Don't do what I did (buying a park lockring wrench)
 

I ignored all advice to the contrary and purchased a park tools lockring wrench. I needed one immediately, and it was all the LBS in town carried. This was the worst 16 dollars I have spent in a long time. The thing was barely willing to grab the lockring. The tooth on the end seems like it is actually curved in some way. I am also fairly certain that the metal is so soft that I thought I was going to break it.

Whatever you do, don't buy this wrench.

Yep, that thing is a real POS. Not even a very good paper weight. Park tools are overpriced, and often of marginal function. I don't understand why they seem to have such a loyal following.

get the wrenchforce one, or if you're having a rich moment, some lockring pliers.

Yeah the Park ones suck some serious ass.

You can, however, make them serviceable.
if you stick a penny/washer/something else thin and flat between the curve and the lockring, the Park wrench tends to suck a bit less.

Get the Hozan lockring pliers from Business Cycles - probably the best tool I own.

Anyone have any experience with the Hozan Hook Spanner (http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/tools/fixedgear.html)? Sheldon seems to think it's a pretty good tool, and I don't have the $$$ for a set of pliers.

the pliers are awsome. I'm getting a pair when I have the extra cash flow. They will get any lockring off, including ones that were locktite on. They go hand in hand with the wheel manufacturer chain whip.

Honestly, I could spring for the pliers at the price John is selling them, but I'm a bit suspicious as to why they're only $37 and sheldon's pliers are $80...

I really like the Hozan lockring hook-wrench. I got one for $5 from one of the LBS in SF that was selling off the tools from a store they closed.

A piece of the hook end of mine broke off in a blaze of bloody glory. Up until that point, I liked it alright :o . Go with the pliers. Seriously. It's what I should have done in the first place.

i've never had any trouble with my hozan wrench -- i'm a fan.

some day when i get an obscene amount of money, i'll get the MAKINO PRO TOOL SUPER:

http://www.businesscycles.com/graphics/protoolsuper.jpg

If you get the Park lockring wrench w/ the 3-tooth side (for low-end Campy BBs, I think), it works pretty well.

i should clarify that I wasn't trying to slam the hozan wrench. it worked well for me, for a long time, and the breakage and bloodiness were definitely brought on my a bit of stupidity on my part. I'm just offering the advice that with the pliers, you have the guarantee of no surprise slipping. Which is nice. And I wish I had gone that route.

its seem like the wrench that sheldon sells is different from the Hozan wrench that business cycles sell. I can vouch for the hozan one. I've seen it in action plenty of times and that thing is solid.

I have to agree with you. The one most useless piece in their crankset tool: http://www.parktool.com/tools/CCP_2.shtml
I don't know anyone who has ever been able to remove a crankset using one of those.

??? That's the one that I use, and I've never had any problems with it...

I've got the Hozan lockring tool (not the pliers) and have been really satisfied with it. The LBS that I ordered it from had it in their DIY shop, and I was really impressed compared to the Park, which is what I'd used before. I asked them to order the same wrench, but they accidentally ordered the Park instead. I sent it back and made sure that they got me the Hozan ;)

What are you talking about? That tool is the shop standard for removing standard square tapered cotterless cranks. I've personally removed more cranksets than I can count with that specific tool. The only reason I don't suggest buying it is because you can get one of the ones without a handle that uses an allen key to wrench the crank off, and it's 1/4 of the size and 1/2 the price.

not to mention that the handleless one works on octalink/isis cranks too.

so for someone who is building up a tool set, what brands/tools should i get? what should i spend the money on?

maybe that should be its own thread.

You usually can't go wrong with Park. Pedros makes some nice tools too.

However, Park tools that suck (feel free to add to this list):
1. Tire Levers
2. Lockring Wrench.

i have the wrenchforce one. its good enough.

I fourth [?] this veto. That tool has pulled many-a-crank, and I bought it used as hell. I actually think it's one of my favorite tools behind my hammer.

Yup, love the crank puller.

#1 useless is the brake toe-in tool. I think it's discontinued now, which is fine because a) modern brakes have a screw to adjust toe-in on the pads and b) if they don't, you can use a pliers or vice grip to accomplish the same damn thing.

But the track lockring wrench does suck.

Chainwhip sucks, too.