Crescent Tools & the Adjustable Wrench - History & Lore

[@markmark2080]

The first 'real tool' I ever bought was a 10 inch Crescent wrench in '59 or '60 when I was about to become a teen. It was a thrill as a child to go in that hardware store and buy that quality 'real tool' to be able to work on my bike with my own tool.

[@ballinator]

Nice!

[@trottermalone379]

Great work doing your research and pulling together the story!

[@ballinator]

Thanks!

[@4by_yotaguy373]

Bahco does make some great adjustables! They've also been the manufacturer for the rebranded Snap-On adjustables for a good while. If i were to buy a new adjustable wrench, it would be Bahco.

[@drengskap]

Great that you included all the Bahco stuff - outside of the US, Crescent isn't nearly as well known and Bahco gets the credit for inventing the adjustable wrench (spanner). I have several of the original made-in-Sweden Bahcos which are marked on the handle 'Invented by Bahco'. Bahco manufacture in Spain now - they probably make that Channelock you show at the end, and they make adjustable wrenches for Snap-On as well.

[@ballinator]

Thanks! Yeah Bahco isn't as well-known here in the US. Everyone just associates that wrench with Crescent. The Channellocks are made by Irega.

[@markadams7597]

Great review, as always. My grandfather once told me, over 50 years ago, that his T-models of the WW1 era came from the dealer with a 10" Crescent wrench. (He suggested that one of the things buyers looked for when purchasing a used Model T was the on-board Cresent.) I plan to buy used USA made wrenches (have several Protos, Challengers, and Craftsmans, from back in the day that still work well) if ever I need another.

[@ballinator]

Very cool. Thanks for the info.

[@P_RO_]

In England a different type of adjustable wrench called "King Dick" became popular. The name referenced King Richard but you can't use a Royal's name as a brand there. Possibly the best "Crescent" style wrench I've ever found were from "Diamond Tool" or "Diamond Tool and Horseshoe" which are the same company.

[@ballinator]

Thanks for the info! Diamond & King Dick are on my list for future videos.

[@kkarllwt]

Duluth Minnisota/ us

[@GH-oi2jf]

My two largest adjustable wrenches are Diamonds. Very nice. I think they were made after the company was sold, but while they were still being made in Duluth. It's a shame the company has disappeared.

[@4by_yotaguy373]

I love Diamond Tool!

[@warrenjones744]

Another vote for the Diamonds. good tools

[@jimhaines8370]

Bahco before Snap On bought them and as is usual ruined the tool line had forged in the side of the handle Invented by Bahco in 1892 if I remember correctly. I think Jobox is pronounced Job-Box as a side note. Apex from what I understand after consolidating most tool production at Sumter plant found that most of the tooling and machines were worn out from no maintenance at all for years. When they started to rebuild they had a 100 year flood in Sumter and it was determined that they would have to scrap everything and buy all new and did not see how that would work. I still be leave the loss of sales through the Sears failure was the ending of many of these suppliers as there own stand alone brands needed the volume that Sears sold to make a profit. Once our hero at Sears stopping paying his bills and moved the Craftsman name to China the writing was on the wall for US made tools from a number of companies.

[@ballinator]

Thanks for the info!

[@Dancing_Alone_wRentals]

I had an 8" Powr Craft and was using it to take a pedal off an old bicycle. I didn't have the muscle so I asked someone older to help....the wrench busted. We had put pressure on the adjustable piece; using it backwards. .............Took the wrench back to Montgomery Wards under the warranty and some bone head gave me a generic one as a replacement. As a kid I didn't know better, as an adult I make sure to never take advantage of others. A very important life lesson grew out of an adjustable wrench. tHanks for the video

[@ballinator]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching.

[@4by_yotaguy373]

Another great piece of work!!

[@ballinator]

Thanks!

[@ramluma]

Great video, specially the recommendation of Channelock and Lobster.

[@ballinator]

Thanks!

[@dazaspc]

Bahco made the best "Shifters" or Shifting Spanners or Adjustables for the entire 20th century. better shape, better steel, less likely to break or stretch. I have seen and used all brands and they had virtually no equal. In comparison the Crescent were heavy, and stretched easily. The Spanish source you spoke of started out as Irega and they are an equal standard to the Bahco but with older patterns. Anything from spain like a shifter was made by Irega often re branding. I still use a Bahco 32" shifter made in the 1920's on a weekly basis and even after all this time the jaws would have less than 2mm of stretch and you can still buy parts for it if needed.

[@ballinator]

Thanks for the info!

[@donwest5387]

Interesting. I have a small carriage wrench. My father owned two Austin automobiles. (co-incidence?)

[@john_barnett]

I love my Bahco Crescent wrench, probably made by the same factory that makes the Channel-locks in Spain

[@branned]

I love your hand tool history videos. I agree I buy real USA-made Cresents at garage/estate sales or buy lobster (Japan) ones.

[@ballinator]

Thanks, man.

[@brycewiborg8095]

Since I was a boy we called them knuckle bangers. Having said that Dad kept several on the farm. They came in handy with some of the primitive machinery we were using 50 plus years ago. The new ones may be alright, but I don't think they are original.

[@ballinator]

Yeah I always try to use the proper sized fixed wrench, but sometimes the adjustable is super convenient.

[@kenmohler4081]

Now that metric tools are becoming so common, it is getting difficult to find a regular inch calibrated crescent wrench.

[@ballinator]

Nice one!

[@GH-oi2jf]

The picture of Ford tools seems to show a regular Crescent wrench, but what I know as a "Ford wrench" looked a little different. They are fairly common and can be found with or without a "Ford" marking.

