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Is there good and bad adjustable wrench?

P

PoorOwner

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For an adjustable wrench, 6-10" set, What would be the difference between a Pittsburgh one from HF and Craftsman forged made in USA? It's like 3x the cost.

I don't use them on cars but for things like brass fittings they work very well because they are always seem to be in different sizes.
 
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kartracer55

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Craftsman adjustables are my favorites. They are relatively cheap, but they are built very well, the adjustment mechanism isn't all sloppy like many other brands. I say go for the craftsmans, the HF will be junk
 
J

Junkman

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Good ones will work well whenever you need them. The bad ones will work well if you never take them out of the tool box. If you do, they are guaranteed to round off the corners, jam your knuckles into the wall, or some other hard object, and make you swear like a drunken sailer that just got off the boat for the first time in 6 months. I value my hands, so if it were me, I would look for a more expensive one that will hold its adjustment under the pressure of you hand and bad temper using a tool for some purpose that it was never intended to be used for. They do make good hammers in a pinch... :lol_hitti
 
C

Charles (in GA)

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eschoendorff said:
My favorite is the Channellock brand... they're sourced from Spain, but they are beauties! And not too expensive either
Click to expand...

Channellocks adjustables I saw in Lowes last week were "Made in USA". Biggest I have at home is 10" and at work I have an 18" which is useful. I was considering 12" and 15" at home for those rusted tractor nuts and other things that nothing else will get.

Charles
 
I

ImportTuner

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I really like very gimmicky quick adjust Crescent ... works well for general usage; I just don't use it when working on cars .. :)
 

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bmwpower

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W

wilbilt

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The good...
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The bad...
bad.jpg


And the ugly...
ugly.jpg


They all have their uses...:beer:
 
P

plinker

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Klien adjustable wrenches are also nice.

Diamond is also another quality wrench, too bad they are no longer made.
 
W

wythors

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20+ years ago I bought a pair of Mac adjustable wrenches. The difference between them and the cheapo chicom **** they replaced was astounding.
 
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Danglerb

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A cheap adjustable wrench tends to bind so its hard to adjust after force is applied, and slop in the mechanism prevents it from holding a size. Tighten it down on a nut, and force jams the adjustment screw, the jaws slightly open, but then slightly close when you pull it off the nut so it doesn't go back on.

They can work, but they can also ****.

Some decent adjustable wrenches are on my when I find them cheap list, but I shouldn't be using them for real torque anyway should I?
 
N

NOMAD

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I got the set of three HF adjustables with the black rubberized grip. I am actually pretty happy with them I have very little use for them but they are etched with the sizes so when you grab the bolt you know what size it is.
Mine are fairly tight, it's my craftsman that are sloppy. Maybe I should take my craftsman in for an exchange.

The large one did a great job on my E30 BMW fan clutch bolt.
That's about all i;ve been able to use them for.
 
S

shopforeman

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Southern Saskatchewan
Wow! An original Crescent brand adjustable wrench. In my family the "adjustable wrench" has always been called a "Crescent Wrench". It's like facial tissue. When you need one you ask for a kleenex...well at least mosts peeps around here do. :)

You have to buy a quality adjustable wrench. The cheap ones will just frustrate, damage fasteners and knuckles! :(
 
U

Uncle Buck

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The bad...
bad.jpg



They all have their uses...:beer:[/QUOTE]

I bet you use that bad Ohio Forge job to bang on stuff and generally use as a hammer, or for anything other than tightening or loosening stuff right! :lol_hitti
 
J

Jononon

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"Is there good and bad adjustable wrench?"

No. They're all bad. Try a Knipex Pliers Wrench and never look back :)
 
W

wilbilt

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hholmberg said:
I bet you use that bad Ohio Forge job to bang on stuff and generally use as a hammer, or for anything other than tightening or loosening stuff right! :lol_hitti
Click to expand...

I don't think I have ever used it. I found it in the road in front of my house. It will be useful to lend out, I guess.
 
R

Rickster

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I have several in my tool box. The SnapOn and Proto seem to be the tightest fitting with no slop in the mechanism. The SK comes in second.
 
L

lbgradwell

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Mar 21, 2007
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Oakville, ON
wilbilt said:
Not to worry, Harry Epstein has plenty of them.

Agreed, Diamond made some really nice tools.
Click to expand...

True, but those are Cooper-era Diamonds from the late 1990s, not the old Diamond Tool & Horseshoe Co. (or older still Diamond Calk Horseshoe Co.) product...


wythors said:
20+ years ago I bought a pair of Mac adjustable wrenches. The difference between them and the cheapo chicom **** they replaced was astounding.
Click to expand...

And those MACs are very likely New Britain-manufactured. Very nice indeed!
 
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