School me on Knipex pliers/wrenches

[metalmagpie]

I've had my eye on a pair of 10" Knipex plier/wrench. I see some of them are finished in black and some in chrome and the latter costs about double the former.

Why is the chrome version priced so much higher? What does having pliers finished in chrome do for the owner?

Why are Knipex pliers of this type so desirable? (Or are they?)

metalmagpie

 

[JradM]

Knipex finish: chrome plated versus black atramentized?

They're both tough finishes. One looks black, the other chrome. It's mostly a visual thing.

That said, chrome is probably tougher, if you want to split hairs, and a little more rust-resistant (if you're not going to oil the black ones). You can occasionally crack chrome and have it flake off, but that's rare. You probably own sockets - is the chrome peeling?

Knipex used to have a nickel finish. I think that's gone now. I have a couple pliers with that. Nickel is like chrome, but not quite as tough. It's a little warmer-looking.

 

[Sal Bandini]

Where do you see double the price? They are both about the same on Amazon at $63.

 

[FigN⋅m]

I believe the grip material is different as well.

 

[Qualitytools]

I purchased my first plier wrench almost 20 years ago when I saw it featured in Popular Mechanics and it had won an award for design so, I decided to purchase it and try it out. It was the 12” size and I loved using it. Since than I added a 10”. They have served me well over the years, no regret.

Here is a link that may help you with your decision:

New 10″ Knipex Pliers Wrench is Lighter and Opens Wider

toolguyd.com

 

[mikey03]

Pliers wrenches are real great. Use them instead of adjustable wrenches if you don’t got an actual wrench of the right size or if it’s a bad size. Honestly I mostly use them to bend stuff like this weekend I was adjusting a hanging closet hardware channel and I used pliers wrench to grab and bend the metal a little.

just saw on a gun forum today people using them to squeeze pins into AR triggers instead of using a punch.

good for a pocket kit where your too lazy to get the right nut driver or wrench for indoor house stuff that isn’t rusted.

they honestly don’t replace adjustable wrenches because the angle is different.

 

[Sweetcorn]

I'm the rare dissenting opinion on those. I bought a few pairs across the size range and tried to get myself to like them, but I just don't.
They're alright on some occasions, but I almost always feel there's a better tool.
I understand why people like them and I'm not here to bash, but I wouldn't be surprised if I went a couple years without reaching for them.

 

[IndyGarage]

I'm the rare dissenting opinion on those. I bought a few pairs across the size range and tried to get myself to like them, but I just don't.
They're alright on some occasions, but I almost always feel there's a better tool.
I understand why people like them and I'm not here to bash, but I wouldn't be surprised if I went a couple years without reaching for them.

I'm the same. I have a couple pairs of them. I would much rather use an adjustable wrench. I do not feel like they are a good alternative.

Where I do find them extremely useful is to bend or straighten thin metal. They are like a mini bench vise, in that they grab pretty hard with parallel jaws. In bodywork, when fastener tabs get bent, you can bend them back with precision. I've made 90 degree bend in a long piece of sheetmetal just by following a line from one end to the other with the tip - bend a little bit at a time down the seam.

 

[Skyman]

I have used them less than I thought I would, but they can be quite useful. They have worked great for pressing in roll pins. IMHO, where they really shine are applications where the smooth, parallel jaws are desirable. For example, I like them for work on chromed fasteners, etc.

 

[DAWrench]

I keep a 10" pair in my toolbox on tractor. I like that they open big enough for big top link bolts but they are more compact than a big adjustable wrench and not awkward on smaller bolts. The Harbor Freight Icon version when on sale is a good deal

 

[jack stand]

I'm in agreement with the 4 previous posts. I bought the HF version and it's a nice tool but I also find it not replacing a $8 adjustable wrench.
I think it's more of a "what you've used forever" thing and switching tools that are probably equivalent but it's adjustment is a little quirky for parallel jaws that's my issue.
To me an adjustment wrench is closer to a wrench, and these plier wrenches are closer to a channel lock plier.

 

[Kscardsfan]

Just buy them you won't be let down by them. I have given my dad and brother both a set as gifts and they're fans. I don't use mine in automotive work much, but I love them around the house and on plumbing projects. I probably could use them more on automotive repair but I typically reach for a combo or socket before all else.

 

[Kscardsfan]

I'm the same. I have a couple pairs of them. I would much rather use an adjustable wrench. I do not feel like they are a good alternative.

