A strap wrench consists of a plastic or wooden handle with a flexible rubber strap that often has small ridges that help it grip round, slick-surfaced, or odd-shaped objects. The tool is used to tighten, loosen, or twist objects such as shower heads, polished, glass, or PVC piping, water and oil filters, and even jar lids. Its main advantages are its flexibility and its ability to grip tightly without scratching or marring the object’s surface.
The 12″ handle Klein strap wrench above provides “cam-action design” that allows “uniform, high-torque application.” Weighing in at 0.8 lbs, the Klein 12″ has a diameter range of 1.5 to 5″, as does the 6″ version. The 18″ strap wrench adjusts between 1 1/8″ to 8″, but is usually quite a bit more expensive, running closer to $70 compared to about $12 and $20 for the 6″ and the 12″, respectively.
My question is: What other unique applications have Toolmongers devised for strap wrenches? It seems they’d be as good around the house as in the shop, and I suspect people have some great ideas that would save the rest of us a lot of time, pain, and grunting noises. Let us know your ideas for uses in comments!
Klein Grip-It Strap Wrenches [Manufacturer's Site]
Street Pricing for Klein Strap Wrenches [Google Products]
12″ Klein Strap Wrench Via Amazon [What’s This?]
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5 Responses to A Strap Of Many Uses
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We used to carry Ridgid 3134 strap wrenches with us for applications like smaller sized chrome and other plated fittings and pipe. The Klein S-6H is similar – and works well with EMT too.
Lately we like the cheaper plastic and/or metal handled strap wrenches like the Boa one shown on this link:
http://www.amazon.com/BOA-BO13010-Constrictor-Aluminum-Wrench/dp/B0011E4QU4
For larger pipe we have a several sets of Parmelee wrenches which have handles that engage individual girths – that each fit a different pipe diameter.
At home – I love the cheap plastic ones for opening jars , dealing with radiator caps, unscrewing stuck handles and anything where I don’t want to mar the surface.
I bought plastic handle strap wrenches at Sears which wear the Craftsman label and are made in England.
Flashlight fans use strap wrenches to unscrew the bezels from flashlights which have been secured by thread locking compound. The intent is to replace the stock LED in the flashlight with one which is newer and brighter.
I used one to pop open the oil filter container (only the filter is changed in my jetta). Whoever put it on before cranked down on it too hard. Sure beat going out to buy a special wrench for it!
I love these, I bought a generic set of these 10 years ago when i ran some autosupply stores,, Alltrade was the brand, and i love them, great for chrome work, and also for plastic plumbing large items like pool filters…
ShopMonger
As usual, HF has a set of these – 2 in a set for about 8 bucks. I bought a set a couple years back and use them a lot – well, not the originals – my wife seemed to have “found” them after seeing me use one. The smaller one vanished from the shop only to later be found in the gadget drawer where she stores it for opening stubborn jars.
They are pretty cheap looking – all plastic – but have stood up well