# Adjustable vs Fixed Spanners



## Rhyolith

I have found it not uncommon to be advised to not use adjustable spanners, even to the point of it being considered unprofessional to use them… but I still think adjustables are superior for most situations. Here’s why:

*They fit tighter on the nut:*
This is a common stated weakness of adjustables, but if you use them right (and they are well made) they can close tighter than a fixed spanner. This is particularly the case with old bolts and nut that have been worn to the point of not being a standard size anymore.

This concept is taken further with what it my opinion is the best general purpose spanner design. It can properly clamp the nut... it actually works so well you can get sufficient grip to tighten or remove a stiff thread via a round object (like a stripped bolt head). 



Stanley 10&quot; Locking Adjustable Spanner (Locked) by Rhyolith, on Flickr

I is actually impossible for a fixed spanner to grip as well as this does. 

*Less time wasted looking for Tools:*
You don’t have to spend time finding out what size the bolt or nut is and finding the right spanner. You just pick an adjustable thats roughly the right size and go. This is particularly beneficial with restorations of old things where you almost never know the bolt head sizes in advance. 

*Less Toolbox Space needed:*
An adjustable will do the job of around 4 times their number in fixed spanners, the space this saves is not a small deal.

*Lower Cost:*
Quite simply because you need less of them.

This is not to say however that I don’t think fixed spanners have their place. If your going to be working with a lot of the same sized heads (like taking 100 of the same sized bolt out of something) then the time saved not having to fit on each one makes up quite a lot of searching time. 

I’d also reach for a fixed spanner (particularly one with a ring) over and adjustable for working somewhere cramped, simple because they are generally slimmer and easier to use in many awkward spots. 

Thats my 2 cents, I am will be interested to hear any thoughts


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## Trevanion

I have a full set of fixed spanners, always reach for the old adjustable spanner every time over a fixed one. I find it more comfortable to use an adjustable over a fixed spanner as well if that makes any sense.


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## AES

Right from the start I was always taught that it was "unprofessional" to use adjustables Ryolith, but IMO, you're quite right, with the RIGHT type of adjustable, there are SOME advantages, SOMETIMES - like for example, trying to remove a rusted-on nut as just one applicable case.

BUT still I prefer to use the correct size spanner - full ring spanner when possible, but an open-ender too, usually for restricted circumstances, or of course, when there's no access directly over the nut/bolt/stud combination too.

And don't forget sockets too - provided they are decent quality, made to correct tolerances, and not made out of the Chinese version of Swiss cheese, these are preferable because, like ring spanners, they grip the nut on all it's flats and/or (more likely) all its peaks.

But yeah, sometimes a decent adjustable is a very helpful tool, but for me anyway, usually as a "standby" rather than as a "first go to".

There may be another reason for me though - here, all adjustable spanners are referred to as "Englanders", and believe me, that is NOT supposed to be a compliment here!


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## julianf

If you're working on somthing with good access, then, sure, an adjustable will do the job.

But if you're bending yourself into some convoluted space with only one arm even close to the fastener (that you probably can't even see any more!) then you really don't want to have an adjustable in your hand.


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## E-wan

I find myself most commonly using a small quarter inch ratchet set

sometimes with a t bar instead of the ratchet

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk


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## Sideways

Fixed spanners are excellent if they fit.
Ring spanner, especially those that drive on the flats, probably the strongest of all.

I have that stanley and like it, especially for chromed plumbing fittings. I use a piece of paper to stop any marring but once clamped it never slips and rounds a fitting.

A Knipex pliers wrench is an AWESOME device. Looks like a pair of pliers mated with a slip joint wrench. Works like that. Super fast. Applies huge clamping force due to the leverage of the design. £35-£45 a pair but much better than conventional crescent adjustables.


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## marku

I threaten to weld adjustable spanners to peoples benches if they are using them in our workshop unless they have a very good reason!

If you have good quality fixed spanners they are always better. Normally you would use a ring spanner rather than open end if you have access.

I was always taught the adjustable is for when you have to fix a machine in a field and haven't got the right tool, basically as a get you out of trouble tool not an everyday use item.

People pay us to fix their machinery professionally and I know a lot of customers would not be impressed by the use of adjustable spanners on their machines!


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## Cheshirechappie

Hard to say which is 'best' - sometimes the best is the one that fits when the others won't - but shifters (or 'adjustables' if you're posh) are certainly very handy. Buy good ones, though.

