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knuckle saver VS Cornwell Wrenches vs Superkromes

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camaro0991

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May 4, 2011
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I know I'm opening pandora's box with this question, but I'm looking to upgrade my wrenches. I currently have a full set of older Husky combo's, back when Stanley made them. They have served me well, but I'd like to get either a new set of Mac Knuckle Savers, or Cornwell V pattern's, or SK superkrome's. Is there a huge difference between the three quality wise? I'm assuming the mac and cornwell should be comparable being they are both truck brands....SK i know is quality too. Snap on is out because they are crazy expensive, and they are a bit shorter than I'd like, and I'm not a craftsman guy so they are out too.

Thanks all!
 
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HanShotFirst

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NW Nevada
I'm not crazy about the Knuckle Savers. Like the length, but they aren't comfortable in my hands (kinda sharp edges).

Cornwell are first rate, but pricey.

SK...The long patterns are very good wrenches and a decent buy. I wouldn't buy the regular length ones.
 
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xin

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Feb 13, 2017
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ARKANSAS - NWA
camaro0991 said:
I know I'm opening pandora's box with this question, but I'm looking to upgrade my wrenches. I currently have a full set of older Husky combo's, back when Stanley made them. They have served me well, but I'd like to get either a new set of Mac Knuckle Savers, or Cornwell V pattern's, or SK superkrome's. Is there a huge difference between the three quality wise? I'm assuming the mac and cornwell should be comparable being they are both truck brands....SK i know is quality too. Snap on is out because they are crazy expensive, and they are a bit shorter than I'd like, and I'm not a craftsman guy so they are out too.

Thanks all!
Click to expand...

MAC Knuckle Saver wrenches are excellent quality (got a set of them Cornwell combo wrenches). Prefer the MAC ones myself.
 
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bimmer630

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Jul 7, 2011
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HanShotFirst said:
I'm not crazy about the Knuckle Savers. Like the length, but they aren't comfortable in my hands (kinda sharp edges).

Cornwell are first rate, but pricey.

SK...The long patterns are very good wrenches and a decent buy. I wouldn't buy the regular length ones.
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Mac redesigned the knucklesaver actually. They dont have that boxed beam shape anymore, (unless you buy the extra long ones)
 
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wretched73

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NJ
I love the old knuckle savers, they are very comfortable- in my hands at least
 
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bimmer630

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I have just one Mac Knuckle saver. I bought a 13mm in an attempt to get a better bite on BMW tie rod ends. They get corroded here in Cleveland and we have to heat them before they will turn. I bought the Mac wrench thinking I could turn these things, but the open end just spreads and slips around the hex.
I saw the Mac guy and I was like "WTF?" and hes like, "oh they designed these to slowly slip around the fastener if they do slip, thats how they save your knuckles"
So its a wrench thats designed to NOT actually hold that well to the fastener, and when it does slip, it simply slips in an "easygoing" manner so that you dont slam your knuckles. And they cost about 500 bucks for a set. Mac wonders why people stopped buying a lot of their tools....
 
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Wamsutta

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Each brand is going to have a different feel to them.

The MACs can be confusing because their new regular length is now a PROTO wrench, but if you go extra long, it'll be the old MAC pattern that they've always had except for a modified open end.

The S*K wrenches will have a sharp cornered square beam with extra wide hips just before the box end. Not appealing to me but some guys favor them.

The Cornwell wrenches are just plain awesome. They have a rounded beam profile that's easy on the hands if you ever have to pull on them hard. Go extra long and you have a powerful wrench that's real comfortable to work with.
 
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bimmer630

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Wamsutta said:
Each brand is going to have a different feel to them.

The MACs can be confusing because their new regular length is now a PROTO wrench, but if you go extra long, it'll be the old MAC pattern that they've always had except for a modified open end.

The S*K wrenches will have a sharp cornered square beam with extra wide hips just before the box end. Not appealing to me but some guys favor them.

The Cornwell wrenches are just plain awesome. They have a rounded beam profile that's easy on the hands if you ever have to pull on them hard. Go extra long and you have a powerful wrench that's real comfortable to work with.
Click to expand...

Agreed. The Cornwell is almost identical to the feel of snapon wrenches. The only quirky thing is that when they are sitting in a rack on the toolbox, the open ends face the opposite directions of every other brand
 
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camaro0991

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May 4, 2011
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bimmer630 said:
I have just one Mac Knuckle saver. I bought a 13mm in an attempt to get a better bite on BMW tie rod ends. They get corroded here in Cleveland and we have to heat them before they will turn. I bought the Mac wrench thinking I could turn these things, but the open end just spreads and slips around the hex.
I saw the Mac guy and I was like "WTF?" and hes like, "oh they designed these to slowly slip around the fastener if they do slip, thats how they save your knuckles"
So its a wrench thats designed to NOT actually hold that well to the fastener, and when it does slip, it simply slips in an "easygoing" manner so that you dont slam your knuckles. And they cost about 500 bucks for a set. Mac wonders why people stopped buying a lot of their tools....
Click to expand...

