I have a navy buddy that told me about the time when he was a rookie on a ship and the chief mechanic told him to go down to the tool locker and get a metric monkey wrench for him. Of course this was a regular thing they did on board to all the new hands. After about 20 minutes of asking and looking around, he returned to the chief mechanic empty handed, at which point the more experienced crew erupted into laughter.

When I saw an 8" long example of the Irwin Metric Adjustable Wrench I knew I had to get one just to show my buddy - and save the pride he lost some 20 years ago. I actually liked the metric one so much that I picked up an 8" SAE model too. You are probably wondering how they achieve the different scales in an adjustable wrench. Upon closer examination, it was evident that the teeth in the movable jaw are actually in either MM or 1/16 inch increments. When you snug the moving jaw up to your work piece, a spring loaded mechanism in the sliding lever keeps the jaw locked in the correct position. The wrench is very fast to adjust and is just as quick to change by pulling back on the sliding lever. Since the sliding lever is in the same location as a traditional thumb screw on an adjustable wrench, this wrench feels right at home in your hand.

The overall quality of the wrench is great. The inside finish of the parallel jaws is smooth which helps to get a good square grip on a bolt or nut. There are precise scale markings on the sides of the jaws. The markings look like laser etching that is not that deep into the metal. On one of the wrenches we have used for a while, these marking are becoming difficult to read. We would like to see actual indentations or deeper engravings to indicate the jaw position.

The Grips are fantastic. They fill the hand well and are not too rubbery. The grips are the Irwin "ProTouch" Grips that have become popular on many of Irwin's other products. Even when we used the wrench on a greasy automotive project, it was easy to keep a safe grip on the handle. The overall fit and finish of the metal parts on the wrench is great. The spring action of the sliding lever is easy to manipulate. We found with a squirt of a light spray lubricant on the sliding mechanism, that the overall performance of the wrench was greatly improved. Similar to many moving hand tools, a little light oil is all it usually takes to make them work much better.

Like many of the recent Irwin branded tools we have seen, this one definitely delivers. With professional quality, reasonable price, and great features, the Irwin Quick Adjusting Wrenches are a great new spin on a classic product. We gave a value rating of 9 because we feel this tool is an improvement over a traditional adjustable wrench which cost about the same amount. In the performance rating, we gave it a 7 because there are a few minor items that could be improved upon that could make this wrench stand out even more.  

About Irwin Industrial Tools:
IRWIN Industrial Tools manufactures and distributes professional grade hand tools and power tool accessories worldwide for trade professionals who demand superior performance and durability on the job. IRWIN Industrial Tools' brand portfolio features user-preferred category leaders such as IRWIN, Vise-Grip, Marathon, Quick-Grip, Speedbor, Strait-Line, Unibit, and Hanson.