Finky198
Well-known member
I have both knipex 8",10" as well I use the 8" for most cutting related duties and the 10" are great for pulling cotter pins, cutting heavy wire, nails etc...
Sidecutter "Dykes" purchase suggestions ?
- Thread starter Marctrees
- Start date
ssdave
Banned
I like Knipex, as I do Kleins. Both will do well in general service. Buy the blue handle, hard wire Kleins for best serviceability. They cost a few dollars more, but are well worth it.
I do some cutting of hardened wire that ruins even blue handle Kleins quickly. Same with every other kind I have tried except Snap-on. I paid the $55 or so for Snap-on because my driver assured me he would buy them back if they didn't work, and would warranty them if they wore out. He let me try a pair on the wire I use before I bought them, and they worked flawlessly, so I tried them. I have been using that pair for 3 years now, and haven't worn them noticeably. They have worn better than any others I have ever used.
I do some cutting of hardened wire that ruins even blue handle Kleins quickly. Same with every other kind I have tried except Snap-on. I paid the $55 or so for Snap-on because my driver assured me he would buy them back if they didn't work, and would warranty them if they wore out. He let me try a pair on the wire I use before I bought them, and they worked flawlessly, so I tried them. I have been using that pair for 3 years now, and haven't worn them noticeably. They have worn better than any others I have ever used.
kctyphoon
Banned
Here, cause I know some people don't understand. I don't have the 8" Knipex with me, but they would be comparable to the Kleins. So this is the standard high leverage Klein diagonals, the newer Channellock E338 (Extreme Leverage, as opposed to the old model 338 high leverage, these have longer handles, smaller rivet, and the rivet is placed closer to the throat of the cutter for more leverage), and the Irwin/NWS Fantastico cutters. This picture demonstrates how increasing your leverage leads to a smaller MAX jaw opening vs how wide you need to open the handles.
Many people either don't realize, or forget that NWS makes regular high leverage cutters too, but we just don't see them out here. The Fantastico model is more of a "speciality" or "purpose made" cutter.. they won't excel at general use for most people's need. The jaw opening is small, and the handles need to be fully open to even achieve that much. Your hands do ALOT more moving, and most people will not be able to even open the handles that wide without readjusting the pliers in your hand..
This is why I say go with the Knipex, or even the Klein for that matter.. I've beat on my Knipex cutters all the time and they have no signs of wear. They are some of the hardest cutting jaws you can purchase. They are the perfect "only own one pair" diagonals. Look at how MASSIVE the bottom of the jaws open on the Klein compared to the Fantastico cutters. The Channellock is in between..
I had the older channellock 338's too.. ruined them in 2 hours at work the first time I used them. The takeaway from this is as follows, unless you're cutting something small enough to fit ALL THE WAY into the back of the jaws of the NWS, you'll have no real benefit. The further away you are from the back, the more leverage you loose.. if you're loosing leverage, then all you accomplish is making your hands work more, and many times it'll take two cuts with the NWS, that the Knipex or Klein will do in one.. also consider this, comfortably, the handles of any of these will be open about half way or so, so translate that into half the jaw opening shown here.. that really starts to put things into prospective.
I own almost every major pair of diagonals (except the snap ons) cause I got tired of these threads with people swearing up and down which is better then what, but yet they only own one pair.. so I bought most of them to try for myself..
Here, Crescent pivot pro's (same as gearwrench) and the ****** horrible complete waste of money Dewalts added.. that's enough to get the point across.. and yes, both tips of the Dewalts are broken off.. I had the crescent compound cutters too, but gave them to the A/C repair guy if he let me throw his Dewalts in the garbage.
Many people either don't realize, or forget that NWS makes regular high leverage cutters too, but we just don't see them out here. The Fantastico model is more of a "speciality" or "purpose made" cutter.. they won't excel at general use for most people's need. The jaw opening is small, and the handles need to be fully open to even achieve that much. Your hands do ALOT more moving, and most people will not be able to even open the handles that wide without readjusting the pliers in your hand..
This is why I say go with the Knipex, or even the Klein for that matter.. I've beat on my Knipex cutters all the time and they have no signs of wear. They are some of the hardest cutting jaws you can purchase. They are the perfect "only own one pair" diagonals. Look at how MASSIVE the bottom of the jaws open on the Klein compared to the Fantastico cutters. The Channellock is in between..
I had the older channellock 338's too.. ruined them in 2 hours at work the first time I used them. The takeaway from this is as follows, unless you're cutting something small enough to fit ALL THE WAY into the back of the jaws of the NWS, you'll have no real benefit. The further away you are from the back, the more leverage you loose.. if you're loosing leverage, then all you accomplish is making your hands work more, and many times it'll take two cuts with the NWS, that the Knipex or Klein will do in one.. also consider this, comfortably, the handles of any of these will be open about half way or so, so translate that into half the jaw opening shown here.. that really starts to put things into prospective.
I own almost every major pair of diagonals (except the snap ons) cause I got tired of these threads with people swearing up and down which is better then what, but yet they only own one pair.. so I bought most of them to try for myself..
Here, Crescent pivot pro's (same as gearwrench) and the ****** horrible complete waste of money Dewalts added.. that's enough to get the point across.. and yes, both tips of the Dewalts are broken off.. I had the crescent compound cutters too, but gave them to the A/C repair guy if he let me throw his Dewalts in the garbage.
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Kc has got it down.
KC - check out this thread below to see if you can help.... Marc
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=6655248#post6655248
KC - check out this thread below to see if you can help.... Marc
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=6655248#post6655248
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Cope
Well-known member
What's the part number on your Snap-on?
openwheelracing88
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2015
- Messages
- 266
Knipex. Done.
kctyphoon
Banned
If you can wait and watch, Sears runs sales on the 8" Knipex at times that make the price a lot more acceptable. If you're not needing to cut real hard material, buy the channellock for less money and move on.. the 7" channellock are still the old design, 337, high leverage with the bigger jaw opening.. $15 probably..
$29 for the 8" Knipex, I THINK they've gone on sale for $19 or $22 in the past
http://www.sears.com/knipex-8-in-pl...lerId=Sears&prdNo=14&blockNo=14&blockType=G14
338 channellock - $15 ( knowing Sears they might even be the E338 and they're too stupid to change the picture and listing)
http://www.sears.com/channellock-8-...SellerId=Sears&prdNo=8&blockNo=8&blockType=G8
E338 at HD - $18
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Channell...ting-Plier-with-XLT-Technology-E338/301938549
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928'er
Well-known member
Years ago, I was helping my girl friend work on her '59 AH Bug-eyed Sprite.
Got a very quizzical look when I asked her to "hand me a pair of dykes...."
Got a very quizzical look when I asked her to "hand me a pair of dykes...."
lbhsbz
Well-known member
Although I remain a huge fan of Knipex, a while ago I've picked up (& have been beating up on) a pair of the Vietnam-made Wiha BiCuts and the edges stand up remarkably well so far. Their gimmick is a button for a power mode which shifts to an alternate pivot point, so unlike other compound action pliers they allow for a normal opening range for light-duty tasks. And they excel at cutting hardened material in 'power' mode. One con is that they're not particularly well balanced in the hand, they're pretty bulky and (of course) have more moving parts. But given a sale price of 20-25$, they're a decent value.
Also have a pair of Snap-On 87ACF and can't say I'm particularly impressed. They hold up well, but seem to require more force and are prone to flex far more than I'm comfortable with.
Also have a pair of Snap-On 87ACF and can't say I'm particularly impressed. They hold up well, but seem to require more force and are prone to flex far more than I'm comfortable with.
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