They give me the fizz every time I use one... Knipex Pliers Wrenches! (1 Viewer)

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Late reply.

I order tools for an electrical shop. After the countless Klein screwdrivers that had to be tossed because of nicked insulation I decided to try some different brands. Been using Wiha and Felo for screwdrivers and nut drivers and all types of pliers are now Knipex. Haven't had a nick in insulation nor a sidecutter snap yet.

Klein isn't what they used to be.
 
Klein isn't what they used to be.
I'm going to disagree here, the core group of Klein tools is still superior to most other brands in my opinion.

I will agree that the insulation on the Klein screwdrivers needs improvement, 100% agree with that. Although the "right tool for the right job" mantra applies here.

Klein has shifted some of the modular component tools overseas and it shows.

On the other hand, the core group of electrical tools that they built their reputation on are still top tier tools. I have personally been involved with a couple of arc flash incidents that resulted in some seriously damaged tools, one of them was a simple cutting of a live #4awg conductor with a Chinese made set of linesman pliers. The result of that was a slag pile of molten junk, on the other side of that comparison, I personally cut into a 3 phase 480v set of #8awg conductors that I thought was dead, aside from owning a great set of #8 strippers now, the pliers themselves held up fine, the later was on a FedPac breaker.

I have sets of Wiha nutdrivers, screwdrivers, and various pliers, I LOVE the screwdrivers, but the pliers just don't feel right in my hands. Maybe they're made for women, dunno. It also feels like they just don't have the leverage as Kleins, and it seems like they ergonomics are a tad different. Just my personal experience and opinion.

The knipex cobra heads are the only pliers I order for guys now, nobody wants anything else, they may be a perfect design.


I work daily with all of these tools doing a variety of technical work, from installation to troubleshooting of some non standard scientific equipment, to your everyday lighting work. After using many different brands I still reach for the real deal Klein Tools.


It also looks like the Klein stuff that fails QA find itself branded as Southwire and sold at your local big box store for a lot less than Klein. I've yet to confirm this as the gospel though.
 
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just saw that some company (Klein maybe, I don't recall) put out a clone of the Pliers Wrench but with a flippable serrated moving jaw so it can serve as more of pipe pliers unlike the original. I imagine the patents on the Pliers Wrench must have just expired.


added: yup, here it is. Klein. Ugly looking affair, though. So you can flip the moving jaw "upside down" to use the serrated side. Don't know how effective that is. Surely no Cobra, but more versatile altogether than the Knipex Pliers Wrench then, if it works well.


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but TBH I don't think I'd buy that. It does look like it'd be a bit half-assed in the serrated jaw tool role. Plus it offends my esthetics sensibilities :) . I'd rather have both the original Pliers Wrench and a Cobra.
 
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where is the best place to purchase Knipex tools, besides Amazon?

Of course, HF has copies

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IIRC, I bought all of mine from Amazon because those were the cheapest I found at the time.
I would not buy that HF one. The price is too close to the real thing (from memory), and it's likely all about the steel quality and machining tolerances. The former is hard to tell. If it were $10, I'd say sure, let's try it and see, but not at $40. I prefer to bask in the satisfaction of owning a proven high quality tool, even if I pay $10 or $20 more. TBH, it's best that my wife does not know the extent of my feelings towards my Pliers Wrench... :)
 
IIRC, I bought all of mine from Amazon because those were the cheapest I found at the time.
I would not buy that HF one. The price is too close to the real thing (from memory), and it's likely all about the steel quality and machining tolerances. The former is hard to tell. If it were $10, I'd say sure, let's try it and see, but not at $40. I prefer to bask in the satisfaction of owning a proven high quality tool, even if I pay $10 or $20 more. TBH, it's best that my wife does not know the extent of my feelings towards my Pliers Wrench... :)
^^^ this
 
Fully agreed, just wish I can give my money to someone other than Bezzos.
 
I have bought from KC Tool and Bowers Tool ( both through their ebay store). Also through Amazon since the 5% back and free shipping is nice.
 
I saw not too long ago that Acme Tools is carrying Knipex and their prices seemed -from memory, not sure- to be roughly similar to Amazon. Maybe check them? I had good luck with them before with Makita tools, they were beating other prices.
 

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