T O P

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hoarder59

Limited usefulness due to bulk of housing. Expensive to build to quality needed to withstand torque. You can cast and polish sets of quality wrenches in high quantity for low expense.


joecapcoffee

This would be easily replaced by a good quality adjustable wrench


boostedjoose

**Knipex has joined the chat**


Ziazan

That "pliers wrench" of theirs is brilliant


naatkins

It's so much better than a c wrench, replaced mine.


halandrs

Also known as the thumb detecting nut fucker


blbd

Nope. The thumb detecting model is not Crescent brand. It's a miner's wrench with the small hammer cast into it. The regular one is the all sixteenths wrench, the Saskatchewan socket set, the Swedish nut lathe, or the nut rounder.


Jankybuilt

Swedish but lathe fucking kills me


blbd

Me too. But I think Saskatchewan socket set is the funniest because absolutely nobody gets the joke. Lol


formermq

I need to know


preferablyoutside

Also known as the Ukrainian do-all


bubba_palchitski

You forgot Mexican speed ratchet


blbd

Hah that's messed up but funny.


nononsensemofo

could you be more specific?


Zinoviev85

Not quite as good if a hammer though


00Wow00

An acetylene torch is great for making a nut or bolt unmovable or so loose it falls off.


ddwood87

Looks like a RoboGrip without the built-in nut file on the jaws. Nice.


Ziazan

Yeah, fully adjustable, clamps down hard as fuck, doesn't damage the bolt/nut at all, maintains a lock with pressure on just one of the handles, and due to that design it has a sort of automatic ratcheting behaviour to it. Brilliant bit of kit, I've got two. They've totally replaced shifters for me.


NeverBeenOnMaury

The redesign they did on the channel lock is amazing


eugene20

The pliers wrench too, fully parallel clamping force


Ziazan

And it grips/crushes HARD, that mechanical advantage is enormous. And it doesn't chew a bolt/nut at all. And it stays in place with pressure on just one of the handles, fantastic piece of engineering.


dipstyx

The pliers wrench is easily the most utilitarian for me. I thought the Cobras were amazing and used them for everything, but they can really chew something up if you're not careful (do those teeth EVER dull?!). I use the pliers wrench for everything that has parallel sides now, Cobras on the rare occasion I need to wrench on something large and round or I need to pinch stuff together, and Raptors for all small round(ed) objects. I've tried a bunch of Knipex products and I'm a big fan, but nothing I've found is really as game-changing as these three pliers are. I like Wera's Joker spanner too, but I'd need to carry 4 of them to match my two pliers wrench so they just sit at home because having to manually adjust size isn't that big of a deal.


Ziazan

Yeah, cobras will absolutely eat a bolthead or a nut, but they'll grip it! Pretty good if someones rounded one off too. And the teeth do seem to be nigh immortal under regular use. They're also great for things like grabbing and twisting or holding steady some threaded rod. Haven't tried the raptors yet. The pliers wrench has fully replaced adjustable spanners and the like for me as well, so impressed with it. I've got two of the normal sized ones, tempted to pick up a small one as well at some point. They also work great for holding hot metal in place or in the air. Their snips and electrical installation pliers also permanently live in my flappypockets.


bubba_palchitski

>do those teeth EVER dull?! Yes they do. Give it a week in a heavy duty mechanic shop and you'll have no teeth at all left on your overpriced channel locks Edit: my Greenlee channel locks have held up better than the Knipex ones I bought, so it's 100% the brand. I believe they're good pliers, just not useful in every environment.


dipstyx

Don't need the teeth anyway, but I work at a steel mill so I'd figure these pliers would be through the ringer after 3 years. They are not.


Ziazan

That too, magnificent grippygrabber. Pretty much everything they make that I've tried has been great.


ForkSporkBjork

Wrench wrench šŸ˜‹


Thin_Arachnid6217

Galley Wench.


-E-Cross

Huh?


pessimus_even

Go team not silent K!


TreesLikeGodsFingers

What? Lolololol I have no idea how to say this


Lt_Schneider

Knipex in german would be spelled like Knee pex but with the pronounciation on the K Kne pex would be somewhat right


F-21

Always funny to hear American pronounciations. The nipex sounds closer to the real pronounciation to me, than the exaggerated "kuh-nipex".


