Archived from the Tools In Action forum (Hand Tools). This thread is read-only.
I’ve been needing some new/more pliers, and I got talked into buying a Channellock set; I already had some that I didn’t like, but I got a lot of grief for not liking them, and so many people insisted that the new ones were better that I decided to give them a try.
Long story short: I hate them. I don’t think that they work very well, the finish is poor, the fit is off, and the grips are terrible.
I need some new pliers.
I am considering these:
I have some old Irwins that I love, but the new ones are supposedly not as good; on the other hand, the same people who told me that told me that Channellocks were good, so….
Anyone have any experience with newer Irwin or Gearwrench pliers?
One word ……. Knipex
Foneguy wrote:
2 minutes ago, Foneguy said:One word ……. Knipex
Two words: Too much!
$110 for 4 pliers? Also, I don’t like their grips.
Ah we have very different tastes in pliers then because my recommendation would be channellock ones. Maybe try klein. I am not a fan of Klein so maybe they would suit your tastes a little better.
Stercorarius wrote:
Just now, Stercorarius said:Ah we have very different tastes in pliers then because my recommendation would be channellock ones. Maybe try klein. I am not a fan of Klein so maybe they would suit your tastes a little better.
Klein has those same thin grips; I have big hands and I get cramps using them.
Also, I have not have good luck with Klein, quality-wise.
Codejack wrote:
4 minutes ago, Codejack said:
Klein has those same thin grips; I have big hands and I get cramps using them.
Also, I have not have good luck with Klein, quality-wise.
Ah at least we agree on one thing them. If the big grips are what you are after try the newer Irwin’s. The grips are much better shaped then the ones in that Amazon listing. The few Irwin sells that are rebranded NWS from Germany are knipex quality with better grips.
Favorite pair of cutters right there. That style of grips is very comfortable for big hands.
Stercorarius wrote:
Just now, Stercorarius said:Ah at least we agree on one thing them. If the big grips are what you are after try the newer Irwin’s. The grips are much better shaped then the ones in that Amazon listing. The few Irwin sells that are rebranded NWS from Germany are knipex quality with better grips.
Favorite pair of cutters right there. That style of grips is very comfortable for big hands.
I’ve looked at those, but…
1. Expensive!
2. Short normal cutters or long pivot cutters (they don’t open as wide), neither of which I want.
3. No slip-joint (my favorite tool for hose clamps) or tongue-and-groove, at all.
I have Gearwrench tongue and groove pliers, needle nose pliers, and diagonal cutters, not the exact same models you have listed. I like them, easy on the hands even though mine are the standard red dipped grips but the ones you linked to should be just as comfortable if not more so.
jtkendall wrote:
Just now, jtkendall said:I have Gearwrench tongue and groove pliers, needle nose pliers, and diagonal cutters, not the exact same models you have listed. I like them, easy on the hands even though mine are the standard red dipped grips but the ones you linked to should be just as comfortable if not more so.
Excellent; do they work well? The cutters, especially, I am worried about, since they will dull quickly if they aren’t hardened properly.
Codejack wrote:
Just now, Codejack said:
Excellent; do they work well? The cutters, especially, I am worried about, since they will dull quickly if they aren’t hardened properly.
I don’t use them every day but haven’t noticed any issues with dulling of the cutters. The tongue and groove pliers are the ones I’ve used the most and they work really well every time, no complaints.
I use Klein and Knipex.
Had NWS, wasn’t a fan of them for what I do. They are very well built and precise, but just a good fit for electrical.
Channelock is a good , budget friendly brand.
If you can afford it, Knipex is probably one of the best all-purpose brands.
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NWS and Gedore. Also have a set of Klein insulated lineman’s and diagonal cutters.
Codejack wrote:
1 hour ago, Codejack said:
Two words: Too much!
$110 for 4 pliers? Also, I don’t like their grips.
Fair enough …..
I’m a Knipex guy
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I can’t see anyone not happy with the quality of Klein US-made pliers being happy with Irwin or Gearwrench.
