sweeks

This ^^.
Here's a possible exception. Nexus hubs have a 17mm nut on the non-drive side, which is amenable to a normal ("thick") wrench especially with the wheel out of the frame. However, with a roller brake module in place, and the wheel in the frame, only a cone wrench will fit. The nut has to be tightened *after* the brake module's torque link is attached to the chainstay, which has to be done after the wheel is positioned for proper chain tension. I suppose the nut could be left a bit loose, as it's not actually locking the NDS cone, but I like it to be tight. A 17mm Park wrench is ideal for this.

sean.hwy

look at my post #9. on my wheel you need a thin wrench to hold the bottom nut in place so you can loosen the top nut. It will spin freely other wise.


kind of like this

SJX426 

The pair of Park wrenches were really soft. I can't recommend them. I found some in a garage sale that are chrome, hard enough not to deform like the Park tools.

Trakhak

That's an example of what was mentioned earlier in the thread - while a cone wrench is needed for the cone, a box wrench, or even an adjustable wrench, would work fine for the lock nut.

JohnDThompson 

But not always:

Bill Kapaun

Which would be MUCH better served with a standard 17mm box wrench.
Less likely to slip off.

Bill Kapaun

Which was kind of covered in post #12, but with this many posts over a simple cone wrench, who pays attention to what was already posted?

JohnDThompson 

Post #12 addressed thin wrenches for cones, not locknuts.

Bill Kapaun

So you know what I was thinking and I don't?

jccaclimber

Every day I browse the mechanics sub and am always amazed that this thread, which has long since solved the OP’s issue, continues to gain new posts. When ever will it die?

Based on other comments, it seems likely that the OP knows when they can use a standard wrench. I’d guess they also have some thoughts about the use of adjustable hammers, AKA adjustable wrenches.

sweeks

I've used a 15mm Park cone wrench as a pedal wrench for the couplers on my MKS detachable pedals many times. There is no distortion.

JohnDThompson 

No, I only know what you wrote. And in post #12, all you wrote about locknuts is that "most (it seems) lock nuts are 17mm. Since the lock nut is on the end, you don't need a thin wrench. (with the wheel removed)." The Campagnolo Record hubs I referenced above use a 14mm cone wrench for both the cone and the locknut. The flats on the locknut are too narrow to accept anything else. Other high-end hubs are similar.