What do you think of Saltus Wrenches?

[techieman33]

Never knew what they were called until today. My dad has some in his box. I used them a few times growing up as a kind of novelty. But I've never run into a situation where I really needed one. I could see them being useful in a specific tool kit for a machine though.

 

[mikey03]

A breaker bar and socket cannot go everywhere a flex-head socket wrench can go, especially when you have to add a universal joint. A dedicated universal joint socket is taller too, since it needs room for the square drive.

i never held a saltus wrench but the pics make it look exactly like a socket in a breaker bar with respect to how it moves. Your saying it would be like a breaker bar with a universal joint and then a socket. The pics I seen don’t make it look like a saltus has a universal joint kind of movement to it

 

[four.cycle]

^ No, a "Saltus" type wrench is more along the lines of a socket on a breaker, not a universal.

I've always been tempted by them, but I have lots of sockets and lots of breakers.

 

[Beerhippie]

Just use a breaker bar and socket.

Indeed. I can use the bar like a spinner to run a fastener down, then tighten with the bar at 90*--or visa-versa. The flat shaft of a Saltus is far less convenient for me.

 

[Samuel D]

i never held a saltus wrench but the pics make it look exactly like a socket in a breaker bar with respect to how it moves. Your saying it would be like a breaker bar with a universal joint and then a socket. The pics I seen don’t make it look like a saltus has a universal joint kind of movement to it

That was over five years ago and I can’t remember what I was thinking about. Maybe a sliding T-bar instead of a breaker bar?

Incidentally, I eventually got some of these ‘Saltus’ wrenches … albeit comparatively cheap ones by Toptul. Definitely nice to have from time to time, though I don’t use them as much as my French clés à pipe. Because of the swivel joint, they can be a bit fussier to fit on a fastener, especially working blind or in poor light or with poor access or whatever. Whereas the clés à pipe are fixed and so are easier to fit. And you can use the long end of the clé à pipe to spin off a fastener too, after breaking it loose.

Anyway, I like having a wide variety of wrenches at my disposal … partly just because I love tools and their long history.

 

[username2]

I had a really nice Snap-on set, the kind with the socket at both ends.

Really cool.

Never ever used them.

Off to eBay they went, although I probably should have kept them as prices seem to have doubled since then.

 

[impactims]

I like them quite a bit!

I have sae and mm, both snap on and mac.

They are my go to quite often!

 

[mikey03]

I had a really nice Snap-on set, the kind with the socket at both ends.

Really cool.

Never ever used them.

Off to eBay they went, although I probably should have kept them as prices seem to have doubled since then.

I think there discontinued I don’t see them on their website just for some reason a 12x14

 

[Samuel D]

So who still makes a decent metric set of these, double-ended, at a modest price? The 6-piece Bahco 4040M set is pushing €200.

Looks like that Bahco 4040M set is now pushing €350. Tool price inflation in the last five years has been wild. There are so many things I wish I had stretched to buy back then.

Of course in five years I’ll probably look back at 2024 as the golden age of cheap tools …

 

[ecotec]

I have a few, but I don’t use them. I have one huge Snap- on one. It is massive.

 

[64C10]

I rarely use them, but there’s occasions where they are a lifesaver.

 

[mikey03]

Looks like that Bahco 4040M set is now pushing €350. Tool price inflation in the last five years has been wild. There are so many things I wish I had stretched to buy back then.

Of course in five years I’ll probably look back at 2024 as the golden age of cheap tools …

That’s why I’m making wishlists and looking for deals on tools I don’t need just yet but will prob want in the future. There’s a Carlyle tool thread and i read through it and it seems like NAPA tripled the prices on there tools over the last few years.

how sweet it would have been to load up on Black Friday 2019 on tools I didnt need yet. Ofc there’s tools I’m prob never going to need like 3/4 and 1 inch drive sockets I’m not working on tractors

 

[Boogerman]

Have a few Snap-on ones. Really like the feel of them, occasionally use them. Not necessary, just nice.

 

[impactims]

I think there discontinued I don’t see them on their website just for some reason a 12x14

Nope…

If you don’t see them you are doing something wrong.

