We have been having a bit of discussion lately as to what constitutes a “normal” adjustable wrench. In my mind, a normal wrench may not necessari;y be a good one. You know the kind, those 3-for-$15 sets you find at the bargain bin at the local home improvement store during peak winter holiday and Father’s Day shopping seasons.
Personally, I don’t like normal wrenches, I like the ones where a conscious effort has been made to improve upon the standard design, if even ever so slightly.
I own and have used quite a few adjustable wrenches, but by far my favorite one to use is an 8″ Irega-made Channellock wrench, followed by a 6″ Stanley MaxSteel wrench.
Tell us about your favorite [or least favorite] go-to Crescent-style adjustable wrenches.
Stanley MaxSteel Adjustable Wrenches via Amazon
Channellock Adjustable Wrenches via Amazon
Usually it’s a generic 10″ crescent style. It is way lighter (and thinner) than my Cooper made Crescent. I only use the thick one when I need to really crank on something.
We have found that we like smooth-jaw adjustable plier-wrenches made by Knipex way better than any adjustable wrench. The 10 inch (250mm – 86-03-250) and 12 inch (300mm- 86-03-300) sizes seem to fit the bill for most plumbing jobs – but the smaller 86-03-180 and 86-10-150 are handy for small fittings.
My favorite would have to be Wescott. Though no longer produced they are the most comfortable to use with their curved handles and wider than average jaws. They also seem to open wider than other similarly sized adjustables.
You can’t really beat an older Cresent Tool Company branded crescent wrench, a simple honest tool, they have a thicker head and are not chrome plated. In my humble opinion the qaulity went down when they started those Crestoloy steel versions.
I also have a very large old Bahco that has saved my neck more than a few times, when I come across larger than average nuts.
I believe adjustable wrenches (universal head rounders) are the devil’s work, so I avoid them at all costs.
A long time ago before I knew better, I used my father’s Bahco when working on my bicycle.
@PutnamEco
On big nuts (us plumber’s work with “unions”) we use No. 25 Ridgid Hex wrenches. I like the E-25′s that are no longer made – but you can still get the straight pattern.
http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/Hex-Wrench
Two unique ‘modern’ wrenches – the Channellock Wide opening style and the Craftsman ‘beak jaw’ types – they both have a fairly accurate hex fit and stay adjusted pretty well.
The worst are the worn-out wrenches that have loads of slop in them.
At the other end of the spectrum from big spud wrenches is the very thin jaw adjustable from Engineer Inc. – their TWM-03 – used for small jam nuts and electronics:
http://www.tme.eu/html/EN/adjustable-spanners-for-bnc-connectors/ramka_2139_EN_pelny.html
These are all great suggestions! I’m familiar with a few of the mentioned designs. One of these days I’ll consider trying Craftsman’s “beak jaw” styles, but as mentioned I’m in no desperate shortage of adjustable wrenches.