I'm curious, who made these tools?

[Jack Ryan]

An Australian brand that is now owned by the Stanley-Black and Decker group has (at least) two lines of shifters (adjustable spanners). The tools are no longer made in Australia.



These look like Facom shifters



The aspect ratio looks a bit off in these images, I think, because the Sidchrome tools are smaller. Facom is part of the same group so the Sidchrome tools could be made by Facom.

Sidchrome also offer this shifter:



and this looks remarkably like a Stahlwille Shifter. Stahlwille is not part of the Stanley group.



Both have a scale on the jaw.

Sidchrome also have a slim jaw version of the same style:



I couldn't find a Stahlwille slim jaw shifter but I did find a Channellock version.



Channellock is neither part of the Stanley group nor part of Stahlwille.

I'm curious to know who is supplying whom - in particular, who is supplying Sidchrome?

Thanks

Jack

 

[Browens]

The second example looks like Irega out of Spain. Pretty sure they’re the manufacturer behind the Channellocks but don’t quote me on that.

 

[bwringer]

Yes, Irega makes the Channellock in Spain, and presumably that nearly identical Stahlwille and Sidchrome.

Very nice quality, and easily found on the shelf under the Channellock brand in the US for reasonable prices.

And today I learned these are called "shifters" in Australia.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Thanks guys. Who makes what where always seems to turn out to be more complicated than first thought.

Quite a lot of Sidchrome's tools (sockets, ratchets etc) look identical to Facom tools but the Facom tools might be French, Spanish or something else. I recently found that the Facom style Sidchrome shifters are now made in China.

I'll have to move on to the Irega style Sidchrome shifters (based on my experience of Chinese Gearwrench).

I have to wonder if the manufacturers' objective is to supply ballast for tool boxes or quality tools.

Oh, and I would hate to think that we are separated by a common language!

Jack

 

[four.cycle]

* in the Australian lexicon, a wrench is referred to as a "spanner", an adjustable ("Crescent") wrench may be referred to as a "shifter", a box wrench is referred to as a "ring spanner" *

* because of the multitude of Australian tool makers, see also https://www.htpaa.org.au/hand-tools...kers/directory-of-australian-makers-full-list *

Sidchrome / (see Siddons) /

Siddons / Siddons Drop Forgings Pty. Ltd., Melbourne, Australia / https://www.htpaa.org.au/ / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/sidchrome-tools-and-other-australia-brands.425497/ / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/sidchrome-and-australian-made-tools.503971/#post-9767990 /

====

Irega / Irega S.A., Fueros, 1, 48250 Zaldibar, Vizcaya Spain / http://www.irega.es/en/ / est. 1945 / adjustable wrenches /

Irega is OEM for a number of manufacturers currently.

Adjustable wrenches (e.g. "Crescent" wrench) are no longer manufactured in the U.S. (Western Forge in Colorado Springs was the last U.S. manufacturer of adjustable wrenches.)

 

[neophyte]

The first adjustable wrenches from Sidchrome snd Facom are I believe a version made in Taiwan.
I think some past thread had a post where someone had found the actual manufacturer.

The Spanish made Irega adjustable wrenches are usually of a high quality, which is the reason lots of manufacturers rebrand the wrenches under their own name.
Also, Irega only manufactures adjustable wrenches, do they’re basically set ip to be an OEM for adjustables for other brands.

I believe there are a couple other adjustable wrench manufacturers in Spain.
Irimo, owned by Snap-On Europe, whose wrenches are not always properly machined.
And Super-Ego, who I think manufacturers their tool lines in Spain, and whose adjustable use a fairly distinctive forging.

As for US made adjustable wrenches, the last I was aware of were Crescent and Western Forge.
The Western Forge wrenches were fairly nice.
The Crescent wrenches had sloppy tolerances, although I presume the steel was good.