An old fitter once told me that back in the days of steam, shed fitters just used a 2lb ball-pein hammer to knock nuts round on their threads. That certainly explained the high incidence of b*ggered nuts found when stripping old engines for restoration. Don't do it, folks - they invented spanners for a reason.

This might be worth a watch, though;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sdDeJyG9ZE


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## TFrench

I've got a couple of bahco adjustables but I'd never use them for anything that needs to be tight. More than anything I use the big one to lock the spindle on my lathe as I've not got an appropriate massive whitworth spanner! Using an adjustable just feels a bit amateur to me, when the proper tool exists.

On a similar note, if you're buying sockets I always try to get the 6 sided ones, not the 12 - much less likely to slip or round the head off.


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## SVB

Banned at most locations I’ve visited and worked at - too many accidents with them slipping and also pita with rounded nuts an ill adjusted spanner can leave.


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## sunnybob

Another "horses for courses" thread.
A person who is methodical and takes the few seconds needed to adjust it to a tight fit before using it will find it a useful tool, especially if he / she is out from the workshop and tool box carry weight is an issue.

But the average person, and that includes apprentices, will not take the time, and wait untill it slips before tightening it for a second /third /fourth attempt, therefore causing grief to all concerned.

I wont use them (dont even possess one) because most of the bolts I tighten need to be TIGHT>. and full force is when an adjustable spanner is at its most dangerous.


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## Rhyolith

A few people agree that using adjustables is unprofessional, why? Not saying your wrong necessarily, I just cannot see the reason behind this.

It seems to me the only people who strip nuts with adjustables are ametures (i.e. people who don’t know how to use them). Indeed for a newbie its just as easy to strip a nut with a fixed spanner that does not quite fit, I have actsully seen this more often than misuse of an adjustable. 

I don’t think one is better than the other, I just think adjustables are more often the right tool than fixed spanners... for basically anything thats not a tight space or a lot of the same nut size.


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## LancsRick

Always have one to hand but only for:
- an odd size I don't have
- where I need an extra grip and don't have enough spanners


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## Doug71

If the job involves lots of nuts and bolts I will get out the socket set and spanners but for most things I use an adjustable.

My favourite is this little one from Bahco, I keep one in tool bag and one in workshop, lovely little tool.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/bahco-9029-e ... lsrc=aw.ds


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## Phil Pascoe

I've a 10"? Bahco with a reversible jaw so it can hold on round and irregular shaped stuff. I wouldn't be without it.


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## John Brown

I have a set of three shifters, but the problem I always have is that the open up slightly each time you move them, and I have some long-term mental block about which way to turn the worm to close the mouth. I guess if I had a locking adjustable it would get more use. My favourite spanners are the ratcheting ring spanners. I remember years ago a chap I worked with had some open ended spanners which were somehow shorter on one side of the mouth, and shaped so that you could effectively "ratchet" them. Anyone know what I'm talking about?


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## pcb1962

John Brown":smroy6kd said:


> I remember years ago a chap I worked with had some open ended spanners which were somehow shorter on one side of the mouth, and shaped so that you could effectively "ratchet" them. Anyone know what I'm talking about?


Something like this?


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## John Brown

Them's the ones!


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## Tasky

Rhyolith":xc3c9jw2 said:


> It seems to me the only people who strip nuts with adjustables are ametures (i.e. people who don’t know how to use them). Indeed for a newbie its just as easy to strip a nut with a fixed spanner that does not quite fit, I have actsully seen this more often than misuse of an adjustable.


For a lot of people, there are too many variables with an adjustable. Cheap brand, defective spanner, not quite lining it up square with the bolt face when tightening, not noticing it's slipped loose... these and more all lead to slippages, strippages and so forth, even in experienced (or just old and tired) hands. 

I tend to find adjustables slip a lot around dirty, or oily engines, for obvious reasons... and the reason it's with me is because it's blown something or generally been neglected and gotten covered in oil in the first place. 
We do still have adjustables, mole grips, stilsons and the like, especially the Stubby kind, but there are usually better options for much of what we do. But then, we have huge great chests full of tools, many of which are vehicle-specific, so carrying multi-purpose tools isn't much of a requirement.



John Brown":xc3c9jw2 said:


> I have a set of three shifters, but the problem I always have is that the open up slightly each time you move them


Usually only cheap ones do that...usually. 



John Brown":xc3c9jw2 said:


> I remember years ago a chap I worked with had some open ended spanners which were somehow shorter on one side of the mouth, and shaped so that you could effectively "ratchet" them. Anyone know what I'm talking about?


