Wrench Proto vs. Wright vs. SK Advice

[espyking83]

Wrights. I use the Proto ASD's, and they are excellent, but no one makes better wrenches than Wright. Not a fan of SK wrenches, chrome is great, but as far as performance and shape, they're not in the same league as Wright/SO/Proto.

 

[Wakefield]

Snap-On wrenches are made of tuning fork steel.

 

[LB-1911]

where is the best place to buy them? i only saw one set one ebay and a couple on amazon

One source is HJE -

11 Pc. Metric Combination Wrench Set 7mm-19mm 12 Pt.
http://store.harryepstein.com/cp/MetCombWr/750-SET.html


Wright Full Polish WrightGrip Metric Wrench Set
http://store.harryepstein.com/cp/MetCombWr/950.html


11 Pc. Combination Wrench Set 3/8"-1" 12 Pt.
http://store.harryepstein.com/cp/StandCombWr/A711.html


14 Pc. Combination Wrench Set 3/8"-1-1/4" 12 Pt.
http://store.harryepstein.com/cp/StandCombWr/A714.html

 

[jontar]

I love the CT wrenches! I have beat on them and used them like slug wrenches with 3 pound hammers. They have been solid!

I use them like that aswell, some of them have square spots on them from being hit, and yet they haven't broken.

When my brothers POS Dodge pickup, broke down on the side of the road, he called and asked for tools and parts, stopped at Cdn Tire and purchased the on sale socket set and associated parts that he needed. We meet up with him, got the truck fixed and continued on home.

At the end of the day they are cheap **** for farmers and DIYers, some tradesman use them to abuse them. I probably have a few in my "at work" tool box

 

[Local]

Wrights are cheaper than the proto so go with them. Both are top notch with the proto being a little longer. Great wrenches that feel so great.

 

[jontar]

The mastercraft maximum full polish wrenches have been replaced by non-maximum polished ones. The back of the package on those say "made in China."

Sorry correction, is a couple years ago, before completely cheaping out, the Mastercraft Wrenches were Taiwanese made. It now appears that they are made in Chine.

I haven't purchased a set in a couple years, I (my Dad actually may have bought them for me) purchased a professional series set of metrics 10+yrs ago, and then a SAE set of Maximums 3+yrs ago because they were on sale (almost free) and I needed a second set for my "at home" tool box.

I usually only go to Cdn Tire to buy Channelocks on sale for my "at home" tool box, or Quacker State Filter and 5w-20 Oil, some time other auto related parts, hardly ever look at the "cheap" chinese made tools, some years ago were worth buying.

 

[jontar]

if you need super cheap tools, go to Princess Auto, if you need to bend, grind, cut or destroy tools to complete a project.

 

[jontar]

As said above everything about tools depends on what your using them for, I personal don't like full polished wrenches because they are slippery when wet, I like the Satin one, also we throw them around a work or drop them or drop **** on them, so full polished wrenches look like ****, quickly.

 

[byoungblood]

We just need to talk Wright into making stubby and deep offset DBE wrenches!

 

[schmoldty]

yeah I'm thinking i want to go with the satin, I throw tools around often or the slip and full polish is just asking for trouble

 

[ADSR]

yeah I'm thinking i want to go with the satin, I throw tools around often or the slip and full polish is just asking for trouble

Check amazon for pricing as well. Foxracing a member here said they have the best prices. And he only lives a few miles from the wright factory.

 

[1foxracing]

I think this will be my next set, 24PC's for $254.59
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A1BRCNG/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[marinepride]

I have a set of wright sockets up for sale if anyone wants it

 

[Local]

here's a size comparison, I just wish they offered a slightly longer version.

 

[Wakefield]

I think this will be my next set, 24PC's for $254.59
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A1BRCNG/?tag=atomicindus08-20

The wrenches in the picture look like the previous generation that don't have the enhanced open end.

 

[byoungblood]

They may be, but all Wright makes are the Wright Grips now. Only way you'd get the old design is if the retailer has some old stock.

 

[BK13]

here's a size comparison, I just wish they offered a slightly longer version.

That would make me awfully happy, if Wright made stubby, standard and long pattern wrenches. I'd take a set of SAEs please!

 

[exmaxima1]

Some comparisons to the Craftsman RP USA made wrenches that we all have had at some time in our life.

I like the way the SK wrench morph, as it allows for a nice comfortable grip on the wrench at the box end.

Sears also carries a very slim wrench set, the Max Axess. Works very well the occasional tight spot, and priced cheap

 

[thefoobag]

had i known about wrightgrip i wouldn't have bought my snap on, granted they are the best ive ever used but im just saying that if i could get something close to 1/4 the price i would have

 

[espyking83]

That would make me awfully happy, if Wright made stubby, standard and long pattern wrenches. I'd take a set of SAEs please!

