A wrench is a tool that provides a grip for tightening or loosening a fastener, such as a nut or bolt. The term spanner wrench is redundant; Americans consider this kind of tool a wrench, while the British refer to this tool as a spanner. While there are many kinds of wrenches, Americans refer to the type of wrench that contains pins or tabs around its circumference as the spanner wrench. These wrenches are made of steel for strength and are often chrome-plated to protect against corrosion.
There are many types of spanner wrenches, each with a distinctly shaped hook. In addition, some spanners are multi-tools with double-sided hooks. The most common type of spanner wrench is the C spanner. Its head is open in the shape of the letter C, and its jaws are meant to correspond to the similarly sized nut. The obstruction spanner is similar to the C spanner, except its jaws are angled more steeply to enable you to reach nuts in confined spaces. The ring spanner, on the other hand, has a completely enclosed ring that fits precisely over a hexagon or square bolt. While it can take some time to correctly place the ring spanner, it provides stronger leverage than open spanners. Make sure your spanner wrench is the correct size and is sitting properly around the nut before twisting. Otherwise, it could slip from the wrench and damage the tool or injure your hand.
Spanner wrenches are often used in plumbing to help repair leaky pipes or faucets. They are smaller and lighter than pipe wrenches, allowing flexibility to work in hard-to-reach areas. In addition, they provide enough turning force to open pipe connections that have been untouched for many years. Similarly, spanner wrenches are commonly used in gas repair to open gas pipes.