Craftsman Cross-Force Wrench worth buying
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kartracer55
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No...
I can definetly see a greasy hand either slipping off when the nut breaks free and slicing your wrist wide open on something. This looks like a gimick-tool to me
Jim
I can definetly see a greasy hand either slipping off when the nut breaks free and slicing your wrist wide open on something. This looks like a gimick-tool to me
Jim
kartracer55
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On second thought, since the sears warranty is so good...........
What if you bought the set, heated them and straightened them, and try to get them exhanged for regular craftsman pro's? lol
What if you bought the set, heated them and straightened them, and try to get them exhanged for regular craftsman pro's? lol
OP
It's a gimick-tool alright, but it sounds like it may work; the palm of your hands can exert more force to break the nut/bolt loose; probably should wear mechanic gloves to avoid getting cut though ..kartracer55 said:
strizzy
Well-known member
kartracer55 said:
Cheaper yet, http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/prod...tical=TOOL&subcat=Wrenches&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes
Craftsman Club link http://e.sears.com/a/hBFvLqBAM$zVoA8MHXSAz4D-fp0/ie41-17?SEG_ID_A=Q
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wilbilt said:
Yeah I try to stay away from "pushing" wrenches.. that usually leads to busting your hand on something when it swings free/loose. The flat portion might give you something a little more substantial to smack with a hammer though
haha.eschoendorff
Well-known member
I won't be buying them. I really don't need that feature. We have survived for how many years (????) without them......
OP
True ... just like when you don't have air tools ... but once you tried air tools, there's no going back ..eschoendorff said:
wythors
Well-known member
ImportTuner said:True ... just like when you don't have air tools ... but once you tried air tools, there's no going back ..
Somehow, I just don't see the comparison there.
These things really do look like something you'd see on a late-night infomercial or on QVC (which you probably will).
dink
Well-known member
eschoendorff said:
I guess you could kinda say that about ratcheting wrenches also....I have both styles and I always go back to the standard ole wrench.....
volvo
Well-known member
I have not seen these before. One thing you will not be able to lock another wrench on it for that extra pulling leverage force while trying to remove that super tight bolt/nut. Twisted wrench seems like a dumb idea to me. Pushing that extra force and slipping off could be a day wrecker...H
eschoendorff
Well-known member
My thought exactly. But I've been wrong before.....volvo said:
Canadian Charlie
Banned
I don't see myself buying a set of them now or in the future, I got enough wrenches at the moment and think that my next and last set will be a set of metric 60 degree off set box wrenches
dink
Well-known member
Basically arent these just like a breaker bar but as a wrench?
dink
Well-known member
Yea but kinda the same aspect though.......I think if they had this as a double box end wrench I would be alittle more interested in puchasing them.....not as a standard combo wrench
I don't get why everybody says their hand will slip off easier with these wrenches. You'd be pushing or pulling on a wider surface of the wrench, so you should be more stable. And more comfortable.
I think the "more force" would come from "less discomfort" with the same effort. I think these fit the "work smarter, not harder" theory, of which I'm a subscriber.
What I wonder about with these, is how will all the **** people organize them in their toolboxes? It seems as though they'll be flopping every which way in a drawer.
I think the "more force" would come from "less discomfort" with the same effort. I think these fit the "work smarter, not harder" theory, of which I'm a subscriber.
What I wonder about with these, is how will all the **** people organize them in their toolboxes? It seems as though they'll be flopping every which way in a drawer.
eschoendorff
Well-known member
swgray said:
Hmmm... sounds like Danaher just created another storage market....
dink
Well-known member
I would probably just put them on peg hooks
OctaneMotorsports
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I think with the box side horizontal they would stay put just fine.
These look kind of cool, and might work, but would I drop any money on them? Not much.
These look kind of cool, and might work, but would I drop any money on them? Not much.
oldgoat
Well-known member
I asked about these wrenches on another site so was glad to see it talked about here. I understand these are a little longer for more leverage and I try to always pull instead of push whenever possible. Far less knuckle busting that way. The new wrenches though are getting so thin that they are uncomfortable when pulling hard and I thought that these might work better for that. Some at the other site said that you wouldn't be able to hook another wrench on them though to get more leverage, but for me I don't do that anyway unless desperate and I have enough regular wrenches to use for that situation. However I don't have a problem with using a dead blow hammer on one since that doesn't harm the wrench.
eschoendorff
Well-known member
I saw these in the store and I didn;t thing that they were any longer than teh Craftsman Pro series. Just FYIoldgoat said:
Major Ramifications
Well-known member
You guys can say what you want about me, but I was intrigued by these when I first saw them and I may get a set someday. Having more surface area to pull or push (with an open hand) on is a plus. Then there is the fact that the "twisted" shape just looks so cool. I didn't fall for Sears "laminated is better" campaign on their pliers, but I may have to get a set of these Cross Force wrenches before they are discontinued.
