At first glance, the mininch WRENCHit, which I’m just going to write out as WrenchIt, looks like one of those slim box cutters, but that’s far from its function. The WrenchIt is a multi-sized box end wrench tool that takes up a fraction of the space of a single wrench or adjustable wrench.
It’s designed as an EDC (everyday carry) multi-sized wrench that can easily slip into a pocket, bag, pencil cup, or other place where full-sized tools don’t normally go.
The WrenchIt has a “pop a point” design, similar to the Tool Pen we posted about in July of 2014. The WrenchIt is actually from the same company, and has exceeded its Kickstarter goal. The Kickstarter campaign is still ongoing, as of the time of this posting, and is set to expire on April 21st, 2016.
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Back to the “pop a point” design… you take the rearmost tool, and insert it in the front of the tool, pushing the other individual sections backwards. You keep doing this until the desired tool selection is in the forward position. Do a quick search for “pop a point pencils” to see where this type of tool swapping seems to originate from.
Each WrenchIt tool can carry 5 individual wrench sizes, with some of the sections featuring additional functions, such as spoke wrenches or a bottle opener hook, or multiple smaller wrench sizes.
Most of the wrench size options are metric, but there’s also the option for 3 different imperial wrench sizes.
Pledge Options:
- Bike Set with 5 tool components for $30
- Full Set with 10 wrenches and tools for $38
All of these options include a pouch. There are also bundle sets, some of which also include a Tool Pen, and multiple WrenchIt quantity bundles.
The inventors expect for the full retail price for the full set to be $55.
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More Info(via Kickstarter)
First Thoughts
This looks to be a neat EDC multi-size wrench tool, and I wish it were available with a greater range of imperial wrench sizes.
The pricing seems to be pretty decent too, for what it is. I guess? The inventors mention the need for stamping dies in the Kickstarter campaign, and that the sleeve and individual tools are all made from SUS 420 stainless steel with a sandblasted finish.
This isn’t quite for me, but I can appreciate the elegance of the design.
I wonder how well it holds up to high torque applications. I’m guessing that, if the going gets tough, it’s time to reach for a sturdier tool. But it still looks great for casual tightening tasks, or if you need a compact and lightweight tool on-the-go, such as when mountain biking.
But for biking, maybe only the spoke wrenches and bottle opener will be useful.
What I’d like to see is a revised biking design where you get a spoke wrench tool, bottle opener (why not?), 1/4″ hex wrench, and 2 slightly thicker tool attachments with 1/4″ insert bit storage. Why? Because a 5 mm hex bit is far more useful than most smaller box end wrench sizes.
Thinman
I hate to say it but this seems like another “gimmick tool” with a very limited application. Stuart summed it up well when he wondered about how much torque the tool can provide. I would imagine not very much. Not to mention it looks like it would be hard on the hand to wrestle with a stubborn nut. And for $55 to boot! I wish these inventors well, but I’m afraid I won’t be jumping on board for this one. P.S. I didn’t watch the video. I might be all wet. Not the first time.
Cr8ondt
Niffty but won’t ever have a place in my pile-o-tools.
Jeremy
If I could afford it and it was imperial I’d buy one to test out, clearance issues are a problem in my industry all the time. My only other thought on it is if clearance is so tight as to need a thin wrench like this, then rotation space is probably tight too, I’d like to see 12 pointed ends as a choice as well as stand alone wrenches.
Chris Fyfe
Cute idea , but I prefer my 125 mm Knipex Plier Wrench , handles metric and Imperial equally well .
pencil neck
eh… kind of on the fence here. Concept seems good, but not so sure about usefulness. I’m thinking 13mm and larger, it won’t handle the torque.
I’m more interested in the glasses with invisible lenses that hipster chic is wearing.
dll932
I think those are Warby Parkers.
Jerry
I could see it as a bicycle tool as it seems lightweight and compact, or possibly a junk drawer tool for household emergencies, or one of those ‘better than pliers’ wrenches, but not an everyday tool.
dll932
Clever, but not clever enough. I have a Swedish double ended wrench that adjusts back and forth to infinite box end sizes (and even has slightly angled ends-something this one lacks). I think I’ve used it once in 25 years, and it has better clearance.
Nathan
I’d say they mostly know they audience.
HOnestly pretty good idea for a bike. I mean I keep the ifixit set with my bike currently – but wouldn’t mind something like that if maybe it had different tools.
tire lever maybe
I bet it will take all the torque you can give it – with the length it happens to have.
Max Wasatch
I would buy for for $10. Anything more than that and it seems like a waste.
MikeHammer
Better if it was open ended wrenches. Seems like just the thing for adjusting washing machine legs.
Rusty
I guess that would mess with the design but open ended wrenches would be a lot more useful on something like this.
JoeM
That’s awfully thin for $55 retail. Double the thickness, hell QUADRUPLE the thickness, and I could see that easily. It’s too thin for the size to justify that price.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it’s a ripoff, or a gimmick. Just saying they’re charging double the worth for the market they’re aiming at. Bicycles? Seriously? That is not a $55 tool for bike riders, I’m sorry.
Now… If they made ALL of the parts thicker, holder/handle longer, and had a SIGNIFICANTLY larger selection of Box AND Open Ended pieces for it… I could see this as a GENUINELY useful tool. Something you grab out of a carrying case, load up with all the sizes you need for the job, and just go do it, kind of thing.
That’s not what they’ve done, and this is MOST DEFINITELY not an EDC thing. Too thin to justify those applications, and too expensive to claim it is what they claim it is.
JoeM
…I’d say it needs to be MINIMUM 1 CM (10 mm), or 1/4″ thick to be useful. Since it’ll be flat, parts that thick would be useful for torque, AND thin enough to be EDC.
Joe A
I bought one of these a few years ago. It’s come in handy and fits every fastener with a surface to grab… provided there is clearance to get it in there. Not much in the torque department though. I like it.
http://www.amazon.com/Burketek-PW-2-Burktek-Pocket-Wrench/dp/B0089SI412
dll932
Why not one of those Engineer stubby wrenches? Pocketable and adjustable.
William Adams
The Imperial wrench options have since been expanded to include: 1/4″, 5/16″, 3/8″, 7/16″, 1/2″ — still debating getting those, and wish they’d work up better storage for all the bits. Have their canvas pouch, and it holds everything pretty well, but the Tool Pen Mini Bit Case won’t fit since I’ve added a Leatherman Mini and Gerber Myth Archery Tool, and I wish there was a storage option which gathered all the overflow bits into one slender case.