What trade are you in?
sparky603 wrote:
5 minutes ago, sparky603 said:I can’t see anyone not happy with the quality of Klein US-made pliers being happy with Irwin or Gearwrench.
The edges dull really fast.
Stercorarius wrote:
Just now, Stercorarius said:What trade are you in?
Auto repair, some construction/electrical; electronics on the side.
Codejack wrote:
1 hour ago, Codejack said:
The edges dull really fast.
I have to agree with Sparky, if you think Kleins dull too fast then I’m not sure what will make you happy. I can usually get years out of a pair or Klein cutters. Most guys I know buy them as the “GOOD’ ones. I recently bought a pair of Knipex, but have not had them long enough to comment.
Bite the bullet you’ll be glad you did.
SetBuilder wrote:
Just now, SetBuilder said:
I have to agree with Sparky, if you think Kleins dull too fast then I’m not sure what will make you happy. I can usually get years out of a pair or Klein cutters. Most guys I know buy them as the “GOOD’ ones. I recently bought a pair of Knipex, but have not had them long enough to comment.
I’ve been using Stanley pliers and Irwin vise-grips for the last 15 years or so, both of which have been good, but I can’t find the high end Stanleys, and the Irwins are one of the sets I linked to. My current set is small (size), small (few), old and rusty.
I think that a lot of people who use Kleins use them almost exclusively on soft copper and braided steel wire, and less hardened steel, tubing, etc, Klein being best known in the electrical trade (although even when I was apprentice electrician, I switched to Greenlee almost immediately). I have to cut through spring-style hose clamps fairly often, and that chews soft cutters up in a hurry.
Cr8ondt wrote:
1 minute ago, Cr8ondt said:Bite the bullet you’ll be glad you did.
You know, I notice right away the difference between those and the Channellocks that I bought; the finish is good, the teeth are straight and go all the way to the end of the jaw (the CLs have a ~3mm flat area at the end, no wonder they don’t grip!), and they are just… leaner. Less wasted metal.
They are expensive and don’t have the grips that I like; I’ll go buy NWS-sourced Irwin if that’s the route I really have to take.
How are the high end Taiwan units?
Yeah dikes aren’t really a great choice for hose clamps. That being said the Irwin nws cutters go through hose clamps/nails/screws/Romex/cable like butter. Can cut a 10 penny nail without a nick.
Stercorarius wrote:
2 minutes ago, Stercorarius said:Yeah dikes aren’t really a great choice for hose clamps. That being said the Irwin nws cutters go through hose clamps/nails/screws/Romex/cable like butter. Can cut a 10 penny nail without a nick.
I might grab the NWS cutters and the Taiwan knock-off needlenose and slip joint; I don’t abuse them nearly so badly 🙂
Which model of Kleins have you used? There are different cutters with vastly different quality and durability. I wasn’t a fan of Klein until I figured that out, now I think they’re a solid choice.
BMack37 wrote:
Just now, BMack37 said:Which model of Kleins have you used? There are different cutters with vastly different quality and durability. I wasn’t a fan of Klein until I figured that out, now I think they’re a solid choice.
That might be it, but this was 20 years ago; I have no idea which ones they were 🙂
Codejack wrote:
1 hour ago, Codejack said:
That might be it, but this was 20 years ago; I have no idea which ones they were 🙂
Ahh. I think you are really looking at expensive cutters and then you can go a little cheaper for the other pliers. Even the Klein cutters that are good are about the same cost as the Knipex, NWS made Irwins(unless you get clearance pricing). I believe KC Tool will be having sale pricing on NWS-made Felo pliers/cutters.
I have one pair of Channellock cutters and they suck compared to NWS and Knipex. If your $15 cutters don’t cut and your $30-$40 cutters do cut, it’s worth the investment.
Pliers are mostly useable regardless but the fit and finish suffer when you go into the lower pricepoints. Husky is made by Apex so those should be sort of close to Gearwrench…or just buy on Amazon, if you hate them, return them.
