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Aliexpress L socket wrenches

F-22

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Hey, does anyone have any experience with these? Brand seems to be "Lijian"
S5996fd7e49c04db09b0bfb29567741e1Y.jpgS73e4cda9e53a4d74b0a027323113bd06i.jpg


I was checking out some stuff and stumbled upon them. Not expecting much (~3-5€ per wrench), but I ordered an 8, 10 and 11mm (have an application where the 11mm would be nice to have).


Seems like a unique and interesting design so I couldn't resist!

The smaller ones seem to all be 6 point on both ends on the photos, not sure why they're talking about 12 point on the photo (maybe for the large versions only).


I was actually eyeing some Toptul combination wrenches with a swivel on one end. Probably going to order those too...
 
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Kevin J.

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I bought a set of that type of wrench recently. Duro brand from Amazon. The whole set is 6 point pattern. They seem to be nicely finished. They haven't had extensive use, but the one size I needed has worked well. The price was right so I bought the set. I don't know anything about Duro, I'm not a fan of Chinese tools but these seem to be decently made. If I could find a set of Imperial size wrenches in this pattern I would buy them, you know just in case I needed them. Any leads on similar wrenches made in USA or Europe would be appreciated.
 

dnschmidt

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What application would these excel vs a standard ratchet/socket or nut driver?
The correct name for these tools is angled socket wrenches. I sold quite a few of them when I sold TOPTUL. Where they are great is where you have a screw inside of a screw like a sway bar link or a strut and you need to hold a nut while turning the bolt inside of the nut with an Allen key or a Torx. The bend in the tool is open so you can put a tool through it. Also, they are VERY comfortable on your hand with the round pipe shape they don't dig into your palm like a normal wrench does. Also, they can be surprisingly fast as you break torque with the long end and spin the bolt or nut off with the short end. The shape gives clearance to your hand as well so you're knuckles don't get hurt.

The first time I ever saw these was in France when I was visiting our factory in Crolles. I was programming a KLA-Tencor machine, my normal gig, and one of the French technicians was opening a floor grate in the cleanroom using one of these tools. I looked over at him and asked him: "What is that tool?" His answer was: "a wrench." Now I could tell that he thought: "What a stupid American, he doesn't even know what a wrench is." I got home and bought a few and really liked them. Apparently in Europe they're quite popular.
 

Kscardsfan

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The correct name for these tools is angled socket wrenches. I sold quite a few of them when I sold TOPTUL. Where they are great is where you have a screw inside of a screw like a sway bar link or a strut and you need to hold a nut while turning the bolt inside of the nut with an Allen key or a Torx. The bend in the tool is open so you can put a tool through it. Also, they are VERY comfortable on your hand with the round pipe shape they don't dig into your palm like a normal wrench does. Also, they can be surprisingly fast as you break torque with the long end and spin the bolt or nut off with the short end. The shape gives clearance to your hand as well so you're knuckles don't get hurt.

The first time I ever saw these was in France when I was visiting our factory in Crolles. I was programming a KLA-Tencor machine, my normal gig, and one of the French technicians was opening a floor grate in the cleanroom using one of these tools. I looked over at him and asked him: "What is that tool?" His answer was: "a wrench." Now I could tell that he thought: "What a stupid American, he doesn't even know what a wrench is." I got home and bought a few and really liked them. Apparently in Europe they're quite popular.
I have heard/seen that these are standard equipment in European tool kits. I know Facom makes them and in the mid 90s Sears sold them under the Craftsman brand. I've always wanted a set but have never found them cheap enough or needed them bad enough to justify the costs.
 
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F-22

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What application would these excel vs a standard ratchet/socket or nut driver?

Kind of a mix of a socket/ratchet and a wrench. They should engage better with the nut than a wrench does (especially cause these seem to most commonly have the 6 pointed shape). And as the other post said, I assume these are quite comfortable to use.

I have heard/seen that these are standard equipment in European tool kits. I know Facom makes them and in the mid 90s Sears sold them under the Craftsman brand. I've always wanted a set but have never found them cheap enough or needed them bad enough to justify the costs.

Facom probably resells Toptul?
I am from Europe and maybe I saw them once but they're not common. I did found out Unior seems to sell them, I wonder if they also make them. But Europe is big and very diverse so...
 

WWheeler

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I was actually eyeing some Toptul combination wrenches with a swivel on one end. Probably going to order those too...
Are you referring to Saltus wrenches, like this SAE set of Craftsmans? I'd really like to get a set of metric Saltus wrenches.