OP
Why do you think they will be discontinued? I was at Sears when they had their sale, and alot of people were buying it ...Major Ramifications said:
eschoendorff
Well-known member
Why would we say anything about you????? If you buy them and find they are really super useful, post back so we can reconsider them....Major Ramifications said:
daveinwestland
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I must say, I don't have a real great set of wrenches- just the cman with the raised panels. I am in the market for a new set and am going between these and the cman professionals. ANy advice? I mean for someone who isn't just "adding these" but buying them instead of the long handle cman pros?
GeorgeH
Well-known member
Whats wrong with the raised panel wrenches?
My father-in-law uses them in his transmission shop and has returned very few.
My father-in-law uses them in his transmission shop and has returned very few.
ba614
Well-known member
There ain't nothin wrong with Craftsman raised panel wrenches.
Lets try to answer both questions above and since I use them, I can avoid starting the Snap on Craftsman popcorn munch.
The C-man raised panel are one of the best bargains in tools available. That said for some of us who have used them for years they are different than they were and target to a different (average DIYer vs high end DIY and commercial) market than they did years ago. This means the price had to drop and when that happens other compromises are made. In comparision to my fathers 1960's C-man the one I buy to day are bulkier, have larger heads, do not have the nice costly curves that make it easier to get into some places and more comfortable to use. Just feel a little cruder than they used to. Still they are available at a lower real dollar cost so there is a trade off. May be a little less precise and easier to break but the average user will never notice. This change is why you will notice frustration about the raised panels on this forum. Read on
We still use alot of them along with Wrights and SK raised panels on the farm. They take the machinery tool box abuse that wlll turn the highly polished and easier to clean ones to highly scratched non shiny metal objects in a matter of hours. Still the ease of cleaning, precision and nicer feel of the truck tools and C-man pros they win in the main shops. So there is a place for all of them and we will have pro's using the raised panels with no problems and DIY's who will buy nothing but Snap on. To each his own since we pay for them with our own funds.
It is an interesting idea about the Cross-force, given the right price I might have given that a try when I was starting out. I do not see any negatives to trying and they work will as an ordinary wrench, just bulkier.
The C-man raised panel are one of the best bargains in tools available. That said for some of us who have used them for years they are different than they were and target to a different (average DIYer vs high end DIY and commercial) market than they did years ago. This means the price had to drop and when that happens other compromises are made. In comparision to my fathers 1960's C-man the one I buy to day are bulkier, have larger heads, do not have the nice costly curves that make it easier to get into some places and more comfortable to use. Just feel a little cruder than they used to. Still they are available at a lower real dollar cost so there is a trade off. May be a little less precise and easier to break but the average user will never notice. This change is why you will notice frustration about the raised panels on this forum. Read on
We still use alot of them along with Wrights and SK raised panels on the farm. They take the machinery tool box abuse that wlll turn the highly polished and easier to clean ones to highly scratched non shiny metal objects in a matter of hours. Still the ease of cleaning, precision and nicer feel of the truck tools and C-man pros they win in the main shops. So there is a place for all of them and we will have pro's using the raised panels with no problems and DIY's who will buy nothing but Snap on. To each his own since we pay for them with our own funds.
It is an interesting idea about the Cross-force, given the right price I might have given that a try when I was starting out. I do not see any negatives to trying and they work will as an ordinary wrench, just bulkier.
daveinwestland
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My bad... there is nothign wrong with the traditional cmans. I just want to upgrade, came out wrong.
skeletonizer
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These have been out awhile now and I was wondering if anyone has actually bought and used these?
All the previous posts were just speculation and biased blather.
Sears has the normal 13pc. full polish combos for $99.99. The 9pc. crossforce is also $99.00.
I guess I would rather have four "free" wrenches than tools that no one has actually used in the real world.
All the previous posts were just speculation and biased blather.