Seriously??? Anyone else have this problem with them slipping?
 
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xin

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Got the SK Super Krome long pattern (the open end does not grip very well). The Cornwell have the V opening they are 'ok' but no where near the Snap-On plus or MAC KS.
 
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plinker

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Northern Wi
Williams wrenches are nice, I have the Supercombos. I also have an S-K metric set which is also nice.

I have one Mac wrench, dont care for it due to the box end is offset on the wrong side compared to every other wrench I have.
 
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redwrench60

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East Tennessee
I’ve been getting On tool trucks for a lot of years now and I always notice more Cornwell wrenches with broken open ends in the dealers warranty bin than nearly any other brand. They break right along that V-throat design that everyone likes to pretend is strong. I pass on any wrench with a V-throat open end. When Matco used v throat wrenches they broke there too.
 
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xin

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ARKANSAS - NWA
redwrench60 said:
I’ve been getting On tool trucks for a lot of years now and I always notice more Cornwell wrenches with broken open ends in the dealers warranty bin than nearly any other brand. They break right along that V-throat design that everyone likes to pretend is strong. I pass on any wrench with a V-throat open end. When Matco used v throat wrenches they broke there too.
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I think that is the weak point (the arch in the Snap-On plus wrenches) the ones I got will either break the fastener or turn it.
 
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Fedwrench

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I can't really answer for you because it's not how the wrenches fit my hands but, how they feel in yours that counts.

Why those three? What is your main goal in replacing your old huskys?

Are you open to other brands?

Here's my spin on the three mentioned.

Mac Knucklesavers: Nice wrenches but, you can get pretty much the same wrench branded PROTO and possibly save some money.

Cornwell: Nice wrenches but the sizes is only stamped on one side of the wrench (at least on the ones I have) and although it's a v cut open end there are no teeth or notches to make it anti slip.

SK long Pattern: As someone else mentioned, they're heavy in the hips or the beam adjacent to the boxed end is thicker. This is especially noticeable in larger sizes say over 15 mm. The open end isn't an anti slip design.

Of the three, i would opt for the MAC Knuckle Savers.

However, unless you're against anything imported, i would recommend Carlyle long pattern anti slip, Dewalt long combination wrenches.

For US made take a look at PROTO and maybe Williams supercombos.

Good luck in your quest :beer:
 
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toolman9w

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Southern Indiana
Used the old knuckle savers for 14 years with no problem. Started using them in 1994. They were $375 on sale then. Can't speak for the new ones.
 
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xin

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ARKANSAS - NWA
Fedwrench said:
I can't really answer for you because it's not how the wrenches fit my hands but, how they feel in yours that counts.

Why those three? What is your main goal in replacing your old huskys?

Are you open to other brands?

Here's my spin on the three mentioned.

Mac Knucklesavers: Nice wrenches but, you can get pretty much the same wrench branded PROTO and possibly save some money.

Cornwell: Nice wrenches but the sizes is only stamped on one side of the wrench (at least on the ones I have) and although it's a v cut open end there are no teeth or notches to make it anti slip.

SK long Pattern: As someone else mentioned, they're heavy in the hips or the beam adjacent to the boxed end is thicker. This is especially noticeable in larger sizes say over 15 mm. The open end isn't an anti slip design.

Of the three, i would opt for the MAC Knuckle Savers.

However, unless you're against anything imported, i would recommend Carlyle long pattern anti slip, Dewalt long combination wrenches.

For US made take a look at PROTO and maybe Williams supercombos.

Good luck in your quest :beer:
Click to expand...

I got a set of the Super Krome Long Pattern metric SK's and the open end leaves a LOT to be desired. That is one of the reasons I got the Snap-On plus wrenches. Got some of the MAC they are excellent, the Cornwell ones feel very thin and the weak point is the V will break if a lot of torque is put on it. Proto - or the US made Williams are GREAT as well.
 
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JazzBlueRT

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Jun 11, 2017
Messages
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bimmer630 said:
I have just one Mac Knuckle saver. I bought a 13mm in an attempt to get a better bite on BMW tie rod ends. They get corroded here in Cleveland and we have to heat them before they will turn. I bought the Mac wrench thinking I could turn these things, but the open end just spreads and slips around the hex.
I saw the Mac guy and I was like "WTF?" and hes like, "oh they designed these to slowly slip around the fastener if they do slip, thats how they save your knuckles"
So its a wrench thats designed to NOT actually hold that well to the fastener, and when it does slip, it simply slips in an "easygoing" manner so that you dont slam your knuckles. And they cost about 500 bucks for a set. Mac wonders why people stopped buying a lot of their tools....
Click to expand...

Awesome my Craftsman RP wrenches are "knuckle savers."
 