That's not a Wrightgrip wrench. I'm assuming the WG wrenches and the traditional Wrenches are the same length?

 

[Loscaldazar]

Sears also carries a very slim wrench set, the Max Axess. Works very well the occasional tight spot, and priced cheap

The Max axess aren't much (if any) slimmer than the USA made RP wrenches. Sears advertises the Max Axess wrenches as having a slimmer open end than the GIANT lobster claw Chinese RP wrenches, not compared to the USA made RP wrenches. They're nice wrenches for the money though, and I wish they would offer them in more sizes. Way better than the Chinese RP wrenches.

My intent in comparing to the USA RP wrenches was not to say that the RP are the standard for slim, but give a comparison to a wrench that all of us on this board (most likely) have held and used at one time, if not owned, and are very familiar with.

 

[Wakefield]

had i known about wrightgrip i wouldn't have bought my snap on, granted they are the best ive ever used but im just saying that if i could get something close to 1/4 the price i would have

I don't think Wright has (six point) like the 6 point OSHM180B OSHM150B etc.--seems like those should have the Flank Drive Plus open ends but they don't

 

[winlinmac]

Somehow, that picture encourages me to go for Proto, but the Wright-Grip feature is proprietary it seems and I like it, and so I'm stuck between the two. How does it feel when the Proto makes contact with the fastener?

here's a size comparison, I just wish they offered a slightly longer version.

 

[SAATR]

Somehow, that picture encourages me to go for Proto, but the Wright-Grip feature is proprietary it seems and I like it, and so I'm stuck between the two. How does it feel when the Proto makes contact with the fastener?

Solid as hell. I've gotten bolts loose with the open end of my Protos that my RP and non ASD Proto would round off.

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[winlinmac]

Is the Anti-Slip Design similar to the Wright, or is a completely different feature pertaining to something else design-wise? My understanding is that the ASD feature is specific to the wrench handle (oil, grease, etc. which may make the handle slippery when the wrench is being used); this proprietary term gives me the false understanding that the Proto follows a similar principle to Snap On's Flank Drive and Wright's Wright-Gripr, please correct me if I'm wrong.

Thanks for the feedback btw.
Not sure what happened to Williams.

 

[DanInVA]

The "Anti Slip Design" has nothing to do with the handle. If you Google the patent number on them (5381710) it refers to a specific patent for the open end of the wrench to enhance its grip. Apparently it is somewhat dependent on size though. The ones that I have use a standard open end design for any wrenches under 10mm/ 3/8 sae. I have never handled the wright grip/ snap on flank drive in person, but it looks like they have actual physical teeth in the open end to grip onto a fastener.

 

[winlinmac]

Thanks for clarifying, much appreciated

I sense the teeth design (on the Wright Grip) is responsible for eventually sheering off the bolt head as the teeth enables the user to apply much more force. I'm sure the Proto maintains a balance (without compromising the fastener) as well as having a longer overall length characteristic.

The "Anti Slip Design" has nothing to do with the handle. If you Google the patent number on them it refers to a specific patent for the open end of the wrench to enhance its grip. Apparently it is somewhat dependent on size though. The ones that I have use a standard open end design for any wrenches under 10mm/ 3/8 sae. I have never handled the wright grip/ snap on flank drive in person, but it looks like they have actual physical teeth in the open end to grip onto a fastener.

 

[kctyphoon]

Another option I dunno if anyone mentioned might be the Dewalt combo wrenches. I have both the ratcheting and non ratcheting 10 piece sets in metric and sae. They are nice for the money, and borrow the anti slip design from proto for the open ends.

THIS is the anti slip head on the Proto's and Dewalt

And this is a standard Dewalt combo wrench vs a Craftsman of the same size. The Dewalts are longer, thinner, and have a much nicer finish. They also use the anti slip head. The Dewalts are made in Taiwan vs Proto being US made.

The ratcheting dewalts are not as long as the non ratcheting. They are reversible and offer a very thin closed end for a ratcheting wrench in its price point.

 

[Scotty_B]

It's not surprising that the DeWalts have the same open, non-slip design as the Protos, since they are both Stanley owned. I find that the DeWalts have slightly more squared edges on the beam than the Protos. The DeWalts have pretty decent chrome compared to similarly priced wrenches, but I don't think the chrome is as thick/durable as the Protos and their kin.

But if you need a decent set of cheap wrenches, and you need them now, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the DeWalts.

