How often you use open end wrench versus box end?

[oldschoolcraft]

I’m not a professional, and in my hobbyist work I find I almost never need an open end wrench. I’m curious for the rest of you, if you had to divide your wrenching between box end and open end, what percentage of the that total wrench use is open end? For me it’s like 5%. The last time I used one was on a dishwasher I was leveling, and obviously you can’t fit a box end around the leveling peg. Can’t remember when I used one before that. And honestly I just used a knipex pliers wrench since it was faster than trying to find the exact size combination wrench.

Id say 5% open and 95% closed box end for me.

 

[FigN⋅m]

I'm probably more like 5.137%

 

[The Cobbler]

not sure of percentage, but it's box end of I can get it on, and that's normally the case... . things like air couplers etc where can't get box end on I use open end.
I can live the the 95/5 %

 

[drmarkr]

When "nut and bolting" a race car, there are quite a few situations where you're checking a nut with a ratchet/socket or closed end wrench, while holding the head of the bolt the open head of another wrench. Particularly on the suspension and drivetrain.

Obviously, whenever significant torque is required, you shouldn't be using an open end unless space requires it (and precludes use of a socket).

 

[Wamsutta]

I always break the fastener free with the box end first. The open end is just for convenience after the fastener is loose.

Sometimes you don't realize how good you are until after you've seen what everybody else is doing.

 

[bigfunwmu]

Probably 60% open, 25% box, and 15% allen. Most of what I'm working on is hydraulics though, and box end wrenches are a no go on hoses.

Offset box ends and allen wrenches on adjustment studs are a frequent combo too.

 

[CHI_Tool&Die]

75% open end and 25% box end. And 90%-10% hex keys/bits/bit sockets over DOE/DBE/combo wrenches. Honestly, I own a lot of wrenches especially at the house but I do not use them much. I find, and I’m sure much to the chagrin of GJ, that an adjustable wrench or plier works most of the time unless I’m specifically working on the car or bike.

I should also add that ratcheting wrenches are really, really helpful. I have been using mine a hell of a lot more than I thought I would.

 

[Hakeem]

This is embarrassing but I used the open end exclusively up until like 6 months ago. Nobody ever told me differently and it just seemed more intuitive. I figured the open end was for situations where you couldn’t get a socket on it and the box end was to hang the wrench up.

 

[finn]

Used one yesterday to remove (access) the plugged orifice on a propane torch. Don’t know where flare nut wrenches fall in the spectrum, but used one of them yesterday to replace a hydraulic clutch line.

Hard to put a number on it, though, as I use a box end almost exclusively to break the joint loose and often finish with an open end.

 

[AEAdam]

You guys have heard me say this before, but maybe worth repeating;

If you make crappy wrenches with poor tolerances and bad steel, you make 6 pt box ends. You can get those to work.

A decent toolmaker can make a 12pt box end that doesn’t round bolt heads.

But only a few makers I know of make usable open ends. If you’ve never used a decent wrench, you may not know how useful and fast open ends are. Open ends are the right yardstick to compare wrenches, in my opinion.

BTW: open ends are zero offset tools and have mechanical advantage other tools don’t. This is one reason a lot of pros love zero offset “aviation style” double box ends.

I use my box ends more since I upgraded my combination wrenches. It has taken me time to learn to trust them.

 

[KnurledNut]

Probably 50/50.

 

[tjansson]

50/50

 

[AffableCurmudgeon]

I’m not a professional, and in my hobbyist work I find I almost never need an open end wrench.

Get a VW Air cooled Beetle. You will use open end a lot.

 

[Rusted Nut]

Only when the box end won’t fit.

 

[liliysdad]

I would say I use open end wrenches 45% of the time...and that number is going up since I got Wright and Proto wrenches. When all I had was cheap RP Craftsmans, the open end was damned near useless.

 

[danielbuck]

I use open end all the time, especially when I'm just holding a bolt head and zipping on the bolt with an air ratchet or something. I even use an adjustable crescent style wrench fairly often...

 

[fishwatcher]

75% open end and 25% box end. And 90%-10% hex keys/bits/bit sockets over DOE/DBE/combo wrenches. Honestly, I own a lot of wrenches especially at the house but I do not use them much. I find, and I’m sure much to the chagrin of GJ, that an adjustable wrench or plier works most of the time unless I’m specifically working on the car or bike.

I should also add that ratcheting wrenches are really, really helpful. I have been using mine a hell of a lot more than I thought I would.

I would say I use open end wrenches 45% of the time...and that number is going up since I got Wright and Proto wrenches. When all I had was cheap RP Craftsmans, the open end was damned near useless.

Is it really that different of an experience? What happens with a Craftsman? Does the bolt slip? Round off?

 

[liliysdad]

Is it really that different of an experience? What happens with a Craftsman? Does the bolt slip? Round off?

Yes on both. The tolerances just aren't there on cheap wrenches, and they open end likes to spread when you really step on the gas. Open ends aren't always the right tool for the job, but really good open ends are right for a lot more jobs.

 

[fishwatcher]

It’d be interesting to measure the difference in tolerances between Craftsman and higher end wrenches. I guess Project Farm has done that in his video comparisons.

My wrench needs are very basic. Open or box end.. neither has failed me, even though I know box ends should be more secure.

