I had a 24" Rigid pipe wrench, one of the first batch of US made aluminum ones. After 20 odd years, the aluminum lower jaw holder cracked. Rigid replaced it, for free, but the new one still doesn't feel the same.
You don't put a cheater on a pipe wrench, you get a bigger pipewrench. Even though I'm not working anymore, I still have 8, 10, 12, 14 24, and 36" pipe wrenchesMy dad had a 12" one that somehow keep getting the handle broken (it was not me... it was Nick my little brother just younger then me). Little pipsqueak kept putting a pipe on the handle to get extra leverage. They kept replacing the handle... no problem. MAN!!!! I miss those times. You just don't get that kind of quality anymore.