[@ballinator]

@GH-oi2jf The ad in that image was from an aftermarket kit they sold (It was the only ad I could find with both "Crescent" and "Ford" ) - I don't think Crescent made the "Ford" style wrenches for them. Crescent says they made wrenches for Ford, but I wasn't able to find confirmation on which specific ones. I suspect they made some of the fixed wrenches for them.

[@carlbeeblebronx9061]

They make the worlds most durable fencing pliers.

[@ballinator]

Thanks! I use the Channellock fencing pliers, but I'll have to check out the Crescents at some point.

[@metricstormtrooper]

Here in Australia it's called a Shifter or Shifting Spanner.

[@ballinator]

Interesting! Thanks for the info.

[@limyrob1383]

I'm still using a 50s Crescent wrench here in the UK, no plans to replace it. I have the same size Bahco and its interesting to overlay them. The size of the working parts is identical but the shape is quite different.

[@ballinator]

Yeah, it looked like the Bahco has a more angled head. We don't see too much Bahco here in the US.

[@garbo8962]

Nut rounders that best used for a hammer. Skilled Millwright mechanics would not allow apprentices to use one. Best thing to use on a hex nut is a 6 point socket. I spent 50 years in large maintenance shops and the halve ass mechanics were the only ones that used nut rounders.

[@ballinator]

Yeah, they have their place though. Not going to carry a full socket & wrench set around with me in my tractor.

[@coroni4744]

The first wrench of that style was invented by Clyburn in England in 1843. Then Bacho made a improved version and that was later copied by Crescent.

[@ballinator]

@coroni4744 Thanks for the info! It looks like Clyburn's even pre-dates the Worcester design. www.madeupinbritain.uk/Adjustable_Spanner

[@user-bh2fq8in6h]

Thanks for sharing, what a great video 👍👍🔧🔧

[@ballinator]

You're welcome! Glad you liked it.

[@harrisionstan3773]

Thanks from Australia. Liked and subscribed. We know 'em as "shifters", short for "shifting spanner"

[@ballinator]

You're welcome! Thanks for the sub.

[@MarkMcCluney]

Yes, I have always known, and referred to, this type of tool as a shifter or shifting spanner.

[@465maltbie]

Thanks for the story.

[@ballinator]

You're welcome. Thanks for the view!

[@eddunn4161]

I don't live far from there been by the building many times

[@Ron_Lockwood]

Thanks for the content.

[@ballinator]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching!

[@dinomares5697]

Good job love you From Dino Mares Fontana CA

[@ballinator]

Thanks!

[@filobeto1691]

Cool vid. I like the pre ‘Crestoloy’ adjustables for plumbing work. The wider jaws do better on soft copper fittings. I have often wondered how many different US Tool Companies contracted with Crescent to make their adjustables. Seems no matter what name is on the wrench the handle and head are the exact same as the Crescent.

[@ballinator]

Interesting. I never thought about the wider jaw ones, but it makes sense they'd be better for plumbing. Crescent did a ton of contract manufacturing, but a lot of other companies straight up copied the design too.

[@arjanvanraaij8440]

bahco makes a version specialy for plumbers, with wider opening jaws and short ruberised handle.

[@wizrom3046]

You didnt mention LEFT HANDED crescent wrenches

[@ballinator]

I'll have to do a follow-up video on the left handed wrenches at some point...

[@josephwarra5043]

And no mention of all the tools being made in Chudistan.

[@ballinator]

I literally lower a Chinese flag over top of their logo at 06:47

[@madmike2624]

I always called it an ethnic slang speed wrench!!!

[@user-rc7wk9mn3i]

No mention of Diamond tool company.

[@user-rc7wk9mn3i]

"There is nothing finer than a diamond".

[@ballinator]

@user-rc7wk9mn3i Diamond will be getting a full video sometime in the future.

[@user-rc7wk9mn3i]

My brother and I worked there in Duluth Minnesota back in the early 60s I assembled thousands of adjustable wrenches.

[@andrewcollins7783]

In Australia they are caller shifters, nut fokkers or Mexican socket sets. They have been superseded by Knipex plier wrenches. No real tradesman would ever use one.

[@ballinator]

Thanks for the info. Yeah I love the pliers wrench. Need to fill out my set and get the other sizes.

[@unwired1281]

Great videos you sure sound like you could use some vitamins.

[@ballinator]

LOL. Thanks?

[@noneyabusiness4564]

Is this a person speaking or AI?

[@ballinator]

It's a person. Just not speaking in my natural voice. I do quite a few different voices on this channel.

[@john4kc]

Had to laugh at the A.I. generated Anderson Cooper.

[@ballinator]

Thanks! I suspect a lot of people miss the jokes hidden in the images. He'll be making an appearance in next week's video too.

[@ronsilva516]

I hear you a lot of tool now are junk they try to use there old name but still just expensive junk

[@ballinator]

Yeah, that's a recurring theme where they reduce the quality of the product, and rely on the name & previous reputation to sell it.

[@georgeburns7251]

Wasn’t Bain capital run by that Mormon guy mitt Romney? Another guy like Trump, screw America.

[@ballinator]

Yes, Romney was heavily invested with Bain. Bain bought up a lot of companies and gutted them for their assets. Romney & Trump hate each other.

[@TheEudaemonicPlague]

To answer a very simple question, we must force you to listen to much less interesting material, with no clue as to when the question will be answered. No thanks, you can piss off with that. I'm interested in the wrench, not the company's history.

[@ballinator]

Wow... The video has labeled chapter markers for people who want to skip ahead... the answer you seek starts at 58 seconds into the video.