i need to freshen up the teeth on my wrench

C

clutchdust

Millionaire Playboy
Joined
Mar 27, 2008
Messages
1,728
Location
In transition
i have an old pipewrench and the teeth are getting pretty weak. i figure i can take an angle grinder or something and cut new sharp edges into the teeth, but is there something i can do to harden them some? i mean, it just needs to be stronger than mild steel. thoughts?
 
Odd to mention that, I have a pipe wrench from my father's tool collection, slightly worn, but still the best pipe wrench I have used....got a whole box of tools from him...need go through and sort it out for my son....
 
You can dress them with a good sharp hand file, I've done that many times, but I would not take a grinder to them. You won't be able to be precise enough and you'll likely just end up ruining it altogether. Some wrenches have replaceable jaws, but that's probably more expense & time than it's worth--I've never done it*. If you go buy a new one, go to an oilfield supply store or some such. Not Harbor Frieght. You'll pay more, but as my Grampa told me long long ago, "A good tool hurts once: when you pay for it. But a cheap tool hurts every time you use it."

*edit: I take that back, now that I think about it, I have done it to couple of my nice aluminum Rigids
 
Last edited:
JPhil said:
You can dress them with a good sharp hand file, I've done that many times, but I would not take a grinder to them. You won't be able to be precise enough and you'll likely just end up ruining it altogether. Some wrenches have replaceable jaws, but that's probably more expense & time than it's worth--I've never done it. If you go buy a new one, go to an oilfield supply store or some such. Not Harbor Frieght. You'll pay more, but as my Grampa told me long long ago, "A good tool hurts once: when you pay for it. But a cheap tool hurts every time you use it."
Click to expand...

AND the second price is a ounce of blood, or more.....

:mad::goodnight:
 
Good pipe wrenches such as Rigid have replacable jaws, finding a supplier that stocks any would be another problem.
 
that's why i want to just freshen up this wrench. it's a very old US made wrench and i won't buy chinese crap. i like the rigid and lennox but just can't justify the coin for a new 24" aluminum wrench like i would like. i can afford it, but for as often as i need it, i'd rather spend money on something else.
 
clutchdust said:
that's why i want to just freshen up this wrench. it's a very old US made wrench and i won't buy chinese crap. i like the rigid and lennox but just can't justify the coin for a new 24" aluminum wrench like i would like. i can afford it, but for as often as i need it, i'd rather spend money on something else.
Click to expand...

Dress the teeth by hand with a good file, with care & appreciation.....!

Many of my favorite & best tools are very old. Some inherited, some found at garage sales or laying forgotten on a dusty shelf in an old spider webbed garage. They fit the hand well from years of use and you can feel the pride they have in them for the ability to do the job they were built for. They are a pleasure to use and worth the time & effort to keep in good condition.

PS: My favorite 9/16 x 5/8 box end I actually stole from a guy who had no clue what a nice wrench it was. He was a K-Mart tool kind of guy and after I saw him abuse this at least 75 year old wrench like a total asshole and then toss it in the dirt, I picked it up & stuck it my boot. He never even noticed it was missing. I've had it for over 20 years now and I still appreciate it every time I pick it up--it just feels so right, and always works so well.

(Jeez am I a perverted bastard or what?)
 
Last edited:
JPhil said:
clutchdust said:
that's why i want to just freshen up this wrench. it's a very old US made wrench and i won't buy chinese crap. i like the rigid and lennox but just can't justify the coin for a new 24" aluminum wrench like i would like. i can afford it, but for as often as i need it, i'd rather spend money on something else.
Click to expand...

Dress the teeth by hand with a good file, with care & appreciation.....!

Many of my favorite & best tools are very old. Some inherited, some found at garage sales or laying forgotten on a dusty shelf in an old spider webbed garage. They fit the hand well from years of use and you can feel the pride they have in them for the ability to do the job they were built for. They are a pleasure to use and worth the time & effort to keep in good condition.

PS: My favorite 9/16 x 5/8 box end I actually stole from a guy who had no clue what a nice wrench it was. He was a K-Mart tool kind of guy and after I saw him abuse this at least 75 year old wrench like a total asshole and then toss it in the dirt, I picked it up & stuck it my boot. He never even noticed it was missing. I've had it for over 20 years now and I still appreciate it every time I pick it up--it just feels so right, and always works so well.

(Jeez am I a perverted bastard or what?)
Click to expand...

NO not perverted, just reflective of all the work those tools accomplished with a little help from some guy/gal in the past....

my son out there in Colorado goes out for the forest service, in back woods trails....using a two man saw to clear trails, eliminate dead trees, and clean up the joint....I was shocked at no chain saw....:harhar::beer:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top