# Pipe Wrenches



## ericg2000 (Oct 25, 2010)

i recently started a job as an industrial air compressor tech. i went to school for industrial electronics, so while i'm not an electrician, i sometimes use my knowledge of electricity to install these compressors (wire motors, transformers, disconnect boxes etc). i also sometimes have to run rigid pipe for the air flow. i was wondering what people's opinions were on the various brands of pipe wrenches. my coworker (and trainer) uses rigid aluminum pipe wrenches in various sizes. he's the type of guy that will only buy top notch, name brand tools no matter the cost. me on the other hand, no so much. i won't use or buy tools from harbor freight, but i don't need the highest price tool either. i don't need them right away, but i will in a month or so when i get my own service truck. i looked at the rigids, but also the kobolts at lowes. there is a price difference, but what about the quality of the tool? all my other tools are klein, crescent, channellock and craftsman (sockets). is kobolt the type of tool a person buys, then ends up going back for another brand? i've read other threads with people bashing kobolt hand tools, but do their pipe wrenches have the same bad wrap?


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## SparkYZ (Jan 20, 2010)

Get the aluminum ridgid wrenches. Don't buy Kobalt crap.


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## Demac (Apr 28, 2010)

I have no first hand experience with pipe wrenches, but I'll throw out a couple points that I use for myself.

First, if you find the cheapest tool, and then find the most expensive and put your buy point at about 70-80% of the most expensive, you'll probably be sitting pretty good. Cheap tools are generally cheaply built, while quality of expensive tools doesn't seem to improve much after the 70-80% mark and you start paying more for the name on the tool. My opinion.

Second, someone who trashes and abuses a snap-on ratchet, for example, will find themselves with a broken ratchet faster then then someone with a knock off ratchet that is cared for and treated appropriately.


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## Mike in Canada (Jun 27, 2010)

I have been very happy with my Lennox 36" aluminum pipe wrench, and it was waaaaay cheaper than the Ridgid.


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## jza (Oct 31, 2009)

Demac said:


> I have no first hand experience with pipe wrenches, but I'll throw out a couple points that I use for myself.
> 
> First, if you find the cheapest tool, and then find the most expensive and put your buy point at about 70-80% of the most expensive, you'll probably be sitting pretty good. Cheap tools are generally cheaply built, while quality of expensive tools doesn't seem to improve much after the 70-80% mark and you start paying more for the name on the tool. My opinion.
> 
> Second, someone who trashes and abuses a snap-on ratchet, for example, will find themselves with a broken ratchet faster then then someone with a knock off ratchet that is cared for and treated appropriately.


And how exactly is one supposed to 'care' for their ratchet?


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## Demac (Apr 28, 2010)

jza said:


> And how exactly is one supposed to 'care' for their ratchet?


Cleaning, maintenance, i.e. proper lubrication of the internals. Avoiding abuse, i.e. not putting a 3 foot pipe on the handle for leverage, wailing on the handle with a hammer, etc.

Basically avoid abuse or neglect. You'll find your tools last longer...


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

You might try Irwin aluminum wrenches. They're an established name and they're a good bit cheaper than Rigid. Same with Craftsman, but I don't know if they have aluminum wrenches.

-John


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## crazyboy (Nov 8, 2008)

Demac said:


> Cleaning, maintenance, i.e. proper lubrication of the internals. Avoiding abuse, i.e. not putting a 3 foot pipe on the handle for leverage, wailing on the handle with a hammer, etc.
> 
> Basically avoid abuse or neglect. You'll find your tools last longer...


Won't get anything done then. :whistling2:


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## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

Get the Rigid aluminum and steel. Both have there place. No reason to pay to replace them. 
And if you have to use a cheater on them, use a piece of copper pipe with some 33 wrapped on it for a handle. I notched the end of copper so it splits before the pipe wrench handle bends.


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## ericg2000 (Oct 25, 2010)

i'll check out some of the suggestions.


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## bauler (Jan 2, 2008)

Get the Rigid aluminum wrenches. They will last you a lifetime. Pipe wrenches are meant to be abused, after all they are pipe wrenches.


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## bauler (Jan 2, 2008)

Get the Rigid aluminum wrenches. They will last you a lifetime. Pipe wrenches are meant to be abused, after all they are pipe wrenches. You can also get the old iron versions, same thing, just weight more, cost less.

How did this post twice, and how do I delete one of them?


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## ericg2000 (Oct 25, 2010)

i thought about getting steal, i might in a smaller size (14") but anything bigger i want aluminum


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## Thayer (Sep 22, 2008)

My plumbing buddies have told me that Rigid's quality has dropped and that they prefer Reed. I bought two Reeds recently and have had great luck.

http://www.reedmfgco.com/index.html?screen=pipe_wrenches


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

ericg2000 said:


> i recently started a job as an industrial air compressor tech. i went to school for industrial electronics, so while i'm not an electrician, i sometimes use my knowledge of electricity to install these compressors (wire motors, transformers, disconnect boxes etc). i also sometimes have to run rigid pipe for the air flow. i was wondering what people's opinions were on the various brands of pipe wrenches. my coworker (and trainer) uses rigid aluminum pipe wrenches in various sizes. he's the type of guy that will only buy top notch, name brand tools no matter the cost. me on the other hand, no so much. i won't use or buy tools from harbor freight, but i don't need the highest price tool either. i don't need them right away, but i will in a month or so when i get my own service truck. i looked at the rigids, but also the kobolts at lowes. there is a price difference, but what about the quality of the tool? all my other tools are klein, crescent, channellock and craftsman (sockets). is kobolt the type of tool a person buys, then ends up going back for another brand? i've read other threads with people bashing kobolt hand tools, but do their pipe wrenches have the same bad wrap?



Get the Rigid aluminum pipe wrenches don't waist your money on anything else:thumbup:


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## Pompadour (Mar 19, 2011)

whatever brand you buy, buy aluminum.


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## d-fi (Feb 21, 2011)

*Aluminum vs Steel*

In my old job (concrete cutting/drilling) I used and abused pipe wrenches on a regular basis. Tools at my old job were supplied so we only got the cheapest stuff :icon_rolleyes: IMHO cheap aluminum pipe wrenches are dangerous. They snap like twigs when you put the pressure on and you get chunks of aluminum flying around. If your lucky you won't smack your head on ground/pipe/whatever equipment you are working on when they let go and your body weight suddenly shifts. At least a cheap steel pipe wrench will only bend and you'll just have to find another one.

A Good aluminum pipe wrench is worth its weight in gold if your moving around a lot. They make your tool box a heck of a lot lighter to carry around and do the same job as a steel pipe wrench. So IMHO spending the money to get a good aluminum one is worthwhile, but if you don't wand to spend the $$$ your better off with steel. 

Unless you don't need one of those eyes


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## Vintage Sounds (Oct 23, 2009)

Knipex?

http://www.knipex.com/index.php?id=1216&L=1&page=group_detail&parentID=1368&groupID=1496


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## azsly1 (Nov 12, 2008)

ridgid hasnt failed me. i have 1 14", 2 18's, and a 24. all aluminum. only thing i do to them is lube them with wd-40 to keep them in well working order.:thumbsup:


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## tkb (Jan 21, 2009)

I found two 18" steel Ridgid pipe wrenches above a ceiling on a tile next to a sprinkler head.
Sprinkler fitters were long gone off the job.

I have had them for at least 15 years. :thumbup:


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