# Wrench Leash



## JWilsonLX (Mar 28, 2011)

Just wondering what everyone around here uses as a wrench leash. I've tried a handful of things, but I've almost always had one complaint or another. Just tieline tends to get caught under my feet when I kneel. $20 for one of these seems a bit much and the constant tug seems like it would be annoying. I'm trying one of these right now, but I'm always afraid the weight of my wrench will break the spring, and it's only got a belt clip, so it could conceivably come off the belt at any time. What do you guys use?


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## blackisthenewblack (Mar 28, 2011)

I personally use this thether from Lee-Valley Tools. Its only $8 and "Overall length is 6' with the coiled cable fully extended (2' when relaxed). With a breaking strength of approximately 170 kg". So I feel safe using this overhead.


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## sk8rsdad (Mar 28, 2011)

I use a homemade wrist leash. Less than a buck with shock cord and plastic thingy from the local outfitters store.


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## gafftaper (Mar 28, 2011)

Some telephone handset cable, shrink tubing, and a biner or snap link. You can make 3 for about $10. Stretch the cable out so that the piece is slightly longer than your arm's reach clipped to the opposite side of your body. I tie a knot and cover it with the heatshrink tubing to make it look nicer and keep the knot.


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## metti (Mar 28, 2011)

I use this one (Squids 3100 Tool Lanyard, Standard, Black). It is durable enough and it is way better then using tie line which is what I used to do but it is not quite as stretchy as I would like. When I am wearing a fall restrain harness I can clip to that which work great but clipping it to my belt is just a hair shorter then I would like it to be. I have worked at a venue that had the Setwear ones and they are awesome. Next time I will either get one of those or make one from phone cord.


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## bishopthomas (Mar 28, 2011)

Great thread! I've needed to buy a wrench leash for some time now, just never have come across one that I like.


JWilsonLX said:


> $20 for one of these seems a bit much and the constant tug seems like it would be annoying.


 
I like this, but not so much the wrist band idea. I would want the carabiner attached to my belt loop or something and I'm not sure if that leash is long enough. Anyone use this or see where it says how long the leash is? One of my problems is that I run out of pocket space. I like to keep my phone, wallet, knife, and keys (bulky) in my pockets at all times. This doesn't leave much room for a wrench. I would love to find a wrench leash with a holster to go on my belt along with the multitool and flashlight that I currently keep there.


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## bishopthomas (Mar 28, 2011)

metti said:


> I have worked at a venue that had the Setwear ones and they are awesome.


 
Was it long enough to clip to your waist and extend to overhead heights?


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## xander (Mar 28, 2011)

metti said:


> I use this one (Squids 3100 Tool Lanyard, Standard, Black). It is durable enough and it is way better then using tie line which is what I used to do but it is not quite as stretchy as I would like. When I am wearing a fall restrain harness I can clip to that which work great but clipping it to my belt is just a hair shorter then I would like it to be. I have worked at a venue that had the Setwear ones and they are awesome. Next time I will either get one of those or make one from phone cord.


Did you know they have a longer version: 42" - 54"? I just bought these, one for my speed wrench and one for my crescent. I haven't used them long enough to make an informed decision, yet. I hope I like them. 

-Tim


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## JWilsonLX (Mar 28, 2011)

xander said:


> Did you know they have a longer version: 42" - 54"? I just bought these, one for my speed wrench and one for my crescent. I haven't used them long enough to make an informed decision, yet. I hope I like them.
> 
> -Tim



That's the other thing I'm looking for, is a good way to use multiple tools with only one leash. Right now, I just clip whichever one I'm not using to my belt, but then it tends to bounce around awkwardly(especially the ratcheting UFT).


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## icewolf08 (Mar 28, 2011)

I bought a bunch of tool leashes from Grainger, they were like $15 each. They have a bunch of different choices if you search "tool lanyard." People seem happy with the ones that I got, they aren't super long and they have some elasticity to them. Pretty nice.


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## rochem (Mar 28, 2011)

I use the Belt Clip Lanyard from Tools For Stagecraft (ELECTRICIAN SPECIFIC HANDTOOLS). While it is a little pricey at $20, I got my first one over four years ago and I still use it every day. I recently did a series of experiments to try to break my original lanyard, and nothing I did could make it break, so I went ahead and bought two more so that all my tools can all be tied off to be at the same time. It's short enough that it usually doesn't get caught on other objects, but I can clip it to a low spot on my belt and it stretches easily to above my head and well beyond my arm's reach.


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## HansH (Mar 28, 2011)

bishopthomas said:


> Was it long enough to clip to your waist and extend to overhead heights?