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rustbucket5

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Apr 22, 2015
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252
i know its not one of the three but i bought the new milwaukee wrenches (same as capri and carlyle) and they are really nice! you can really feel the open end grip the fastener and the I beam design is really comfortable to use at least in my hands. i paid 169 each (15pcs each) cant beat that
 
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Wamsutta

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Amarillo, Texas
I prefer the open ends to be smooth without any kind of grab feature; reason being is because I think they slide on and off the nut quicker for faster turn and flip action. If I need a wrench with a grabby open end, I'll just get a Snap-on FD+ but I'm not buying the whole set.
 
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ihateminimumwage

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Jan 26, 2012
Messages
3,960
I've worked with two people that traded out their MAC Knuckle Savers and SK wrenches for Gearwrench combos and couldn't be happier.

I personally went with Williams Supercombos years ago, and they're the best I've ever used. Sold my Snap-on set and replaced with them.
 
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Tonyuk

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Jun 9, 2017
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Scotland
They're not as long as the other but i'm a fan of the Facom 440 series, very comfortable in the hand and the open end is a nice tight fit, although there's no teeth to grip in it.

Facom-440-Combination-Wrench-Compared-to-Craftsman-Pro.jpg


If you looking for long spanners without spending too much toptul do an excellent set up to 19mm for about £70 delivered over here;

p_160920_06683.jpg
 
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VinceG

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Hobart Indiana the armpit of the USA
I have Snap=on Flank drives and they are my go to. I like the feel and the length. I bought standard set new 20 years ago and never broke any. I bought my metric set used 15 years ago no issue. I have some Matco Metric the open end flexes a lot. I had MAC metric set and sold them and bought the snap-ons I didn't like the feel I did break 1 once by double wrenching. I have used Craftsmans the older one are ok. I have a 18mm Husky I picked up and it feels good used it on the other end of a Impact a lot no issues.

Remember Williams is Snap-on brand.

The worst wrenches I've ever owned were Armstrong I had some as a second set around 15 years ago. The 3/4 broke in half while loosening a semi truck alternator bolt it slashed my arm pretty good the bolt was not extremely tight and no extender or other tool was used on it. you could see the air pocket in the wrench. the open end either flexed or broke on several others I sold the remainders at a garage sale.

For me buy what feels good in your hand and are decent quality. Ive was a Class 8 truck mechanic and had tools at home, in vehicles and at work if I was doing a bigger job at home I would bring my Snap-ons from work just because of comfort.
 
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Bryanthegreat

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Mar 6, 2012
Messages
446
Location
Minnesota
No Issues with the MAC KS2 wrenches at all. I feel that the truck brand wrenches are pretty much on PAR with each other. I also have a set of the precision torque at home which I also dig but are not US made but are 1/2 the price for more wrenches. Depending on what your goals are Menards sells a large set of Gearwrench for 59.99 in each type that appear to have the anti slip in the open end and a nice finish.
 
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Briancapecoral

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May 10, 2017
Messages
153
Location
Southwest Florida
When I was "upgrading" from my old Kobalt combos I ended up with SK X frame wrenches. They have a ratcheting box end and some type of teeth in the open end. The ratchet end makes some tasks a lot faster, but the grip of the open end are great. They have allowed me to easily get off some 30+ year old fasteners. I would recommend getting a set with teeth and longer than your current huskys. Although I love my x frames and a couple other sets I've bought, there are times that the size and style of my old koblalts make them the better tool for the job.
 
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classic70

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Jun 1, 2009
Messages
152
Location
Indiana
SK long wrenches left me disappointed, open ends spread and slip. Sold my set and got a set of long pattern armstrong wrenches. Much better. I have no complaints with MAC KS wrenches. I like them just out of my price range. No experience with cornwell.
 
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zcbauer89

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Dec 27, 2011
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598
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NW OH
I've got a set of the original Mac Knuckle Savers, and I really like them. I've never had one slip, spread, bend or break. And I've cracked loose ALOT of hydraulic lines with the 7/8-1" wrenches. Those get seized pretty good over time. I've no idea compared to a tie rod, but they've served me well. Cornwells are nice too, but no support in my area for years.
 
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JiminAZ

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Jul 11, 2018
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Phoenix, AZ
I can't add much to what people have already said about the three brands/models you proposed.

Like powertrip I would urge you to take a look at the Wright offerings since you're in that price range. They really make a nice wrench. Also so many people like the polished wrenches but I have come to prefer the satin finish. Wright offers both.

I think there's a case to be made for owning an enhanced open end wrench set (SO flank drive or Wrightgrip or Proto/Mac ASD etc.) and a plain unenhanced open end set. Sometimes I am wrenching on soft materials like brass and don't want to mar the fitting. Other times that damned brake line will only come loose with the wrightgrip.

With that in mind I use Wright and the SK standard pattern. The SK standard pattern are shorter and don't have the grip enhancement on the open end. They work well for me in tight circumstances on my boat or even under the hood of a car at times. Lots of things I fiddle with don't require mega torque - just a bit of finesse in tight quarters.
 
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