Tool warranty/abuse question 😁

[_vin_]

I broke my pipe wrench today (cracked jaw), 40+ yr old aluminum 24 Olympia that my dad gave me. I was thinking of replacing it with a ridgid and calling it a day but I started to think perhaps I am using it in the “incorrect “ manner and voiding any warranty and shortening the wrench’s life.

For work I hammer a sampler, that is attached to a rod, into soil. I use the pipe wrench to “bite”into the rod and use it as handle to pull up and get the sampler out. Will all aluminum wrenches crack the way I intend to use them? Thanks

Add: I’m trying to carry the minimum amount of tools/weight.

 

[Mojave888]

A compaction tester?

 

[_vin_]

ssdave, I think that would work great if it weren’t for a suction that occurs most of the time; thing is sometimes I need to spin it around most of time to “loosen” the rod up to pull it out. I would still need to carry a pipe wrench spin the sampler a bit.

 

[_vin_]

A compaction tester?

No, sampling for in-situ samples.

 

[matt_i]

I have both Ridgid and Reed aluminum pipe wrenches, and while they haven't been used a lot, they have been used hard when they are.

A pipe wrench will typically handle a lot of abuse. If you are turning it in the direction its intended (rotate a round object) it should handle almost anything you throw at it less a cheater pipe. If you are levering on it sideways then there's not as much structure to resist the side-torque.