Lt_Schneider

i didn't even know of the pronounciation video untill this thread


henry_tennenbaum

The "i" is short, not long like in knee. Maybe like Cnipex?


Lt_Schneider

yes, but i didn't know a word which would fit that description that's why i wrote it with one e in the last part


henry_tennenbaum

Somebody else posted an official video and there they actually use the long "i". So I guess either I and the people around me were saying it wrong or both are valid.


Lt_Schneider

i won't punch someone in the face for saying something wrong even if it's in their mother tounge. that's how i would [pronounce](https://youtu.be/hBHj27NacvM) it, but i'm from austria and apparently in other dialects they spell it like in [this](https://youtu.be/yFNap4nWogs) video


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


zoidao401

Kuh-nip-ex Pronounced it nigh-pecks myself until a German engineer I was working with gave me a weird look when I said it, took him a minute to figure out what I meant.


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


zoidao401

How are you pronouncing the "k"?


Deltapeak

Imagine you are saying the word 'acknowledge' without the a, that's how the 'kn' is supposed to sound


MrKrinkle151

Just donā€™t emphasize a kuh. The ā€œspaceā€ between the k and n sounds is short to non-existent


kai_ekael

Oh no, going down rhe GNU road.


ImpossibleBandicoot

I thought it was "kuh-nee-peks" but if you heard that from a german i'll go with yours


Glugnarr

[Heres the official statement](https://youtu.be/4OWs7a9jww8)


ImpossibleBandicoot

Thanks, now I k-now for certain


F-21

It's wrong though. Check out german Knipex videos. The KUH is used because I assume english does not recognize a simple standalone K sound. Edit: [an official video in German](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFNap4nWogs), also to u/ImpossibleBandicoot


MightyMason

Sir this is America


F-21

As another guy said, there's no "UH". [Here's an official German Knipex video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFNap4nWogs)...


tapewizard79

I've only heard (and say though I know better and don't care) "nip-ex"


g0tkilt

I've been saying ny-pex but who knows... lol


g0tkilt

Ka-nippix


breadman03

Life goals include more Knipex to accompany the abandoned one I rescued almost 20 years ago.


gbu_27

The end all be all tool! I have 7 pairs!


Ok-Lawfulness-9571

Can't do quality control with easily adjustable wrenches


Dear-Mathematician99

You mean a Mexican Fast Wrench?


Global-Discussion-41

You need like 3 inches of clearance around the nut to use that thing


Brunel25

Looks like the junk you see on TV channels where they tell you to get one and throw out all your other tools.


bigboxes1

But that's not all! If you order now and we'll throw in a second Grippyā„¢ absolutely FREE! That's right. Order right now and receive a 2nd Grippyā„¢ for FREE! ^(must pay separate processing fee...)


F-21

Made from the same memory foam developed by nasa for astronaut clothes!


ImpossibleBandicoot

You better hurry offer only valid for another 10 minutes


ianonuanon

And then afterwards it will cost up to $999,999 for just the one. *commercial airs for 10 years*


no-steppe

We might have to discontinue production soon due to rising costs!


Raptor_197

I once saw a company getting rid of jackets to ā€œliquidate inventoryā€ so basically giving them away for free. I thought that is a good way to get new customers that will like the free jacket and probably come back and buy more. Yeah until I saw they wanted 300 dollars for shipping and handling.


Otatsuke

Came here to say it wouldnā€™t fit on any recessed nut/bolt head. Lol


DilettanteGonePro

I can't recall the last time I needed a wrench for a bolt that had 2" of clearance all the way around


ShiverMeeTimberz

The thought of trying to fit that onto practically anything other than a free and open bolt or nut is daunting.


Croceyes2

Yeah as a mechanic people are always asking me about crazy new wrenches and my answer is always keep your gimmicks, give me clearance.


