Adjustable Wrenches
Adjustable wrenches are available in a variety of different sizes, materials and functionality. The most common adjustable wrench, you have probably used it before, has a wheel you can turn to adjust its jaw to fit the size of bolt or nut you are working with. You may also know the adjustable wrench as Crescent Wrench, named after the company that introduced to the market.
The adjustable wrench appears in different shapes and goes by different associations. Names like Monkey Wrench, Pipe Wrench and Strap Wrench are common household names.
The most commonly used materials for wrenches are Chrome Vanadium and alloy based steel. Both materials are usually corrosion resistant and a trademark of quality conscious tool makers.
There are many different wrenches, so what’s the difference between individual adjustable wrenches?
The common adjustable or crescent wrench: C shaped top end with smooth endings. This is the most common of all household wrenches and a must have for every tool chest.
The Pipe Wrench: Serrated endings are the trademark of this type of adjustable wrench. It is particularly built to have a firm hold on smooth/slipper objects, but may cause damage to the object based on its serrated teeth.
The Strap Wrench: Commonly advertised as a wrench to use to loosen oil filters on engines, the strap wrench features a sling like strap that wraps around the object, fastens tightly and applies its pressure points evenly around the object, causing minimal, if any, damage during its use. A distant cousin of the common adjustable wrench, this latest development is geared towards fire fighters and has a general wide head opening which can be reduced in size with each turn of the handle, until it reaches a firm grip around the object it is applied to. This comes especially in handy when it’s about opening the valves of different sized fire hydrants. While the common consumer may not have the need for the firemen size wrench, chances are that this type of adjustable wrench will soon make its way to your local hardware store.
What do all these adjustable wrenches have in common? They are versatile and easily adjustable, oftentimes with just one hand, by turning the wheel that moves their jaws.