Who makes good 24” adjustable wremches?

[dutchgray]

I bought a 24" from HJE a few years ago, Wright branded but the same WF wrench as still available in the link above, should buy another but the postage costs have really shot up (to the UK) and it was always expensive, but a Bacho 24" is over double the $125 HJE wants for those, the 30" are over £400 here.

 

[rockinacummins]

Harbor freight has them:



I know, I know. But seriously, for the type of work that requires a 24” adjustable wrench, it would be fine.

Personally, I have a 24” from Channellock and one from… Crescent maybe? I’ll have to look. My favorite is the 30” Blue Point which, as dr_clyde stated, is an Irega rebadge.

 

[Rinspeed]

https://www.abolox.com/williams-jhw13624a-adjustable-wrench-black-24

 

[B_Bimmer]

If you think the Harbor Freight one is fine you've never used it. It is unbelievably bulbous.

 

[BarrelRoll]

If you are buying a 24" wrench for the jaw capacity and don't necessarily need the leverage look into an F wrench also known as an automotive wrench or smooth pipe wrench. https://www.crescenttool.com/products/wrenches/adjustable/c715-15-automotive-wrench My 15" opens to 3 5/8". It's awesome for hydraulic fittings and pipe unions. It says not to beat on it though so far has held up to some taps to break things free.

 

[neophyte]

I found a 6" USA made snap on adjustable wrench @ my favorite pawn shop. I have no idea how old it is. The slop is unreal. I have found tighter Chinese adjustable wrenches.

Maybe made for Snap-On by Crescent ?
I have a couple USA made Crescent adjustable wrenches I purchased about 20 years ago, and the machining is not what I would call tight or precise.

 

[Zewnten]

I know this is about 24 inchers, but a couple years ago I was standing inside a Napa, when an older man walked in asking for an 18" adjustable wrench. The worker showed him over to the racks and I don't think they had a wrench over 12" available. It was disappointing.

I mean yeah, he can probably shop around and find one of those clunker jumbo no name wrenches, but where can you just walk in a buy a quality 18" USA made adjustable? I was tempted to offer to sell him a wrench, but was on the clock and on the road and he needed it then and there. Just made me sad.

I've had the Carlyle 18" it was a very good adjustable. Very little slop in the jaw, held up fine to cheater pipes and dead blows, opened extra wide. Over priced if buying new though.

 

[u118224]

There's quite a few of the USA made Crescents 24" adjustable for $81 shipped. Several sellers in different locations but all the same price.

 

[KnurledNut]

24” URREA (Mexico)
18” Truecraft (Japan)
16” Klein Spud (USA)
15” Williams (USA)
15” Carlyle (Taiwan)
15” Snap-on (USA)

 

[dr_clyde]

24” URREA (Mexico)
18” Truecraft (Japan)
16” Klein Spud (USA)
15” Williams (USA)
15” Carlyle (Taiwan)
15” Snap-on (USA)

View attachment 1880640

I have one of those Snap-on ones like you have, also a 15” wrench. Dual branded SO and blue point. An outstanding wrench.

My old man has a bunch of Klein spud wrenches like yours too from his ironworker days. Also a well made tool.

 

[pcmeiners]

Rigid hex wrenches, for me indispensable, indestructible, have 3 sizes but not at this price....

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009W2TAS/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[decableguy2000]

The 15s and 18s I ordered from HJE should be here today. I'm still looking at a 24. The ones I'm looking at are a 24 US crescent or a Spanish Channellock. Both can be had for about the same money. Is one better than the other? For as often as I need one that big a HF would work. Or keep looking for used?

 

[redwrench60]

The 15s and 18s I ordered from HJE should be here today. I'm still looking at a 24. The ones I'm looking at are a 24 US crescent or a Spanish Channellock. Both can be had for about the same money. Is one better than the other? For as often as I need one that big a HF would work. Or keep looking for used?

Work bought a pair of 24” HF adjustables for the shop and I find them very annoying and tedious to use. Both have out of parallel jaw surfacing resulting in either cam out/slippage or a wrench that has to be loosened and tightened every wrench stroke on a fastener. They just have piss poor machine tolerances and don’t engage a hex shape squarely. I suppose you could hand inspect for a “good” one in the store but I just prefer my 24” Proto or my 24” Crescent both USA made.

 

[redwrench60]

Also, any adjustable over 12” needs to be a taper handle for easy cheater pipe use. I routinely use a reasonable cheater to loosen or tighten large difficult fittings without wrenching my back out or getting surprised when it breaks loose and I’m all in.

 

[decableguy2000]

The mail just ran, shiny new tools.

 

[neophyte]

Rigid hex wrenches, for me indispensable, indestructible, have 3 sizes but not at this price....

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009W2TAS/?tag=atomicindus08-20

The shorter Ridgid hex wrench actually has the largest jaw opening, since plumbers use that size for large sanitary fittings.
It’s the one with offset jaws.
Most plumbers would likely just use the shorter wrench with a cheater pipe.
I think the average price is around $50 nowadays.
There was a shorter Ridgid straight hex wrench model, but I believe it’s been discontinued for a while.

 

[jblnut]

Diamond made the best adjustables ever made. I have an extra 24" version. If you're interested PM me.

OP I'd get it from Dave !!

They command a premium on eBay at least good grief !!

Diamalloy 24 Inch Adjustable Wrench Diamond Tool Horseshoe Co Duluth, MN Forged | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Diamalloy 24 Inch Adjustable Wrench Diamond Tool Horseshoe Co Duluth, MN Forged at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

I have a half dozen Diamond 24" adjustables and they get used A LOT. I have had my fat *** on the end of a 6' pipe on one of them numerous times in the field to tighten disk gangs.

I have a pair of the hanging in "storage" in my shop bathroom lol


They also make great chain wrenches if you need one !!

 

[Zewnten]

Who has the thinnest head? I had the USA crescent but at over and 1" thick it made it hard to fit into a lot of areas.

 

[jblnut]

Who has the thinnest head? I had the USA crescent but at over and 1" thick it made it hard to fit into a lot of areas.

I don't think anything thinner than 1" will hold the forces that you can put on it with a 24" wrench. At that point get the proper sized box wrench and ream away.

 

[decableguy2000]

Brining this one back to life, won a new 24" Ridgid on Ebay after having it on my watch list for a while. Its a made in Spain Irega. New question, I know Irega makes for Ridgid, Channellock, Klein, who else?

 

[finn]

Your experience might be different, but I find that the bigger the wrench, the less “good” it has to be.

Small tools, in general, require more precision than large tools, and for a large tool, almost any tool brand. will get the job done.

That ignores tool brand bragging rights, though.

My larger adjustable wrench are mostly Crescent brand, purchased by my grandfather in the 1040s or 1950s. No 24”, though.

 

[seber]

Bahco, Snap-on, or Irega. If you can find a used made by Western Tool, grab it. Everything else is a **** shoot. No consistancy of COO or quality.

 

[neophyte]

Bahco, Snap-on, or Irega. If you can find a used made by Western Tool, grab it. Everything else is a **** shoot. No consistancy of COO or quality.

I would not purchase the Spanish made Bahco or Snap-On adjustables.
The quality control is a **** shoot.
The dynamic jaws are sometimes machined at the wrong angle, or seconds are bring sold from the scrap dumpsters.

Irega is a different manufacturer, and all of those I have seen have had very accurate and tight machining.