Comments on: Crescent Wants To Be Your Monkey Wrench http://toolmonger.com/2007/11/30/crescent-wants-to-be-your-monkey-wrench/ All tools. All the time. Your source for news, information, and reviews of hand tools, power tools, and tools of all kinds. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:58:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Bus http://toolmonger.com/2007/11/30/crescent-wants-to-be-your-monkey-wrench/#comment-1022455 Bus Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:56:08 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/11/30/crescent-wants-to-be-your-monkey-wrench/#comment-1022455 The Charles Moncky thing is an urban or pre-urban legend. No wrench patent issued to him has ever been found. Also the Crescent wrench is not even a monkey wrench but has always been called an auto wrench by he various manufacturers and now by collectors. This is also what Crescent is calling them in their ads. They were included in the tool kits of numerous cars over the years including ever Ford Model "T" and "A" produced. These were low quality and probably gave the wrench a bad reputation, But there were higher quality ones made by Diamond Tools, Mossberg, Billings & Spencer, and Crescent, (they made a 9" and 11" back in the 1920's). The Pierce Arrows had high quality 11" and 14" Billings & Spencer auto wrenches in their tool kits and Indian Motocycles has a little 5 incher. I have used a big Diamond on many a hitch ball nut, These Diamonds in excellent condition can still be found used for a fraction of the new Crescent price. The Charles Moncky thing is an urban or pre-urban legend. No wrench patent issued to him has ever been found. Also the Crescent wrench is not even a monkey wrench but has always been called an auto wrench by he various manufacturers and now by collectors. This is also what Crescent is calling them in their ads.

They were included in the tool kits of numerous cars over the years including ever Ford Model “T” and “A” produced. These were low quality and probably gave the wrench a bad reputation, But there were higher quality ones made by Diamond Tools, Mossberg, Billings & Spencer, and Crescent, (they made a 9″ and 11″ back in the 1920’s). The Pierce Arrows had high quality 11″ and 14″ Billings & Spencer auto wrenches in their tool kits and Indian Motocycles has a little 5 incher.

I have used a big Diamond on many a hitch ball nut, These Diamonds in excellent condition can still be found used for a fraction of the new Crescent price.

]]> By: Old MSgt http://toolmonger.com/2007/11/30/crescent-wants-to-be-your-monkey-wrench/#comment-1018513 Old MSgt Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:01:34 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/11/30/crescent-wants-to-be-your-monkey-wrench/#comment-1018513 It is not a "moncky wrench", "monkey wrench" or variety thereof. Those are different in design. The wrench design in question, usually called a "Ford" wrench (because Ford supplied them for adjusting water pump packing gland nuts among other parts and they are often found with Ford script stamping) has been available for many years. The classic USAF "Ford" wrench was made by Diamond Tool until a few years ago (as I found out when trying to order more for our F-16 aircraft maintenance tool kits) and is famous in the military. They rarely bend, break, or wear out. The Crescent shown is almost identical, and they are uniquely useful for their right angle design combined with short jaw length and wide adjustment. They are not for small hardware, but are VERY nice to have in a well-equipped mechanics tool box. It is not a “moncky wrench”, “monkey wrench” or variety thereof. Those are different in design.

The wrench design in question, usually called a “Ford” wrench (because Ford supplied them for adjusting water pump packing gland nuts among other parts and they are often found with Ford script stamping) has been available for many years. The classic USAF “Ford” wrench was made by Diamond Tool until a few years ago (as I found out when trying to order more for our F-16 aircraft maintenance tool kits) and is famous in the military. They rarely bend, break, or wear out. The Crescent shown is almost identical, and they are uniquely useful for their right angle design combined with short jaw length and wide adjustment. They are not for small hardware, but are VERY nice to have in a well-equipped mechanics tool box.

]]> By: Benjamen Johnson http://toolmonger.com/2007/11/30/crescent-wants-to-be-your-monkey-wrench/#comment-172881 Benjamen Johnson Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:46:11 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/11/30/crescent-wants-to-be-your-monkey-wrench/#comment-172881 I originally posted this because when I found this tool searching around the net, I couldn't get the Foo Fighter's Monkey Wrench song out of my head (the refrain was the original title). That and "Monkey Wrench" just conjures up all kinds of images when you say it. Its really cool to see people posting how they use this tool. I suspected they were used in in applications where you didn't want to damage the nut or fitting, but I had never seen one in any body's toolbox before. I'm not likely to go out and buy one for my toolbox either. I originally posted this because when I found this tool searching around the net, I couldn’t get the Foo Fighter’s Monkey Wrench song out of my head (the refrain was the original title). That and “Monkey Wrench” just conjures up all kinds of images when you say it.