Ok, I went and looked at the NWS Irwins, and I’m not wild about them.
6″ straight cutters or 8″ angled… and I want 8″ straight.
Crosshatch pattern on the needlenose; I don’t know what that is supposed to be good for, but it’s not what I do.
And no slip-joint pliers, at all.
Those are the 3 that I really need, too. The regular Irwins are China, not even Taiwan.
I looked at the Husky set at home depot, and if those are the same as Gearwrench, I don’t want them, either.
Neither Lowe’s nor HD carried the good Stanley pliers (Fatmax/professional/ maxsteel), although they had Fatmax everything else.
8″ NWS made Irwin: https://www.amazon.com/VISE-GRIP-Leverage-Diagonal-Powerslot-1902413/dp/B00N3VSPF0/https://www.amazon.com/VISE-GRIP-Leverage-Diagonal-Powerslot-1902413/dp/B00N3VSPF0/
My NWS needlenose have straight-cut teeth.
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Slip-Joint, Tekton is made in the USA by Wilde and cheap. The handles are thicker than they look, thicker than Channellock: https://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-8-Inch-Joint-Pliers-37123/dp/B00KLY1F9U/
These are Tekton’s other made in USA pliers (That’s it, slip and tongue and groove, the rest are China):
https://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-90394-Tongue-Groove-3-Piece/dp/B00TJQKWYU/
I’d also consider these, they sound like a gimmick but Engineer’s screw gripping pliers are one of my most valuable tools, if there’s a head to grab, they always remove the screw. Made in Japan:
https://www.amazon.com/Engineer-PZ-56-Screw-Pliers-XP/dp/B000W9IV82/
BMack37 wrote:
6 minutes ago, BMack37 said:8″ NWS made Irwin: https://www.amazon.com/VISE-GRIP-Leverage-Diagonal-Powerslot-1902413/dp/B00N3VSPF0/https://www.amazon.com/VISE-GRIP-Leverage-Diagonal-Powerslot-1902413/dp/B00N3VSPF0/
My NWS needlenose have straight-cut teeth.
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That’s exactly what I need… but $35!
I actually found some that I really like from Toptul, but the tools are ~$15 and the shipping is $30… each.
BMack37 wrote:
3 minutes ago, BMack37 said:Slip-Joint, Tekton is made in the USA by Wilde and cheap. The handles are thicker than they look, thicker than Channellock: https://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-8-Inch-Joint-Pliers-37123/dp/B00KLY1F9U/
These are Tekton’s other made in USA pliers (That’s it, slip and tongue and groove, the rest are China):
https://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-90394-Tongue-Groove-3-Piece/dp/B00TJQKWYU/
I’d also consider these, they sound like a gimmick but Engineer’s screw gripping pliers are one of my most valuable tools, if there’s a head to grab, they always remove the screw. Made in Japan:
https://www.amazon.com/Engineer-PZ-56-Screw-Pliers-XP/dp/B000W9IV82/
You know, the Tektons were what I was looking at in the first place when the reddit tool forum guys turned me off of them and told me to go buy the Channellocks…
I think that I will try to sell the CLs, buy the Tektons for now and save up for some NWS Irwins…
Codejack wrote:
4 hours ago, Codejack said:
That’s exactly what I need… but $35!
I actually found some that I really like from Toptul, but the tools are ~$15 and the shipping is $30… each.
You know, the Tektons were what I was looking at in the first place when the reddit tool forum guys turned me off of them and told me to go buy the Channellocks…
I think that I will try to sell the CLs, buy the Tektons for now and save up for some NWS Irwins…
Shoot Dennis a message and ask him if he’s going to be importing any more pliers. He won’t special order for you but if he’s buying some already, shipping is cheaper. He’s the unofficial Toptul US distributor. https://www.ebay.com/usr/schmidtdn?_trksid=p2047675.l2559
Toptul makes good stuff. They made the really nice chrome Kobalt ratchets that were recently discontinued. Their wrenches are very well liked by the users, comparing them to Snap On and other high end manufacturers.
