Author Topic: A "tool " purchase, and a question for J.A.F.E.  (Read 8096 times)

Offline hickory n Steel

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A "tool " purchase, and a question for J.A.F.E.
« on: June 29, 2020, 04:39:24 PM »
My dad gave me one of these sets as a kid but I lost it somewhere along the way, so when I happened across this one on Ebay for $15 I just had to buy it.


Knowing J.A.F.E. collects small pliers and adjustables I figured he'd know if the little wrenches in these sets are the real deal or not.

Are these actually made well enough to handle the kind of small stuff you would want to do with a little 2.5" long adjustable wrench ?

I'm only asking because my new pocket organizer is a bit too small to fit a standard 4" adjustable I carried in the old one, and well I'm sure you get where I'm going with this.
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Offline J.A.F.E.

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Re: A "tool " purchase, and a question for J.A.F.E.
« Reply #1 on: June 29, 2020, 06:37:19 PM »
Cool little set.

The 2 1/2 adjustables I have seen usually will do light work but some are pretty delicate and I suspect most started out as keychain charms. How does the jaw feel when you open/close it and how much play? Personally if it felt like decent metal and the jaw worked well I'd use it.
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Offline hickory n Steel

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Re: A "tool " purchase, and a question for J.A.F.E.
« Reply #2 on: June 29, 2020, 06:58:26 PM »
Cool little set.

The 2 1/2 adjustables I have seen usually will do light work but some are pretty delicate and I suspect most started out as keychain charms. How does the jaw feel when you open/close it and how much play? Personally if it felt like decent metal and the jaw worked well I'd use it.
Oh sorry, I just ordered it and that's the sellers picture.

I'm hoping it's decent enough since It's made in West Germany and not Hong Kong, but I'm seeing similar ones online marked West Germany which are actually keychains which isn't to good of a sign.
Heres the sellers picture of just the wrench.
« Last Edit: June 29, 2020, 07:04:26 PM by hickory n Steel »
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Offline skfarmer

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Re: A "tool " purchase, and a question for J.A.F.E.
« Reply #3 on: June 29, 2020, 07:10:02 PM »
i understand the nostalgia and sentimental aspects. you can appreciate them for that.

as far as being useful? those little kits, no matter the coo are pretty weak and best suited for conversation pieces and  paper weights.
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Offline hickory n Steel

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Re: A "tool " purchase, and a question for J.A.F.E.
« Reply #4 on: June 29, 2020, 07:18:56 PM »
i understand the nostalgia and sentimental aspects. you can appreciate them for that.

as far as being useful? those little kits, no matter the coo are pretty weak and best suited for conversation pieces and  paper weights.
Oh I know full well most of the kits are pretty worthless, mine was missing something when I got it which I now know was the wrench.
I wonder if it's because my dad had tried to use it at some point and it failed ?
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Offline J.A.F.E.

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Re: A "tool " purchase, and a question for J.A.F.E.
« Reply #5 on: June 29, 2020, 08:19:35 PM »
Looking at the image of the wrench my impression is more of a display piece. I am sorry to say.

But then it's hard to tell from just a picture.
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Offline hickory n Steel

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Re: A "tool " purchase, and a question for J.A.F.E.
« Reply #6 on: June 29, 2020, 09:14:03 PM »
Looking at the image of the wrench my impression is more of a display piece. I am sorry to say.

But then it's hard to tell from just a picture.
You're probably right, and in any case at least it wasn't too much and is a bit nostalgic.

Theres a current Chinese offering that looks like a real functional wrench made from some kind of tool steel, but being made in China I'm not gonna buy it.
« Last Edit: June 29, 2020, 09:24:28 PM by hickory n Steel »
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Offline hickory n Steel

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Re: A "tool " purchase, and a question for J.A.F.E.
« Reply #7 on: June 29, 2020, 09:23:08 PM »
Ideally I'd like an adjustable that fits comfortably in my pocket organizer,  but I'll probably just stick with my old faithful MAC aw4.
The Diamalloy Is a bit more miniscule and would be a good choice as well, I'll just have to come up with something as I don't want it loose in pocket.


« Last Edit: June 29, 2020, 09:38:47 PM by hickory n Steel »
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Offline strik9

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Re: A "tool " purchase, and a question for J.A.F.E.
« Reply #8 on: June 29, 2020, 09:25:53 PM »
I have the chromed version of the Chinese model.  It opens to 8mm and is a real tool, if a tiny one.  Far better than Oxwall shit in actually starting and finishing a small job.

