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Need a good Adjustable Wrench.

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liliysdad

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Jul 18, 2008
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LopezBart

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Location
Lopez Island, WA
NUTTSGT said:
@LopezBart Is that The African Queen ?
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Nope... that's our Otter, 19' OA. The African Queen is a 30' riveted steel boat, currently in Florida as Crabman points out. We also have Rainbow, which is 26' OA, a Ship of Theseus Navy whaleboat that was completely rebuilt after a fire. Rainbow is awaiting some engine work that requires my shop to be finished so I can move my machine tools from CA to WA.

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liliysdad

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The idea that folks here, who typically have very well equipped boxes, have one or two…or even zero…adjustable wrenches is wild.

I have a drawer that it nothing but adjustable and pipe wrenches. I have adjustables in every road and portable box. My main box has two adjustables each in sizes from 4” to 24”. They are absolutely indispensable tools.
 
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mike93lx

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Dec 9, 2013
Messages
37,833
Location
Richmond, VA
liliysdad said:
The idea that folks here, who typically have very well equipped boxes, have one or two…or even zero…adjustable wrenches is wild.

I have a drawer that it nothing but adjustable and pipe wrenches. I have adjustables in every road and portable box. My main box has two adjustables each in sizes from 4” to 24”. They are absolutely indispensable tools.
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I have no idea how many I own, which feels like about the right number
 
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Lorydr

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Piqua, oHIo
I would only use my larger adjustable wrench as a last resort. And about never for a smaller one.
 
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Lorydr

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I saw this wrench online and I would want it.

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KnurledNut

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redwrench60 said:
I always chuckle when all the hens come out to cluck about the inferiority of adjustable wrenches whenever they are mentioned. There’s a big wide world of industry out there and if you come out from the sheltered life under the hood of a Camry you’d see they have their place. Perhaps not under the hood of said Camry, but in the hands of thousands and thousands of tradesmen in the mines and shipyards and oilfields and boiler rooms and power plants and factories and machine shops and equipment shops that keep this country moving every day. Part of being a good hand is knowing how and when to use everything at your disposal.
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I used a 12" adjustable this week to remove a busted hydraulic line on a piece of heavy equipment that unexpectedly failed. No one had tools let alone a 1-1/4 wrench. Really needed a fourway angle wrench and a crowfoot but I was able to bust just enough knuckles to get the cursed hose out. The job got done that day because I used the only thing on hand. Well, that and a hammer. Sometimes you just have to go caveman on stuff.
 
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redwrench60

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Messages
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Location
East Tennessee
KnurledNut said:
I used a 12" adjustable this week to remove a busted hydraulic line on a piece of heavy equipment that unexpectedly failed. No one had tools let alone a 1-1/4 wrench. Really needed a fourway angle wrench and a crowfoot but I was able to bust just enough knuckles to get the cursed hose out. The job got done that day because I used the only thing on hand. Well, that and a hammer. Sometimes you just have to go caveman on stuff.
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I’m with you. Sometimes you have to do whatever it takes. The real world doesn’t wait for everything to be perfect.

Sometimes an adjustable is the perfect thing. Particularly if the bolt, tube nut or fitting is large but the space is small and a combination wrench in the appropriate size is too long to fit.
 
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roggy

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Nov 3, 2025
Messages
31
Dave455 said:
Even the best engineer needs a good adjustable from time to time!

Finding a good one is harder than it should be. If you can get a good used vintage one, preferably a U.S. made tool, it will be better than most new ones. Personally, I think the vintage Crescent are about the best ever made, but there are other very good ones.

Of the new, there’s Bahco. Loved by many, but I’m not convinced the current tools, made in Spain, are the quality of the original Swedish tools. But they are not bad, and inexpensive.
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They offer an upmarket version, with a plastic grip. Very similar to the tools they make for Snap On. Similar, not identical. Are they better quality than the basic models? Don’t know. Are they the same quality as the Snap On. No, they are not as nicely polished. Are they the same steel, same heat treatment? Who can say?

Chrome, and coloured grips, are all available.
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The other Spanish maker is Irega. I have a few of these, and they seem decent. They manufacture under their own name, and for several European tool manufacturers. Are the tools produced for other companies the same as their own brand? I suspect it comes down to how much they pay. I have several Stahlwille ones, and they seem to be very good.
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If you are opting for Japanese, then Lobster seem to be popular. I’ve seen these but not used them. They seem decent.
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I have usec the Top “Hyper Zero” and they are very nice tools. I’d say a step up in quality. The model numbers denote the jaw opening. The 25mm is approx 6 inches long.
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Best of the bunch is probably the Nepros, but only available in 10 inch. Lovely though.
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