A rod turning tool having a first sleeve with at least one open end and having an internal thread and an external tapering with second and third sleeves surrounding the first sleeve and arranged on uphill and downhill sides of the external tapering, the second and third sleeves having compatible taperings on the inside diameters thereof to be flush with the external tapering of the first sleeve, and a plurality of fasteners connecting the second and third sleeves axially. A tightening of the fasteners drawing the second and third sleeves together, sliding along the external tapering which acts to compress the first sleeve against a rod threaded into the internal threads of the first sleeve. In an alternate embodiment, the second sleeve is located against the external tapering and the third sleeve is fixed in axial position by an external flange of the first sleeve and the plurality of fasteners draws the second sleeve toward the fixed third sleeve to compress the first sleeve.