Its really cool to see people posting how they use this tool. I suspected they were used in in applications where you didn’t want to damage the nut or fitting, but I had never seen one in any body’s toolbox before. I’m not likely to go out and buy one for my toolbox either.

]]> By: dirtboy36 http://toolmonger.com/2007/11/30/crescent-wants-to-be-your-monkey-wrench/#comment-172695 dirtboy36 Wed, 05 Dec 2007 17:17:11 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/11/30/crescent-wants-to-be-your-monkey-wrench/#comment-172695 I use one of these in plumbing. It works great, usually, for taking apart flush valves. Quick to change size and it doesn't leave tool marks. I use one of these in plumbing. It works great, usually, for taking apart flush valves. Quick to change size and it doesn’t leave tool marks.

]]> By: Netpackrat http://toolmonger.com/2007/11/30/crescent-wants-to-be-your-monkey-wrench/#comment-172248 Netpackrat Wed, 05 Dec 2007 03:36:22 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/11/30/crescent-wants-to-be-your-monkey-wrench/#comment-172248 The Ford wrench is also quite common in civilian aviation, and as mentioned, is a standard tool for large hydraulic lines. The wide, smooth, flat surfaces spread the load and reduce the chance of damaging expensive fittings. It's useful enough that it is included in the minimum list of tools that my employer requires me to carry. The Ford wrench is also quite common in civilian aviation, and as mentioned, is a standard tool for large hydraulic lines. The wide, smooth, flat surfaces spread the load and reduce the chance of damaging expensive fittings. It’s useful enough that it is included in the minimum list of tools that my employer requires me to carry.

]]> By: Sweetalker http://toolmonger.com/2007/11/30/crescent-wants-to-be-your-monkey-wrench/#comment-171078 Sweetalker Sun, 02 Dec 2007 18:16:19 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/11/30/crescent-wants-to-be-your-monkey-wrench/#comment-171078 I am in the Air Force and we use them all of the time. We use it for large hydraulic lines. The 90 degree offset gets into a lot of places a regular wrench won't, plus the handle readily accepts "Torque Extenders," (also known as cheater bars.) It is easier to deploy with a few Ford wrenche, as we call them, than with a dozen different size open end wrenches. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't grab one of these babies to loosen a battery cable or try to loosen a nut, but it has it's place I am in the Air Force and we use them all of the time. We use it for large hydraulic lines. The 90 degree offset gets into a lot of places a regular wrench won’t, plus the handle readily accepts “Torque Extenders,” (also known as cheater bars.) It is easier to deploy with a few Ford wrenche, as we call them, than with a dozen different size open end wrenches. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t grab one of these babies to loosen a battery cable or try to loosen a nut, but it has it’s place

]]> By: kif http://toolmonger.com/2007/11/30/crescent-wants-to-be-your-monkey-wrench/#comment-170808 kif Sun, 02 Dec 2007 04:02:37 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/11/30/crescent-wants-to-be-your-monkey-wrench/#comment-170808 Ha, ha! Clever title! Automotive work? For anything more sophisticated that a Model T, I don't see it. And $90 (granted thats the price for the big one) will buy you enough wrenches of the Snap-On truck to cover about 80% if automotive fasteners. I have worked in one trade and watched and talked to people in other trades, and have never seen that tool used once. (Maybe an oilfield worker would use one?) And anything more than $2 is a lot to pay for something that's sitting in your grandmother's kitchen junk drawer that she'll let you have for free. Ha, ha! Clever title!

Automotive work? For anything more sophisticated that a Model T, I don’t see it. And $90 (granted thats the price for the big one) will buy you enough wrenches of the Snap-On truck to cover about 80% if automotive fasteners.

I have worked in one trade and watched and talked to people in other trades, and have never seen that tool used once. (Maybe an oilfield worker would use one?) And anything more than $2 is a lot to pay for something that’s sitting in your grandmother’s kitchen junk drawer that she’ll let you have for free.

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