Slip Joint and Groove Joint Pliers...

[MagnumForce]

Am I the only one that really doesn't use the things and honestly has no idea what to use them for besides cotter pins or to hold stuff I just welded so I don't burn the hell out of myself.

So tell me guys, what do you use them for?

 

[mike91lx]

Your not alone, I have a ton of them and rarely use them

 

[JBradley500]

I think you summed it up for me.

1)cotter pins
2)holding stuff

 

[MagnumForce]

Needle nose, dikes, linesmen, and vice grips I all use, but I can't think of a time where I have ever grabbed a pair of slip joints especially.

 

[d.mcfarland]

I think the need for them was there at one point, but anymore they are outdated technology and have limited uses. I also think that the other guys like them because they were popular. The younger guys likely don't.

Groove joint are nice once in a blue moon but only because of 1) opening size and 2) angle of the plier's teeth.

 

[wyo george]

As mentioned already I primarily use them for holding stuff and pulling cotters. I will occasionally use them on an old worn out fastener that is just barely too tight to turn by hand and not really sized right for a proper tool. (I.E. old rusty/worn/cut square head nuts or the likes)

I also use them for bending fence wire when installing chain link fence which isn't often at all.

 

[shampoop]

Slip joints are good for pulling on things, and by groove do you mean tongue and groove? those are for twisting objects like fittings.

 

[Cato]

to hold stuff

I often have to hold stuff; so I find them quite useful.

 

[Buster21]

About the only time I grab mine is for plumbing work, turning the large nut on p traps and such.

 

[ganymede]

Grandpa (greatest generation era) had a lot of them, so I do too.

 

[2oolhound]

The short ones, No but 10" and up give you excellent grip with good leverage that pliers can't match. For the big ones they adjust to large nuts and bolts fast, not an endless amount of turning on adjustment screws like pipe wrenches or other adjustables. I only have about 4 but I'm glad I have them.

 

[dragonballz]

Are these AKA channellocks and water pump pliers?

I use them for darn near everything, including as a hammer. I've done car alignments with them too

 

[Techie1961]

Slip joint? Never use em. Groove joint (aka channellocks), use them every day. I service the dry cleaning industry so there are lots of things that I use them on. A couple of guys in the same industry keep a pair in the pants, pockets and use them on everything. Drives me nuts (get it) when they use them on nuts and bolts and round them off. They are great for pipe fittings, removing the impeller on some pumps, pushing Cir clips on, etc.

 

[ganymede]

Just to clarify..
Top: Slip joint pliers .
Middle: Water pump pliers.
Bottom: Channellock (groove joint) pliers.

 

[NorthSea92]

I use 16 inch Channellocks for pushing the piston back in on brake calipers, changing diesel filters, the ones with the paper element in a plastic housing.

I use my Knipex Cobra more often than Visegrips now for anything rounded off, great on rounded brake pipe nuts.

 

[Advan]

Once in a while I find a twist off beer cap that just won't budge. The slip-joints make quick work of that!

 

[Mohawk Dave]

Snap On High Leverage slip joints I use...

Groove Joint, aka Channellocks, hardly ever except to heat things and not get burned like OP said. However, I took a bunch of my Channellocks and ground the jaws smooth, because I mainly work on finished products, so big nasty teeth marks is no bueno.

But since I moved onto Knipex Pliers Wrench, that's mainly what is used. They are the bee's knees.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Sounds like the OP has never worked professionally in a trade. That type of plier, be it a slip joint (several different brands including Kinpex Alligator) or tongue and groove such as Channel Lock, Diamond, Western Forge, etc, or something like the Kinpex Cobra plier, all have their uses.

I find the regular old channel lock style works wonderful for things such as bending the cotter pins on the front spindles of my vehicles. Hundreds of other good uses.

Charles

 

[Farmall450]

Slip joints are good for pulling on things, and by groove do you mean tongue and groove? those are for twisting objects like fittings.

Exactly, apparently none of you deal with old threaded fittings like log splitters, trash pumps, etc etc?

 

[MagnumForce]

Sounds like the OP has never worked professionally in a trade. That type of plier, be it a slip joint (several different brands including Kinpex Alligator) or tongue and groove such as Channel Lock, Diamond, Western Forge, etc, or something like the Kinpex Cobra plier, all have their uses.

I find the regular old channel lock style works wonderful for things such as bending the cotter pins on the front spindles of my vehicles. Hundreds of other good uses.

Charles

I am an industrial maintenance man, I do everything from be a pipe fitter to program plcs to fab all manner of things. My job I'd incredibly eclectic and I still don't use them. There always seems to be a better tool for the job.

I had already talked about cotter pins in the op.

 

[sonvolt]

Just to clarify..
Top: Slip joint pliers .
Middle: Water pump pliers.
Bottom: Channellock (groove joint) pliers.

I use each of these everyday !

 

[MagnumForce]

For what? That is what I asked in the OP. Was the reason for the whole thread. LOL

 

[metaldad]

slip joints............. never
groove joint........... channeys, always

 

[ganymede]

I use each of these everyday !

Nice.

 

[ganymede]

For what? That is what I asked in the OP. Was the reason for the whole thread. LOL

Bending wire.
Pulling shims.
Pulling old stripped screws, nails, staples out of rotted wood.
Pulling cold rolled pins the last bit out instead of hitting them one more time with a punch and having them shoot across the floor.

 

[southalabama]

The best pair of channelocks I own (the model number escapes me) doesn't have teeth on the jaws. They are smooth. I got tired of boogering up plumbing fittings and bought them.

 

[dragonballz]

Just to clarify..

Top: Slip joint pliers .