If you’re in Australia, and don’t like the Sidchrome/Facom offerings, maybe look for Japanese manufactured adjustable wrenches.
Top Kogyo supposedly manufactures nice adjustable wrenches, which I believe were sold under the Klein brand in the USA years ago, and Top and Klein may have even traded manufacturing techniques between pliers and adjustable wrenches, which led to a series of USA made adjustable wrenches Klein used to manufacture. ( or so I believe I read in the past)

Also, I presume you may have made this thread just so you could use the term “Shifter” for adjustable wrench ?

 

[bwringer]

I, for one, really like the term "shifter". Most of the time, mine are used to "shift" metal around; they're great for bending, tweaking, etc. I rarely use them for fasteners. Sometimes for things like hose or pipe fittings.

The term "wrench" implies that they're useful for turning fasteners, which is debatable at best.

Other names include "nut lathe" or "thumb-detecting nut f*cker"... there are many other variations in the same vein.

 

[Jack Ryan]

The first adjustable wrenches from Sidchrome snd Facom are I believe a version made in Taiwan.
I think some past thread had a post where someone had found the actual manufacturer.

At least some, now, are made in China.

The Spanish made Irega adjustable wrenches are usually of a high quality, which is the reason lots of manufacturers rebrand the wrenches under their own name.
Also, Irega only manufactures adjustable wrenches, do they’re basically set ip to be an OEM for adjustables for other brands.

Sidchrome is one that rebrands the Irega shifters.

If you’re in Australia, and don’t like the Sidchrome/Facom offerings, maybe look for Japanese manufactured adjustable wrenches.
Top Kogyo supposedly manufactures nice adjustable wrenches, which I believe were sold under the Klein brand in the USA years ago, and Top and Klein may have even traded manufacturing techniques between pliers and adjustable wrenches, which led to a series of USA made adjustable wrenches Klein used to manufacture. ( or so I believe I read in the past)

The Sidchrome Irega is good. Bahco are satisfactory except that they no longer make (or at least no longer import) right handed versions.

Also, I presume you may have made this thread just so you could use the term “Shifter” for adjustable wrench ?

Er, no. I have neither the time nor the inclination for such childish games.

Jack

 

[Dave455]

Just to add a bit -

Stanley Black and Decker (SBD) have, over the years, progressively bought out MAC, Proto, Sidchrome, Facom (who owned Britool) and USAG. Sidchrome were, I believe, one of the earlier acquisitions.

Some of the manufacturing has been moved, and some of the individual factories have been closed down. Those that remain include plants in the U.S. and U.K. producing essentially MAC / Proto tools, Facom in France (producing primarily screwdrivers and pliers) and USAG in Italy (producing some ratchets, among other items).

The design of a lot of the newer products appears to be essentially Facom. The popular “440” wrench was a Facom design, and was produced by them for some years before appearing under the other brand names.

Other Facom designs, such as “Palm Control” ratchets have only recently appeared as “Proto” despite having been a Facom product for over 30 years!

With regard to the quality, I think most folks are in agreement that the quality of the Taiwan produced tools is generally very decent. The steel, the manufacturing, heat treatment and finishing are all probably as good as an average European tool of a few decades back. Are they as good as a French made Facom or an older U.S, made Proto? I’m not totally convinced, but those are high standards.

The few Chinese made tools I’ve seen (adjustable wrenches) were pretty junky. I’d take a Spanish made Irega in preference every time. Irega manufacture adjustables for many companies other than SBD.

I’m not sure if the quality of the Irega wrenches varies according to the customer / contract? The Irimo’s certainly do - I’ve seen some that are not great, and others that are superb. I have Stahlwille branded Irega’s and they are decent.

If you don’t like the Sidchrome / Irega (and one choice is no choice) maybe consider some of the Japanese tools? Availability should be good in Oz.

KTC are decent.


As are “Top” - particularly these “”Hyper” models.


Best in the known universe are probably these KTC Nepros.

 

[four.cycle]

^ or..... possibly take a look at Lobster:

Lobtex / Lobtex Co. Ltd., 12-8 Shijocho, Higashi-Osaka City, Osaka, Japan / https://www.lobtex.co.jp/ / "Lobster" "New Lobster" / est. 1923 / http://www.lobtex.co.jp/english/company/history/tabid/144/Default.aspx / http://alloy-artifacts.org/japanese-tool-makers.html#lobster /

 

[Jack Ryan]

Just to add a bit -

Thanks for your comments.