BMack37 wrote:
1 hour ago, BMack37 said:
Shoot Dennis a message and ask him if he’s going to be importing any more pliers. He won’t special order for you but if he’s buying some already, shipping is cheaper. He’s the unofficial Toptul US distributor. https://www.ebay.com/usr/schmidtdn?_trksid=p2047675.l2559
Toptul makes good stuff. They made the really nice chrome Kobalt ratchets that were recently discontinued. Their wrenches are very well liked by the users, comparing them to Snap On and other high end manufacturers.
Very nice!
No pliers on there right now; I’ll drop him a note. I’ve been looking for some zero-offset wrenches…
OK, Schmidt got back to me.
He says that he’s about to stop importing Toptul because no one is buying them. If anyone else is interested, he can get a box, but they come 6 or 10 in a package.
Codejack wrote:
1 hour ago, Codejack said:OK, Schmidt got back to me.
He says that he’s about to stop importing Toptul because no one is buying them. If anyone else is interested, he can get a box, but they come 6 or 10 in a package.
That sucks. The sockets and wrenches are insanely nice for the price…that being said, I haven’t ordered. I like having SAE and Metric but he rarely has the SAE stuff.
BMack37 wrote:
Just now, BMack37 said:
That sucks. The sockets and wrenches are insanely nice for the price…that being said, I haven’t ordered. I like having SAE and Metric but he rarely has the SAE stuff.
Yea, that would prevent me from using their stuff as my main tools, but I’m looking at the zero offset box end wrenches, which I really only need in metric.
I’ve been desperately searching for other sources of pliers; I was on Matco’s website… and they have rebranded Channellocks at 5 times the price.
Any experience with ATD?
https://www.toolsource.com/sets-c-194_238_787/7pc-plier-set-p-169379.html?tsqtid=
Codejack wrote:
1 hour ago, Codejack said:Any experience with ATD?
https://www.toolsource.com/sets-c-194_238_787/7pc-plier-set-p-169379.html?tsqtid=
I don’t but they look like they’re made by Apex (Husky/GW/New Craftsman). They have other pliers that look like they’re made by Kal/Pro America, those look really good.
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I’d order some on Amazon and return what you don’t like. Semantics allows for “Item not as described” for a free return. Not an awesome practice but it won’t break Amazon.
I really don’t think you’re going to find pliers up to your standards in the price range you’re looking for.
Stercorarius wrote:
6 hours ago, Stercorarius said:I really don’t think you’re going to find pliers up to your standards in the price range you’re looking for.
I found them! I just can’t get them into this country without paying through the nose for shipping. (Toptul)
Or, if I could find the stupid @$!#ing Stanley Fatmax pliers! Lowe’s has everything in the world in that line, except pliers. Amazon has them, but the reviews say they aren’t the right ones. Stanley’s own website says that there are no retailers who have them.
It’s like some kind of twisted plot….
Vampliers……
SetBuilder wrote:
On 11/12/2017 at 10:22 PM, SetBuilder said:
I have to agree with Sparky, if you think Kleins dull too fast then I’m not sure what will make you happy. I can usually get years out of a pair or Klein cutters. Most guys I know buy them as the “GOOD’ ones. I recently bought a pair of Knipex, but have not had them long enough to comment.
I agree, I also don’t find the cutting edge on knipex lineman pliers to last any longer. Quite the opposite in my experience.
BababooeyHTJ wrote:
I agree, I also don’t find the cutting edge on knipex lineman pliers to last any longer. Quite the opposite in my experience.
Which ones are you talking about?
The red handled Klein are softer and dull quickly when cutting anything harder than copper. The J series (blue handle) are hardened and keep a much better edge but are brittle and are prone to chipping.
The equivalent Knipex are virtually identical.
I prefer the hardened Knipex over my Klein’s for weight and balance, but I keep putting the Klein’s back into my pouch because they are a much better hammer…
The Knipex comfort grips are also slightly better than the J series comfort grip.
