KTC vs WrightGrip Combination Wrenches

[budopo]

I'm looking to get a set of metric combination wrenches. I was about to get WrightGrips, since they're so highly regarded, but I thought I'd ask if anyone has any experience with KTC wrenches and how the they compare with WrightGrip.

I know there are tons of wrench threads, but I haven't found anything that compares WrightGrip and KTC wrenches. Most of the use will be car maintenance and some high-end road bicycle work.

Thanks in advance

 

[M6erfan]

I've never owned Wrightgrip, mainly because I avoid wrenches that might mark a fastener. I do quite a bit of automotive/motorcycle restoration work...

I do have some KTC wrenches and like them a lot. I read somewhere that they are stronger inch per inch than anything out there, but who knows

That said, if you live in the rust belt or commonly come across corroded fasteners, Wrightgrips are hard to beat.

I plan on adding more KTC as I need them...

 

[Tenex]

I enjoyed my metric Wrightgrip set so much that I bought an SAE set two weeks ago. The beams are thick and don't hurt my hands when applying lots of torque.

 

[gdocktor3]

KTC are very nice looking tools, but I feel the Wright's are a much better choice due to the advanced design of the open ends. KTC box ends look nice, but the open end is just a basic jaw. While they will work in most cases, for someone like me in CT, always working on plow trucks and heavily rusted & crusted vehicles, I would much rather take advantage of the Wright Grip, Flank Drive, Opti Torque style of wrenches. When I don't want to damage the fasteners on my Harley, for instance, I just grab my basic, plain old SK, v-jaw Mac's, Craftsman or Gearwrench. Not to mention the ease of warranty with Wright should one ever break for some freakish reason, but that's really irrelevant.

 

[budopo]

Usually when I reach for a wrench, it's to get into a tight space, so I was also looking at KTC's Profit wrenches. But, my main concern is not rounding the heads, since that just makes the job tons more difficult and ruins the rest of my day. Does the Wright design minimize that? If so, I may have to decide between the Wright not rounding off heads and the Profit's slim profile for tight spaces.

 

[gdocktor3]

Usually when I reach for a wrench, it's to get into a tight space, so I was also looking at KTC's Profit wrenches. But, my main concern is not rounding the heads, since that just makes the job tons more difficult and ruins the rest of my day. Does the Wright design minimize that? If so, I may have to decide between the Wright not rounding off heads and the Profit's slim profile for tight spaces.

In a sense you're comparing two different tools. Thin, specialty tool vs thick, damaged/rusted bolt removal tool. Not only do the Wright Grips design bite better, but they provide more surface area. The Profit wrenches' thin profile actually make rounding fasteners more likely. In other words, get both!

 

[T45]

I'd probably keep marking open end jaws away from the bicycle.

 

[rice rocket]

Not sure what bicycles you're riding, but I've used open end wrenches exactly zero times in the past 10 years.

The days of cone wrenches and adjusting wheel bearing preload are pretty long gone. And not that you could use an open ended wrench on it anyways, they need to be super thin, like ignition wrenches. The only other thing I can think of is maybe a pedal wrench, but all my pedals have 6 or 8mm allen heads on the spindle as well, which I much prefer (the DuraAce pedals don't even have the wrench flats anymore iirc).

 

[budopo]

Yeah, after I posted, I realized that I can't think of anything on the bike that I'd use a wrench for. I should've edited the post.

gdocktor3, I know you're half joking about getting both, but I think that's probably the way to go (assuming that I can afford it, or at least keep my wife from finding out).

 

[M6erfan]

I should add that my KTC wrenches are the long double box end ProFits. For open end I have Heyco DOE and Craftsman USA full polish combos (Made by SK I believe...)

 

[Skin]

Wright has a pretty loyal following here but my personal opinion is that their wrenches are too short and as a result makes the modified opened end a bit less useful than it should be. I'd suggest looking at either Armstrong or Williams for a modified open end that also has a longer beam. The latter two are also modified to work like a radius cut socket so they grip far better than a standard open end without using teeth to mar the surface.

 

[BK13]

gdocktor3, I know you're half joking about getting both, but I think that's probably the way to go (assuming that I can afford it, or at least keep my wife from finding out).

No, he most likely wasn't. This IS GJ, after all. If one set is good, 17 sets are better.

 

[PureLeaf]

No, he most likely wasn't. This IS GJ, after all. If one set is good, 17 sets are better.

Never seen a truer statement as an owner of 9 wrench sets.

 

[camd64]

Between those two I would go Wrightgrips. Only thing I don't like about them is they don't offer a long pattern version.....yet.

 

[gdocktor3]

No, he most likely wasn't. This IS GJ, after all. If one set is good, 17 sets are better.

No I definitely wasn't. I'm not a mechanic by trade and even I have 7 sets of sae wrenches in my drawer, not counting duplicates, triplets, flare, etc. and in all honesty, each size/style has a time and place where nothing else could get the job done.

 

[budopo]

I agree that getting both makes sense (one set for stubborn bolts, Profit for tight clearances). If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing.

Between Wright, Armstrong, and Williams, the Williams seems to be the most affordable, and the open end is designed not to round bolt head corners (a feature I assume KTC doesn't have). Any opinions about those three brands?

 

[M6erfan]

All those brands get high marks around here. Wright has a very loyal GJ following, they're very nice but they are a bit shorter than the Williams or Armstrong.

I've seen the Armstrong sets, new, go for a steal on eBay...

 

[gdocktor3]

Between Wright, Armstrong, and Williams, the Williams seems to be the most affordable, and the open end is designed not to round bolt head corners (a feature I assume KTC doesn't have). Any opinions about those three brands?

Armstrong is good stuff, without a doubt, but does not have an opti-torque style open end. It is interesting because Armstrong makes wrenches for Matco, and they're the exact same in nearly every way, but the Matco wrenches have the opti-torque open end. Here let me show you..