 
I'm a taller guy, and haven't had many problems with its reach. At least, not enough to make me find another solution. So, +1 to the Setwear lanyard.

What I have had trouble with is the regular carabiner becoming unclipped while in the air. Since I'm not doing as much freelance work these days, I haven't invested in a self-locking carabiner, but that's definitely next on the list for my tools.


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## bishopthomas (Mar 28, 2011)

I just ordered 3 of the Squids leashes, including a lime green one.  I'll report back when they arrive.


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## DuckJordan (Mar 28, 2011)

gafftaper said:


> Some telephone handset cable, shrink tubing, and a biner or snap link. You can make 3 for about $10. Stretch the cable out so that the piece is slightly longer than your arm's reach clipped to the opposite side of your body. I tie a knot and cover it with the heatshrink tubing to make it look nicer and keep the knot.



Except we use Nico press sleeves to attach both to the carabiner and the wrench.


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## bosox242 (Mar 29, 2011)

I use the setwear one and like it. I've had it for at least three or four years and I use a beaner instead of wristband. I taped the beaner closed on the wrench end so the wrench can't fall off. It can stretch way more than my reach and I never noticed it "tugging" the wrench back. It has held it's original shape and isn't stretched out. Phone cord has a tendency to get stretched out over time.


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## bishopthomas (Mar 29, 2011)

Thanks for the info, bosox242. If the Squids don't work out for me I'll order a few of the Setwear leashes.


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## gafftaper (Mar 31, 2011)

DuckJordan said:


> Except we use Nico press sleeves to attach both to the carabiner and the wrench.


 Great idea Duck. I hadn't thought of that and I'll implement that design change soon. 

As for the discussion of the cords being too short, this is why the home made phone cord version is superior. It's fitted exactly to my reach.


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## drummerboi316 (Mar 31, 2011)

bosox242 said:


> I use the setwear one and like it. I've had it for at least three or four years and I use a beaner instead of wristband. I taped the beaner closed on the wrench end so the wrench can't fall off. It can stretch way more than my reach and I never noticed it "tugging" the wrench back. It has held it's original shape and isn't stretched out. Phone cord has a tendency to get stretched out over time.


 
My setwear leash is exactly the same way. it actually came binered to the wrist strap, so i just removed the strap and biner it to my belt. i love it and it has never failed me, even when i clipped to a drill and dropped (safetly with my td watching) from our catwalks, and it hasent failed.


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## derekleffew (Apr 1, 2011)

gafftaper said:


> Great idea Duck. I hadn't thought of that and I'll implement that design change soon. ...


Waste of time and materials. Do you think the swage sleeve is going to be stronger, on a coiled telephone cord, than a clove hitch or bowline with the dead end shrink-wrapped?


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## DuckJordan (Apr 1, 2011)

derekleffew said:


> Waste of time and materials. Do you think the swage sleeve is going to be stronger, on a coiled telephone cord, than a clove hitch or bowline with the dead end shrink-wrapped?


 
No but its going to look cleaner, and since any knots or bends remove 50% of the strength of the line the less bends and knots you put in the better.


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## MNicolai (Apr 1, 2011)

DuckJordan said:


> No but its going to look cleaner, and since any knots or bends remove 50% of the strength of the line the less bends and knots you put in the better.


 
What are doing with your wrench that you need the leash to have that kind of structural integrity? Do you throw it at fixtures from afar to knock them into focus and your wrench returns to you like a boomerang?


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## DuckJordan (Apr 1, 2011)

MNicolai said:


> What are doing with your wrench that you need the leash to have that kind of structural integrity? Do you throw it at fixtures from afar to knock them into focus and your wrench returns to you like a boomerang?


 

Good Idea, but no, its more of the safer i can get my working gear to be the better i feel about working above people.


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## derekleffew (Apr 1, 2011)

DuckJordan said:


> ... since any knots or bends remove 50% of the strength of the line ...


Any knots? I don't think so. Clove hitch and bowline have documented efficiencies, and it's not 50%. What's the efficiency of a swage sleeve on unapproved, non-wire "rope"?


The top one is older than DuckJordan. The bottom one I bought a couple of years ago (from Duluth Trading but I think they've discontinued it and I've never used it--it's just two shock cords in a fabric sheath.) I know I have a swaged-phone cord version here somewhere, but can't find it.

Perhaps we can persuade Delbert to do a load lab test on a couple of different methods?


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## DuckJordan (Apr 1, 2011)

That would be very benificial. I'm not saying ones better than the other just saying what I feel more comfortable with

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk


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## rochem (Apr 1, 2011)

derekleffew said:


> Perhaps we can persuade Delbert to do a load lab test on a couple of different methods?