Where I do find them extremely useful is to bend or straighten thin metal. They are like a mini bench vise, in that they grab pretty hard with parallel jaws. In bodywork, when fastener tabs get bent, you can bend them back with precision. I've made 90 degree bend in a long piece of sheetmetal just by following a line from one end to the other with the tip - bend a little bit at a time down the seam.

I'm the opposite here, I have had so many traumatic experiences with Crescent wrenches I will hardly touch one now. I'm sure most of that is the fact I've almost always been out in the field, working on something that was rusted beyond repair, and did not have any better options at hand that has fueled my memories of bad times with adjustable wrenches.

 

[Steve_P]

Plier wrench is the ideal tool for home plumbing- the 7" ones are the perfect size for this; because of the design, you force the jaws onto the flat of the nut and there is zero slop- nothing else does this; it doesn't mar the nut at all. I'm old enough to have probably 20 adjustable wrenches and almost never use them anymore. Yeah, you're better off with a "one size fits all" 12" adjustable in the toolbox on your tractor for those rusty implement fasteners, but the PW rules otherwise IMO.

 

[JradM]

Maybe part of the issue for those who don't like the pliers wrench is that you're conceiving of them as an alternative to an adjustable wrench. They can do that, but that's only half the utility of the tool - and sometimes they're disadvantageous in that application.

They've got a myriad of other uses. You might, for example, use them on a rusty fastener to crush it slightly and break the rust bond before unscrewing. As mentioned above, they're great for precision bending. They can also straighten things - maybe a wrinkle in sheet metal, a bent pin - I recall recently straightening a key that was twisted in a stuck lock. Maybe you need to flatten something, just a pinch, to get it to fit somewhere. I've used mine to hold something small while I work on a bench grinder or wire wheel. They aren't crimpers, but occasionally you might use them to fix a terminal that's been crushed wrong or to work on a size you don't have.

I suppose you could summarize that as: they're also pliers, not just a wrench. When used that way they let you achieve higher clamping forces than you can achieve with regular pliers, albeit by sacrificing travel.

 

[Nobody-named-Olli]

The chrome ones offer higher and more durable rust protection in the long run. This is especially interesting for the “install shiny, or even more importantly matte-finish, new things” side of plumbing. Get the soft jaws in that case as well, especially when dealing with matte-finish faucets and stuff like that. Soft jaws can be had for the Cobra pliers as well: https://www.knipex-tools.com/products/specialty-pliers-and-accessories/protective-jaws I’d say chrome & soft jaws is the way to go for a part of the automotive side of things as well. Think show cars, AN fittings (where you otherwise would use aluminum wrenches) …

If you deal with the rough side of plumbing, automotive, machinery … the black atramentized finish is simply more durable/ less likely to be damaged one way or another and you still can keep rust at bay with a light oil coat.

Personally, I have chrome for new installs/clean work, black atramentized for dirty work. I try not to mix this, as you don’t want a piece of rust from an old fastener/bolt or fitting scratching the matte-platinum finish on a new $$$$ faucet because you overlooked it. (And yes the number of $’s was chosen intentionally.)

That’s my way of handling/choosing chrome vs. atramentized.

Kind regards,
Olli

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

The Knipex Plier Wrenches are great tools. I have the 250mm and down sizes. Definitely go with the chrome finish. They are easy to clean and they don't rust.

 

[oldpliers1]

I like them as they are fit or purpose mostly cable glands and finished surfaces but they don’t replace a large adjustable wrench ( shifter to me ) . I like knipex , I have a full set of there stuff and it’s always been quality

 

[moemc]

For what I do, non-marring is very important. The ability to clamp down the pliers wrench gives me an advantage in non-marring over an adjustable wrench. Adjustable wrench has very minimal clamping (can only push that wheel so hard with my thumb) and it usually has quite a bit of deflection and struggles to keep the jaws parallel under load. Continuing on my non-marring priority; when space isn't an issue, the pliers wrench often even replaces a size-on open end wrench. Of course, when its an option, I will go for a 6 sided tool above either.

 

[HannibalLecter]

I'd say black antramantized or whatever it's called vs chrome is mostly appearance, however the comfort grips are imo worth it

 

[richfinn]

Chrome is probably better for "wet work" like plumbing and outdoors related work

I've got the regular black version