 

[mikey03]

Nope…

If you don’t see them you are doing something wrong.

oh yea I was looking for the double saltus end ones because I already got more open end wrenches than I need and I did see they have one with double it’s 12 x14 and that’s the only listed one which I thought was weird

 

[john.k]

60 years ago,I had a single Dowidat 'Flexi - Flat" in Whitworth sizes (thats what they called the double ended one) .....1/4 and 3/8 W......with that one tool ,I could pull the motor of my 650 BSA down and rebuild it ..........the Stahlwille equivalent are super expensive now.

 

[lund]

I do not see why these would be any better than a short breaker bar with a socket or a flex handle ratchet. Plus the breaker bar and socket can allow more tune to fit the task (swap style socket for points and depth, different handle lengths) and a flex hand ratchet has the advantage of ratcheting while likely being worse for spinning unless it is a roto style ratchet (with maybe a bit larger radial build).

Maybe something like this being useful for a specific assembly, but likely not worth it relative to other options.

I just do not see the need or fit with what most of us have in our tool boxes ...

 

[Steve_P]

I had a set decades ago when I was working on small engines. I thought they'd be useful, but I never used them and gave them away. With today's low profile ratchets, short sockets, ratcheting wrenches, nano sockets..... they're relics.

 

[MJD1]

Used to keep a dedicated 3/4" one in the haybine for changing broken guards. That was 40-50 years ago and many improvements in tools over the years. If I recall it was less prone to slip than a box end and if needed it could be double wrenched for leverage.

 

[rust in the eye]

I dig 'em.
Anyone wanting to unload any high quality ones feel free to make me an offer.

 

[ecotec]

I would love to find a full set of metric ones at estate/garage sale prices. I only have three or four, and they are all SAE.

I feel the same way about pipe a cle. I would love to find a set for cheap.

 

[john.k]

The Dowidat ones had a hole either end for a tommy bar ,so you could use them as an extension socket .......Id love to find maybe three or four small Whitworth sizes to relive the good old days.

 

[64C10]

I do not see why these would be any better than a short breaker bar with a socket or a flex handle ratchet. Plus the breaker bar and socket can allow more tune to fit the task (swap style socket for points and depth, different handle lengths) and a flex hand ratchet has the advantage of ratcheting while likely being worse for spinning unless it is a roto style ratchet (with maybe a bit larger radial build).

Maybe something like this being useful for a specific assembly, but likely not worth it relative to other options.

I just do not see the need or fit with what most of us have in our tool boxes ...

They’re a bit shorter than a shallow socket on a breaker or ratchet. The amount of extra room is amazing.

Places I have found where they absolutely shine are bellhousing bolts, headers, fuel pumps and changing collector gaskets.

 

[Qualitytools]

When I worked with my dad at his service station in the early eighties, I have used those wrenches on many occasions. They worked very well

 

[john.k]

They are very useful to someone with few tools ...... a dozen tools in a small tin box like I had when I started ........maybe time has left them behind .

 

[Ricky Joe]

I’ve got some, but the only one I can remember consistently using is the 1/2” for Ford overhead valve rocker adjustment. The others probably got used occasionally, but something else probably would have worked, I just grabbed the Saltus.

 

[impactims]

I do not see why these would be any better than a short breaker bar with a socket or a flex handle ratchet.

This tells us that you have never used a saltus wrench. Had you used them, you would have quickly noticed that the saltus wrench is more compact and has less slop relative to a socket on a breaker bar or a ratchet.

People that use saltus wrenches are almost always going to have that basic ratchets, sockets and breaker bars too. Saltus wrenches tend to be a luxury item. Something additional to the more common tools rather than instead of.

 

[F-22]

This tells us that you have never used a saltus wrench. Had you used them, you would have quickly noticed that the saltus wrench is more compact and has less slop relative to a socket on a breaker bar or a ratchet.

People that use saltus wrenches are almost always going to have that basic ratchets, sockets and breaker bars too. Saltus wrenches tend to be a luxury item. Something additional to the more common tools rather than instead of.

