As I mentioned in the "old world' Thread, I wanted to add a bit more of a review. So I'll first post the first pictures then get into the content : link to the album directly https://imgur.com/a/ZbLc0LS
Part Numbers:
Knipex (DE) 78 91 125
Schmitz (DE) 1232EP02
Piergiacomi (I) TR5000PR
Tsunoda (Jp) PM-120 18G
I wanted to get a variety of comfort grips/dipped handles, and the two main styles of cutting heads to evaluate my own preferences. I additionally wanted to try a variety of brands because I'm looking to purchase a number of additional pliers/cutters and wanted to evaluate. I mostly cut solid copper wire of about 1.5mm diameter. I actually measured it with a caliper and it was ~1.33mm, which, while I'm not stickler for following tool specifications, does seem to fit the Piergiacomis rather low limit.
With a tool like these, there are three things that matter to me. First is the cut, and while there are literally hundreds of versions of these depending on what you're cutting, there are a couple parameters that matter, like force, and feeling ie how controlled the cut is. The second is comfort/usage, and the third is longevity. I can't really comment on the last one obviously, but I can comment a bit on quality.
I have to provide a bit of background. I live in Tuttlingen, which is a very small city in Germany, but like Solingen, it's known worldwide for being the center of German tools. They're just a very specific type of tool, those used in surgery. I am very well versed in the manufacturing and quality requirements of these tools and while the price points, requirements, and design limitations are, of course, different, at the end of the day, a quality tool is a quality tool. Samual D, perhaps these will satisfy your "clean aesthetic".
The gold plated handles indicate that the instrument has carbide inserts, but if you look closely at the tip, it's difficult to tell what is stainless and what is carbide. (sorry for the potato quality, if there is interest, I can grab a real camera and take some of the instruments I have. )
Take note of the uniform finish, the hand finished smooth surfaces, and a clearly uniform cutting edge. These are the signs of a proper tool.
I have to give top marks to the tsunoda(cheapest of the bunch I think... tough to tell when taking into consideration the shipping/tax coming into Europe.) These are nicely manufactured. I was a bit surprised by the compression pin as I didn't understand what it was there for, but it limits opening travel. Perhaps unconventional, but effective, strong, and low cost for sure.
As I mentioned in the other thread, I was really disappointed in the Schmitz. It started with the presentation of the instruments, which was packaged fine, but covered in fuzzy dust. These had obviously been oiled and left out in an environment with lots of dust. This isn't a big issue obviously, but then I started using them and taking a closer look.
The two areas I'm really disappointed in the schmitz are A) the actual craftsmanship, and B) the overall level of quality for being the most expensive in this group of relatively "Low" cost cutters.
These are rough. These look like someone took a hand file to clean up a botched milling effort. On top of the overall poor craftsmanship, the surface had several scratches and grinding marks that had not been cleaned up and finished properly before shipping. This is unacceptable for any tool manufacturer in my mind, much less a "premium" tool manufacturer. I am convinced that if a manufacturer can't get the low end of their product line correct, the likelihood of the high end being done properly is zero.
The handles were fine, but i'm not a fan of the "sticky" smooth surface and prefer the tsunodas textured dip. It's one of the reasons I didn't get a dipped knipex because they use a similar coating.
To be honest, I prefer the double leaf spring off the Schmitz, but both were functional. The schmitz cut well, but it was all or nothing, whereas the tsunoda felt a bit more controlled and effortless.
Function wise, I think they are at minimum equivalent, but only time will tell.
Onto the other "style"
I'll be honest and say I was a bit biased towards knipex coming into this as they have a great reputation, and I have some other knipex tools. I thought the little sheet metal "lead catcher" was a bit of a gimmick, but it actually works pretty well and it's not in your way as much as I thought it might be.
Overall both of these cut very similarly. The knipex are rated to 1.6 instead of 1.3mm, and the handles are both decent. I'm not sure I like the "Flair" on the piergiacomi distal end, but it's not really in the way and
In general, I have relatively large hands, but really it wasn't an issue with any of them.
I didn't like that the piergiacomi has a relief of the cutting edge, meaning you can't just press the wire into the blades and cut, you have to position the wire on the cutting portion of the blade and then cut. Not a huge issue, but still significant in the design.