Middle: Water pump pliers.

Bottom: Channellock (groove joint) pliers.

Ohhhh thanks. Yeah, slip joints are almost useless to me.

What's the differnece between the WP pliers and the channel locks?

 

[Pumpman1968]

Along with a Klein 5 in 1, Craftsman 8" adjustable and Channellock wire stripper, I carry a pair of Craftsman water pump pliers that I've had for 25 plus years. 1st thing I do after punching the clock is make my rounds.............and these are with me in my back pocket.

Broken valve handles, packing/slip nuts, hose connections, bx connectors/lock nuts, bent tabs on light covers, egg shaped pipe *******, killing spiders, hold everything that hits the wire wheel on the bench grinder.......the list goes on and on........

 

[burke753]

I have a pair of Snap On Slip joints with some knarly teeth on them that I use for pulling the combustion seal washer off of injectors, and I use my Groove joint pliers for bending, pressing, twisting. And my Knipex I use in place of line wrenches. Because the stuff I work on even line wrenches round off the fittings most of the time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[slip knot]

Lets see. the old slip joints get used for pulling cotter pins. Twisting tie wire. cutting baling wire from hay bales. opening radiator drain valves. Opening water faucets that I've pulled the handles off. I used them today to pull the schrader valves out of a set of tractor tires, to get some sealer in them. If you cant figure out what to use slip joints for you just aint trying!!!

 

[BK13]

Once in a while I find a twist off beer cap that just won't budge. The slip-joints make quick work of that!

Well, dang, that's a notable use. I better go buy another dozen!

 

[Fcvapor05]

I use my trusty snappy slip joint pliers for all sorts of stuff, especially any task involving cutting/bending/twisting wire.

 

[redwrench60]

Squeezing lock tabs on shift and throttle cables.
Installing shift linkage bushings.
Squeezing hose clamps.
Tightening compression fittings.
Grabbing broken bulbs by the filimant.
Turning all manner of pipe and fittings.
Ripping valve stems out of wheels I'm mounting new tires on.
Changing the filter on the water fountain.
Overhauling any toilet.
Bending things.
Straightening things.
Opening beers.
Turning stripped screws.
On and on and on and......

Holy ****, I'm actually explaining what to use pliers on. I keep a pair in the door panel of my truck!

It's hard to imagine a basic plier set not having:
A pair of slip joints.
A pair Channellocks.
A pair of needlenose.
A pair of dikes.
A pair of Linemans.

 

[MagnumForce]

As I said, I use needle nose, dykes and linesmen pliers daily but never slip and groove ones. I have a whole drawer of pliers and my slip joint and groove joints just sit there. Carry a set of channel lock grip locks all the time but never really use them for anything other than holding hot **** or pulling pins, I use them to bend s hooks over sometimes when I don't have my linesman near me and I have used them putting an odd bit of 3/8 pipe together a time or two but only because I didn't have the proper tool with me at the time. I carry an 8 inch crescent with me as well and that gets used constantly at work.

Was just curious if I was missing out. Looks like as long as I have the proper tool, no.

 

[redwrench60]

It really depends on the work you're doing. You probably use tools as an Indrustrial Maintainence Mechanic on a daily basis that I only break out a few times a year as an Auto Mechanic.

Hell, I keep a set of Channellocks in the cup holder of my lawn mower.

 

[monomach]

Slip joint are pretty much just for cotter pins. I use needlenose or linesmans pliers for most of the things they would normally get used for. I bet they're really great for people who have very minimalist tool sets, though.

Tongue-and-groove...I don't use the traditional ones any more. I do use Cobras for a lot of stuff. I haven't touched my Channellocks in so long that I'm pretty sure the design is finally just plain obsolete. Knipex killed 'em.

 

[1950mercury]

As I said, I use needle nose, dykes and linesmen pliers daily but never slip and groove ones. I have a whole drawer of pliers and my slip joint and groove joints just sit there. Carry a set of channel lock grip locks all the time but never really use them for anything other than holding hot **** or pulling pins, I use them to bend s hooks over sometimes when I don't have my linesman near me and I have used them putting an odd bit of 3/8 pipe together a time or two but only because I didn't have the proper tool with me at the time. I carry an 8 inch crescent with me as well and that gets used constantly at work.

Was just curious if I was missing out. Looks like as long as I have the proper tool, no.

Part of the problem is that you have kobalt brand...get some channel lock or knipex brand. Im a commercial hvac tech and i carry channel lock 440's in my bag..not the best at anything but when you can only carry so many tools u can do alot with them

 

[davethorik]

I was never a huge fan of slip joints, until I got these Channellock #5410 last Christmas as a gift. They became my go-to "around the house" plier. I think because of their larger 10" size, they are useful. They also have a wire cutter.

I also have a set of these Diamond Tool K310 (also 10") I picked up cheap with other tools. They are in pristine shape, looks like never used. I find a lot of Diamond tools that way, though. I wish these had grips, even if they did I would still like the Channellock better, but these are nice.

 

[Cato]

Today I used them to pull staples out of some lumber I bought at Home Depot. I used my beater Duralast ones since I save my Channel Lock and Craftsman pliers for work more suitable to their fancier status.

 

[MagnumForce]

Part of the problem is that you have kobalt brand...get some channel lock or knipex brand. Im a commercial hvac tech and i carry channel lock 440's in my bag..not the best at anything but when you can only carry so many tools u can do alot with them

I have Channel Lock Grip Locks I carry with me. Honestly I have never used my Kobalt Slip Joints or Groove Joints. They are nicer than you'd think though, well all my other Kobalt pliers that I do use are.