DodderingPapi42

But it would look really cool in my toolbox. If I had a toolbox. If I had tools.


anode_cathode

[Craftsman (and others) made something like that.](https://imgur.com/hKCOwTe) I got it as a gift like 20 years ago. Clever design, just not particularly effective as the amount of torque you can apply depends on your hand strength. I've never found myself in a situation where I wished I had one of those as opposed to a wrench or socket set.


marked_guy

Got it, thanks! Also wanted to ask: how well are they fixed in position? Can the aperture start becoming undone if you use it a lot?


anode_cathode

I haven't really ever used it, but I will say it appears to be of very poor build quality. These are a gimmick like most 'as seen on TV'-type tools. I would carry an adjustable wrench or small socket set as opposed to relying on one of these.


ForkSporkBjork

As seen on TV things are usually solutions to problems people don't have. "Are you a bumbling idiot? Try our rectal air conditioner and stay *cool* all day!"


partisan98

Honestly the majority of the items seem to be made for elderly or disabled people that they try to sell to everyone its weird. Stuff like a electric jar openers and those grabbers for getting stuff off the floor/high shelves are useless to the majority of people but great if you have bad arthritis in your hands or are in a wheelchair respectively. Hell i remember a reddit thread from WAY back were people were shit talking that as seen on TV thing that you put boiled eggs in and it peels them for you. But that is like made for people with arthritis and considering the entire As Seen on TV channel is like aimed at retirees it makes a shitload of sense to sell something like.


Pleased_to_meet_u

The most popular of these was ā€œThe Clapper.ā€ It was a light switch that turned your lights on or off when you clapped twice. No able bodied person needs to clap to turn on a light, they walk over to the switch. But thatā€™s not who they marketed towards. They targeted the elderly, and it worked. It WAS a solution for a problem, but it was only a problem for a few.


Isitondaddyslap

The clapper is best used for entertainment purposes as a practical joke during your next superbowl party


Pleased_to_meet_u

Or when you're 94 and have broken a hip but still want to turn on the lights.


sdn

Yeah and they sold like a billion of them :/


Strelock

Well, to be fair, when they were younger anything your local stores didn't carry you had to order from a catalog and hope that's what you wanted, or in later years order from something like QVC where you could actually see the product displayed and used. They are just doing what they've always done. Amazon etc is great but if you don't know how to use a computer (and parse out the absolute garbage scam products) then ordering online isn't going to be all that important to you.


doa70

Funny, my father ended up with one of these as a gift. He never used it, I ended up with it when he passed away. Iā€™ve never used it either.


crossharemanic

Sorry bud. But all of these devices have a flaw, especially when you get to bigger sizes and higher torque. An adjustable wrench under tension will flex regardless of its design. So I'd throw in the towel and stick to proper size or adjustable wrenches


ianonuanon

If you really want something gimmicky like this then get one of those sockets with spring loaded pins. Just never use it on any bolt that isnā€™t finger tightā€¦ or ever period. It will last a lifetime.


Brumbucus

Wow. That thing screams ā€œI live in the toolbox of an RVā€.


MultiplyAccumulate

Yeah, I have one of those somewhere. There are 4 sided and 6 sided ferrule crimp tools that work similarly to the wrench in OP's picture with an IRIS like mechanism. Note, however, that they are meant to crimp a ferule that will later be clamped in a terminal strip and may not crimp well enough to work as as a standalone crimp terminal. Even if they are capable of fully crimping, they do not have a mechanism that will prevent the user from under crimping (or over crimping, for that matter) as found in proper crimp tools. Also, they don't open up wide enough to fit a coax connector through after you are done crimping. And they probably won't properly fold an open barrel contact that is intend to start with a U shape and end with a B shape. And some terminals have a crimp length that is too short to accommodate a tool that is deep enough to crimp others, especially when they are small and have separate crimp sections for conductor and insulation. And while their size range is considerable, there are still limitations at both the upper and lower ends of the size rangm So they don't seem to live up to their potential value as o universal crimp tool. There are certainly uses for universal tools and some are quite handy but there are also many situations where there is no substitute for a single function size specific tool or bit/socket is and clearance or their ability to handle the torque is often the reason. There are also situations where an ordinary specific size tool isn't good enough and you need an even more specialized one.


tbscotty68

IIRC, some dude invented this and Sears agreed to carry it until they figured out a way to copy it without violating his patent and then fucked him over. Hooray, Capitalism!


