double open ended wrenchs worth keeping?

[carhouse]

I have some double open ended wrenchs that seem to be never used. We seem to always grab a combo.

I was thinking of selling them but wanted to see what you guys think. I just use the tools for Automotive-general use.
What do you use them for?

Thanks

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

I personally never owned double open ended wrenches before. never needed them for my automotive use.

 

[CobraBronco]

That's funny, i'm in the same boat. My parents bought me a set when I was 15. I think I have used them twice in 20 years. I always reach for a combo instead.

 

[Swan]

I use them for old motorcycles, bicycles and double-nutting studs in order to remove them from crankcases. What brand and standard are your wrenches?

 

[pipsters]

I actually sold mine, and bought the deep offset. Serves two purposes.

 

[SMKS]

Not really a need for them, IMO.

 

[sberry]

I tool a bucket and stripped most of them except a handful of small common sizes out of general circulation and tossed them on to a storage shelf. You cant hang them on a peg, I toss a couple here and there but got tired of rooting thru them in search of what I really wanted.

I wouldnt buy a set, they come with every big cman set and take up boxspace forever.

 

[carhouse]

What brand and standard are your wrenches?

Old Craftsman's Metric & SAE Set. Probably up to 15mm (maybe up to 17) & up to 3/4" SAE.

You cant hang them on a peg,

Thats what has got me to thinking. Been trying to organize the tools and was hanging the wrenches.

 

[rusty65]

Yeah I think they are pretty useful in the larger sizes such as 3/4 and up they are pretty useless for anything smaller.

 

[dirtydogintex]

The first wrenches I used were a set of open ends and another of box ends.
Back then, the only users of combos were the plants and oil field - and they were usually upwards of an inch in size.
Auto mechanics in town used OE & BE wrenches.

I suppose it's just what one grows accustomed to...

I know a good home for non-combo wrenches - PM me!! *L*

 

[ejkuhl]

Cut in half and make stubbies or grind them thin for tappet. Just an idea.

 

[Kev442]

I too got them in my Cman starter set. Haven't touched one in 20 years. Sell them.

 

[Gmonkee]

I use a set of German metrics 6 -22mm daily. For tool bag users they give you more sizes in less wrenches, and that means reduced weight. That is good. I also carry 1/4 - 1" SAE combos and metric DBE in a short set of common sizes. It covers my needs 98% so that is good.

If you work from the same bay and red tin tool condo every day that is not a real issue for you at all. There could be 47 wrench sets in the box and weight is never a factor.

I have 7 more wrench sets of varied styles at home. Those go in to work when I know I will need them the next day. Some sets are quite weighty but do a special task well.

 

[mailpup]

I occasionally use them and could probably get away without them. However, I just know that shortly after I get rid of them, I'll need one. It just works that way.

 

[stoveboltgunnut]

I had a nice set of SK superkrome's. I knew I had to have them. 5 years later I sold them because I never used them.

 

[relic7680]

I have a set of Matco double opens with the four-way angle heads....used them a few times when nothing else would get in. If they didn't have the non-standard angles, I wouldn't have much use for them. Always good to have more wrenches in the box though...

 

[ryan t]

I had several that came with various craftsman tool sets I've acquired over the years. I ended up giving them away to a 15 year old who was just getting into wrenching but his family couldn't afford to help him buy any tools.

 

[#1SomeGuy]

So long as you have all the same sizes in combo...no point in hanging on to them if you need the money. Only good use I could see is if you need to grind one down or something.

 

[honcho]

Hmmm, I grew up using Double Open End (DOE) and Deep Offset Box End wrenches because that's all we had to go with our el-cheapo socket set. I don't use the Double Open End too much but I have nice SAE and Metric sets by SK.

However, paired up with a set of Double Box End wrenches and you can conquer the world. 13mm bolt head and 13mm nut? Use DOE on the head and DBE on the nut.