I liked mine but end up using my french pattern cle-a-pipe wrenches even more. Sometimes seems odd as the saltus gives more flexibility, but a simple round bar L key in hand is just so practical.

And I have multiple sets of top end combo, double open end and double ring end wrenches, all kinds of sockets and ratchets etc....

 

[impactims]

I liked mine but end up using my french pattern cle-a-pipe wrenches even more.

French pattern cle a pipe wrench?

No idea what that is…

 

[lund]

This tells us that you have never used a saltus wrench. Had you used them, you would have quickly noticed that the saltus wrench is more compact and has less slop relative to a socket on a breaker bar or a ratchet.

People that use saltus wrenches are almost always going to have that basic ratchets, sockets and breaker bars too. Saltus wrenches tend to be a luxury item. Something additional to the more common tools rather than instead of.

To each their own. A socket (deep or shallow, 8 pt of 16 pt with or without extensions to tune depth, strength and angular acceptance) on a breaker bars have very little slop in my set AND I have no issues with the socket on the end of the breaker bars drooping etc. I cannot speak to everyone and their sets, but that is my personal experience. Also, using a socket at the end of a compact roto-style ratchet (I use 3/8 anvil in 1/4 bodies so the head is very compact and still strong enough) also allows me all angles of incline AND the use of ratchets as well as flipping up to spin off. I am not going to break a high quality ratchet with hand force on a handle without a pipe (and I generally do not use pipes on wrenches). I have never broken a ratchet since I have enough to choose the right size for the job and need and I do not use pipes.

Color me skeptical on the overall utility and need. But there are always more than one way to do things. If it works well with your preferences, of course go for it. I just see the approach as lacking flexibility relative to what I am doing with what I have at present.

A footnote on this is the curious case of French mechanics being partial to L shaped pipe wrenches. I don't see this as significantly beneficial either since they would be even less flexible than a saltus-style wrench to fit in. But these would have the advantage of being as rigid as can be if one is phobic about slop. Those seem to be popular in France but, to my knowledge, seem to be rare in the USA (or at least I never saw them in stores and sales pages). Frenchmen are a little weird though ... like you might expect from any culture where they regard snails as good food.

 

[rust in the eye]

Just use a breaker bar and socket.

Space permitting.
Shown is 7/16" Saltus v. 1/4" drive socket and breaker bar. Breaker bar also lacks the open end

 

[ecotec]

As I said, one of my Saltus wrenches is huge. I wonder if it was made for a specific reason.

 

[KnurledNut]

As I said, one of my Saltus wrenches is huge. I wonder if it was made for a specific reason.

Alignment IIRC

 

[ecotec]

Alignment IIRC

That makes sense.

 

[isb cornbinder]

had them, never used them, sold them.

Your results may vary. I found i was always using something else like pass through sockets or low profile sockets that ratchet

I have seen these in other mechanics tool-boxes. I do not have any and I do not ever remember needing one. I have been retired since 2004 and I have never had the need for one. I like the look of these wrenches. I would buy the set, if SK made them and the price was right.

 

[joel63]

I can understand some people not having any use for them or not liking them.
These fall into personal preference type of tool.
As for myself, I have them in SAE and metric.
It works as one tool instead of two.
I don't use them very often, but I Just like having them in the box.

 

[impactims]

To each their own. A socket (deep or shallow, 8 pt of 16 pt with or without extensions to tune depth, strength and angular acceptance) on a breaker bars have very little slop in my set AND I have no issues with the socket on the end of the breaker bars drooping etc. I cannot speak to everyone and their sets, but that is my personal experience. Also, using a socket at the end of a compact roto-style ratchet (I use 3/8 anvil in 1/4 bodies so the head is very compact and still strong enough) also allows me all angles of incline AND the use of ratchets as well as flipping up to spin off. I am not going to break a high quality ratchet with hand force on a handle without a pipe (and I generally do not use pipes on wrenches). I have never broken a ratchet since I have enough to choose the right size for the job and need and I do not use pipes.

