I've never owned a proper "spanner". It may be possible to move the nut by hand. <shrug> I can move my WP by hand, that is after I've loosened the locking screw. :D
If he's really worried about it, tell him to take the shock off the bike, wrap the ring in cloth and turn it with a pair of 440 Channel Locks. He's going to hate the first time he bites the dust on that pretty bike!:)