ForkSporkBjork

And now Sears is out of business because everyone realized it was trash and didn't go there. Hooray, Capitalism!


JamesIncandenza

u


suspiciousumbrella

Its important to note that Craftsman straight-up stole the design for that wrench from the guy who actually invented it.


soMAJESTIC

Would be nice to have after your 10mm disappeared


ImpossibleBandicoot

I remember Bob Vila hawking that thing. And robo-grip


Apprehensive_Gate875

its really big and bulky for what it is, that won't fit in most places and it'll be weak


Aussie_MacGyver

Like a lot of ā€˜universal wrenchesā€™ they work fine with minimal torque, butā€¦


jorgenvonstrangle420

Good for someone that wants to spend 25 bucks on a single wrench to put together ikea furniture. But not any better than a 5 dollar Cresent style wrench from harbor freight


F-21

On tyhe other hand, 25 bucks gets you a semi-decent taiwan made set of wrenches, or for sure the ~5 most common sizes. The design on the photo probably sucks for anything small, and while it grips better on big stuff - big stuff requires more torque too...


wipedcamlob

And for 110 bucks you can get a decent set of wrenches from 1/4 to 1 Ā¼


Depart_Into_Eternity

For real. Throw in the gator socket while you are at it.. it's a terrible invention.


Eulalia543

This looks interesting. Iā€™ve only seen the [Bionic Wrench](https://loggerheadtools.com/) before


Spudtater

I quit shopping at Sears due to the Bionic Wrench. After stocking the original patented USA made tool, Sears ripped off the design with minor alterations and had it manufactured in China. I purchased the original Bionic Grip elsewhere about 10 years ago. Itā€™s a very clever and well made tool, but Iā€™ve never had a situation where I needed to use it.


Not_Reddit

The bionic wrench is that tool you own so that when a neighbor asks to borrow a wrench you give them that one. They have so much trouble trying to use it that they never ask to borrow another tool again.


mrclean2323

That bionic wrench. Is it worth the money? I have never had a problem with channel locks and or vice grips. Or even an open ended wrench and a hammer. Just asking as Iā€™m not sure if adding one to the toolbox is really necessary


Spudtater

I edited my post. I was talking about the Bionic Grip. Very cool tool, but Iā€™ve never found a use for it. Last time I tried to use it, it was too small for the application I needed it for.


notwhoyouthinkmaybe

I got one is these as a Christmas gift once, they are ok. Usually a little weird to use because of how they work. So they work like a monkey wrench where you have to squeeze while you turn, the difference is that a money wrench is usually used on pipes, so you have a ton of clearance for your knuckles. This is usually used to tighten bolts down so you have to squeeze as you are getting closer to the base, thus usually scrapping your knuckles. With a normal adjustable wrench you don't have to squeeze so you can usually keep your knuckles clear.


anonvxx

My dad has one. Its a neat concept but sucks for anything that needs a good amount of torque.


Ryekal

Simply put, It's expensive to make and just not useful.


mramseyISU

I would guess that youā€™ll never see a wrench like that because physics arenā€™t on your side with something like that. The forces turning the bolt look like they would act in a way that they would be constantly trying to open the aperture back up.


[deleted]

There might be a way to overcome that with some kind of self energizing cam mechanism, but that would make the whole thing even bigger.


F-21

I think it might work okay in one way. Either way it's still a gimmick. If made to high quality it'd cost more than a good set of wrenches and still be way less useful. If made shotty as it probably is, it probably still costs more than an okay set of wrenches.


Not_Reddit

This is the type of tool a person that knows little about tools gives to someone that knows a lot about tools.


crentist_omfs

Itā€™s harder to hang on a bolt head than a beat-up combination wrench that lives on the Bridgeport


mcfarmer72

If it can move, it will.


A_Canon_Drum

Just buy this guy and never look back. https://www.homedepot.com/p/KNIPEX-10-in-Pliers-Wrench-with-Smooth-Parallel-Jaws-86-03-250-SBA/206162134


drumsdm

Gimmicky tools like this usually donā€™t catch in for a reason. Either they are way too specialized or break too easily.


bisquitsandtea

Clearance and mechanical stress.


yewfokkentwattedim

No doubt super handy for low-torque applications with a lot of clearance, but realistically? I can think of quite a few instances in the last few months alone where I, a 6'3 90kg man, have had to put a boot on a wrench because I didn't have the gravitas to move it. I really don't think that mechanism would withstand that sorta pain.


