Today's Tools Newcastle Staffs - anyone know anything?

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Eric The Viking

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I have a couple of their special split ring-spanners for plumbing. They fit over 15mm or 22mm pipe and slide onto a compression nut, and don't easily come off like an open ended one. At &7.50 each approx, I think they're really good and seem very well made: the right size, well machined and finished and heavily chromed, unlike Chinese cheap stuff. They're smooth enough to use directly on chrome radiator fittings, etc., without marking the compression nut. I really like them.

The web site is absent and Google street view shows a small lock-up on a trading estate.

If they've gone it'll be a shame. If they have, and anyone reading this is an amateur plumber, Toolstation still have some in stock...

Would welcome an update if anyone in that part of Staffs knows them.

E.
 
Very similar to those, but the key thing is the sizes and the length: They're whatever they should be for BSP-threaded compression fittings for 15mm and 22mm pipe. They're also decently long, so you can apply a controlled amount of torque easily (and reach, although that's less important). That's what you need.

And, as I said, the finish is the best I've seen on spanners for a long long time. I'm not saying the ones you linked-to aren't equally good. I guess I've got used to either insufficient chrome, or lumps on the points (caused by too-long electroplating), or even worse, chrome flaking off. I can't afford Snap-On!

This isn't any sort of advert. I'm wondering why what seems to be a small company in the north Midlands seems to only make/sell these. There must be a story there and I'm curious about it.

E,
 
For "normal" spanners, I'm a big fan of vintage King Dick, by Abingdon. Super finish, beautiful ergonmics, and cheap, if you're a patient car booter.

BugBear
 
bugbear":2pb6gjnp said:
For "normal" spanners, I'm a big fan of vintage King Dick, by Abingdon. Super finish, beautiful ergonmics, and cheap, if you're a patient car booter.

BugBear

I second that!

Also worth looking out for are Britool (from before they were taken over by Facom and re-badged 'Britool Expert'), Stahlwille, and the older makes of Bedford, Gordon Tools and Garrington Kestrel. For older and 'big' spanners, Snail Brand are very reliable, too.

(PS - Both King Dick and Snail Brand are still in production in the West Midlands area.)
 
I got rid of my Defender last year (big mistake!). About five years after I bought it, I was working on the back of the rear tub (it's a station wagon), and found a stubby Britool ring spanner wedged on a nut up near one of the light clusters. It was covered in mud, etc. (initially I didn't even realise it was a spanner!) but removed and cleaned up, it's now a useful addition to the toolbbox. They obviously last well :)
 
Many, many years ago, new Land Rovers came with quite an extensive tool kit including 2 King Dick adjustable spanners.
On site they had to be kept safe in our offices as they quickly "disappeared" from vehicles!
I've still got mine [SMILING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]

Rod
 
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