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While on the subject, I have a pair of 7″ longnose without a cutter(my preference) by Snap On. They are #96ACP. They were replaced by similar 96BCP. They are pretty beefy at the tips and of course are made with Snap On precision. Both are discontinued, though I keep watching ebay for a really clean pair at a decent price.
I want a second pair and have not found anything. The Chinese made Southwires look similar but have a cutter. Reviews of Knipex suggest that they flex. It is that ridgid longnose that I like. Most are more delicate at the tips. The 7″ length feels right and I prefer a not overly bulky insulated grip. Anybody know of an alternative? Thanks.
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Mycrossover wrote:
59 minutes ago, Mycrossover said:While on the subject, I have a pair of 7″ longnose without a cutter(my preference) by Snap On. They are #96ACP. They were replaced by similar 96BCP. They are pretty beefy at the tips and of course are made with Snap On precision. Both are discontinued, though I keep watching ebay for a really clean pair at a decent price.
I want a second pair and have not found anything. The Chinese made Southwires look similar but have a cutter. Reviews of Knipex suggest that they flex. It is that ridgid longnose that I like. Most are more delicate at the tips. The 7″ length feels right and I prefer a not overly bulky insulated grip. Anybody know of an alternative? Thanks.
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Knipex makes different pliers for different applications. They make a general needle nose without cutter but those are meant for what you’re supposed to use needle nose pliers for, holding something small or pulling something small. If you want something for what would be abuse for needle nose pliers, you want their “assembly pliers” they’re about 8″ shorter jaws with better leverage for better grip. I use mine a lot, in fact, I own two pairs. They also have a duckbill version that has a wider tip.
https://www.amazon.com/Knipex-28-21-200-half-round/dp/B003EA05NA
I didn’t like anything I saw, new. Even the current Snap On is quite a bit different. I just bought a pair of SnapOn 96BCP pliers on ebay. They look mint in the pictures. They are on the way. I have my fingers crossed. I will report back when they arrive.
BMack37 wrote:
Knipex makes different pliers for different applications. They make a general needle nose without cutter but those are meant for what you’re supposed to use needle nose pliers for, holding something small or pulling something small. If you want something for what would be abuse for needle nose pliers, you want their “assembly pliers” they’re about 8″ shorter jaws with better leverage for better grip. I use mine a lot, in fact, I own two pairs. They also have a duckbill version that has a wider tip.
https://www.amazon.com/Knipex-28-21-200-half-round/dp/B003EA05NA
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Mycrossover wrote:
12 hours ago, Mycrossover said:I didn’t like anything I saw, new. Even the current Snap On is quite a bit different. I just bought a pair of SnapOn 96BCP pliers on ebay. They look mint in the pictures. They are on the way. I have my fingers crossed. I will report back when they arrive.
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Yeah, there’s really not something the same that I know of… I do really like the assembly pliers from Knipex and I think you would also but if you can get what you know you want there’s no sense trying something else that might not fit into your usage.
It’s out for delivery. He sent it Fed Ex. How about that. I’ll know shortly if it is as nice as the pictures.BMack37 wrote:
Yeah, there’s really not something the same that I know of… I do really like the assembly pliers from Knipex and I think you would also but if you can get what you know you want there’s no sense trying something else that might not fit into your usage.
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Just arrived. They look brand new BUT the pivot is very stiff. I have the previous model and the handles on that one are maybe a 1/ 4″ longer. They switched from a smooth to a textured grip and the design of the pivot area has changed. Maybe these were up for sale because they are a bit stiff. I shot the pivot full of Superlube and it helped a little. I like my old ones better but I really can’t say I was screwed.Any suggestions on loosening them up? I exercised them quite a bit and there was some initial improvement but they will not fall open like my old ones[External image (uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com), not copied][External image (uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com), not copied]
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I tried PB Blaster into the pivot and when I worked them a little black stuff came out with the lube. Not too bad but a long way from falling open like my old ones, which do not have any slop in spite of being so free.
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