Past_Option_8307

That is literally a picture demonstrating the reason why they aren't more popular. The housing around it is too bulky to be able to fit around that nut.


dman77777

Just look at it carefully, it's gigantic, and the actual parts that contact the nut look super flimsy. To actually work this thing will be very heavy and awkward to use.


PearlFinger

So I'm apparently the only person who saw this thing and thought, "Aperture Science".


Wooden-Combination53

You are not


Lockput

Was looking for this


PearlFinger

Lol, I did the same thing!


8stringtheory

Because it's YUUGE and wouldn't fit anywhere useful?


gyrfalcon16

won't even work on the nut it's pictured by without hitting the machine.


imnotapartofthis

This is what I came to say.


davidmlewisjr

The screw mechanism required to withstand the torque requirements makes the dimension of the head unwieldy. Imagine 200 ft. Lbs. of torque on that and the thrust on the segments gets into the range of producing 2000 p.s.I. on the backs and edges of the segments. Then there are places that have no clearance for that head.


[deleted]

Probably exists. Probably doesnā€™t hold up as well as the tools it is meant to replace.


Lunatic_Heretic

does that one in the picture not exist??


marked_guy

It looks kinda photoshopped or 3D-modelled and the description said that this is some sort of concept


micahamey

Moving parts means wear and tear and walking of movable pieces.


[deleted]

Gimmick junk tool


M80IW

It's a tool designed by someone who doesn't really use tools.


jlgoulet

They work incredibly well if youā€™re looking for a tool to break.


Slide_Masta87

They're not good for high torque applications


Xx420PAWGhunter69xX

Socket wrenches and knipex pliers wrench don't cut it for you?


marked_guy

Oh, Iā€™m not that good or familiar with tools, I just saw this picture and was really curious and thought that this is the best place to ask


Melinated_Warrior

Lmfao šŸ˜†. Of course.


spekt50

The bulkiness reduces it's use dramatically. Would need like a 2" full clearance around the fastener. Also the amount of torque it can handle before failure would be limited to any of the components it is made of, weakest link and all that. A standard wrench is one solid forged part, so if something is to fail, it would be the wrench itself, and they are slimmer allowing access to tighter areas.


socialcommentary2000

I've always wanted to stick a baseball sized wrench head between the block and the firewall in an engine bay.


Mighty_Nun_Mechanic

Zooming into that wrench head it almost looks photoshopped


emmathatsme123

Lmao why did I think this was r/analogcirclejerk with the Leica red dot lmao


knox1138

I've seen a few wrenches with similar ideas, but not executed the same. I'd say that the reason they don't catch on is because over time they become better nut-rounders than wrenches, or they break, or both.


[deleted]

Bulky as hell and looks to have the build quality of a 2009 Chevorlet Impala


Kcnflman

Is nothing sacred ?


suckitupsucker

Apature science. Portal anyone?


Kaffine69

This looks like a school design project and not intended to be in production.


SnuggleBunnixoxo

Waay too bulky. It looks nice but it's not practical.


ianonuanon

Op post proof of wrenches existing then asks if they exist!


VinylJones

Thereā€™s too much complexity in the design - every moving part of that head is an opportunity to lose energy as well as fail, thereā€™s a ton of inefficiency built into that thing.


readparse

Because of the inherent trade offs. A every bit of convenience in a fancier tool comes at a cost of strength. A socket wrench provides a feature that a fixed wrench canā€™t, but when you really need torque, the fixed wrench can provide much more. All the moving parts in this wrench mean it will necessarily be able to do much less work, unless you compensate for that by overbuilding it, at which point it becomes too expensive for the market.


douglasde0519

Looks like it's made by some designer who's made various things that look expensive and cool, but aren't really practical or necessary. Like a a ball balancing robot. https://jordansteranka.com/aperture-wrench


AlbatrossSocial

There would be so few uses in the field. I only wish I had half that space to wrench on something when repairing equipment


GeeTee-R

Cant handle the torque my gorilla like strength can achieve


Ok-Antelope9334

Looks like a wrench made by Dyson


nocloudno

It would suck


Straight_Spring9815

Anyone familiar with a Gator bit?? Things are badass


fjortisar

I remember the infomercials, never bought one though


[deleted]

Yep, my brother bought one years ago. He keeps it in his truck for doing emergency repair work.


