Harbor Freight has launched a new Pittsburgh 4-in-1 adjustable demolition wrench.
Yes, it’s a demo wrench – an adjustable wrench with pry bar, nail puller, and – if you look closely – a hammer-like striking face.
You read that correctly, this adjustable wrench has a strike face. You can use one tool for very different tasks without having to switch to something else, and without feeling bad about it!
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The adjustable wrench head fits fasteners up to 1-1/2″ wide.
To use the nail puller or pry bar end, you just kind of grab the wrench head and do what you gotta do.
Harbor Freight compares their new Pittsburgh demo wrench to a pricier Craftsman – I’ve included images of both so you can see their differences.
I have to say, the Harbor Freight version looks a bit snazzier.
The wrench has a 10″ length, flared handle for improved comfort, and corrosion-resistant black oxide coating.
It looks like Harbor Freight backs this with a lifetime warranty, just as Craftsman offers.
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Price: $20
Ray
All of my tools can (and have been) used as a hammer.
Stuart
Hence the “but you won’t feel bad about it here” part. =)
David R Uehlein
Yes, Sir.I Give New Meaning to Hammer Drill,Impact Wrench.
John
The real question is the quality of the steel!
Eric miller
They are both made in China 🤣
its_jake
to quote my old boss: “all tools are hammers. some tools are better hammers than others.”
Ian
Adam Savage, of Mythbusters fame, wrote a book called “Every tool is a hammer”
Robert
I’m interested to see what folks that do a lot of demo think of this combo tool.
The pry bar slope seems too abrupt to get a good grip in wood joints, and device itself seems too short to give a lot of leverage. How long will the adjustable wrench screw stay aligned if you are hammering with the flat surface?
IronWood
My thought too, just the wrong shape for either nail bar or pry bar work. And trying to use a wrench head as a handle can’t be great.
ROY DUNN
As someone who manages a dairy farm, I think I will buy one to keep on the quad. Enough tool to do something quick without having to go all the way back to the shop for a tool.
If it does break, at least it was cheap!
IronWood
First off, every “crescent hammer” has a striking face 😂. Second if I’m doing actual demo, not just peeling back some paneling or pulling a nail, I want the right tools. Third the ergonomics and design look all wrong.
If you’re doing some real demo get a sledge, a big hard/soft dead blow, a wonder bar and/or shark nail bar, and roughneck gorilla bar (or your preferred alternative) and get to it. If you’ve just got a little bit to do, get the dead blow and the wonder bar. Harbor Freight gimmick is just gonna be a pain and will do lots of tasks very poorly.
fred
For flooring rip outs – these guys made some of our favorite tools:
https://www.gutstertools.com/48-versatile-demo-bar
IronWood
Yeah those are awesome for decks, subfloors, flat roofs, etc.
Bonnie
Feels like if you’re doing rough work the crescent wrench is the least useful part of this. I’m more likely to use a pair of channel locks.
Robert Singer
For $20 it’s worth the 1 1/2″ wide jaw opening alone… As a plumber, not having to grab that pry bar or cat claw, for a pesky nail where I need to hole saw or spade bit h2o, even better… I’ll have a hammer or Fat Max demo claw if I’m busting tile…
Ben R
I’m clumsy enough that I could see me stabbing or slicing myself with that pry bar end as the adjustable wrench inevitably slips off a rusted on nut. Hard pass.
Ray
“Use can one tool for very different tasks without having”
Stuart
Thanks! *fixed*
Guy Rando
Not sure why you’d need a nail puller when it has the hammering edge. If there are any nail heads sticking up I’m more likely to beat them down than try to pull them and if it’s finish work I’m definitely not using this tool lol. I could see using it to pry with in certain situations but I don’t use adjustable wrenches too often in my line of work so. It definitely seems like an odd combo, would love to see an actual realistic demo video lol
Bob the Builder
Finish work?
Does it not say demo work?
Yadda
I like a gimmicky tool. I will end up buying on of these tools.
fred
So how about these:
https://www.amazon.com/Channellock-87-8-88-Inch-Compact-Rescue/dp/B0057UMN3A
Or Vaughan’s version of the Stanley Fubar
https://www.amazon.com/Vaughan-050042-Global-Demolition-Hammer/dp/B078TLVMZM
Empiric Sleeves
Top review on the craftsman version on Amazon nailed (har) my use case:
“Brilliant addition to urban get home bag.
What are you really going to do with that tactical tomahawk in your bug out bag? Plan ahead for the situations you’ll actually run into day to day. I use this in my motorcycle tool kit as the easiest way to handle the axle nuts on my motorcycle. Some tape on thr pry end and it’s a great emergency tire lever. Pry bar end is well shaped. Milled hammer face takes care of any percussive maintenance required. The tasks you’re likely to encounter in an urban setting like frozen bolts and gas shutoff are light work for this tool. Get creative with another wrench and a couple video searches and make padlocks magically open. It’s the multi-tool for stuff you can’t do with a multi-tool.”
S
This is the right answer.
Multi tools are terrible when compared to the dedicated tool versions that they combine.
Always have been, always will be.
This isn’t built to be THE answer, it’s built to AN answer when nothing else suitable exists in the current space.
It’s the same reason I use the nice flat back of my M12 surge impact as a hammer. It’s not that it works great as a hammer. It’s because it’s already in my hand to tighten the thing I need to tap into place once it’s lined up, and my drawer of hammers is another 40′ away, and requires an additional hand to use.
Wayne R.
“It’s the multi-tool for stuff you can’t do with a multi-tool.”
That & a can of Bear Spray for those pesky modern urban problems.
Jack D
I’ll end up getting one of these, will be handy to have around along with my Vaughan demo hammer when doing room renovations. That kind of demo when you’re just taking out one side of the wall…
Jared
I genuinely thought you were joking Stuart – but then I didn’t see a punch line. People actually use these?
This strikes me as the sort of tool you get gifted because people know you like tools.
Stuart
The Stanley FatMax version came out 9 years ago – https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/stanley-adjustable-demo-wrench/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
The Craftsman tool came out nearly 5 years ago – https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/craftsman-adjustable-wrench-pry-bar-demo-tool/%3C/a%3E
There are enough sales and continued interest for these tools to still exist, and apparently for HF to make their own.
CMF
“There are enough sales and continued interest for these tools to still exist, and apparently for HF to make their own”
I was going to ask about this. A wrench and a hammer section are OK, maybe even a practical idea. But the nail puller/prybar do not seem practical (also weird design on this).
I can’t think of when a wrench and a prybar/nail puller is something I would reach for.
Then thought, HF, typically copy tools that sell and are successful.
And I guess you answered my question; enough people see a reason to buy these. (head scratching).
Stuart
Frankly speaking, a tool like this doesn’t have to be useful to succeed; customers only need to be convinced that it’s useful enough to buy.
Enough time has passed that I’m expecting to see another resurgence of dog bone wrenches. Some people have a legitimate need for a tool like that, but for others it’s about the perception of usefulness.
Wayne R.
My first reaction was exactly the same. But the idea of having one in the back of the vehicle for “emergencies” makes a lot of sense to me.
Rob H
I’m not going to lie…I have one of the Craftsman ones that I use on my tractor. I use it to beat/pry the 3 point hitch when I’m hooking up to heavier implements. The wrench part helps with aligning things. I haven’t used the nail puller.
Rob H
Sorry, it’s the Fatmax, not the Craftsman.
CMF
Exactly. A meaty wrench/hammer works. Not surprised you did not use the nail puller.