Abstract: A wrench includes an elongated shank, an axial cavity in one end of the shank, a radially split annular driving member formed with radial tangs fitting into the axial cavity in the shank, a cylindrical head mounted within the driving member and frictionally gripped thereby, and manually actuable means whereby the grip is increased during forward movement of the shank in a selected direction and released during back-up movement of the shank.