[axman88]

Usually I prefer experienced tools, that I have accumulated over the years at flea markets and garage sales, but recently I paid full price for a brand new Lobster brand crescent wrench.  I went against my nature for just one reason, the Lobster crescent can spin a 30mm nut, in a frame size that is a bit smaller than an average 8" crescent wrench.
https://www.westorque.com/lobster-hand-tools/um24-lobster-tools-skelton-grip-hybrid-adjustable-angle-wrench-fsrzx

It doesn't hurt that it's about 3 oz lighter than an average 8" crescent wrench, or 7oz lighter than the 10" crescent that I was using to loosen my rear brake spindle nut.  The Lobster UM30 can even fit into the oval shaped tool box on my C5, although it took up so much space in there that I'll be carrying it with my spare tube, 9" tire iron, and rain gear in the mil-surp bread bag that I'm using as a pannier.

[tooseevee]

Usually I prefer experienced tools, that I have accumulated over the years at flea markets and garage sales, but recently I paid full price for a brand new Lobster brand crescent wrench.  I went against my nature for just one reason, the Lobster crescent can spin a 30mm nut, in a frame size that is a bit smaller than an average 8" crescent wrench.
https://www.westorque.com/lobster-hand-tools/um24-lobster-tools-skelton-grip-hybrid-adjustable-angle-wrench-fsrzx

It doesn't hurt that it's about 3 oz lighter than an average 8" crescent wrench, or 7oz lighter than the 10" crescent that I was using to loosen my rear brake spindle nut.  The Lobster UM30 can even fit into the oval shaped tool box on my C5, although it took up so much space in there that I'll be carrying it with my spare tube, 9" tire iron, and rain gear in the mil-surp bread bag that I'm using as a pannier.

         That's a nice looking wrench. I have a couple Crescents, but avoid them because they're usually sloppy and they are nut destroyers if you're not careful.  That Lobster looks like a more accurate, stable piece of gear.

          I have those same bags in black. They look pretty cool when I hang them on the old '08.

[Bilgemaster]

Those ARE nice. Makes you wonder why ALL adjustable wrenches don't have etched measurement scales on them, huh? The Japanese make some really gorgeous, almost fetish-worthy, tools. Check out this rather poetically eccentric Canadian YouTuber whose face you'll never see (he even blacks out reflections) with the handle "AvE" as he unboxes some goodies from the Land of the Rising Sun: https://youtu.be/DBHfv9yWgqE. In fact, I recommend checking out his whole oddball back catalog. He's kind of like Mustie1 if he were a machinist-poet who had eaten his own weight in peyote buttons recently. Often he not only unboxes the tools (typically much less gingerly than others or sometimes even with dramatic brutality involving other tools), but he'll then take it a step beyond and commence disassembling them to just to see what makes them tick, whirr or buzz. I think he has the greatest patter in the biz.

[tooseevee]

Those ARE nice. Makes you wonder why ALL adjustable wrenches don't have etched measurement scales on them, huh? The Japanese make some really gorgeous, almost fetish-worthy, tools. Check out this rather poetically eccentric Canadian YouTuber whose face you'll never see (he even blacks out reflections) with the handle "AvE" as he unboxes some goodies from the Land of the Rising Sun: https://youtu.be/DBHfv9yWgqE. In fact, I recommend checking out his whole oddball back catalog. He's kind of like Mustie1 if he were a machinist-poet who had eaten his own weight in peyote buttons recently. Often he not only unboxes the tools (typically much less gingerly than others or sometimes even with dramatic brutality involving other tools), but he'll then take it a step beyond and commence disassembling them to just to see what makes them tick, whirr or buzz. I think he has the greatest patter in the biz.

            Japanese wood saws also are the shit. Or as my mother used to say "The cat's pajamas". They not only cut better, they are just gorgeous. They're the katanas and seppukus (wakizashi) of wood working.

            I even put my American type hacksaw blades in backwards for certain types of cuts. You (I) have much more control

[axman88]

         That's a nice looking wrench. I have a couple Crescents, but avoid them because they're usually sloppy and they are nut destroyers if you're not careful.  That Lobster looks like a more accurate, stable piece of gear.

I wouldn't say the Lobster is top quality, but it is good enough and it's light and has thus earned a place in the small collection of tools that get to ride along, everywhere the RE goes.  So where previously, I'd have to either get the machine home to where a 30mm capable tool was available, or go at it with a pair of channel locks or worse, borrowed from a passerby, now I can comfortably break down anywhere.  By the same rule that dictates it never rains unless one has neglected to bring an umbrella, I should now be able to expect truly outstanding reliability.

          I have those same bags in black. They look pretty cool when I hang them on the old '08.

They fit my military and those cheap pannier racks very well, and were priced at 2 bags for $15 from Coleman's Surplus.  I bought a lifetime supply.  The neat thing about that particular design is that it comes with a pair of rear mounting straps that seem tailor made for hanging from a 3/4" tubular bar, and also preventing swinging.

Check out this rather poetically eccentric Canadian YouTuber whose face you'll never see (he even blacks out reflections) with the handle "AvE" as he unboxes some goodies from the Land of the Rising Sun:

Actually, seeing one of this fellow's videos was how I found out about the existence of the Lobster crescent wrenches.  He mentioned it briefly in another video that was offered to me a few weeks ago "on the Tube".

https://youtu.be/eVwc4DZbcoE?t=407

His presentation is colorful all right, a nice blend of unrehearsed eloquence and effortless showman's hype, sweetened with true passion and that Canadian style of cursing that sounds innocent, like something my grandmother might say.  Reminds me a bit of the character of Bubbles from Trailer Park Boys.

That Nepros stuff is NICE!  I looked at a few items and decided that if I was to pay all that much money for a tool, I'd probably keep it inside my safe.  The Lobster seemed like a nice compromise.