Wright Tools Disappointment (Transforms to Respect)

[Winterborne]

Recently started maintenance on water systems and discovered my Industrial Black wrenches were rusting way too easy. Picked up a new set of Wright 714 Satin Wrenches, and found three wrenches with defects:
3/8 > open end not fully broached
13/16 > beam bowed
1-1/8 > chrome flaking

Chrome flaking I can understand, but the forging issues?

This is not my first less than positive experience with Wright. My 3/8 ratchet 3426 with only about one year of use, bound up and wouldn't change directions. Disassembled, cleaned, and then a couple drops of 3-In-One > no good. Rebuild kit costs almost the same as a new ratchet, and then the rebuild kit I received had flaking chrome.

I took some time to reevaluate my thoughts on Wright Tools, but I have since lost all faith in Wright Tools. I'm returning the whole set and will look for alternatives.
However, I have the Goldilocks syndrome:

Proto > beams feel a little thin and sharp
Supercombos > wish they offered Satin
Tekton > thin beams and offer polished only
Martin Tools > the industrial black wrenches while crude are excellent, but I have concerns if this crudeness carries over to chrome
Craftsman V-Series (Facom) > the wrenches are very short, the 15/16 to a ridiculous amount

My most used wrenches are 3/8 to 3/4, 15/16, 1-1/16

Should I continue with Industrial Black and just deal with the rusting. Or perhaps a junk set of Westward or Harbor Freight wrenches.

 

[four.cycle]

Off the top of my head, having dealt with Wright before, I'd suggest giving them a call tomorrow morning.
Would work to your advantage to have clear photo images that you would be able to mail to them to show graphically exactly what it is you are objecting to.
Contact Wright Tools

As I recall, you should be able to attach the photos to the message right on their website. You don't need to wait until Monday morning when they open to be able to do that.

 

[KnurledNut]

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/disappointing-wright-ratchet-warranty-experience.537264/

 

[redwrench60]

Wright wrenches always seem to have one or two cosmetic defects in a set. It’s annoying but if you can get a good set out of the gate, you will have an incredible set of wrenches ready to handle the most ****** and demanding industrial jobs.

I was just using a WrightGrip 15/16” on a hopelessly rusted pump flange, doubling wrenches for leverage, beating on it with a BFH and thinking I was sure glad to have them. They grabbed every nut and bolt without slipping, open end or box and ripped them out without excuses. Contact Wright and let them make it…..Wright.

 

[kngelv]

Proto ASD are not thin or sharp. I have metric chrome and SAE satin and they are both great.

James

 

[bigfunwmu]

Supercombos claim to come in satin. They don't grab like Wright Grip does though.

https://www.williams-industrial.com/us_en/supercombor-combination-wrench-set-satin--sae--15-piece-pb_ws-1172sca.html

 

[Winterborne]

Thank you all for the good feedback

Contacting Wright Tools with more detailed photos, will update the board when receive reply from Wright Tools

 

[snickers muncher]

Rust you say? I also work in water and here's the shop's torque wrenches---not that anyone else there knows how to use one...

I keep my personal hand tools (including torque wrench) locked up in the office. Tekton and Carlye have served me well. I might would look at Icon if I needed replacement.

 

[liliysdad]

Proto ASD are not thin or sharp. I have metric chrome and SAE satin and they are both great.

James

When I was upgrading my wrenches a few years back, I couldn’t decide between the Wright and Proto, so I bought both. I have satin Proto ASD in metric and satin Wrights in SAE. I like them both, but I actually prefer the Protos just a bit. Slimmer, longer, and just more svelte.

If I can find a good deal on another set of Protos in SAE, I’ll move my Wrights to a road box in one of the Jeeps. The other has a set of pre-SnapOn Williams Superenches in saying, which I also love.

 

[Winterborne]

A few more photos

Another shot of the peeling chrome on the 1-1/8

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Peeling chrome on ratchet

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Beam bowed near box end, 13/16

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
This next wrench I am not sure off. The 3/8 open end looks odd, almost like a shallow broach. Perhaps I am just picking up the variation in the polished portion

 

[mreisner]

I had several sockets and a wrench last year with peeling Chrome and they basically told me to pound sand. I used to really like them but can't recommend them anymore.

 

[NHtoolguy]

I know I'm in the minority on this board with this opinion, but I was never impressed by the Wright tools I had. They were tough and serviceable, but nothing more. I put them only a notch or two above Craftsman in years past. To me, Proto makes a more elegant and balanced tool, with great finish.

