Swedish pattern pipe wrench

[gwunsch]

I saw these at the import tool store this morning.

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=swedish

Not close to the performance of the Snap-On or European brands I am sure, and Nowhere near as good looking, but I thought it was an interesting addition to their lineup. Of course it could be that they have had them for years and I just never knew it.

On a different note, curious what others use their Snap-On PWZ# pipe wrenches for. They seem like they would be great in place of Channellocks backing up a fastener. Just curious. Not really one of those tools I can justify being a Foodservice Distributor 40+ hours a week. I can usually make it through the weekend with what I have.

 

[Hawk Thor]

The Snap-On PWZ# pipe wrench is a Bahco pipe wrench. I have a few in different sizes, and of very different ages. They've all served me well and I prefer them to the Stillson type. I actually can't understand why people use stillson wrenches when there are much better alternatives out there.

They are the standard for pipe wrenches here in Iceland, and I dare say, Scandinavia and the nordic countries as well.

The Knipex Cobra 400 and 560 are also very good pipe wrenches for those larger pipes.

One of the Bahco's/Snap-On's pros is that they can be locked on the pipe. I'm not talking about self-locking, but actually locked on until released. These locks slide on the lower handle and hook over the top handle to lock the wrench in place.

They are easy enough to make yourself. Cap a pipe in one end and put a hook on the other end. These work for the °90, °45 and corner pipe wrenches.

Try to get that wrench without that soft-grip. The painted steel handles are not uncomfortable and they do not wear or get messy like the soft grips.

The Bahco 141, 142, 143 and 144 wrenches are more than just pipe wrenches, they're very versatile.

They're kind of like waterpump pliers, the handles spread and the jaws open up. They can be used to compress brake pistons, bite down on rounded boltheads and nuts and gets them off, clamp flanges together so a bolt can pass through, they work great on studbolts, hydro-jack disassembly-reassembly and many more jobs.

They also get tighter and tighter as you pull, you can really put your back in it, it will not slip.

 

[gwunsch]

Thank you for the reply, I didn't think about Bahco. I did not know of, or think about adding a lock. Good stuff.

I could see how these could be much more versatile.

 

[lbgradwell]

I have a Rothenberger.

The jaws are quite slim and can fit where others can't. Just another option to deploy!

 

[lbgradwell]

I actually can't understand why people use stillson wrenches when there are much better alternatives out there.

Not many do - at least in North America - as the Heavy Duty (Ridgid) pattern is much more common. Stillsons are almost considered antiques.

Are they still commonly used in Iceland?

 

[Hawk Thor]

Not many do - at least in North America - as the Heavy Duty (Ridgid) pattern is much more common. Stillsons are almost considered antiques.

Are they still commonly used in Iceland?

No, the swedish pattern wrench reigns supreme here. Bahco being the main name for professionals. I mostly see stillsons in Canadian ships and here on GJ.

Can you post a pic of the "Heavy Duty (Ridgid) pattern", my google search seems to just turn up stillson type wrenches.

 

[lbgradwell]

...I mostly see stillsons in Canadian ships and here on GJ.

Can you post a pic of the "Heavy Duty (Ridgid) pattern", my google search seems to just turn up stillson type wrenches.

I suspect you're confusing a Stillson-pattern with a Heavy-Duty-pattern:

A Heavy-Duty-pattern:

A Stillson-pattern: