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QUESTION: Just, why ?

I was exploring a local swap meet and found this. For the life of me I cannot figure out why one would need an adjustable spanner at each end.

I mean it's ADJUSTABLE and having two on the same handle means you can't tighten a nut and bolt at the same time.

enter image description here

enter image description here

Criggie
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6 Answers6

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According to the thread on the Garage Journal web site, these type of wrenches featured 2 different Jaw sizes and were also thinner than normal so as to be more easily used in tight spaces.

This is the ad for the version made by Crestoloy (a different ad shows a model made by Diamond.) enter image description here

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/crescent-double-ended-wrench-history.161398/

Additional information specifically on the Crescent brand is available here: https://aplanelife.us/blogs/f/a-mystery-with-two-ends

Earl
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I used to have one of those (Crescent brand). The jaws at either end had significantly different capacities. One tool instead of two. As someone who frequently had to lug a heavy tool bucket around, makes perfect sense to me.

kreemoweet
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If you are working on something with a LOT of fasteners, of two different sizes, you wouldn't want to be continuously adjusting a single wrench back and forth. This lets you have both settings available.

Or, if you were going to carry both wrench sizes in your toolkit anyway (to have the full size range but also fit in tighter spaces), this might be a cheaper (and lighter weight?) alternative.

Or it may just have been "You can't decide? Have we got a tool for you..."

But I agree it doesn't look especially practical, and unless there was a very specific market (preassembled toolkits? military procurement?) I'd be surprised if it did well in the market.

I'd suggest trying a image search on the web and see if there's a write-up somewhere. Tried a quick search myself and did find hits but haven't dug into whether any of them have the history.

keshlam
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The point is the same as the point of owning 2 differently sized Crescent wrenches.

You can choose to only own one large wrench and use it for smaller fasteners, but some people will prefer to have choices. This tool seems silly to me, but I understand why someone might want one.

Tiger Guy
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If you look closely, you'll see in the 2nd picture on the left size, it says "8-10 in", meaning it has the wrench ends of an 8" wrench and a 10" wrench. This means that one side is slightly larger than the other.

Here's an eBay listing that has slightly better pictures of what I think is the same model of wrench.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/256231330667?hash=item3ba893d36b:g:qpkAAOSwJ5BlEIuv

To me, the slight difference in the head size without the added length of a 10" wrench doesn't make the tool that much more useful than if they simply had the 10" head with a shorter handle.

However, a dual headed adjustable wrench seems to be somewhat common(?) for older tool sets, as I found a variety of different versions.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/335022055565?hash=item4e00dee08d:g:YAcAAOSwEXFk-8e0

https://www.ebay.com/itm/225708806765?hash=item348d4b126d:g:uhYAAOSwTXpkzRLN

https://www.ebay.com/itm/155730057316?hash=item24423c1864:g:~TEAAOSwlohk45Vb

http://alloy-artifacts.org/diamond-calk-horseshoe.html#intro

And a forum talking about different varieties, as well as what they are and why they were made/used.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/double-end-adjustable-wrenches.359472/

I'm just guessing here, but this may have made more sense when steel and/or tools were relatively more expensive than they are today. There's also a semi-common modern desire to "own all the things/tools", while older generations bought only what they needed, and only if something couldn't be repurposed or wrangled into working.

Also, some work pants used to have a long, thin pocket or denim loop that could basically store exactly one wrench down the side of the leg (before cargo pants/shorts). Overalls and coveralls also tend to have these pockets and loops. If you had to choose what wrench you wanted to put in the pocket or loop, the double headed wrench might fit the need. Growing up on the farm, we often kept a hammer in the loop, but not everything is a nail.

I found a modern version that has both the loop and the pocket (2 pockets in this case).

https://www.lee.com/shop/carpenter-jean-original-stone-30-34-2887910%3A30%3A34.html

computercarguy
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I wanted to share my thoughts on this, which may or may not be right.

In addition to what the others have given, I see 2-3 benefits:

  1. the 2 ends may be suitable to right-handed & left-handed users & situations: giving the better grip in one orientation for one group of users & one set of situations. [ In case it is not obvious to the downvoter(s) , the 2 heads are not rotational-symmetric , they are mirror-symmetric , which might make the tool suitable to either hand & either orientation ]
  2. when the threading/alignment/tightness goes bad on one end, the whole tool need not be discarded, because the other end might still be good, which improves the lifetime of the tool.
  3. unintentional benefit: the thicker end gives a better control/handle/grip when holding at maximum distance.

This is just my guess-work.

Prem
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