 

[ecotec]

I know I'm in the minority on this board with this opinion, but I was never impressed by the Wright tools I had. They were tough and serviceable, but nothing more. I put them only a notch or two above Craftsman in years past. To me, Proto makes a more elegant and balanced tool, with great finish.

I love the Wright wrenches. They feel wonderful to use. The beams are very comfortable in the hand. The fit and finish of the satin Wright wrenches both looks and feels nicer than the Proto anti-slip wrenches (at least the generation of them that I have). They ARE a higher quality wrench (when not delivered with chrome loss… obviously).

I, definitely, would not want to pay anywhere near full price for them with chrome loss. I would return them over and over until I got ones in good fit and finish. Over and over…

The main issue that I have with them, and the reason I would not want them as my main wrenches, is that they are a good bit shorter than most wrenches.

 

[ecotec]

Wrights are your wrench set between your standard pattern wrench set and your short pattern wrench set.

Any modern wrench set will be longer than a Wright set.

 

[KnurledNut]

Beam bowed near box end, 13/16


This next wrench I am not sure off. The 3/8 open end looks odd, almost like a shallow broach. Perhaps I am just picking up the variation in the polished portion

Wright manufactures for industrial users primarily and seem to be less concerned with minor flaws. They do build strong tools.
I am glad they are continuing domestic production, but I lost a lot of interest in them when they changed their warranty policy here of late. I do hope they take care of you. Please let us know how they correspond.

-I have Wright wrenches with that curved beam. They seem to have inconsistency in that step and I have seen them both overbent and underbent.

-Regarding the lobster claw open end, that's also been seen before on smaller sizes. I am not sure what the proper specification is, but it doesn't seem like the WrightGrip profile would function as intended being that shallow.

-I have also noted off center box ends.
This can be seen on my 7/16 and its also underbent closer to 7°.



-I think Wright would do well to make a longer pattern wrench, but they don't seem to like that idea for some reason.
-They also quit making a non-modified smooth open end on their combination wrenches. Not everyone wants teeth.
Sometimes less is more.

 

[CHI_Tool&Die]

A few more photos

Another shot of the peeling chrome on the 1-1/8

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Peeling chrome on ratchet

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Beam bowed near box end, 13/16

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
This next wrench I am not sure off. The 3/8 open end looks odd, almost like a shallow broach. Perhaps I am just picking up the variation in the polished portion

You’re not crazy on the last pic. I had a bunch of wrenches with the same shallow broach on the open end. I also had the chrome peel, non-uniformed box end bends, and the beam warps. To be fair, I also have Stahlwille, Gedore, and Proto wrenches with bends in them. I used to be a big fan of Wright but they have had some pretty significant price increases, some quality issues, and shoddy customer service post-Covid.

 

[NoahG]

Wright full polish chrome flaking on the open ends is far from a new issue, it’s why I buy their satin or industrial finish. I just like the Wrightgrip design too much to abandon the company.

The lobster claw is a different issue for me. I bought a combo wrench last year (when I find it I’ll take a photo) that has a lobster end like that and it was very off putting. THAT is something that will definitely make me reconsider the brand. Shame.

 

[Pinne]

I wouldn't pay for a wrench set with these flaws. If they aren't made to spec, they shouldn't be sold (or at least not at full price). I'd ask to exchange for a new set, if that was declined I'd just return and buy from another manufacturer.

 

[Rinspeed]

My Wright wrench set is one of the best purchases I have made in the last couple of years. I do wish they were slightly longer though.

 

[mikey03]

What is the change they made to warranty recently?

 

[liliysdad]

What is the change they made to warranty recently?

From what has been reported, it’s pretty much nonexistent at this point.

 

[micromind]

What is the change they made to warranty recently?

While there are valid reasons to warranty a tool, I think it'd be very rare.

In over 55 years of using (and often abusing) hand tools, the only ones I've broken were because of my pushing it beyond its limits. I simply cannot bring myself to warranty a tool that I wrecked by misuse.

 

[liliysdad]

While there are valid reasons to warranty a tool, I think it'd be very rare.

In over 55 years of using (and often abusing) hand tools, the only ones I've broken were because of my pushing it beyond its limits. I simply cannot bring myself to warranty a tool that I wrecked by misuse.

I’ll look down on no man for exercising the warranty advertised when the item was purchased.

