Understanding Different Types and Features of Adjustable Wrenches

by Bahco AU Industrial Writer & Blogger

When it comes to loosening nuts, screws and pipes of various sizes, then the one specific tool that proves to be highly effective is the hand wrench. Also known as a spanner or English Key, this tool forms an important part of a household toolbox. It is a must-have in a plumber’s toolbox as it is highly effective and useful in fastening or unscrewing nuts, elbows, faucets and pipes of different lengths and diameters. What makes an adjustable hand wrench superior to the fixed wrench is its versatility and effectiveness due to the presence of a movable jaw making a 15-degree angle with the handle.

With four different kinds of adjustable wrenches available in the market, it is quite difficult to select a wrench that is suitable for all kind of plumbing, repair and maintenance works. However, understanding various kinds of wrenches and their features allows people to purchase them from local hardware stores or online stores with confidence.

Here is a short synopsis of the useful features of various kinds of adjustable hand wrenches that will guide you to make the best choice and get the best value for money when buying wrenches.

• Plumber Wrench

This kind of adjustable wrench is used to close or open the movable jaws around the plumbing pipes or fittings. The most notable feature of this wrench is the presence of a ring on one of its handles that helps in adjusting the wrench according to the diameter of the pipe or the nut and the bolt. As the wrench grips the pipe or nut with considerable force, the user need not to engage a nut or bolt head for the tighter grip.

• Pipe Wrench

The pipe wrench, as the name indicates, is used for fastening or unscrewing soft iron pipes, rods and fittings (nuts, bolts) with rounded surfaces. The wrench consists of a heavy handle with the toothed lower jaw that is fixed to the screw threaded upper jaw that makes it suitable for the perfect grip to the rounded object.

Available in a wide range of sizes, 10, 12, 14, 18, 24, 36, and 48 inches, (length of the handles) pipe wrenches make it easy to carry out all plumbing works even in hard to reach locations.

• Adjustable Spanner

Being the most common type of spanner or wrench the adjustable spanner is an open-ended wrench with a fixed and a movable jaw aligned on a line with serrated edges. Invented in 1891-92 by Swedish inventor Johan Petter Johansson, the adjustable spanner, also known as a crescent wrench in the United States and Canada, comes in many different forms from the taper locking spanners to the screw adjusted adjustable hand wrenches and even the digital types of spanners.

• Monkey Wrench

This type of adjustable wrench used primarily for heavier tasks is known for its remarkable strength. Made from heat-forged steel alloys, these wrenches have straight handles with smooth jaws that are used for opening pipes, boxes or other heavy objects.