Why do these wrenches look like this?

[NewShockerGuy]

These don't look like the flare wrenches I have and they don't look like a normal wrench head when comparing them with my others...

I've never seen this, what is and why is it shaped like this?

Thanks,
-Nigel

 

[littletoes]

To make removal faster???

 

[archirelic]

It's a 'ratcheting' open end wrench.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46534

scroll down this thread till you wind up at the picture.

 

[cortez]

Ratcheting type (fixed model). They work good on "broken" fasteners.

 

[Fedwrench]

What he said. It appears to be a craftsman quick wrench. They quickly disappeared from stores after not selling well..

 

[d33pt]

i have a set of those in a drawer somewhere. from the 90's i think. never really used them. sears still sells something similar.

 

[MattPersman]

I have some Snap ON ones and they are nice for ****** lines

 

[Mickey O]

They are for Farker head bolts and nuts.

 

[byoungblood]

I was given a set sometime back in the 90s and finally found someone stupid enough to pay me money for them 3-4 years ago. You can't use the open end for anything but the ratcheting action, they'd slip when trying to use it to hold a fastener.

 

[DRhodes]

I used a set years ago and thought the same thing blood. I thought they were worthless. If you advertise them as a rare item on ebay new shocker guy you may get big bucks out of them

 

[mrbreezeet1]

Yeah, GearWrench has ones like that now.
Flat ratchet one end, the open end ratchet the other end.
Saw them at NAPA.

Craftsman 8 pc. Metric Dual Ratcheting Wrench Set.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00914756000P?keyword=14756

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

I use the hell out of mine - they are an absolute dream for small hydraulic lines, especially those little fine threaded bastards that seem to take forever to get loose enough to pull with finger torque.

 

[Zrexxer]

They are for Farker head bolts and nuts.

Classic!

 

[yevangelis]

lolz

there are also ratcheting adjustable wrenches too

 

[RAYJAY]

I use the hell out of mine - they are an absolute dream for small hydraulic lines, especially those little fine threaded bastards that seem to take forever to get loose enough to pull with finger torque.

use one or 2 sizes for ink lines at work ........

 

[otis66]

That is a ratcheting open end wrench. Here's what mine looks like. Never used. They look nice in my tool box though.

 

[Danglerb]

If you try and use them backwards they don't work worth Sh..., so make sure you have them oriented properly for the direction you want the fastener to turn. Its one of those things some may need to practice with a bit before reaching in someplace and trying to make them work by feel or something. They need more swing angle than open end wrenches since you can't flip them over in a tight spot like a conventional open end and that can be a problem. ***

*** Hex head bolt, six sides, needs 60 degrees of swing, but with a typical open end the there is like a 15 degree offset so if you can turn a fastener 30 degrees, you can flip the wrench over, turn it another 30 degrees, flip wrench again and repeat until done.

 

[Joe B.]

I have seen cable guys carry the one size for coax. One guy was quite fond if his.

 

[Danglerb]

I have seen cable guys carry the one size for coax. One guy was quite fond if his.

When I saw one of these I wanted it, for zero good reason of course.

20 in/lb 7/16ths speedhead torque wrench, clicks at preset value. New about $30, but I figure one will turn up cheap sooner or later.

 

[bluebolt]

I have the Craftsman ones, they work great in certain situations. Would like a metric set as well. My Air Force aircraft hydraulic guys loved them, we bought sets just to get a few wrenchs of the size we needed.

 

[BQuicksilver]

My friend who owns an HVAC company seems to be fond of them, probably for the line ratcheting reasons noted above.

BTW, threads like this are why I keep coming back here. Always wondered who would use these.