We have some with semi-circular cutouts inside one jaw that work the same way. 
Both tend to need enough 'swing' room to ratchet, though, else they're flippin' useless.


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## worn thumbs

A man I know,who spent several years wielding spanners in a racing environment,once told me that it wasn't a good idea to admit to owning an adjustable spanner.Things may have changed since then.


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## Trevanion

John Brown":wdxd18xz said:


> I remember years ago a chap I worked with had some open ended spanners which were somehow shorter on one side of the mouth, and shaped so that you could effectively "ratchet" them. Anyone know what I'm talking about?



I've got a full set of these, Mine are old Ex-MOD Facom 40R "Speed" Spanners

(Not my picture, stole it from online)






They work the same as any other spanner really, It's just you can do a return stroke with the spanner without taking it off the nut just like the modern ratcheted one that pcb1962 showed.


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## Inspector

I was taught that the last wrench you reach for is a t’umb wrench. Those that do are graunch artists.


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## AES

Interesting that over the Pond you use the term "graunch". Is that common over there, or "just" an aero term (it's very common over here in aviation but I think I've heard it elsewhere)?


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## Cheshirechappie

My suspicion is that many of the objections to adjustable spanners go back to the days of tools like this;

https://img0.etsystatic.com/111/0/12655 ... 0_aemv.jpg

- made from steels that wore quickly, and with sufficient slop in the mechanism to develop out-of-parallel jaws and a complete inability to hold a pair of flats on a nut or bolt closely. In that case, objection is justifiable for any but the roughest work.

Nowadays, we have much better-made tools, such as this;

https://media.rs-online.com/t_large/F0539520-01.jpg

- which will take a surprising amount of use and abuse and still work well. I speak from experience - my 12" shifter has done about 30 years of sometimes rather hard service, and is still in very good order. I once saw a Bahco 18" adjustable with eight feet of scaffolding tube and a large bloke swinging his full weight on it; it never even grumbled - just took it, and was ready for more. Didn't damage the nuts, either (the job's or the bloke's).


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## E-wan

That locking adjustable spanner looks useful is Stanley the only brand that make these?

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk


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## Inspector

AES":3l4v7hn4 said:


> Interesting that over the Pond you use the term "graunch". Is that common over there, or "just" an aero term (it's very common over here in aviation but I think I've heard it elsewhere)?



No it isn't a common term. I went to vocational school to be a aircraft mechanic and had a couple Brit instructors trying to pound (hammer) (hammer) good practices into us. They referred to us as a bunch of graunch artists a lot. (homer) (homer) (homer) (homer) (homer) (homer) (homer) 

When I was actually working I realized t'umb wrenchs (a Newfie taught me that one) weren't the worst tool to use on nuts and bolts. It was the slip joint pliers that a Chinese guy loved to use. We took those away from him.

Pete


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## AES

OK Inspector, interesting. Seems "we" not only exported know-how but slang too at one stage.

I did my aircraft engineering apprenticeship in the RAF which is where I first heard "graunch". With us though it was "graunch merchants" rather than "graunch artists" - in just the same way I knew several blokes who referred to commercial engine overhaulers who were maybe, shall we say "somewhat suspect" (!) as "paraffin wash Johnnies" - but that was referring to "big round 'uns" of course, rather than today's fuel to noise converters.


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## Inspector

I worked on the big round 'uns myself with a firebombing company, so chased a lot of oil leaks on Pratt & Whitney and Wright engines in the Douglas A-26, Douglas DC-6, Grumman TBM and Trackers.


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## AES

Ahhhhhhhhhhh, Pratt 1830s, those was the days (along with those "abortionated" sleeve-valved Hercs and Centaurii)! The little Pratts (was it 1340s?) in the Beavers were good though, along with the Alvis Leonides - which I guess you didn't have in the US? (Percival Prince/Pembroke and Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer, among others).

Thread drift folks, sorry. Back to graunching.


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## Inspector

Only worked on the P&W-1830 on a stand and R-1340 (Harvard) in school. P&W-R2800 in the A-26 and DC-6. The Wrights were R-2600 and R-1820. 
Pete
Announcer: Back to your regularly scheduled programming.


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## TFrench

Chesirechappie, I once saw a guy operating a piling rig pounding on his adjustable with a lump hammer to tighten a bolt. Serious tool abuse!