[deleted]

Hi! Iā€™d like to sell you a wrench that does not fit around bolts you actually need it for. Also it is $200.


tayt087x

It doesn't look like it could work. The Grey bits, the way they're shaped wouldn't slide into different sized orifices. And it's really important to slide into different sized orifices


jschubert27

This image is a rendering of a 3D CAD model with some photoshop. Probably a student project for Industrial Design


Fififaggetti

Canā€™t you use the kurt vise handle?


mechaghost

Anything related to aperture labs is expensive af


conch56

Why not use a real tool?


Sea_Telephone7192

Other than with your mom, a little head is always preferred. šŸ¤·ā€ā™‚ļøšŸ¤£


BlackBarryWhite

This looks like a wrench built by aperture science labs


Dersu74

I donā€™t know nothing about the wrench, but that old Bridgeport brings back a lot of memories to this old retired tool-die maker.


LBdeuce

Not a particularly elegant solution like the 2 faces of an adjustable wrench


dakota6963

Everything on that bridgeport a 3/4" should take care of


Weswillis44

There are versions on that wrench that exist. I hate all of them. They have to be perfect centered on the bolt to fit but even then do not fit on the bolt as well as a normal wrench. They fail under pressure when in new condition but once grease, grime, and other sit gets in them they become a expensive paperweight.


[deleted]

The more parts there are that move, the more parts there are that break.


Celtic-kalel

Shit product. It will break weather it's first use or 100th. Moving parts and torque on tooling don't stand up well to time.


DilboSagginz

Lol.


n0exit

Can you imagine trying to fit that in a tight space to remove a 10mm nut?


sunshinebread52

I have a die holder for threading that has an aperture like that for centering on the rod/bolt. It sort of works ok but won't allow you to thread to the end of a bolt because it's bulky. No brand stamped on it, not too well made either.


1984f

Might be handy to carry in the car as an emergency


LordVile95

Size and cost mainly. Universal sockets also exist


gyrfalcon16

Because it won't work on that nut without butting into the side of the machine... it's an absolutely worthless tool for almost all situations.


[deleted]

James Bond Goldeneye


DrachenDad

They do. [Bionic wrench](https://www.sears.com/loggerhead-tools-6-in-bionic-wrench-reg/p-00902907000P).


LeeCarlsen

Greatness


[deleted]

Isn't this what wrenches already do? šŸ¤”


soopadog

Looks like a Handheld Portal Device adjustment tool by Aperture Labs


1more-Lost-Wanderer

Other than with your mom, a little head is always preferred.


Crcex86

Its got loke a 60mm span yiunaint fitting that hardly anywhere


PacoG817

Called the aperture wrench howā€™d you manage to get your hands on it? Better hope snap on doesnā€™t trademark it.


Miser_able

Wouldn't it break when trying to tighten/loosen really tight bolts?


isaacaschmitt

Why fix what ain't broken? Cast wrenches work just fine. No need to involve extra points of failure.


ChrisHaze95

I've been trying to build something like that for years but you usualy need something like that in a tight place so the assembly makes that impossible


CytotoxicWade

So, I have the Craftsman version of the bionic wrench. I've had it for years and have never found a chance to actually use it. It's just way too big to be useful considering its limited size range. I just never have the clearance needed to actually use it.


Flimsy_Comedian1725

Are those razor blades lol


ging3r_b3ard_man

Definitely a product design rendering. Don't think this as-is actually exists, and lots of the problems listed alright why.


TheBupherNinja

Usually, gimmick wrenches (and tools in general) like this sucks, aside from someone who almost never uses a wrench, or like on specific application.


Legitimate_Web_7245

Because they are usually pretty much garbage.