 

[mikey03]

Idk about you guys but I buy tools all the time that honestly might not get used for months or years. What if the first time you use that 11mm wrench is 4 years after you buy the 10 to 19 set. And the jaws deform on the first light use. Now the company says you bought it 4 years ago you got your use out of it. That’s why I like a warranty like Tekton. Don’t got to worry when it happens or where I bought it just take a pic.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

I've got full sets of MM/SAE Wright Combos that I picked up just over a year ago. So far, I've really enjoyed them. I haven't been wrenching as much lately, but I've been happy with my purchase. I replaced a set of Blackhawk (Proto) wrenches that had peeling chrome issues. I think it's a thing that just happens these days. I'm still a big fan of Proto (have a bunch of their stuff), and I kept the Blackhawk wrenches for my box at our other house.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

A few more photos

Another shot of the peeling chrome on the 1-1/8

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Peeling chrome on ratchet

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Beam bowed near box end, 13/16

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
This next wrench I am not sure off. The 3/8 open end looks odd, almost like a shallow broach. Perhaps I am just picking up the variation in the polished portion

Yours do look at little wonky. Here are the polished Wright's (outside wrenches) next to a set of Blackhawk ratcheting wrenches. The open ends are definitely bulkier, but I wouldn't say obscenely.

 

[Wamsutta]

Cornwell has the wrench the OP is looking for. Comfortable rounded beams and available in industrial finish.

The only drawback is they're extremely pricey.

 

[Monte]

Wright warranty:

Support

www.wrighttool.com

 

[Winterborne]

Thank you all for the continued feedback.

Submitted the warranty request this morning (Wright requires full front and back photos). I will update when I receive news back from Wright.

 

[IndyGarage]

I've had my Wright Wrenches for about 6-7 years and they are by far the best wrenches I've used. I could care less about minor flaws in the finish. I drop them on concrete, I hit them with hammers, they work...

 

[American Locomotive]

My wrights are great, too.

The flaked chrome would annoy me on a new tool. There's no way I'd notice the beam bend.

The claw is a weird one. Does a 3/8" bolt fit it fine, or is it indeed too short?

 

[NoahG]

Found the 10mm I was looking for on the garage bench.

Edit: I ordered this on HJE Day 2025 and received it in September. So it’s new.

 

[Hohn]

The only Wright set I have is metric satin combos, 8mm-19mm.
They are excellent and I've not observed any defects. They are my favorite wrenches. I find the short-ish length useful enough for general purposes.
If I need longer wrenches, I have longer wrenches. It's pretty rare that I'd need a super long OPEN end, so I went with Capri XL DBEs. Quite happy with them. They so seem to have a bit of a looser fit (like most Capri stuff) but I think that's a product of their variant of a flank drive kind of design.
I've never had the Capris round anything off--yet. I don't like how loose they feel, but I can't argue that they work well.

I think my favorite non-wright wrenches are 1) Nepros, 2) KTC, 3) Williams. But these are all DBEs, so make of that what you will.

My Wrightgrips are so good they've replaced flare nut wrenches for me.

 

[Hohn]

Found the 10mm I was looking for on the garage bench.

They're saving money by using the same forging blank for several sizes. Thus the obvious appearance that the 10mm end is cut on a 12 or 13mm blank and the "lobster claw" appearance.

It's not a good look.

 

[ecotec]

They're saving money by using the same forging blank for several sizes. Thus the obvious appearance that the 10mm end is cut on a 12 or 13mm blank and the "lobster claw" appearance.

It's not a good look.

I have Wright wrenches from 5 or 6 different time periods, and none of them are lobster claws.

 

[NoahG]

They're saving money by using the same forging blank for several sizes. Thus the obvious appearance that the 10mm end is cut on a 12 or 13mm blank and the "lobster claw" appearance.

It's not a good look.

That’s my conclusion as well. Agreed.

 

[CoThG]

They're saving money by using the same forging blank for several sizes. Thus the obvious appearance that the 10mm end is cut on a 12 or 13mm blank and the "lobster claw" appearance.

It's not a good look.

That's hideous looking. No way will I ever consider purchasing any of their products with their corporate attitude.

 

[liliysdad]

That's hideous looking. No way will I ever consider purchasing any of their products with their corporate attitude.

Sadly, I’ve made the same mistake decision. I like the wrench’s I have, but I won’t buy any more.

 

[CoThG]

Sadly, I’ve made the same mistake decision. I like the wrench’s I have, but I won’t buy any more.

It makes it really difficult to support American manufacturers when they pull **** like that.

 

[nadogail]

When I was buying used tools from a reputable shop, I looked for Wright and Armstrong tools, they were my favorites.
'Used Snap On tools were never found.