New Ridgid pipe wrench impresses

[dwasifar]

For the longest time I've been using a couple of random 14" pipe wrenches that I don't even remember buying. One is a Servess and the other is a 70-year-old (as it turns out) Dunlap of the Stillson design. I bought another even older antique at a garage sale intending to use that too, but decided to keep it for display instead. So I went out and bought me a new 14" Ridgid instead, used it for the first time today, and instantly understood what all you Ridgid fans like about this brand.

Turning a pipe with this is like turning a bolt with a socket. It grabs easily, gets a solid grip, doesn't let go until you want it to. No muss, no fuss, no struggle. Even after today's small project where I only had to turn four pipes, I immediately see what I've been missing. Absolutely worth the extra money.



Thanks to everyone who advised me in this direction.

 

[jeepxj]

have you seen the swedish style ones?

 

[dwasifar]

have you seen the swedish style ones?

In pictures, never in person. How do they work?

 

[Sportsman762]

If your only turning pipes the Ridgid design is superior. No squeezing needed, and the more force you put on them the tighter they grip. However they are a one trick pony (they make a great hammer too).

The Swedish ones work similar to a channel lock. You use the adjusting screw to get the size close, then you squeeze them to apply force. Force applied to the pipe is directly correlated to how hard you squeeze just like a channel lock but they have a linkage to compound the force. They are good for a variety of applications, however if you don't squeeze hard enough they will slip. Whereas the Ridgid style pipe wrenches are a set and forget type, and allow you to use your energy to just turn the pipe.

Both have their places, however if your sole goal is to turn a pipe the Ridgid style will do it better in most cases.

 

[toplessHO]

many years back I bought myself a Christmas present
an aluminum Rigid pipe wrench that fit in my tool bag.
I also have a smaller iron one for even smaller projects
but the aluminum one is my favorite. I have several Rigid
pipe wrenches from 6 inches to 36 inches
The key to good grip is sharp teeth.

 

[klassenl]

Over the years I have been tempted to buy a pipe wrench that was not Rigid. I just couldn't do it.

 

[RedneckWelder]

Rigid…accept no substitute

Coworker has some cheap aluminum ATD ones (think HF) they break all too easily.

 

[jeepxj]

In pictures, never in person. How do they work?

no idea lol. been hoping someone else has hands on experience.

 

[ike]

I have a 10" and 14" Ridgid pipe wrench. I have only used them for projects around my house, but they are made in USA, and I know they are the last two pipe wrenches I'll ever need to buy.

 

[dwasifar]

I have a 10" and 14" Ridgid pipe wrench. I have only used them for projects around my house, but they are made in USA, and I know they are the last two pipe wrenches I'll ever need to buy.

LOL, at my age I could buy a Husky and it would be a lifetime tool. But I'm glad to have the USA made Ridgid.

 

[brownbagg]

you should of gotten the aluminum handle ridgid, much lighter

 

[PoorUB]

I worked as a HVAC service tech. The shop I worked we did a lot of gas pipe install using black iron (steel) pipe and fittings. I had Ridgid aluminum pipe wrenches. I had the same wrenches hanging in the truck for 12 years. Even used cheater pipes on them from time to time breaking loose old pipe fittings.

My boss bought some Lennox branded pipe wrenched and they got broken often. I don't remember anyone breaking a Ridgid pipe wrench.

 

[dwasifar]

you should of gotten the aluminum handle ridgid, much lighter

If I were buying bigger than 14" I probably would have.

 

[qqzj]

For the longest time I've been using a couple of random 14" pipe wrenches that I don't even remember buying. One is a Servess and the other is a 70-year-old (as it turns out) Dunlap of the Stillson design. I bought another even older antique at a garage sale intending to use that too, but decided to keep it for display instead. So I went out and bought me a new 14" Ridgid instead, used it for the first time today, and instantly understood what all you Ridgid fans like about this brand.

Turning a pipe with this is like turning a bolt with a socket. It grabs easily, gets a solid grip, doesn't let go until you want it to. No muss, no fuss, no struggle. Even after today's small project where I only had to turn four pipes, I immediately see what I've been missing. Absolutely worth the extra money.



Thanks to everyone who advised me in this direction.

Not a fair comparison. You are comparing a typical new product against old junk. Better compare a ridgid against a Husky or Milwaukee. If you have solid evidence to show Ridgid wins, then it means something. I bought a junk drain cable made by Ridgid, very hard to warm up to this brand now.

 

[RedneckWelder]

Not a fair comparison. You are comparing a typical new product against old junk. Better compare a ridgid against a Husky or Milwaukee. If you have solid evidence to show Ridgid wins, then it means something. I bought a junk drain cable made by Ridgid, very hard to warm up to this brand now.

We TRIED to tell you but you didn’t want to listen. And Ridgid pipe wrenches and other pipe tooling (such as threaders) is a whole different world than their other products

 

[dwasifar]

Not a fair comparison. You are comparing a typical new product against old junk. Better compare a ridgid against a Husky or Milwaukee. If you have solid evidence to show Ridgid wins, then it means something. I bought a junk drain cable made by Ridgid, very hard to warm up to this brand now.

It's a fair point. I can tell you the Servess wrench was never this good, but I can't claim to know what the Dunlap was like when new.

 

[BarrelRoll]

If your only turning pipes the Ridgid design is superior. No squeezing needed, and the more force you put on them the tighter they grip. However they are a one trick pony (they make a great hammer too)....

Ridgid makes the rapwrench for this exact purpose. Most underground miners have one hanging on their belt. I've only seen one broken and it involved a 10' scaling bar (aluminum pipe with a chisel on the end for knocking down rocks). They are a great tool and very miner resistant, nothing is miner proof, they can break anything.


https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/raprench-wrench

 

[brownbagg]

you can buy new guts for the ridgid, so I will get worn out alumnimum and buy new guts.

 

[Sportsman762]

Ridgid makes the rapwrench for this exact purpose. Most underground miners have one hanging on their belt. I've only seen one broken and it involved a 10' scaling bar (aluminum pipe with a chisel on the end for knocking down rocks). They are a great tool and very miner resistant, nothing is miner proof, they can break anything.
https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/raprench-wrench

Neat! I did not know that they made a wrench like that. The problem is that we only carried 18" and bigger on the trucks. 10" would not have cut it cracking the joints on crusty 1"+ pipes.

 

[BarrelRoll]

Neat! I did not know that they made a wrench like that. The problem is that we only carried 18" and bigger on the trucks. 10" would not have cut it cracking the joints on crusty 1"+ pipes.

There's also the miner's wrench though only a 12"

https://rastalltool.com/product/s-12h-hammer-head-miners-wrench/

We must like to beat on stuff in this industry of everything is actually designed to double as a hammer.