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Vintage Test Gear and Workshop Equipment For discussions about vintage test gear and workshop equipment such as coil winders. |
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Thread Tools |
19th Sep 2020, 9:02 am | #1 |
Nonode
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Resolfen, Wales; and Bristol, England
Posts: 2,588
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What are the best pliers?
I need a new pair of general purpose pliers, about 5" or 6" snipe-nose. I usually buy Lindström but I wondered if there is another brand that is of similar quality but maybe priced at less than £75?
Any advice gratefully received.
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Richard Index: recursive loop: see recursive loop |
19th Sep 2020, 10:44 am | #2 |
Octode
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Dundee, UK.
Posts: 1,797
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Re: What are the best pliers?
You might like to try Knipex https://www.knipex.com/en/homepage-2020/.
Pliers from their Insulated Tools, ranges 25, 26 and 30 might suit your needs if it's what in Post Office speak is known as '81s' (pliers, long nose). The quality is good and the price is reasonable. If you like tools, their website is worth a visit just for its own sake. PMM |
19th Sep 2020, 11:40 am | #3 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Oxfordshire
Posts: 719
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Re: What are the best pliers?
Search Amazon for 'Engineer pliers', they are quality precision tools made in Japan for electronic work and not that expensive.
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19th Sep 2020, 12:02 pm | #4 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK.
Posts: 11,482
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Re: What are the best pliers?
Oh Dear, the likelihood of my losing any hand tool rises exponentially with the price I paid for it. I couldn't consider paying more than about £15 for anything like that.
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19th Sep 2020, 12:25 pm | #5 |
Hexode
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Sells Green, Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 313
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Re: What are the best pliers?
Another happy user of the Engineer brand, I have a decent collection of their tools, very well made indeed.
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19th Sep 2020, 1:31 pm | #6 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Colchester, Essex, UK.
Posts: 4,081
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Re: What are the best pliers?
I can't properly answer the original question as mine were either gifts, or cheapies, but:
As most of us probably have a set of portable tools that are less theft-prone than our 'best' set, i am quite impressed with my Magnusson obstruction pliers. (They also do snipe-nose pliers.) I believe Magnusson to be one of the many disguised B&Q/Screwfix brand 'exotic sounding smokescreen' brands, but for an uber-cheapie- not bad. Dave |
19th Sep 2020, 1:45 pm | #7 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: North Somerset, UK.
Posts: 2,129
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Re: What are the best pliers?
There is IMHO a lot to be said for Lindstrom, secondhand if in good condition. Keep an eye on ebay and local charity shops.
I have several Lindstrom tools all secondhand, and mainly from charity shops. For heavier work or rough work, not requiring a snipe nose, government surplus "pliers, linesman's and general purpose" are reasonable, and cheap enough that loss or damage is of less concern. I have several of these purchased from various surplus dealers. |
25th Sep 2020, 8:12 pm | #8 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 3,301
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Re: What are the best pliers?
Another vote for Knipex. I have a pair of “81’s and various sizes of side cutters. Had them since 1996 and still as good as new, and a pleasure to use.
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25th Sep 2020, 8:23 pm | #9 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Southport Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 3,221
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Re: What are the best pliers?
And another for Knipex. I have several pliers of various types and have recently bought a pair of electricians scissors which are proving to be very effective.
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Paul |
25th Sep 2020, 9:55 pm | #10 |
Nonode
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 2,181
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Re: What are the best pliers?
For a lower price option of small cutters/long nosed pliers and loop forming pliers I find those on sale at Hobbycraft
https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/pink-bl...ck/630699-1000 @ £7 a good buy. For those ex PO/BT, the cutters and long nose are similar in size to the mini cutters and what we referred to as "41"'s , but the Hobbycraft ones have a cutting blade. |
26th Sep 2020, 4:31 am | #11 |
Nonode
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Resolfen, Wales; and Bristol, England
Posts: 2,588
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Re: What are the best pliers?
I have bought a pair of Engineer brand PR-16 Long Nose pliers, not expensive but there’s a detail that I don’t like. They have a wire cutter and the usual circular relief close to the joint but in manufacture the grinding for the flat jaw face has extended into the wire cutter and has removed a small part of the cutter.
I know Knipex - I have a pair of their slip joint grips which are very good so I might return the Engineer tool and buy Knipex.
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Richard Index: recursive loop: see recursive loop |
11th Oct 2020, 8:48 am | #12 |
Nonode
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Resolfen, Wales; and Bristol, England
Posts: 2,588
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Re: What are the best pliers?
As a final word on this thread, I have now bought some Knipex pliers and relegated the Engineer ones to the garage. The Knipex are so much better, not as good as Lindström but half the price....
Here's some photos:
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Richard Index: recursive loop: see recursive loop |
11th Oct 2020, 9:12 am | #13 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,809
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Re: What are the best pliers?
I've never found smaller pliers to be subject to much in the way of quality issues and have just bought the kind of thing you see in Wilkos etc.
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11th Oct 2020, 11:52 am | #14 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Southport Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 3,221
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Re: What are the best pliers?
A friend of my son's is an electrician for Network Rail. He recommends Knipex and I have been slowly building up a collection of them. They do seem to be good quality, especially the small cutters
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Paul |
11th Oct 2020, 11:59 am | #15 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Spalding, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 2,851
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Re: What are the best pliers?
BT used a lot of Knipex, in the 90s, probably still do?
Rob
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11th Oct 2020, 12:02 pm | #16 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Southport Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 3,221
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Re: What are the best pliers?
Probably the same ones!
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Paul |
11th Oct 2020, 3:42 pm | #17 | |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 3,301
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Re: What are the best pliers?
Quote:
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"Nothing is as dangerous as being too modern;one is apt to grow old fashioned quite suddenly." |
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12th Oct 2020, 12:29 am | #18 |
Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,800
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Re: What are the best pliers?
For many years at work I had a pair of small long nosed pliers by 'Klein Tools' came out of the tool stores at HP and had an HP corporate part number, so might have been American, but the name suggests Germany... 'Little Tools'
I can't say whether or not they were the best, but they were very good and they lasted. As good as Lindstrom... possibly, but small hand tools are very personal choices. There may be a best one for each individual user, but they will likely be different. David
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12th Oct 2020, 9:23 am | #19 | |
Heptode
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, UK.
Posts: 647
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Re: What are the best pliers?
Quote:
Hugh |
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12th Oct 2020, 9:48 am | #20 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 17,820
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Re: What are the best pliers?
I got a nice pair of Knipex cutters in the charity shop for 50p recently. Rusty and seized, but good as new after 10 minutes with some oil and wire wool. They have a lovely, precise action.
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