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


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## AndyT

Ah, adjustable spanners... The really fascinating aspect is that so many mechanics have picked one up, used it and thought "I could make a better one" and hence there are enough designs to fill a book

http://taths.org.uk/99-new-book-the-adj ... ron-geesin


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## AES

Blimey? Over 3,000 (THOUSAND) variations! I had no idea. I must look at that properly later on, thanks Andy T.


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## Phil Pascoe

^^^^^ that's TATHS for you.


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## Rhyolith

E-wan":3a5fa72g said:


> That locking adjustable spanner looks useful is Stanley the only brand that make these?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk


Yes to my knowledge and only in 10”. If Bahco made them and in more sizes I doubt I’d have any other spanners in my toolbox.


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## AES

Yet another bit of thread drift, sorry, but not quite as much as my last anyway!

My lawn mover (a wheeled rotary) has the blade retained by a single large centre "nut" arrangement. Included with the machine is a large yellow "plastic ring spanner". This plastic is as tough as old boots because if you try and apply too much torque the "ring" expands a bit (it doesn't break) and the spanner just slips smartly around the nut to the next flat - a sort of poor man's torque spanner I guess.

Very clever except for the fact that if (when?) it slips your knuckles swing round and catch on the newly sharpened blade edge. Though of course the blade isn't razor sharp, it don't 'arf 'urt Mum - enough to draw blood. So far I've "only" done it once!

IF intentional (by the manufacturer) it's a clever idea though. No idea what sort of plastic it is.


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## AndyT

Probably nylon. If there's a sort of visible streakiness to it, it could be glass reinforced nylon.


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## AES

Thanks AndyT. No, I don't THINK it's reinforced nylon, it's a single yellow colour throughout as far as I can see. Clever idea though.


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## Ernest

SVB said:


> Banned at most locations I’ve visited and worked at - too many accidents with them slipping and also pita with rounded nuts an ill adjusted spanner can leave.


MY Father told me that when he worked for the London General Omnibus Company, Chiswick in the 1920s adustable spanners were banned, and you could be sacked if found useing them. can anyone verify that?


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## Seascaper

Hello 
I had to remove the starter motor from my Fordson Power Major last week because the spindle has stuck and needed grease. I was equipped with every spanner and socket under the sun and the one tool that gave me access to one of the 3 bolts was an adjustable spanner. Because it is an old 1958 tractor the bolts had seen some action and neither a metric or imperial spanner could get a grip. The adjustable spanner saved the day and got it running again,
Regards


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## Marcusthehat

I have a tiny Bacho, a 9" one, an indespensible plumbers Bacho, plus a 15" and 18" Bacho.
I love them to bits.
Superb kit.


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## artie

This is an old thread and I haven't read it all, but in all my life, I have never seen a spanner like pic the OP posted.


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## Sideways

You should get out more


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## Fergie 307

Was always told they were plumbers tools, and only fit for that use. I have a set of the ratchet type open enders, and they are very useful. The video is quite funny though as all the guy needs in the first example is a ratchet ring spanner! My dad drive Sherman tanks in the war and said that they all found the tool kit that came with them amazing. Ring spanners and sockets, almost unheard of over here at the time. For rounded off nuts and bolts one of the crescent type self tightening spanners is far superior to anything else, I have a set of Facom ones in three sizes which have proved invaluable over many years. Similar to the below, the harder you pull the tighter it gets.


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## Superduner

I have a set of Metrinch sockets/spanners. I saw them on a tv advert when I lived in California and thought they might be good for old Brit cars - and they are. They fit everything, and I've never had one slip.


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## clogs

suppose I'm lucky as I have double sets of combination, ring and open ended spannes up to 36mm.....including the equiv in American and the notorius BSW/BSF.....
plus many triples n quads etc of the same common sizes.....
but still could not do without my Bacho's....
for those that want good spanners without a lot of spondulicks look at the Magnusson range..
(B+Q) in the UK I think).....when out on the job and need something else, they have done me well in emergencies....
on the subject of sockets gotta say the 18v Millwaukee socket guns are just great....sure beats the noisy compressor running all day....


