School me on these odd shaped combo wrenches

[Bessy]

I am but a modest hobbyist, so pardon any ignorance in advance. I came across these wrenches on a buy & sell group, and I'm curious as to their use?

Box end looks to be standard 12pt, but the open end has me curious. Some sort of rudimentary "ratchet" action possibly, or is there some specialty use that I'm missing?

Thanks in advance!

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[FireBros.]

Yes those are ratcheting open end wrenches. They were all the rage for a minute, back in the day, maybe a decade ago.

 

[ForrestT]

Speed ends on the open ends. Easier/faster to pull off and re-grip.


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[sk farmer]

yup, ratcheting. odd thing maybe the brand. usually those are raised panel cman. all i can make out is professional. do they say napa on the other side?

 

[Bessy]

Thanks all,

I had a feeling that it was something ratchet like. I have both SAE and Metric sets of flexible box end with the ratcheting open ends, but mine look different.

They have their uses, sure, but admittedly they are few and far between from my experience. I bought them mainly for the flexible box end, but the ratcheting open end has unstuck me from a jamb or two.

Cheers,

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[Farleyfan]

The trick to that design to work properly is the wrench has to be at an almost perfect angle, if its off just a little it wont grip or it slips off the fastener.
I have the craftsman set and like the longer length when I use the box end.

 

[Farleyfan]

Bessy, is the suburban in your avatar yours ?
I like those old mowers.

 

[Wamsutta]

Does it say anything else on the wrenches besides "Professional Series?"

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

Yes, look like a knockoff of the Snap-On speed wrenches from the 90s.

They were great for airline fittings on trucks that were too tight to turn by hand and didn’t need to be torqued up tight anyway. Saved a lot of time for that but never really found any other use for them.

 

[dutchgray]

Also great for adjustable feet on things, say setting up a conveyor belt system in a factory.

 

[lilredex]

Those are probably Canadian Tire Professionals, a discontinued line.

Like these..

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/...-open-end-ratcheting-wrench-set-0588896p.html

 

[Bessy]

Bessy, is the suburban in your avatar yours ?
I like those old mowers.

Good eye! '71 SS12.



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[bob15]

Speed wrench.

Those style wrenches, with the open end like that, have been around since at least the 1960's. Snap On and Mac used them on tubing wrenches, where the open end would help remove the sometimes stubborn brass nuts off easier and faster.

 

[mossy66]

Good eye! '71 SS12.



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We have a '71 SS14. Same color. I spent a lot of time on it growing up. Now it just sits in my mom's shed.

Gerry

 

[DadsTools]

The idea dates back to the early 20th century. JH Williams patented a version back in 1910. I also seem to recall one made a little earlier than this, but I can't locate it now. The photo is pulled from AA, which quotes production from 1910 to 1915 sold under the Ratcho name. .

 

[neophyte]

As others have said, those wrenches are ratcheting open wrenches.

The exact design of the ratcheting open end isn’t really standardized.

“Better” manufacturers usually make the design a single gorged and broached shape.
“Other manufacturers like Craftsman have made designs with slightly mobile jaws, or movable bits.

I think Snap-On has had at least three or four separate patented designs for the open end.

Usually it's something that gets designed and made, then discontinued after several years, even by companies like Snap-On.

Armstrong used to make some nice short double opened end wrenches in the style.
Facom was making a Combo version up until maybe 5 years ago.

I think someone on GJ mentioned that one of the major auto manufacturers had ratcheting open head wrench heads for torque wrenches that were used to assemble hydraulic lines or something really quickly on the assembly line.

 

[81CJ-7]

Simplex was another old one, the “ratchet action speed wrench”. It was a DOE. Vlchek made one for Thorsen back in the 60’s I think, the “Speed Hed”. Not sure why Hed only had one E. I find them great on brake lines. I use a line wrench to break it loose, then follow up with a speed wrench.

 

[Qualitytools]

I have a few FACOM metric wrenches that have the open ratcheting end made in France

 

[lardy1]

I have a couple sizes of Snap-On like that. They are the cat's *** for adjusting clutch cables on Harley Davidsons.

 

[putergod]

I have the SAE OS Craftsman set, and in the perfect position, and not where there isn't too much torque, they perform as advertised and work well. The problem is, meeting the conditions for them to work well is so rare, that mine never get used. It was an impulse buy of "hey, that looks/sounds cool, I should try that out!"

 

[DAustin]

I have a set of the early Snap-on type, make sure you wear gloves when you use them, because with any torque at all they will slip.

 

[rsanter]

I have the oOder set of snap on ones and love them

You use the box end to tighten and break loose.
You use the open end to slip ratchet the nut or bold
Great when the bolt is a little too tight to undo by hand and you can’t get a ratchet there

 

[DAustin]

I have the oOder set of snap on ones and love them

You use the box end to tighten and break loose.
You use the open end to slip ratchet the nut or bold
Great when the bolt is a little too tight to undo by hand and you can’t get a ratchet there

Mine must be older then yours. Mine are double opened ended style.

 

[setfocus]

I don't have any but I've heard they're nice for brake lines. Break loose with line wrench and switch to speed open end to unthread the fitting faster