Crescent X6 Ratcheting Wrenches Review

Crescent X6 Ratcheting Wrenches Take Their Turn at a New Design

Traditional ratcheting wrenches have yet to conquer the concept of an open-ended design. At least until now. Crescent X6 Ratcheting Wrenches have a solution that we’re taking a closer look at.

Design

Crescent X6 Ratcheting Wrenches start with a combination wrench design. They have an open end on one side and an offset 12-point closed end on the other. The open end contains the magic. There’s a spring-loaded pin-like mechanism that slides out of the way to create the ratcheting action.

Crescent goes for a matte black oxide finish instead of chrome like most. That’s going to help keep corrosion down some. It will take more time to decide if it really needs it, though. It covers Crestoloy alloy steel that is blended and heat-treated to improve strength and corrosion resistance.

Did you know? Crestoloy alloy steel made its first appearance back in 1930 as an improvement over carbon steel thanks to a request from the US Army Air Corps.

Laser etching ensures the markings won’t wear off as easily as other marking styles. Black oxide is a coating and you may see some wear over time that interferes with your ability to see them. However, the size is in 4 different locations, so you’re going to have to use and abuse these for a long time before you wear it down that much.

The Crescent X6 logo and model number are etched in the center on a trapezoidal raised section. This is more of a look and feel feature than something that has many effects on the actual function.

Do They Work?

The short answer is yes, Crescent X6 Ratcheting Wrenches work. There are a couple of caveats, though. They require a full 60º swing arc on a regular hex head bolt (90º on a square bolt) since it works by slipping around the bolt instead of holding it and using a pawl system. That’s a lot more than the 5º of a standard 72-tooth ratcheting wrench.

You also need to make sure you have the fastener fully seated. You have a little bit of wiggle there, but if the bolt head is up very far, it catches from both sides and works like any standard open-ended wrench.

Those are the trade-offs you make for a ratcheting wrench that you don’t have to slip over the top of your bolt.

Now for the good stuff. I was able to put a good amount of torque on these wrenches without the mechanism slipping and keep turning rounded bolts. It doesn’t grab a rounded bolt any better than a standard wrench, but it passes muster on the test.

The other advantage is that you can attack your fastener from the side instead of going over the top. You can get it where sockets can’t and in even tighter spaces than ratcheting wrenches as long as you have enough swing space.

Price

I’m working with the 7-piece metric Crescent X6 Ratcheting Wrenches. You can pick up that set for $24.26 and they’re also available in SAE sizes.

This set covers 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 17mm sizes.

The pricing is significantly less than a set of standard ratcheting combination wrenches, even value brands. Just keep in mind that swing arc trade-0ff.

The Bottom Line

Crescent X6 Ratcheting Wrenches do their best work when you have room to work. The big limitation is you need 60º of swing arc on hex heads, so they’re not as useful when you’re working under the hood. Think of them as an upgrade to traditional combination wrenches rather than replacements for ratcheting wrenches.

Instead of lifting the wrench off and back on the fastener over and over, you can let it slip around the head, similar to ratcheting pawls. When you’re putting together lawn mowers, miter saw stands, or other projects that offer space to swing, they’re easier than standard combination wrenches.