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## HamsterJam

Rhyolith said:


> I have found it not uncommon to be advised to not use adjustable spanners, even to the point of it being considered unprofessional to use them… but I still think adjustables are superior for most situations. Here’s why:
> 
> *They fit tighter on the nut:*
> This is a common stated weakness of adjustables, but if you use them right (and they are well made) they can close tighter than a fixed spanner. This is particularly the case with old bolts and nut that have been worn to the point of not being a standard size anymore.
> 
> This concept is taken further with what it my opinion is the best general purpose spanner design. It can properly clamp the nut... it actually works so well you can get sufficient grip to tighten or remove a stiff thread via a round object (like a stripped bolt head).
> 
> 
> 
> Stanley 10&quot; Locking Adjustable Spanner (Locked) by Rhyolith, on Flickr
> 
> I is actually impossible for a fixed spanner to grip as well as this does.
> 
> *Less time wasted looking for Tools:*
> You don’t have to spend time finding out what size the bolt or nut is and finding the right spanner. You just pick an adjustable thats roughly the right size and go. This is particularly beneficial with restorations of old things where you almost never know the bolt head sizes in advance.
> 
> *Less Toolbox Space needed:*
> An adjustable will do the job of around 4 times their number in fixed spanners, the space this saves is not a small deal.
> 
> *Lower Cost:*
> Quite simply because you need less of them.
> 
> This is not to say however that I don’t think fixed spanners have their place. If your going to be working with a lot of the same sized heads (like taking 100 of the same sized bolt out of something) then the time saved not having to fit on each one makes up quite a lot of searching time.
> 
> I’d also reach for a fixed spanner (particularly one with a ring) over and adjustable for working somewhere cramped, simple because they are generally slimmer and easier to use in many awkward spots.
> 
> Thats my 2 cents, I am will be interested to hear any thoughts


Another advantage is where you have time consuming access, limited tool carrying capacity and unsure what size spanner(s) you will need. Consider walk-in access over difficult terrain, carrying your tools. No one wants to hike back to the van because they have come across an odd size nut/bolt and didn’t bring that sized spanner with them.


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## Gordon Tarling

Until I retired, I was an aircraft engineer for over 40 years - many aircraft fasteners are bi-hexagon, so an adjustable is out of the question and bi-hex sockets and ring spanners were usually the order of the day. Snap-On flank drive were my favourites, though a bit on the pricey side! Personally, I never used an adjustable of any sort whilst at work, though the 'heavy boys' usually had one in their toolboxes to be used as a last resort.

G.


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## TRITON

artie said:


> This is an old thread and I haven't read it all, but in all my life, I have never seen a spanner like pic the OP posted.


No thats a type. The shifter/mole spanner. 
But given how annoying shifters are for slipping out of set, a simple mole grip adjustment is far superiour.


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## Stevekane

Seascaper said:


> Hello
> I had to remove the starter motor from my Fordson Power Major last week because the spindle has stuck and needed grease. I was equipped with every spanner and socket under the sun and the one tool that gave me access to one of the 3 bolts was an adjustable spanner. Because it is an old 1958 tractor the bolts had seen some action and neither a metric or imperial spanner could get a grip. The adjustable spanner saved the day and got it running again,
> Regards
> View attachment 137973


Last year I had to remove the waterpump from a boat engine, somone had been there before me and one 10mm bolt was really rounded off, decent spanners of all types would not grip it at all, no room for anything bigger and visabilty at arms length via a mirror, we were looking at having to remove the cockpit sole of the boat and lifting out the engine,,,in desperation I bought a small set of screwfix Erbourer reverse spiral 1/4 drive sockets and after grinding one down so that I could sqeeze it in it grabbed the bolt easily,,I will try a link,,,I had not come across these before but I think they are common in the USA and it was a lifesaver..
Re the adjustables, Ive got stilsons, moles, crescent, waterpump pliers, the lot in the shed,,none are my first choice but anything to get you out of a hole! 
Steve.








Erbauer Bolt & Nut Remover Set 6 Pcs


Order online at Screwfix.com. Ideal for removing rounded-off, painted over, rusted bolts and nuts. High visibility, laser-etched markings. FREE next day delivery available, free collection in 5 minutes.



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## Spectric

AES said:


> Interesting that over the Pond you use the term "graunch".


Used here in the Uk, often as a result of a poorly fitting spanner or the use of a monkey wrench. You need to split the categorie into adjustable and self gripping, the old pipe wrenchs with teeth were really crude but a decent adjustable can be very handy for those plumbing fittings especially those compact ones with the wide opening jaws.


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## Terry - Somerset

Adjustable spanners are fundamentally less rigid than ring or open ended as their mechanism (however well engineered) means they can move from strictly parallel. Their setting is also very easily knocked from the optimum increasing the probability of slip or rounding off the nut.

Where you can get access, a ring spanner is most secure, open ended may be unavoidable on (say) plumbing fittings. Ring spanners even in small sizes tend to be longer and provide better leverage than their adjustable equivalent. Less chance of damaged knuckles etc.