Craftsman SAE Saltus wrench set.jpg
 
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F-22

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Are you referring to Saltus wrenches, like this SAE set of Craftsmans? I'd really like to get a set of metric Saltus wrenches.

Craftsman SAE Saltus wrench set.jpg
Yes, the Toptul ones seem really nice. They have a combination version like those Craftsman, or also a double-socket version. I think the combination style would be better.
 

DAustin

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Mine are all Facom 6pt. one end and 12pt. the other. They are handy sometimes but not something you would use all the time. I have a few in Metric and some SAE also.
 

RTM

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Fun thread on these over on the vintage side, with a note that the French call them cles-a-pipes (pipe wrenches)

 

neophyte

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These are an old style if French box wrenches.
As RTM mentioned, the French term is “Cles-A-Pipes”.
The design goes back almost 100 years, maybe longer.
Facom made the style forever, and the Facom wrenches used to be somewhat readily available in the USA.
After Stanley purchased Facom, the Facom wrenches were still sold in the USA under the Proto brand, maybe still with the Facom markings.
Facom made both metric and fractional sizes.
Craftsman also sold the Facom made wrenches under the Craftsman brand for a while when Sears was selling SK and Facom tools (this was back before Stanley bought Facom, when Facom was French owned, and owned SK Tools, and when SK was making some of the Craftsman tools).
The Facom series 75 wrenches were 6 point wrenches on both ends.
The Facom 76 series wrenches were 6 point on the long end and 12 point on the short bent end.

Most French tool manufacturers offered this style of wrench, although quality could vary.

SAM Outillage is likely the other higher quality manufacturer of these wrenches in France, since SAM and Facom used to supply the French military.
https://www.sam-outillage.fr/outillage-cles-a-pipe-92.htm
I think SAM may just make metric versions.

MOB Outillage s another French tool manufacturer, thatvoffers these, but their wrenches were likely made in Eastern Europe by another tool manufacturer they purchased, but I forget the name.

Beta and USAG (formerly part of Facom and now part of Stanley) also produce these wrenches.

Some Asian tool brands such as Toptul also produce the design now.

The neat thing about the design is how the wrenches are likely made.
They look like they’re formed as a long double ended “socket”, with the wrench sockets formed on both end similarly rather than machine broached with a cutting tool like most wrenches.
The round body may be turned round to smooth it.
One of the socket ends is then notched on the side thru to the internal socket void, and that end then bent at an angle.

The round body of the wrench makes the wrenches less likely to dig into your hand on a tight bolt.
The major drawback is that the wrenches may be heavier than a similar length of forged wrench.
If you need to turn a bolt in a deep recess, the long end can be used to reach the bolt head, and then a screwdriver or bar placed thru the short end for leverage.

McMaster-Carr used to even carry these years ago.
 

rick carpenter

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I haven't had experience with an all-in-one L wrench like you're looking at. I originally wanted one in 19mm deep for my chainsaw spark plug & bar nuts but I initially settled for a 1/2" L socket wrench and a real 19mm spark plug socket. Bottom line, it felt too unwieldy for my use. Even with the amount of play that the socket fit gives it was too rigid for me. That may be the feel you want but I have gone with a t-handle all-in-one 19mm deep socket wrench in my chainsaw toolkit.
 
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F-22

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Fun thread on these over on the vintage side, with a note that the French call them cles-a-pipes (pipe wrenches)

Cool to read, thanks!
 
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F-22

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I got so hyped about these wrenches now!
I ordered an 8, 10 and 11mm from Aliexpress, and also a few Toptul swivel sockets that I use most commonly.
s-l1600.jpg

Also, since I only have shallow sockets, ordered this Toptul set which seems great value at ~65€.

s-l1600.jpg

Most general 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2" sizes! 1/2". The 1/2" only goes up to 22mm, but I can live with that, I have normal/shallow sockets up to 32mm so that should be fine.

