prior to this thread, i had found thinwrench.info online while google hunting for--- surprise--- thin wrenches. I knew they made bike tools, and inquired about auto grade tools. After talking to the owner, i have a set of wrenches coming that he wants me to abuse daily and give my feedback on.
It seems that he wants to build a master set for automotive use and start making more hand tools in general for automotive. I went through my box and mic'd every wrench i have. From what thinwrench says, i think they will get the job done. he says his wrenches are around 4mm thick.
My thinnest service wrench is 6.4mm thick. it is a 32mm mac. All my gedore wrenches are 3.6mm (6/7mm) to 9mm thick (30/32mm)-- which is plenty thin when compared to the snap on equivalent. Problem with them is they are double open ends--i want a complete single open set. the thickness on the gedores is ideal though. the gedores are a number 6 series style wrench. if i had 2 sets, id cut the end off and round them on a grinder to make my own single open set.
by comparison, my german made 22mm single open end, it measures 8mm at teh thickest part of the open end and fits perfect for tie rod ends on audis. my cornwell is 9mm, snap on flank drive is 10.9, craftsman is 9.5mm. none of those 3 usa wrenches i can use on the tie rod jam nut because that 1 mm+ made the difference.
I was also told they are made from a 48c rockwell hardness material if i remember the e-mail and quoted it correctly.
either way,i have a trial set coming that i was told to use and abuse daily. put cheater pipes or whatever on them to find out how they work and where they fail or need improved upon. basically, sounds like i will be the guinea pig.
be ready for its own thread when they come in.