Sears has the normal 13pc. full polish combos for $99.99. The 9pc. crossforce is also $99.00.
I guess I would rather have four "free" wrenches than tools that no one has actually used in the real world.
Chris Adams
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I bought a set cheap awhile back.
I like them.
Less pain to turn them when the bolts don't want to move, easy to turn when the bolts are not as tight.
However, my hands are a bit chewed up, between burn scars and arthritis. For a young guy with bulging muscles they probably are only useful if he doesn't have heavy grade wrenches in regular format.
I have wrenches in all normal formats, Flank-drive, ratcheting, flex ratcheting, long, short, really long, in Williams, Snap-on, Bahco, TopTul, Mac, SK, Craftsman, Gearwrench etc. etc. plus air ratchets, impact guns, cordless and air but I find these a worthwhile addition to the box.
They are just easier to use, and in places like under a car, say taking off a bell housing or pulling ****** bolts they fit where ratchets/air/cordless tools won’t, and let me break loose heavy bolts with lots less strain.
A person could probably get by with just a set of these in most cases.
I like them.
Less pain to turn them when the bolts don't want to move, easy to turn when the bolts are not as tight.
However, my hands are a bit chewed up, between burn scars and arthritis. For a young guy with bulging muscles they probably are only useful if he doesn't have heavy grade wrenches in regular format.
I have wrenches in all normal formats, Flank-drive, ratcheting, flex ratcheting, long, short, really long, in Williams, Snap-on, Bahco, TopTul, Mac, SK, Craftsman, Gearwrench etc. etc. plus air ratchets, impact guns, cordless and air but I find these a worthwhile addition to the box.
They are just easier to use, and in places like under a car, say taking off a bell housing or pulling ****** bolts they fit where ratchets/air/cordless tools won’t, and let me break loose heavy bolts with lots less strain.
A person could probably get by with just a set of these in most cases.
kythri
Well-known member
I bought them quite a while back when they were on sale, 50% off. They've come in quite handy on a brake job, and I enjoy them quite a bit.
rsanter
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a friend has them and thinks they are ok but not anything better enough to make them a must have
for me I do not like the fact that you cannot interlock 2 wrenches in order to gain extra leverage.
they do have a larger surface to hit with a rubber mallet if you like using your wrenches as 'impacting wrenches'
bob
for me I do not like the fact that you cannot interlock 2 wrenches in order to gain extra leverage.
they do have a larger surface to hit with a rubber mallet if you like using your wrenches as 'impacting wrenches'
bob
Delray
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I picked these up from Ace Hardware when they were on sale just to try them out and I find them to be pretty comfortable to use.
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kythri
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Thedroid
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Sears has a little display with a demonstration bolt and one of these wrenches, I thought that they felt really comfortable. I've never had to interlock wrences on anything smaller than 1". I had a buddy that used to do that alot, and I used to laugh because his open ends alway seemed to fit more than one size. For 3/4 on down, I always go to my ratcheting wrenches. Every once in awhile I can't fit the wrench where I need to, but not often. I work on large machinery most of the time, and vehicles at the house. I use my sockets ost of the time at the house, and when I do need a wrench a standard combo is fine.
FWIW, I think the extra meat to grab onto gives you enough leverage to not have to piggy back wrenches.
FWIW, I think the extra meat to grab onto gives you enough leverage to not have to piggy back wrenches.
bgott
Well-known member
They need to knurl 'em so that your foot doesn't slip off of 'em.
I have a set of crossforce style ratcheting wrench by GearWrench, and I grab them if possible.. They are more comfortable and I think the industry are all moving towards more ergonomic tools.
One thing I noticed turning a regular wrench, if my palm is in pain I do not have as much power. (humans programmed to stop doing something if in pain, really?) I put on a thick leather glove then I can focus on breaking a bolt loose.
I just got a set of c-man crossforce for cheap. I think I will use them for all the grunt work if possible.. I mean, this shouldn't be the only set of wrench in a man's toolbox, no way.
One thing I noticed turning a regular wrench, if my palm is in pain I do not have as much power. (humans programmed to stop doing something if in pain, really?) I put on a thick leather glove then I can focus on breaking a bolt loose.
I just got a set of c-man crossforce for cheap. I think I will use them for all the grunt work if possible.. I mean, this shouldn't be the only set of wrench in a man's toolbox, no way.