The Craftsman Clench Wrench is an oldie, but goodie that we stumbled across the other day and had to share. It’s one of the more unusual tools we’ve seen in a while. It’s unusual because it’s a folding wrench. It’s unusual because it’s auto-adjustable. It’s unusual because…well, it’s just unusual. The Clench Wrench uses the same principle as a traditional adjustable wrench, except that it’s made to bite hard and ratchet quickly without needing manual adjustment. Craftsman sells these in a two-pack (two different sizes).
Craftsman Folding Clench Wrench Features
The jaws are spring loaded so that every time you back up on the bolt or fastener, the jaws release and then quickly lock back on. The tool itself (at least the part that bites) is made from alloyed steel, so it can handle some applied torque. The tools seem to be aimed at the makeshift mechanic, or the casual user who doesn’t necessarily have, or want access to a full set of wrenches or pliers. It’s also catering to the fact that, for many jobs, precision isn’t a particular need and a tool like the Clench Wrench can make fast work of some simpler maintenance and repair tasks.
While the Clench Wrench is a great tool when you have the same room you’d need to use an adjustable pliers, it won’t substitute for a socket set for more enclosed uses. Still, the inclusion of both 6 inch and 8 inch versions means that you instantly have access to most common uses that give you the arc room to swing a traditional wrench. On top of that, the Clench Wrench folds, making it a really handy tool if you want to give yourself some portable flexibility for that kind of tool and avoid bringing an entire socket or wrench set with you.
Craftsman also includes its “Forever Warranty”, so the tool will be replaced as long as the company is in business and has inventory.