To be perfectly honest, if you were standing on top of a tall ladder and your wrench falls and puts enough force on the phone cord to break it, you're probably headed down right behind it. 

However, I too would be interested to see the results of this test. With all the attention we put on design factors and properly rated components in the rigging world, it's actually pretty surprising that we feel totally comfortable using a tool 100' over people's heads with only a piece of tie-line to keep it from falling.


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## icewolf08 (Apr 1, 2011)

Coiled phone cord is actually relatively easy to break. There have been many instances where I have just pulled on it and it ripped apart. I have also experienced this while tying knots in it to attach to a wrench. So, while I was probably putting more force on the cord then a falling wrench would, I think the debate on swage sleeves or knots is moot since odds are that will not be the point of failure. Consider that with phone cord the bulk of the load bearing is probably done by the jacket of the cord, not the four tiny gauge wires inside.


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## Mutton (Apr 2, 2011)

I use a length of phone cord with a quick link swaged to either end. I threw a piece of tie line on the end of the wrench so I can quickly pull it out of my pocket and leave it on my wrist.

The only downside is trying to hand off the wrench to someone.


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## bishopthomas (Apr 2, 2011)

I ordered 3 leashes from the web site allsafetysupplies.com. I got one leash, one winter ski face mask, and one pair of needle nose pliers! I originally tried to order from Production Advantage but for some reason it wouldn't authorize my credit card (plenty of money and worked elsewhere). Just a word of warning, don't order from these guys. I'm calling them Monday morning and I feel confident they'll make it right, but what a cluster...


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## Van (Apr 3, 2011)

I just don't drop wrenches.


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## erosing (Apr 13, 2011)

If I'm on a ladder/scaffolding/lift/ground I like tie line for most, I just bought one of Setwear's and I like it better than the phone cord ones I have made, but not enough to pay $18 each. 

For harness work, I have a pair of industrial ones with closed fixed loops at each end. Normally I find these to short but when clipped into a tool/positioning ring they have the perfect amount of reach and I trust them much more than I do tie line I think they are rated at 10-15 lb for working load.


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## metti (Apr 13, 2011)

bishopthomas said:


> I ordered 3 leashes from the web site allsafetysupplies.com. I got one leash, one winter ski face mask, and one pair of needle nose pliers! I originally tried to order from Production Advantage but for some reason it wouldn't authorize my credit card (plenty of money and worked elsewhere). Just a word of warning, don't order from these guys. I'm calling them Monday morning and I feel confident they'll make it right, but what a cluster...


 
I take it you are advising against ordering from allsafetysupplies.com not Production Advantage, right?


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## bishopthomas (Apr 14, 2011)

metti said:


> I take it you are advising against ordering from allsafetysupplies.com not Production Advantage, right?


 
Right. I talked to someone there yesterday and he seemed as surprised as me (and more annoyed). They're sending out the correct leashes, but still.... I would start with Production Advantage if you need a wrench leash.


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## jglodeklights (Apr 14, 2011)

I also use the phone coil tied and then in my case E-taped to make pretty. My carabiner to attach it to my belt is actually one rated for climbing, so quite a bit overkill for this purpose. 

Part of the reason I use a full size carabiner is that I attach it to my BELT. This A. locks the biner firmly in place and B. is significantly safer than attaching to a belt loop that can be ripped out by a falling tool. I can't be the only person to have ripped a belt loop out while pulling up my pants, no?


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## LXPlot (Apr 14, 2011)

jglodeklights said:


> Part of the reason I use a full size carabiner is that I attach it to my BELT. This A. locks the biner firmly in place and B. is significantly safer than attaching to a belt loop that can be ripped out by a falling tool. I can't be the only person to have ripped a belt loop out while pulling up my pants, no?



And if somehow you end up with the wrench attached to something and you hanging in midair, then you have several milliseconds longer to pull yourself back up because the wire will have to break rather than your belt loop.


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## Morydd (Apr 16, 2011)

My leash is a piece of tie line, clothes line and some other nylon rope about the same diameter as the other two braided together, with the ends spliced back through and then zip tied with red/green zip ties (I use red/green to mark my tools). Then I put heat shrink over the tailing ends of the three cords. It's got a $0.99 carabiner at each end, one for the wrench, one for the belt loop.

Overkill? Why yes. What can I say, I was bored. On the other hand, everyone knows which one is my wrench. I just tuck the part that hangs down into my pocket when I'm wandering around so it doesn't snag on stuff.


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