The only issue on the knipex is the return force on the spring is a bit weak, but it's not an actual problem, I just like a little tension in the tool while I'm working.
Part Numbers:
Knipex (DE) 78 91 125
Schmitz (DE) 1232EP02
Piergiacomi (I) TR5000PR
Tsunoda (Jp) PM-120 18G
I wanted to get a variety of comfort grips/dipped handles, and the two main styles of cutting heads to evaluate my own preferences. I additionally wanted to try a variety of brands because I'm looking to purchase a number of additional pliers/cutters and wanted to evaluate. I mostly cut solid copper wire of about 1.5mm diameter. I actually measured it with a caliper and it was ~1.33mm, which, while I'm not stickler for following tool specifications, does seem to fit the Piergiacomis rather low limit.
With a tool like these, there are three things that matter to me. First is the cut, and while there are literally hundreds of versions of these depending on what you're cutting, there are a couple parameters that matter, like force, and feeling ie how controlled the cut is. The second is comfort/usage, and the third is longevity. I can't really comment on the last one obviously, but I can comment a bit on quality.
I have to provide a bit of background. I live in Tuttlingen, which is a very small city in Germany, but like Solingen, it's known worldwide for being the center of German tools. They're just a very specific type of tool, those used in surgery. I am very well versed in the manufacturing and quality requirements of these tools and while the price points, requirements, and design limitations are, of course, different, at the end of the day, a quality tool is a quality tool. Samual D, perhaps these will satisfy your "clean aesthetic".
The gold plated handles indicate that the instrument has carbide inserts, but if you look closely at the tip, it's difficult to tell what is stainless and what is carbide. (sorry for the potato quality, if there is interest, I can grab a real camera and take some of the instruments I have. )
Take note of the uniform finish, the hand finished smooth surfaces, and a clearly uniform cutting edge. These are the signs of a proper tool.
I have to give top marks to the tsunoda(cheapest of the bunch I think... tough to tell when taking into consideration the shipping/tax coming into Europe.) These are nicely manufactured. I was a bit surprised by the compression pin as I didn't understand what it was there for, but it limits opening travel. Perhaps unconventional, but effective, strong, and low cost for sure.
As I mentioned in the other thread, I was really disappointed in the Schmitz. It started with the presentation of the instruments, which was packaged fine, but covered in fuzzy dust. These had obviously been oiled and left out in an environment with lots of dust. This isn't a big issue obviously, but then I started using them and taking a closer look.
The two areas I'm really disappointed in the schmitz are A) the actual craftsmanship, and B) the overall level of quality for being the most expensive in this group of relatively "Low" cost cutters.
These are rough. These look like someone took a hand file to clean up a botched milling effort. On top of the overall poor craftsmanship, the surface had several scratches and grinding marks that had not been cleaned up and finished properly before shipping. This is unacceptable for any tool manufacturer in my mind, much less a "premium" tool manufacturer. I am convinced that if a manufacturer can't get the low end of their product line correct, the likelihood of the high end being done properly is zero.
The handles were fine, but i'm not a fan of the "sticky" smooth surface and prefer the tsunodas textured dip. It's one of the reasons I didn't get a dipped knipex because they use a similar coating.
To be honest, I prefer the double leaf spring off the Schmitz, but both were functional. The schmitz cut well, but it was all or nothing, whereas the tsunoda felt a bit more controlled and effortless.
Function wise, I think they are at minimum equivalent, but only time will tell.
Onto the other "style"
I'll be honest and say I was a bit biased towards knipex coming into this as they have a great reputation, and I have some other knipex tools. I thought the little sheet metal "lead catcher" was a bit of a gimmick, but it actually works pretty well and it's not in your way as much as I thought it might be.
Overall both of these cut very similarly. The knipex are rated to 1.6 instead of 1.3mm, and the handles are both decent. I'm not sure I like the "Flair" on the piergiacomi distal end, but it's not really in the way and
In general, I have relatively large hands, but really it wasn't an issue with any of them.
I didn't like that the piergiacomi has a relief of the cutting edge, meaning you can't just press the wire into the blades and cut, you have to position the wire on the cutting portion of the blade and then cut. Not a huge issue, but still significant in the design.
The only issue on the knipex is the return force on the spring is a bit weak, but it's not an actual problem, I just like a little tension in the tool while I'm working.