My metric combination wrenches are Craftsman and my SAE are Blackhawk by Proto (lower end Proto.. so maybe the difference in tolerance is not as great as higher end Proto?).

I have a couple of bridge clamps with square ended screws.. so for those, the open end of the wrench is used. Don’t even ask what I use them for. Pretty much nothing of significance.

 

[Tdbo]

Whenever required.

 

[mervyn]

Rarely

 

[Dave455]

Like all these things, it depends what you do.

For automotive work, I don’t use open ends a lot, but it’s more than 5%. Sometimes an open end fits easier (see above re zero offset) sometimes it’s just quicker.

For non automotive work, I use them a lot more. If you work on machine tools, you will find adjusters like this.


If you work with collet chucks you will need them


Or even just for grinder accessories


The only comment I would make, is that unlike many, I much prefer separate open end and box end wrenches. It gives you the option of holding a bolt head with one, and turning a nut with the other.

More importantly, each wrench can be sized appropriately, giving you a short and long option straight away!

 

[oldschoolcraft]

Damn, this is going to sound silly to most of you pros. I realize why I almost never use the open end wrench. I use the box end wrench until it’s loose and then spin it the rest of the way off with my finger. Probably sounds ridiculous to most of you. I’m going to make more of an effort to incorporate the open end.

 

[micromind]

Box end wherever I can, open end when there's no choice.

On the other hand, as long as the cheap chintzy open end wrench has a lifetime warranty, you'll be just fine......right?

Lol.

 

[lardy1]

Only when I have to and that isn't often for me.

 

[joel63]

Taking a guess, I would say 75% box end and 25% open end.
I keep sets of both; long time habit.

 

[demarpaint]

Probably 90/10 here. The 90 being box end.

 

[CoogarXR]

I've said it before, but for me, I prefer a socket/ratchet. I hardly ever grab a wrench unless I have to. And I always use the box end unless I can't get it in there. Even then, I might use a flare wrench instead of a regular open end.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Only when required. Probably once per day.

Brake pins, tube fittings, alignments, etc.

 

[seber]

Maybe 1 or 2%. Only use open end if box end is not possible.

 

[cmandp]

Like Dave455 mentioned. On cars, rarely, unless its to gets me out of a bind and doesn't damage anything. I don't even really like to hold nuts while tightening the other end, I'll use a box end or socket instead.

On machinery, grinders, air tools more so.

 

[liliysdad]

This thread is proof there is no "right" or "wrong" way, but instead everyone is different. I have always used the open end my default, reverting to the box end only when necessary. The open end is so much faster, for me, in most cases.

 

[VolvoRyan]

Damn, this is going to sound silly to most of you pros. I realize why I almost never use the open end wrench. I use the box end wrench until it’s loose and then spin it the rest of the way off with my finger. Probably sounds ridiculous to most of you. I’m going to make more of an effort to incorporate the open end.

Why would this be silly? Get it loose, use a finger. On clean threads, you can probably spin a nut 360-720 degrees with a good "flick".

Compared to a 12-pt box end, the open end is very clunky. It's much thicker than the box end, and it's basically a 6-pt tool. The open end is also inherently more likely to slip. Especially with so many ****-tastic fasteners these days. Not uncommon to see.... like... Class 4.4 metric fasteners on stuff where it doesn't matter. That's like unscrewing cheese.

Folks use tools for a lot of different things around here.

-Ryan

 

[AEAdam]

Why would this be silly? Get it loose, use a finger. On clean threads, you can probably spin a nut 360-720 degrees with a good "flick".

Compared to a 12-pt box end, the open end is very clunky. It's much thicker than the box end, and it's basically a 6-pt tool. The open end is also inherently more likely to slip. Especially with so many ****-tastic fasteners these days. Not uncommon to see.... like... Class 4.4 metric fasteners on stuff where it doesn't matter. That's like unscrewing cheese.

Folks use tools for a lot of different things around here.

-Ryan

There are a lot of engine parts made of plastic now. Some with tons of fasteners. So, low enough torque to easily use open end.

The open end can be very quick to use, quick to get on, you rotate in the plane of the head, very intuitive - not so with an offset wrench. You can easily use an open end one handed.

For @CHI_Tool&Die, I'm rebuilding the head of my Bridgeport. I think you can completely disassemble a Bridgeport with a couple open end wrenches and a set of allen keys. There are a couple special tools I needed, but sockets wasn't among them (save bit sockets)

 

[dclark2171]

Depends on how contorted my body is is (up under a car etc) when I reach for the wrench. Whichever end is up is what I use generally.

 

[JradM]

Only when the box end won’t fit.

Box end for me too. My wrenches ratchet, so I'm definitively only using the open end where box end won't fit.

 

[Jeepster04]

Typically only when its in a really tight spot and nothing else will work. I love having to turn the wrench over and over to turn it 1/16 of a turn... Its a fav...

 

[yellowbox]

Wrenches? Mine are dusty
OK well gear Wrenches get used , but open end ? Very seldom
That's for more of a clearance issue

 

[Dakotadadv8]

I use open end first just a habit, fortunate to have SO wrench set, prefer wrenches as my go to.

 

[Ton ton]

I prefer to use the open end unless it slips.