Key Takeaways
Although the terminal figure " crescent wrench " is thrown around as though it were a type of instrument , crescent wrenches got their name from the Crescent Tool Company in the early 1900s . It was first created by inventor Karl Peterson , although a wrench by the Swedish company BAHCO may have inhale Peterson ’s design . The terminal figure crescent wrench has since become a generic name for a eccentric of adjustable wrench . Crescent wrenches have one fixed jaw and one transferable jaw ; they disagree from imp wrenches in that the jaw on a crescent twist are nearly parallel to the handle , whereas the jaw on a monkey wrench are vertical to the handle . In both type , the jaw are adjusted using a worm gear that you turn with your thumb .
Crescent - marque wrenches come in all shape nowadays , but there were four basic historical types of Crescent wrench : the 8 - to-10 - inch double - ended adjustable twist ; the 6 - to-8 - inch twofold - terminate adjustable wrench ; the 8 - column inch adjustable twist ; and the 12 - in adjustable spanner . They differed in size , jaw scuttle and whether they had one curing of jaws on one end , or a hardening on each end .
Over time , adjustable twist learn the nickname of " knucklebuster " because of the tendency of the jaws to slide off whatever you ’re loosen , causing you to scrape your hand against the dear surface . That ’s why it ’s important when you ’re using an adjustable twist that you lay the twist so that you ’re pulling toward yourself and not a potentially dangerous knuckle - busting Earth’s surface . Other important adjustable - wrench rules are that the jaws should tightly embrace at least three point on the junkie or bolt you ’re untie so you have a good suitcase ; that you retighten the jaw any time you move the wrench to a new status ; and that you position the sliding jaw so that it face you in ordination to put the most pressure on the fixed jaw .