 

[Professional Tool User]

Yes the Canadian Tire Mastercraft pro and max series, are now imports from Taiwan, they are rumored to be built by Stanley, in the same factory as Stanley MAC.

I have no idea, if they are the same wrench, (from the same dies and forge hammers) but they are rumored to come from the same factory. Its an open rumor, here in Western Canada, I have no idea how it started, I've heard it a few times.

I don't care for MAC, and own about 6 tools from them, it makes no bearing on my decision, I only buy the Mastercraft Pro and Max series if they go on sale, and use and abuse them. If they go missing, get left behind in a ditch so what, they are cheap. Never had to warranty one, as they appear to at least be decent quality.

I have yet to see a Mastercraft or Maximum tool that says Made in Taiwan on the packaging or on the tool. Some of the old Mastercraft stuff might be Made or assembled in Canada, but it's all Made in China these days.

 

[crane_guy]

The Proto asd is nice for spinning a nut or bolt with one finger. I love my Proto wrenches

 

[GMtech2008]

Scotty_B mac tools used the same design that dewalt uses for there anti slip open end on their old line of knuckle-saver wrenches. I has these as my first set of professional wrenches about 12 years ago. Never cared for the mac wrenches they were very uncomfortable in the hand and the open end didn't work very well.

 

[DOUGD]

I have both the Proto ASD and the Wrightgip. Both are excellent wrench sets. The Proto's have a slightly thinner lighter beam, the Wrights are a little stouter. Comes down to personal preferance and price. I have lost my love for polished wrenches and now prefer the feel of the satin finish over chrome.

 

[gatlibs]

I have SK and Wright, but no Proto for combination wenches. I prefer the Wright for weight, but the SK I would never fear of snapping even been a jack and an hard place. Those wrenches are thick. Both are shorter than I would like them to be. What I don't like about Weight is that they don't sell 6-point. A different broach is all that it would take. Now that SK makes the best ratcheting wrenches as far as degrees and strength are concerned I am not so interested in Proto's ratcheting. I had been thinking about a set of theirs before I got my SK ratcheting.

 

[seanb02]

Have sets of SK long pattern (2 years old), Wright Grips (9 months old), and Napa Carlyle (1 year old). All used very frequently in less than pristine conditions (farm equipment). If I was to choose it would be the Wright's just because of the slightly better fit on rusty things. I'm going SnapOn next since Wright doesn't have anything long pattern.

 

[gatlibs]

Have sets of SK long pattern (2 years old), Wright Grips (9 months old), and Napa Carlyle (1 year old). All used very frequently in less than pristine conditions (farm equipment). If I was to choose it would be the Wright's just because of the slightly better fit on rusty things. I'm going SnapOn next since Wright doesn't have anything long pattern.

SK long pattern only makes a difference in smaller wreches. Do you find that you need the length in places that a socket and breaker bar won't work? I'd be hard pressed to splurge on Snap-On long panel wrenches.

 

[seanb02]

SK long pattern only makes a difference in smaller wreches. Do you find that you need the length in places that a socket and breaker bar won't work? I'd be hard pressed to splurge on Snap-On long panel wrenches.

Yes actually I do. Farm equipment is an animal beyond that of regular automotive mechanics due to the stuck and modified custom fasteners, and having to customize things frequently to get a job done. Having been in both worlds of normal automotive mechanics needs and farm needs, the farm is far more demanding and more abusive to tools and having bigger better tools is almost always the difference between a fight and getting it off versus a fight then pulling out the torch.

With that being said I probably wouldn't buy the long pattern wrenches from SnapOn as I have read that their standard wrenches are similar in sizing to the SK long pattern ones. There are a lot of instances where that size is great, but I couldn't make use of ones any longer.

I use long ratchets or breaker bars everywhere I can before grabbing the wrenches. But there are very many places it just doesn't work.

 

[WittHay]

The Proto satin finish wrenches are really good in my opinion. The are the same length as Snap-on which is useful in 3/4" and up sizes. The ASD is easy to get on hydraulic fittings and doesn't mark fasteners.

The wrench is used on the backside of impacts or torque wrenches in a lot of farm stuff. I dont like to use expensive chrome wrenches for that purpose and when tightening, you need a prybar to remove the wrenches. The satin finish doesn't get scratched as easy as chrome

 

[John in OH]

I'm a total fan of WrightGrip wrenches. aBut, Proto ASD are also nice, unfortunately, I've no experience with SK.

 

[n8n]

My SKs are my go to wrenches but this is for working on clean, free stuff. For rusty stuff probably Wright, Proto, Snap-On would be preferable. I work without gloves so I prefer the thicker SK over the blade thin Snap-On even though the latter are lighter.

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