If you don’t like the Sidchrome / Irega (and one choice is no choice) maybe consider some of the Japanese tools? Availability should be good in Oz.

I don't have a problem with Sidchrome/Irega but I don't trust Stanley Black and Decker not to secretly start sourcing from elsewhere.

There is a basic loss of trust.

I have tools from Europe (mostly German) and Japan (mostly Engineer and Vessel) - they are decent. I also have tools from Taiwan and they have been pretty good. The last Sidchrome shifters and the last Gearwrench flex heads I bought came from China - not happy.

Jack

 

[KnurledNut]

As for US made adjustable wrenches, the last I was aware of were Crescent and Western Forge.

Snap-on AD6C, AD8C, AD10C, AD12C are made in USA.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Snap-on AD6C, AD8C, AD10C, AD12C are made in USA.

No longer, it seems.

Specifications​

Dimension A, Length, inches (mm)	10 (255)
ASME®	B107.100
Country of Origin	ESP
Finish	Chrome
Dimension B, Jaw Capacity, inches (mm)	1-3/16 (30)

Jack

 

[KnurledNut]

@Jack Ryan
You’re looking at the discontinued AD10B. They were made in Spain. The ones with a C suffix are USA.

 

[Jack Ryan]

@Jack Ryan
You’re looking at the discontinued AD10B. They were made in Spain. The ones with a C suffix are USA.

You're right - sorry about that.

Jack

 

[neophyte]

Snap-on AD6C, AD8C, AD10C, AD12C are made in USA.

The amount of slop in that wrench’s machining makes me think it’s old stock that was manufactured for Snap-On by Crescent.

 

[oldpliers1]

* in the Australian lexicon, a wrench is referred to as a "spanner", an adjustable ("Crescent") wrench may be referred to as a "shifter", a box wrench is referred to as a "ring spanner" *

* because of the multitude of Australian tool makers, see also https://www.htpaa.org.au/hand-tools...kers/directory-of-australian-makers-full-list *

Sidchrome / (see Siddons) /

Siddons / Siddons Drop Forgings Pty. Ltd., Melbourne, Australia / https://www.htpaa.org.au/ / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/sidchrome-tools-and-other-australia-brands.425497/ / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/sidchrome-and-australian-made-tools.503971/#post-9767990 /

====

Irega / Irega S.A., Fueros, 1, 48250 Zaldibar, Vizcaya Spain / http://www.irega.es/en/ / est. 1945 / adjustable wrenches /

Irega is OEM for a number of manufacturers currently.

Adjustable wrenches (e.g. "Crescent" wrench) are no longer manufactured in the U.S. (Western Forge in Colorado Springs was the last U.S. manufacturer of adjustable wrenches.)

I have a number of Australian shifters living in Australia a few fake Australian Sidchrome / bahco and some stuff you probably have not heard off , including Australian made Dowidat. I thought we got the term shifters and spanners from the Brit’s as we were initially importing Bahco / Clyburn shifters until 1924 . Cheers

 

[richfinn]

We do use the term "Spanners" in the UK and I have heard older Northern English Mining engineers use "Shifter", but mostly we refer to them simply as "Adjustables" or "Adjustable Spanner"

 

[oldpliers1]

We do use the term "Spanners" in the UK and I have heard older Northern English Mining engineers use "Shifter", but mostly we refer to them simply as "Adjustables" or "Adjustable Spanner"

It’s always shifter in Australia, adjustable is not used. Like if you said pass me the crescents in Australia that would be
a pair of Crescent 3800-8 CT pliers not a wrench.
equivalent of your 8 inch knipex or Lucas Elliott combination pliers. And spanners are open Enders or ring . Side cutters are diags or dickies to our American friends, different countries different terminology .

 

[four.cycle]

nomenclature