So for me an adjustable is the last resort if I don't have a normal spanner which will fit, access compromised, or I know that the nut/bolt requires limited torque.


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## John Brown

For plumbing, I bought a couple of split ring spanners. They handle 15 and 22mm compression fittings nicely.


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## ian33a

I'm not a fan of adjustable spanners and have a range of metric and imperial spanners which cover most requirements. 

Last week our compact tractor arrived and the three point linkage has large locking nuts which are bigger than any spanner I own. The dealer asked if I had an adjustable spanner? I cringed and plodded off to the workshop. Coming back with one (which had been given to me) I'd found a use for it but I still don't like them. I very much doubt that I will buy a dedicated large spanner for the job as I wont be changing implements that often.


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## carpenteire2009

I have a full set of metric combination spanners and plenty of adjustables too, most of these adjustables were secondhand purchases (promise!). I do my own plumbing repairs and for these jobs I always relied on my Bahco adjustables, which are probably universally well regarded for this role. However more recently I've been converted to the new Knipex plier wrench, an improvement over the standard adjustable and probably the only tool I would reach for if a ring spanner was not to hand. We aŕ spoilt for choice with tools now but you've got to be careful too, there can be a lot of play in some new spanners now- a couple I purchased in more recent times were a sloppy fit on a bolt head, and these were Gedore, not some cheap Lidl special.


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## Tony51

I have one (Rhyolith type ) they are great for clamping on a nut and running it up a length of studding. As well strange size nuts


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## cerro

The best spanners are Proton USA, Facom France, Starwhille Germany, Belzer Germany, But the daddy of them all is Snap-on USA used by 95% of mechanics in the UK All my tools are Snap-on, The 4" long nose pliers you can grip a one pence coin an 1/8 of an inch and on the other side grip it with pliers over all the coin and it cant be pulled of the long nose pliers a fact. wrenches are OK for rounded nuts and [plummers.


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## PeteHB

When I was working as a factory manager I was sick and tired of seeing rounded off heads on nuts and bolts. In the end I in consultation with the works engineer we bought each of 6 fitters a selection of fixed spanners, put shadow boards with dedicated station tools at all works stations then collected all the adjustable spanners and wrenches with the exception of some large stillsons and pipe wrenches which were kept specifically for pipe fitting in the fitting shop. I had the pleasure of putting the gas axe through a large number of adjustable spanners large and small. It became a disciplinary offence to use one on the works, it was only enacted once by a fitter who decided that he would bring his own adjustables to work, a final written warning sufficed to stop any repeat.
I detest the things.


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## evildrome

When I lived in Germany in 1999, I bought a comprehensive set of KS flank drive sockets + Torx + Hex bits at a price that nearly made me cry.

But I knew I'd be using them for the rest of eternity so... I bit my lip and paid up.

I used them yesterday and I've used them nearly every day for 23 years.

You cannot go wrong with quality hand tools.

I would second cerro's comment about Snap On tools. I have a Snap On 1/2" ratchet drive (also pictured) that was violently expensive but again... it gets a lot of use & looks just as good as it did when I bought it 20 years ago.


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## evildrome

BTW this appears to be the same set but at about 1/3 of what I paid.



https://www.autodoc.co.uk/ks-tools/10494181



Made in China now of course but would be interesting to know if they're still the same quality.

Probably not.


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## cerro

If you notice on the photo of the snap=on socket set the sockets are rounded in the corners that is so the pressure is applied on the flats, instead of the corners like other sockets. makes them much stronger in use.


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## MikeO

Marcusthehat said:


> I have a tiny Bacho, a 9" one, an indespensible plumbers Bacho, plus a 15" and 18" Bacho.
> I love them to bits.
> Superb kit.


When I was on the ships Bahco was the name to have to save carrying lots of spanners


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## glenfield2

MikeO said:


> When I was on the ships Bahco was the name to have to save carrying lots of spanners


Second that - my turn-to Bahco is superb: slimline wide opening jaws, accurately engineered. Gets into spaces some regular spanners won’t reach.


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## Richard_C

I don't much like adjustables but will use one if I have to. One thing that's not been mentioned is that they have bigger and chunkier heads, awkward in confined spaces and heavy/unbalanced if you are using for long periods.

I don't really get the love of combination spanners. Ideal I guess if you need to start with ring and finish with oe in the same space, but to get a set of (say) 10 sizes you need 10 combination spanners. You can get the same range from 5 oe and 5 ring, with the advantage that if you have a through bolt with a same sized nut at the other end you have a spanner for each end, not so with combinations.

