I had misplaced my old fave 8" shifter which was a CK branded one so decided to buy some bacho ones to replace it, just because I have some bigger bacho`s and would like to keep the way they open and close the jaws the same, hopefully to stop the `damn wrong way` scenario. Anyway bought other makes as well to see which ones were best value. I have lined most of the ones I own all in a row of which has the tightest jaws to the slackest. some of these are quite old, the ck one on the right is around ten yrs now. Lets say I`m disappointed in bacho, the drop forge pound shop special has less play in the jaws. The three baco`s are all new by the way. The kennedy one is good value, but dont like the kennedy with the red handle dont like the teeth idea on the jaw.
- Thread starter eil
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frank horton
V twins are great but 4"s rule.........
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went to a car boot and found a very nice 16 incher "Channellocks"
€5 euros.....very good cond....
Usually stick to Bacho.....
€5 euros.....very good cond....
Usually stick to Bacho.....
Barking Mat
Cuddler of hedgehogs.
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Facom, bahco for me, bought a smaller knipex type one too, excellent.
MetalMonkey
Member
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Irega, job done.
In that bunch is a brand new facom 8th from the left which was the most expensive but its heavy and the jaw is not as tight as the cheaper kennedy, I like the feel of the irega which is the same as the rothenberger, but they are old so expect a bit of play in them, the teng I just got today and that's ok. the old ck has the least play in them and they are ten yrs old. The bahcos are really poor very slack new, quality control really dropped there. I have bahcos that are over forty yrs old but these new ones are pants. The mixing of the screw to tighten or slacken is annoying I have one chrome irega that is different to the un chromed ones.
daleyd
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I’ve got a few bahco - my favourite set had a reversible jaw that you could turn around and it had serrated edge so it turned it into almost a set of Stilsons but I bust those hanging off them with a scaffold pole trying to undo a stainless inspection cover on an exhaust duct.
I’ve also got a couple of sets of gedore ones which I also like, mainly because they were free from work, but also because they are good and strong - if a little rougher round the edges than the bahco ones
I’ve also got a couple of sets of gedore ones which I also like, mainly because they were free from work, but also because they are good and strong - if a little rougher round the edges than the bahco ones
Agreed, personally I haven’t found the newer models particularly slack, but the jaws bruise easily. I have a Unior adjustable that I really like, the jaws are extremely hard which is typical of Unior.
Barking Mat
Cuddler of hedgehogs.
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As @SierraV6 said, ive just pulled my adjustables out to examiné slackness, coming in first place, Unior, car boot find, my général goto, second place, Bahco, 15 years old (wedding présent from a good Friend), third place my Facom collection, only just réaliséd how many adjustables i own.
Thé FOP, are really good too.
Big Facom, is my go to propellor nut remover.
Still after some 24" Facom.
Thé FOP, are really good too.
Big Facom, is my go to propellor nut remover.
Still after some 24" Facom.
Barking Mat
Cuddler of hedgehogs.
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I LOVE thé Facom ones, i have been known to buy old ones, abuse them with a lump hammer, removing prop nuts, and then pop down to thé motor factors with them, "they're slipping / jumping" a month later, brand new model appears. Love thé Facom life time guarantee, no receipts needed. I could also continue on how superb there Mole grips are too, in fact ive never used Snap-On, but if i could afford it all my tools would bé Facom, and thé old range of OGV spanners....
daleyd
Member
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I don’t have any of their adjustable but I have a big set of the ogv satin finish wrenches and 1/2 socket set - I’m the same as you Facom are probably my favourite tool brand
Barking Mat
Cuddler of hedgehogs.
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Forgot thèse, thèse are really good, and going to save me lugging a complété set of spanners around, they live in my jacket pocket, and i added thé string and clip as i'm always dropping stuff in thé canal.
Maker
Most folk just call me; Orange Joe
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I've got an Irega adjustable, very similar styling and quality to my (Old) Bahco. Other than the one I have, and your post, I've never heard of Irega before.
Only got two adjustables and it's rare I use either of them, at home I've got proper spanners I'd rather use and at uni I reach for my Knipex plier wrench first because they're quicker to adjust.
MetalMonkey
Member
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I've got an Irega adjustable, very similar styling and quality to my (Old) Bahco. Other than the one I have, and your post, I've never heard of Irega before.
I believe they have been going since just after the war, the nice thing is they specialise in just doing adjustables like KoKen does with socketry. So one would like to think they would be pretty good at them by now and focused on what they are doing.
I have a feeling they OEM for a lot of other brands as well (e.g. Chanelock) . They were also supplied to the MOD at one point too.
I have one or two... (ignore the teng imposter)
Some quite nice tools come out of Spain, Grip On molegrips are another, rebranded by Snap On.
Spain made some rather nice machine tools as well - when you think of Spain, tools aren't usually the first thing that springs to mind, but they produce some decent stuff.
TOP are another little known brand for adjustables, made in Japan. I've not got any but always been tempted, they are supposed to be good. They do some oddballs like thin jaw offset. https://www.toptools.co.jp/english/products/175/
selectedgrub
Member
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A nice set of ROE Spanners would do a better job than 13 individual crescents I feel.
Munkul
Jack of some trades, Master of none
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I still like Bahco. Yes they're not as good as the used to be, but I've still never had a bad one. They're cheaper than they used to be as well, so the value-for-money is still good. I also can't be on with adjustables with opposite hand thumbscrews.
I've got a row of them at home, some old Sweden ones, some brand new, they're all good. And let's face it, they're ALL Swedish Nut Lathes, no matter how well built
I've got a row of them at home, some old Sweden ones, some brand new, they're all good. And let's face it, they're ALL Swedish Nut Lathes, no matter how well built
