Since the dawn of the industrial revolution, metal nuts and bolts have been in use. They were then manufactured with square heads. Later, the hexagonal or six-sided shape became popular, and they are still the most popular today.
Square heads are still in use in some locations. You’ll find a wide range of tools to tighten or untighten a nut or bolt, regardless of the number of flats (faces or sides). Each of the several varieties has its own set of benefits and drawbacks.
Wrenches are often built with openings slightly larger than the nuts or bolts they’re designed to fit, or they’re the ratchet kind, or they’re the socket type, where they slip over and around the nut. If the nut or bolt head is too loose, it might round off the corners, regardless of the kind.
All wrenches come in a variety of sizes and can be bought individually or in sets. You can also find a different type of wrench that features a unique way of fitting the faces of the nut. Here you have the adjustable wrench, or commonly a crescent wrench. (Read Socket Size Chart)
A crescent wrench can be used on a range of nuts and bolts sizes as you can adjust the size larger or smaller. In our guide, you can learn what a crescent wrench looks like, why they are so helpful, and how you can use it to the best effect.
What is a Crescent Wrench Used For?
The jaws of a crescent wrench are roughly parallel to the handle. The jaws of a regular wrench are perpendicular to the handle. A crescent wrench can turn nuts and bolts within a specified size range, where a standard wrench can only turn one.
An adjustable wrench made to grip hexagonal nuts, it has an adjusting screw fitted in the crescent-shaped head of the wrench is the crescent wrench definition.
The adjustable crescent wrench comes in a range of sizes, from 4 to 24 inches. The adjustable wrench is adjustable and can be used on many types of nuts and hex-headed bolts. (Read Hex Key Size Chart)
They are often made from high-quality steel and can last for a long time. You can also find them in a small or large size based on your use case scenarios.
Why is a crescent wrench called a crescent wrench?
An adjustable spanner is a wrench with a moveable jaw and an open end. The Crescent wrench gets its name from the Crescent Tool Company, where the company patented the wrench device in the United States in 1915.
Besides, the name Crescent wrench is a generic trademark term commonly used in Canada and the United States.
Is a crescent wrench the same as an adjustable wrench?
A crescent wrench is the most common type of adjustable wrench. One jaw of the crescent is fixed, while the other can be adjusted by turning a worm screw.
Because they’re adjustable, they can be used on inches, metric, Whitworth, and other bolt sizes. For example, a four-inch wrench has a maximum ‘bite’ of half an inch.
Set the jaws of an adjustable wrench to fit over the nut, then jiggle the wrench to ensure a secure fit. As you use the adjustable wrench, you need to check tightness as these wrenches can loosen. (Read Wrench Sizes Chart)
If you need one wrench because of space or economic constraints, an adjustable wrench is a splendid choice. The most common type of adjustable wrench is known as a crescent wrench because of the shape of its jaws.
Although the adjustable wrench is a versatile tool, it lacks the gripping strength of a fixed wrench due to design constraints. When working with machinery, fixed wrenches are favored since rounding the points on a nut or bolt head is more likely.
Adjustable wrenches come in a multitude of sizes. For example, a four-inch wrench has a peak “bite” of half an inch, while a 12-inch wrench opens to one and five-sixteenths of an inch. There are larger and smaller models and sizes in between.
It is wise to get two adjustable wrenches that are different sizes; you can have one small, a few inches long to a larger one at the other end of the scale.
What Does Crescent Wrench Mean?
The North American meaning is an adjustable wrench tool designed to grip hexagonal nuts; you adjust using the screw fitted in the crescent-shaped head of the wrench.
An adjustable wrench has one fixed jaw and one adjustable, allowing you to make many settings on a wide variety of fastener sizes.
How to Use a Crescent Wrench
Though adjustable wrenches were built to provide pressure on both the fixed and moveable jaws, most of your work should be performed with pressure solely applied to the fixed jaw. The weaker jaw gets overloaded, resulting in the wrench breaking and a knuckle barking. When inserting the tool on your nut, the adjustable jaw should face the direction of rotation. Pressure is now on the fixed jaw and won’t harm it when it is tight from too much force.
The adjustable jaw should be tightened on the bolt or nut to avoid the wrench from loosening and rounding the nut or bolt.
Open Wrench
An open wrench is a non-adjustable wrench, available in several sizes. Usually, you purchase sets, though you can purchase the various components individually if you choose. Open wrenches have a few advantages over adjustable wrenches.
First, adjustable jaws are less likely to shatter since the jaws are fixed. Having adjustable wrenches in your toolbox means you won’t have to change anything anytime you place a wrench to a bolt of the same size. It’s far easier to tighten and loosen with a fixed wrench.
Box Wrench
A box wrench looks like an enclosed wrench. The enclosed opening minimizes damage to the fastener. This kind of wench is employed on heavier-duty work. Six- or twelve-point recess box wrenches are commonly used on hex-head fasteners. 1
2-point recess cuts down on handle movement during wrench repositioning. Some box wrenches feature offset handles that provide you knuckle room on a flat surface. A ratcheting system allows for efficient tightening and loosening.
Combination Wrench
With a combination wrench, you’ll typically find open and box wrenches on the same tool. The open-end wrench will be on one end, while the box wrench will be on the other. The nut and bolt on both ends are usually the same sizes.
Socket Wrench
When you have a lot of fixing to do, it’s time to put the crescent or open-end wrench away and grab for the socket wrench, which is more efficient.
A socket wrench is a hand tool with a ratcheting mechanism on the head and a square nub that attaches various size sockets. Socket sets are available in multiple sizes to fit any fastener (metric and SAE).
If you’re just getting started with tools, invest in a socket wrench with a 3/8-inch square drive mechanism and a socket set consisting mainly of six-point hex sockets — the twelve-point variety can harm nuts and bolts you apply too much torque.