A general observation, slightly or but perhaps relevant to spanner enthusiasts I did a lot of car fixing for myself and friends back in the 70s,much less now. Back then I mostly used 1/2 inch drive sockets on mostly cast iron engines and gearboxes. Sometimes resorting to 3/4 drive on hubs and transmission shafts. As time went on and lighter mostly alloy engines appeared I got a nice Kamasa 3/8 drive set that was the go-to choice and still serves me well. But now, I use a small Bahco 1/4 drive set a lot and resort to the 3/8 if I have to. Those 1/2 inch sockets seem awfully big and clunky these days.

Sometimes you realise that good designers think about maintenance. We had a couple of Citroen Dyanes and a 2cv. Designed to be looked after by anyone anywhere. You could do a full service with a spark plug spanner, which also undid the oil drain, a ring spanner (13mm from memory) and a #2 Philips screwdriver. 3 tools in your pocket and off you went. The starting handle other end undid the wheel nuts and, if necessary, the bolts that held the wings on. If you came across something those tools didn't fit, you knew you were trying to undo the wrong thing. Elegance and economy of design.


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## Shan

Richard_C said:


> I don't much like adjustables but will use one if I have to. One thing that's not been mentioned is that they have bigger and chunkier heads, awkward in confined spaces and heavy/unbalanced if you are using for long periods.
> 
> I don't really get the love of combination spanners. Ideal I guess if you need to start with ring and finish with oe in the same space, but to get a set of (say) 10 sizes you need 10 combination spanners. You can get the same range from 5 oe and 5 ring, with the advantage that if you have a through bolt with a same sized nut at the other end you have a spanner for each end, not so with combinations.
> 
> A general observation, slightly or but perhaps relevant to spanner enthusiasts I did a lot of car fixing for myself and friends back in the 70s,much less now. Back then I mostly used 1/2 inch drive sockets on mostly cast iron engines and gearboxes. Sometimes resorting to 3/4 drive on hubs and transmission shafts. As time went on and lighter mostly alloy engines appeared I got a nice Kamasa 3/8 drive set that was the go-to choice and still serves me well. But now, I use a small Bahco 1/4 drive set a lot and resort to the 3/8 if I have to. Those 1/2 inch sockets seem awfully big and clunky these days.
> 
> Sometimes you realise that good designers think about maintenance. We had a couple of Citroen Dyanes and a 2cv. Designed to be looked after by anyone anywhere. You could do a full service with a spark plug spanner, which also undid the oil drain, a ring spanner (13mm from memory) and a #2 Philips screwdriver. 3 tools in your pocket and off you went. The starting handle other end undid the wheel nuts and, if necessary, the bolts that held the wings on. If you came across something those tools didn't fit, you knew you were trying to undo the wrong thing. Elegance and economy of design.


I'm a big fan of my Bahco adjustable. Ideally use a ring or open ended shifter if possible but the Bahco has been brilliant over the years. Thin jaws that often get into tight places like on bicycle hubs for example. Handy having the etched mm on the side as often use this to get the right sized spanner. Taken some beatings on occasions and still working fine.

However for the toughest nuts the vise or mole grips are great. They often muller the nut but as a last resort have proved life savers.


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## loftyhermes

A few of my Bahco's, amassed during my time as a Coal Prep. Fitter.


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## glenfield2

Richard_C said:


> I don't much like adjustables but will use one if I have to. One thing that's not been mentioned is that they have bigger and chunkier heads, awkward in confined spaces and heavy/unbalanced if you are using for long periods.
> 
> I don't really get the love of combination spanners. Ideal I guess if you need to start with ring and finish with oe in the same space, but to get a set of (say) 10 sizes you need 10 combination spanners. You can get the same range from 5 oe and 5 ring, with the advantage that if you have a through bolt with a same sized nut at the other end you have a spanner for each end, not so with combinations.
> 
> A general observation, slightly or but perhaps relevant to spanner enthusiasts I did a lot of car fixing for myself and friends back in the 70s,much less now. Back then I mostly used 1/2 inch drive sockets on mostly cast iron engines and gearboxes. Sometimes resorting to 3/4 drive on hubs and transmission shafts. As time went on and lighter mostly alloy engines appeared I got a nice Kamasa 3/8 drive set that was the go-to choice and still serves me well. But now, I use a small Bahco 1/4 drive set a lot and resort to the 3/8 if I have to. Those 1/2 inch sockets seem awfully big and clunky these days.
> 
> Sometimes you realise that good designers think about maintenance. We had a couple of Citroen Dyanes and a 2cv. Designed to be looked after by anyone anywhere. You could do a full service with a spark plug spanner, which also undid the oil drain, a ring spanner (13mm from memory) and a #2 Philips screwdriver. 3 tools in your pocket and off you went. The starting handle other end undid the wheel nuts and, if necessary, the bolts that held the wings on. If you came across something those tools didn't fit, you knew you were trying to undo the wrong thing. Elegance and economy of design.