Also always wanted to get a 3/4" set. I have a few old TANG 3/4" sockets but it's very incomplete. Also only have the sliding-T-bar for them. I ordered a set from Toptul which also seems to have a neat ratchet and some extensions for 170€. It skips some socket sizes (42mm, 28mm, 25mm, 26mm) which I sometimes need, but actually already own, so this will complete my set very well!

s-l1600.jpg



Anyway, I'm definitely on the lookout for a nice older "cles-a-pipe" set, hopefully made in France cause it seems like an essential French tool :)
 

dnschmidt

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You will find that the TOPTUL socket sets do not include 18mm which is used in great abundance by FORD. When I sold these sets I would buy boxes of 18mm 3/8" and 1/2" drive sockets, both short and deep, from TOPTUL to complete the sets that I sold.
 

bwringer

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Hey, does anyone have any experience with these? Brand seems to be "Lijian"
S5996fd7e49c04db09b0bfb29567741e1Y.jpgS73e4cda9e53a4d74b0a027323113bd06i.jpg

Man, that 27mm would be the absolute cat's *** for the 27mm rear axle nut on one of my motorcycles. The nut is sort of recessed, so it's tough to turn with anything except a socket. Hmmm... might need to give Ali a shot.
 

WWheeler

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Man, that 27mm would be the absolute cat's *** for the 27mm rear axle nut on one of my motorcycles. The nut is sort of recessed, so it's tough to turn with anything except a socket. Hmmm... might need to give Ali a shot.
No idea what Aliexpress is wanting for them, but there's a 'Duratech' 9pc 8-19mm set on Amazon for $33 that I just rolled the dice and made a purchase on. They don't have a whole lot of reviews on them, but what they do are positive, and several are in French, so presumably sold in France where I imagine these are more common, so there's that. I'll probably post more thoughts about them Tues or so when they get here in the 'Show your new tools' thread.

I do have a question though. How does one get any leverage at all when turning them with the long portion on the fastener, or is that just for spinning them down the threads? And it looks like that Ali set is 12pt on the leverage end and 6 pt on the no leverage which if so makes little sense to me. I think the Duratech set is 6pt on both ends. Anywho, I guess I'm set to find out.
 
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neophyte

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No idea what Aliexpress is wanting for them, but there's a 'Duratech' 9pc 8-19mm set on Amazon for $33 that I just rolled the dice and made a purchase on. They don't have a whole lot of reviews on them, but what they do are positive, and several are in French, so presumably sold in France where I imagine these are more common, so there's that. I'll probably post more thoughts about them Tues or so when they get here in the 'Show your new tools' thread.

I do have a question though. How does one get any leverage at all when turning them with the long portion on the fastener, or is that just for spinning them down the threads? And it looks like that Ali set is 12pt on the leverage end and 6 pt on the no leverage which if so makes little sense to me. I think the Duratech set is 6pt on both ends. Anywho, I guess I'm set to find out.
You put a screwdriver or other high strenth bar thru the socket and hole in the short end, and use that as a “cheater bar” for higher leverage.
 
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F-22

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You will find that the TOPTUL socket sets do not include 18mm which is used in great abundance by FORD. When I sold these sets I would buy boxes of 18mm 3/8" and 1/2" drive sockets, both short and deep, from TOPTUL to complete the sets that I sold.

16 and 18mm are ANSI/ISO sizes. I'm from Europe so I don't think I ever saw an 18mm fastener. I do own an old Ford Focus, but that's Ford Germany. However, thinking about it, I think I do have an 18mm deep socket already cause it's a size that is used for some spark plugs. Anyway, 90% of what I need is 8, 10, 13, 17, 19, 22, 24, 27, 30 and 32. Add in some JIS sizes and it's about 99%...

I hope the aliexpress wrenches are 6pt on both sides. Hard to say but most photos show it as 6pt... I paid 3-4€ per wrench with postage so if you just want to try one out I guess Aliexpress is the cheapest way. Lots of people'd say Chinesium, but for simple stuff the aliexpress products often surprise me. I guess it's easy to be impressed if you have no expectations, but it's a nice feeling :)
 

Pexto

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It would be great if someone could privide a direct link to the aliexpress items! :)
 

plinker

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You will find that the TOPTUL socket sets do not include 18mm which is used in great abundance by FORD. When I sold these sets I would buy boxes of 18mm 3/8" and 1/2" drive sockets, both short and deep, from TOPTUL to complete the sets that I sold.
GM & FCA use 18mm as much as Ford does, Not really a newer thing. Brakes & suspension are typical.
 

pumaman

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You will find that the TOPTUL socket sets do not include 18mm which is used in great abundance by FORD. When I sold these sets I would buy boxes of 18mm 3/8" and 1/2" drive sockets, both short and deep, from TOPTUL to complete the sets that I sold.
and you are the reason why toptul doesn’t sell here any more
 
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