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"flank-drive" wrenches are AWESOME when dealing with really stuck fasteners. They can cause some damage to fastener heads... but that damage would likely worse with traditional open-end wrench. If you even got the fastener out...
Generally I don't find flank-drive wrenches damaging fasteners if they were properly tightened and not overly corroded. My only reservations would be using them on chrome (for appearance) or aluminum fasteners. My older traditional wrenches would always seen to mar the corners of fasteners regardless.[/QUOTE
Yep, they were built for stubborn and stuck fasteners, and have definitely proven their worth.. But it is sad to see the marks left on brass fittings and other soft fasteners, as well as adjusting nuts when these wrenches are used for the final tightening (or over tightening), when a flare nut wrench or flare nut socket could have been used. All our tools were built for a certain purpose, but yes, the time saved by using a single tool is often favored vs getting that second tool, and any minor marks left on a fastener will not be an issue. The best choice is to have them all, and use them when called for.
I was comparing three 19MM long pattern full polished combination wrenches the other day: A nos ProTo Professional 500 series, an unused KD, and a Snap-on that has given four decades of faithful service. The open end jaws on the Snap-on were tighter than the ProTo, and made the KD look like something bought from a gum ball machine... Were the Snap-on wrenches worth the extra money? YEP. I like to compare the quality and features of tools, so am looking forward to getting the new Vessel screwdrivers.