My wife has one also, as does a certain alien.  For size limits its fairly worthless, but if the task meets the tool it can be used.  Hers was used to open computers up when they were still big tin boxes.  Mine on sheet metal screws in any application.

Don't pay much for one if you must have it.

Offline hickory n Steel

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Re: A "tool " purchase, and a question for J.A.F.E.
« Reply #9 on: June 29, 2020, 09:47:09 PM »
I have the chromed version of the Chinese model.  It opens to 8mm and is a real tool, if a tiny one.  Far better than Oxwall shit in actually starting and finishing a small job.

My wife has one also, as does a certain alien.  For size limits its fairly worthless, but if the task meets the tool it can be used.  Hers was used to open computers up when they were still big tin boxes.  Mine on sheet metal screws in any application.

Don't pay much for one if you must have it.
Good to know.

I'm probably gonna just stick with my faithful Mac , thinking about it I've been carrying it everyday for years and I don't know if I could actually bring myself to carry anything else anyway.
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Offline J.A.F.E.

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Re: A "tool " purchase, and a question for J.A.F.E.
« Reply #10 on: June 30, 2020, 12:12:55 AM »
You know good steel so handling it should give you an indication on how useful it could be. Some of the manufacturers did actually make a working wrench that size not sure if they were salesman samples or sold as novelties but they come up from time to time.

The Dimalloy would be my pocket choice partly because it's smaller but mostly because it's easier to find the Diamonds than the MACs and the MACs seem to get a premium over the Diamonds.

I used to carry a 4" and made it a keychain charm so I wouldn't loose it. I have a small collection so I'd rotate them every so often.
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Offline hickory n Steel

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Re: A "tool " purchase, and a question for J.A.F.E.
« Reply #11 on: June 30, 2020, 09:20:43 AM »
You know good steel so handling it should give you an indication on how useful it could be. Some of the manufacturers did actually make a working wrench that size not sure if they were salesman samples or sold as novelties but they come up from time to time.

The Dimalloy would be my pocket choice partly because it's smaller but mostly because it's easier to find the Diamonds than the MACs and the MACs seem to get a premium over the Diamonds.

I used to carry a 4" and made it a keychain charm so I wouldn't loose it. I have a small collection so I'd rotate them every so often.
Maybe I will get lucky and it happens to be a real tool, not counting on it but it would be nice.
 
I've never even seen another MAC AW4 so I'm sure you're right and it would be best not to loose it, but it's been with me everyday for years and while I think finding a more appropriate option would be nice I'm not sure how I'd feel about reaching into my pocket and feeling a different wrench in there.
Sure it would be better than reaching for this one and discovering that it had been lost, but I always carry it in something.  Pocket organizer,  belt pouch, you name it the little guy is almost never just loose in my pocket.

I'm starting to think maybe clipping this to my belt loop would he a good way to go, I don't really want to put anything on my keys so I'd have to carry it on it's own, but there's lots of good options out there for carabiners and such.
« Last Edit: June 30, 2020, 11:04:28 AM by hickory n Steel »
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Offline J.A.F.E.

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Re: A "tool " purchase, and a question for J.A.F.E.
« Reply #12 on: June 30, 2020, 10:20:18 AM »
I think I have a MAC AW4 I'll check today and see. They do turn up every now and again.

The 4"'s seem almost limitless. They turn up with just about every brand on them and even automobile marques and some seem to go for eye popping money.  :-\
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Offline hickory n Steel

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Re: A "tool " purchase, and a question for J.A.F.E.
« Reply #13 on: June 30, 2020, 11:07:26 AM »
I think I have a MAC AW4 I'll check today and see. They do turn up every now and again.

The 4"'s seem almost limitless. They turn up with just about every brand on them and even automobile marques and some seem to go for eye popping money.  :-\
I've noticed that about the 4"s on Ebay,  6" and 8" are all pretty reasonable but the 4"s must just be something a lot of people collect.
I'm not a collector so I've only got the one for my pocket and one for the 1/4 drive kit, but the idea sure is tempting.
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Offline J.A.F.E.

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Re: A "tool " purchase, and a question for J.A.F.E.
« Reply #14 on: June 30, 2020, 11:30:56 AM »
It's kind of addicting. I suspect the actual number of OEMs is very small most seem to be rebrands but still.

The Plomb/Proto dual marked is one of the most sought after. It was made for only a year maybe less so they are very hard to find. I was at the Long Beach swap a few years ago and watched a guy spend 125 for one. I had pangs seeing it go but then no way could I or would I have spent that kind of money on it.

The little 2 1/2 or 3 can be even pricier. I forget the brand but one is a cutout - those are very rich pickings.
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