Tips/Techniques Amazon Spends

[Susquatch]

Wow - Lotta very different views opinions of the same tool.

Much as I like my cobras and my wide Jaw PA wrenches, I'll have to watch for a sale on the knipex adjustable so I can form my own opinion. For now, I find it very interesting to see all the different opinions so many talented folks have.

It's a complete total joy to read them!

 

[whydontu]

I love the Knipex 10" 86 03 250 wrench, sits next to the vise on my main bench and gets used every day.

The PA wide jaw wrench is perfect for holding the body of my ER32 collect chuck. The jaw of the smallest size (8”?) is thin enough to fit the body flats without fouling on the quill, and the length matches my collet nut so one hand to do the initial tighten. No stress on the shank.

 

[Xyphota]

Just my 2 cents, I love my Knipex pliers-wrench, and they are the first thing I grab. Their leverage ratio is much higher than channel locks. They provide a better 'bite' on screws/nuts than crescent wrenches in my experience so I would feel comfortable pushing them a bit harder without risk of rounding nuts over. However If a fastener is particularly stubborn, I would definitely go find the proper wrench for the job.

But I don't think I would bother buying larger sizes.

Additionally, as the owner of a lathe with whitworth fasteners, all the screw head hexes are not standard wrench sizes so it is doubly worth it for me.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Buy this, and let me know how it is.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07VN3M9HG/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&psc=1
It "looks" like a decently made tool, but I'm a little gun shy on ratcheting tap wrenches after having bought a cheap import one years ago and it being a POS.

Glad to hear some reviews on those flat jaw Knipex. Seems like a neat idea, and a tool that I "want", but they're expensive, and I've made it this far without them.....

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Buy this, and let me know how it is.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07VN3M9HG/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&psc=1
It "looks" like a decently made tool, but I'm a little gun shy on ratcheting tap wrenches after having bought a cheap import one years ago and it being a POS.

I splurged and bought this about a month ago. It took amazon took about 3 weeks and still hadn't shipped. When I went to check the ad again to see if it was out of stock or something I noticed they dropped the price and had it on for $49, instead of the $55 I originally bought it for, so I cancelled and reordered. It shipped the next day lol.

Anyway, I used it for the first time this morning for a dozen 10-24 holes in 6061, and it's a nice tool. You know those tools that just feel nice in your hand? This is one. My only gripe thus far is the ratchet lever is a bit touchy, and will flip flop just based on inertia, and there is no locked both ways position, which would be nice to use as just a solid tap wrench to break chips etc. But it's a nice solid feeling tool. I don't regret the purchase. I'm going to see if I can tighten up the movement of the lever a bit with some gentle swaging persuasion somewhere

 

[SomeGuy]

I splurged and bought this about a month ago. It took amazon took about 3 weeks and still hadn't shipped. When I went to check the ad again to see if it was out of stock or something I noticed they dropped the price and had it on for $49, instead of the $55 I originally bought it for, so I cancelled and reordered. It shipped the next day lol.

Anyway, I used it for the first time this morning for a dozen 10-24 holes in 6061, and it's a nice tool. You know those tools that just feel nice in your hand? This is one. My only gripe thus far is the ratchet lever is a bit touchy, and will flip flop just based on inertia, and there is no locked both ways position, which would be nice to use as just a solid tap wrench to break chips etc. But it's a nice solid feeling tool. I don't regret the purchase. I'm going to see if I can tighten up the movement of the lever a bit with some gentle swaging persuasion somewhere

Wish I had seen this earlier...I have the Gearwrench version of this in a couple sizes as part of one of my big tap/die sets. The lack of a locked position makes it frustrating to use when you're tapping something big with a straight tap and need to back up every half a turn to break chips. I find myself using Lisle tap sockets more than these tap wrenches, though with a die that obviously isn't an option.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Yep, I feel the lack of that option is a big oversight, on what is otherwise a quality tool. I'll have uses for it, but it's not going to replace my solid wrenched anytime soon. Someday I might get ambitious and machine a solid version to interface with the tap and die holders of this set, which I like. The mating portion is a pretty easy to machine feature. I'll add it to "the list" lol.....

 

[Susquatch]

Yep, I feel the lack of that option is a big oversight, on what is otherwise a quality tool. I'll have uses for it, but it's not going to replace my solid wrenched anytime soon. Someday I might get ambitious and machine a solid version to interface with the tap and die holders of this set, which I like. The mating portion is a pretty easy to machine feature. I'll add it to "the list" lol.....

The lack of a lock is a show stopper for me. Could one be easily added?

 

[Dan Dubeau]

No, it's one way or the other. Actually playing around with it just now at my desk, if I held my thumb on the lever in the middle it will lock up, but that's a bit of a janky workaround to have to do all the time. I also just thought I might be able to make a special yoke to slip in the tommy bar hole of the tap holders, and engage the handle. Also a janky workaround that one shouldn't have to do.