Browsing the tool section of Lowe’s today, I noticed yet another ratcheting adjustable wrench. We’ve previously covered these type of wrenches here, here, and here, but this wrench from Stanley-Bostitch uses a completely different ratcheting mechanism than the other wrenches we’ve covered.
This is by no means a review, but I do have some initial thoughts about the wrench after playing with it in the store. I tried the ratcheting action on the plastic nut Lowe’s had on the display, and to ratchet around a fastener, the adjustable jaw has a spring-loaded face that moves upward, allowing the fastener to slip in the jaws when you turn it one direction. It also stays in position when you turn the wrench in the other direction.
The ratcheting mechanism is tight, not loose and sloppy, which gave me a positive impression of the build quality and design. The handle feels rough — not unfinished, but gritty — to give you a better grip, and the thick handle makes it heavier than you’d expect an adjustable wrench this size to be. If you had no use for it as a wrench, you could always repurpose it as a bludgeoning tool.
Stanley, I’ll call them Stanley because we all know which side of Stanley-Bostitch this wrench came from, makes the wrench from drop-forged chrome-vanadium steel and gives it, at least part of it anyway, a polished chrome finish. For some strange purpose I haven’t been able to fathom, they cut notches into the handle. They also laser etch both SAE and Metric scales on the jaws, so you know which size wrench to grab next time, or possibly so you can use it as a crude caliper.
Stanley manufactures this wrench in 6″, 8″, 10″ and 12″ sizes. You can pick up the 10″ version at Lowe’s for $15.
Ratcheting Adjustable Wrench [Stanley Bostitch]
Ratcheting Adjustable Wrench [Lowe's]