Oceanic SP4 - spanner alternative

[acteg]

Anyone use a strap wrench instead of the "Oceanic Spanner - sold at scubatools for $23)? With a torque of 120 in-lbs, it seems like a strap wrench would work just as well.

 

[Zung]

I use a hook spanner I paid $10 from an automotive tools shop.
Before that, I tried a couple of strap wrenches, the 1st one broke right off, and the 2nd slipped a lot.

 

[acteg]

Thanks Zung, thats the kind of feedback I was looking for.

 

[acteg]

Looks like the stock spanner for my AR-15 works. I think it cost me $4. =)

 

[Couv]

I too used strap wrenches and they worked just fine on the regulators I owned and serviced for a long time. However, when I started purchasing stuff to play with from eBay, the strap wrenches did not work so well. As Brother Zung reported, they tended to slip quite a bit. I found a used spanner on eBay that was the correct size except the actual hook pin was too large-a visit to the grinder took care of that.

Acteg, to save others the trouble of buying a tool that requires modifying, can you post a link to the tool you found?

Couv

 

[Zung]

My hook spanner is almost exactly like this one, price-wise too. 1.34-1.42 inch or 34-36 mm diameter, and .20 in width.

I initially took a MK20 to the shop for size, but it also works well with the MK2/MK5/MK10.

I also tried one with a pin instead of a hook, on the ground that it might be less damaging to the holes. But I concluded the opposite is true because the hook bites better and doesn't slip.

 

[ams511]

Looks like the stock spanner for my AR-15 works. I think it cost me $4. =)

Something like this?

 

[acteg]

That's it. It isn't a perfect fit, but seems close enough to do the job (haven't tried it yet). I think I may need to put a small piece of plastic/rubber/something on the other end of the hook to keep it from making a rub mark. I took a picture so you guys can be the judge as far as whether it would work fine or not.

Something like this?

 

[Zung]

That'll do fine. Quoting Scubatools: "Picking the right wrench (#3 -#6) for the job is a simple matter of using the one that is just slightly smaller than the diameter of the first stage body. This procedure allows the wrench to contact the body in two places, at the pin and the heel of the crescent. These two points are located more than 90 degrees apart causing the spanner to lock firmly against the first stage body. This feature reduces the possibility of slipping out of the hole and scratching the first stage.


And if it doesn't slip, it won't scratch anything, even though a piece of duct tape could buy you peace of mind.

 

[acteg]

Thanks for the clarification Zung.