Let's see what the wrench options are in my arsenal
Combo (fixed and ratcheting)
Combo stubby (fixed)
Double Open End
Double Box End (fixed)
Flare
Offset Box End
90 deg offset open

So what do I use the most? Sockets and Knipex plier wrench!

 

[stratman977]

I keep them in my junkyard box. Every now and then you need a open end wrench to get something off and the double ended ones cut the number of wrenches to carry in half.

 

[Jure]

Cut in half and make stubbies or grind them thin for tappet. Just an idea.

that's what i did

 

[Thumper]

I have them in SAE and metric....still use them on occasion....but then I am a tool *****.

 

[McFarmer]

When I crawl up on top of something two of those come in handy. Lot of my stuff will require 1/2 or 9/16 so if I don't know ahead of time two wrenches will cover the head and nut which ever way it goes. Otherwise it would be four.

 

[sberry]

I will agree a set of long double box could be worth their weight. I have a couple sets of Cman and a few assorted off the wall stuff in 1/2 9/16. Use a 3/4 a lot. Never had a problem with the cheap ones, I can about bet some of these have seen a cheater in their day, we put a pipe on one the other day, had some tight stuff on the backside on a tractor, my helper says,, think the wrench will take it, I said we going to find out. I had a long pipe a handle from a hi lift jack probably, came with a snap, the tool wouldn't have taken much more and I am not sure how many times you could do it, we did 2 or 4, I think 2 we could get with air gun.

 

[gsmornot]

I can't think of a reason I would have to have them and don't own a set myself. BTW, 3/4 and 19mm are the same size so your set technically goes to 19. Ha. Anyhow, I start with a ratchet wrench now days and work backwards to a box or combo so if I had these they would be last on my list to use. With that said I suspect many other people are the same way meaning the price for resale would be low. I would find a place to keep them that does not take a lot of space and just have them around versus selling unless you need the dollars they will bring or you can make a trade somewhere.

 

[sberry]

Re: double open ended wrenches worth keeping?

It isn't that I wouldn't use one or even toss a couple in my road tray but its not something I would go out of my way to spend big bucks on, finding a couple used ones and keeping them around is a lot different than spending a weeks pay on a set.

This is a simple version of my road setup. There are a couple of those double opens in there somewhere on the bottom, 3/8x7/16 and a half by 9. 1 long double offset box on occasion too besides a set of combo to 3/4, behind seat a small set of metrics which I could carry with about 10 pieces if I really used them. About a dozen tools I use 90% of the time not including set of simple combo to 3/4.

On road or away from my box I use a simple combo if its humanly possible. I dont keep sockets on golf carts or tractors but many of out trucks/tractors/carts especially have a few combo a small adjustble, screwdriver etc tossed in them. We have enough fixed in place equipment its a must, we cant run for every tool, its cheaper to buy more carry them around. We bring to shop for major work but cant load haul a tractor for a loose belt etc, having something in the toolbox to work with is everything.

 

[sberry]

Re: double open ended wrenches worth keeping?

I am a firm believer in today world it pays to be a minimalist especially if one really cant afford it. No easier way to make some than save. There is a place for all the bling, I preach frugal to new entry's and to people making a living with tools but in some business this amount of expense is not huge, to the overall bottom line some snappy stuff doesn't add up to a Nascar team or a fighter jet etc. But to a guy making 400 a week, he doesn't need it.

This kind of thing really tells out the stuff a guy "needs" to do the work, there are places a different tool might be a bit faster but at what cost is the other part of the equation?

 

[GRX]

Cut in half and make stubbies or grind them thin for tappet. Just an idea.

that's what i did

x2 ... double open are also good when needed for locked nuts when you don't have a box end that particular size. Always nice to have a few extra tools. And I sometimes find myself using double opens when working on my car. Sometimes one wrench is better than two when you're lying on the ground underneath. Like someone said, it's all what you are used to.

 

[greasemonkey44]

alignment guys seem to use them alot; same with heavy equipment
i havent seen a need for them so i dont have any