Color me skeptical on the overall utility and need. But there are always more than one way to do things. If it works well with your preferences, of course go for it. I just see the approach as lacking flexibility relative to what I am doing with what I have at present.

A footnote on this is the curious case of French mechanics being partial to L shaped pipe wrenches. I don't see this as significantly beneficial either since they would be even less flexible than a saltus-style wrench to fit in. But these would have the advantage of being as rigid as can be if one is phobic about slop. Those seem to be popular in France but, to my knowledge, seem to be rare in the USA (or at least I never saw them in stores and sales pages). Frenchmen are a little weird though ... like you might expect from any culture where they regard snails as good food.

The socket and breaker bar will have some slop. No way around it. Wether the slop is acceptable to the user is another conversation.

The saltus (snap on style as an example) wrench that is in good shape will have zero slop. The fit of the socket to the beam is very precise. Even if measuring in thousandths you wouldn’t see much.

When it comes to slop in a socket interface, at either end, less is best.

And it is a smaller package. And you get an open end wrench on the other end.

The only time I would prefer a breaker bar is if I needed the longer handle to apply more torque than what I could apply to the saltus wrench.

 

[lund]

o way around it. Wether the slop is acceptable to the user is another conversation.

The saltus (snap on style as an example) wrench that is in good shape will have zero slop. The fit of the socket to the beam is very precise. Even if measuring in thousandths you wouldn’t see much.

When it comes to slop in a socket interface, at either end, less is best.

And it is a smaller package. And you get an open end wrench on the other end.

The only time I would prefer a breaker bar is if I needed the longer handle to apply more torque than what I could apply to the saltus wrench.

As an engineering type I think you are taking a pretty optimistic read in the situation wrt slop. If you define slop as the angular wiggle you would have till engaging there will be two components in your saltus wrench: the pin joint and the socket that the nut is on. The breaker bar (or roto-ratchet) plus socket will have the same slop contributions plus one additional source the drive anvil going into the socket. ALL off these are going to depend on the specifics of what you own. But I can tell you there is almost no slop in the pin joints of most of my specific breaker bars (and I have a few different lengths and joint styles ... some are likely the same approach as your saltus pivot joint) and they are designed to be robust. The anvil + socket connection has a spring loaded ball that pushes into a corner ... but that probably contributes a few milli-radians of angular slop depending on the specific of what one owns. Unless something is defective, the overwhelming source of slop will be the socket to nut fit and that will depend largely on the bolt and socket relative tolerances, whether 6 pt or 12 pt, and details of the corner engagements. Unless lucky on fits, that is going to contribute much more than a few milli-radians rendering the debate largely irrelevant. So which would "win" would depend on the randomness of the relative deviation from nominal value choices of the socket (which are slightly oversize by design choice) and nut fabrications. The specifics of this socket to nut fit has nothing to do with Saltus style or not.

If you are going to ape on something the wrench/bar can deflect too ... but I am assuming here none of that is done. But if you do, I would much rather choose a heavy breaker bar or select one with a longer arm for the needed torque. Yes, If I stack a lot of extensions and joints I can build up more slop in the breaker bar but if I match the saltus reach and depth there is no need for that so it is just the one anvil connection extra for the breaker bar.

So again, I just do not see this. But if you enjoy using that style, then there is no reason not to do so and I agree trying older styles can be fun. But I do not see it as being a technical advantage. If you work on stuff with 1920s square nuts and want to use old style heavy open end wrenches to be fun, that is also fine. But I very much doubt that is better when working on old stuff than using modern open end wrenches or 4pt square nut sockets on modern socket wrenches.

 

[64C10]

I don’t understand the “modernity” analogy here. It’s a hybrid of a wrench and socket, not exactly obsolete technology.

Snapon, Williams, Proto, Matco, Urrea, Genius, Stahlwille and Gedore still see value in them, so obviously users do as well.

When the name of the game is getting jobs in and out quickly, anything that speeds up a job is a value adding proposition. I’d rather have it and not need it than the reverse.

 

[john.k]

I never heard them called saltus .....silly name .........Dowidat called theirs flexi -flat ,and Id think either Dowidat or Gedore invented them.