench often, and haven’t found any that are less likely to be somewhat problematic. I even bought a really old one. It’s not any better. Just my experience though. Plenty of people have had different experiences I’m sure.

 

[RJSakowski]

I carry a 10" crescent wrench in my tractor tool box. That and a pair of vise grips and a couple of screwdrivers have often saved me a walk back to the house for a "proper" wrench.

 

[f350ca]

They have their place. I don't know how many I have. One lives between the quick connects of the loader control on the tractor. Its chromed, maybe a Cresent, its been there for close to two decades in the weather and has never rusted. Had one in the storage compartment of the jeep where it got a bit of condensation and rusted solid. Have them at the saw mill, a 8 inch at the Hardinge, 3 or 4 in the tool chest and a 24 inch on the wall. It gets used more for bending and straightening things, not sure its ever been on a nut.
Also have Bahco, that reversed thread is a curse.

Greg

 

[eugene13]

Craftsman makes a 10" adjustable wrench with a Vice Grip style tightening lever, you get a good grip and it lets go easy. I have one and use it occasionally. I have always steered apprentices away from using an adjustable wrench, the proper size is the safest, and using them makes you learn to recognize bolt head sizes.