I owned various ancient British cars in my youthful motoring days back in the 60s and 70s. You were lucky if you got any rusted up bolt undone with any sort of spanner. 
Then I got my first equally elderly VW Beetle and I was amazed that bolts just came straight undone with my metric sockets. My eyes were opened to the difference in engineering standards.


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## hawkeyefxr

I am with the spanners use, i always use the right size spanner for the job. That goes for sockets as well but they must be single hex not multi hex as they can round off or badly damage a really tight nut.
BUT i have to admit i do have adjustable spanner, two smaller ones and two of the normal ones. These are Snap-On adjustables that are guaranteed for life, i have had them for 25 years or more now and they are just like i purchased them. At £40.00 each for the larger ones you would expect that. I only really used these when i worked in the air-con trade as then all the fitting were the American AF type of spanner and space at a premium in my tool box.
Working on my bike always spanners and sockets!


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## Richard_C

hawkeyefxr said:


> These are Snap-On adjustables that are guaranteed for life


Never sure if that means tool life or purchaser life. If the latter, then snap on is excellent value for a 25 year old with 60 years life expectancy to go, less good for someone like me at 70


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## Dalboy

I have adjustable in the tool box but prefer to use proper spanners. What annoys me most with the idiots out there that the do not know how to use an adjustable correctly and insist on tightening and loosening the wrong way then wonder why they hit their knuckles on the nearest chunk of metal.
Yes there is a right way and wrong way


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## Sideways

I wonder how widely known it is that there is a stronger and and a weaker way to use an adjustable spanner ?

It's also interesting that the vast majority of the internet seems think it's the wrong way round. I wrote this post, decided to edit it to add a picture and was surprised to find all the images I could google tell you to use it the wrong way !
The debate has been had before over on the garage journal.
Question on use of Adjustable Wrench see post number 9

I'm not a fanboy of snap-on by a long way but I believe that the advice they give is the right stuff and in this instance 95% of the internet is simply wrong as they don't understand the mechanics of what's going on. 

In summary, an adjustable with a fixed top jaw and a moving lower jaw is stronger if you use it with the fixed jaw leading whether you are tightening or loosening a fastener.

The logic is that spanners never make uniform contact all along the flat jaws, the pressure is concentrated at points. The leading jaw makes contact out near the tip of the jaw and the trailing jaw makes contact near the handle. This is why Facom were able to make a strange design of rapid spanner that has most of one jaw completely missing. The stronger jaw of an adjustable is the fixed one so that should lead the way when the spanner is turned. The moving jaw is the weaker one so to bring the contact point close to the handle and minimise leverage on this weaker jaw, it should be the trailing one when you are cranking on the spanner.

This means that you ideally reverse the orientation of an adjustable between tightening and loosening.


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## Spectric

Not many these days I dare say, but it should be obvious that you want to put the most load through the fixed part.


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## hawkeyefxr

Richard_C said:


> Never sure if that means tool life or purchaser life. If the latter, then snap on is excellent value for a 25 year old with 60 years life expectancy to go, less good for someone like me at 70


Having nice tools just feels good, a friend of mine has the biggest mixture of spanner and sockets you would believe. Different sizes and types, AF, Whit, Metric.
As for Snap On, in the mid 70's i found a Snap On screwdriver in the road, it looked like it had had a hard life, i still have it it and use it quite a lot, but it looks and works as it should do. I call that a long life.
Snapon never ask when you bought the tool, at least they never asked me when i took a terminal screwdriver back as the end had snapped. Just got an apology and the changed the blade.


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## morqthana

Use Stillsons - they won't work at all the wrong way round.


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## sawtooth-9

morqthana said:


> Use Stillsons - they won't work at all the wrong way round


OUCH !


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## morqthana




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## John Brown

Ah! I think we used to call that a watchmaker's Stillson wrench.


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## morqthana

And here's the watch


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