What makes Channel Lock Pliers so great?

--- · Sep 28, 2015

Earlier this year I purchased a Channel Lock HD-1 pliers set. I found the edge of the pliers to be real sharp, so sharp in fact that I cut my finger on the edge of the needle nose. As mentioned in other threads here they lived up to the reputation of rusting quickly.

I ended up switching them for the craftsman 4 peace pliers set and I've been really happy with them.

I went to Home Depot yesterday and while tool window shopping I noticed a lot of the pliers hanging brand new in the package had a significant amount of rust in them. It was so bad that when I pointed it out to the tool guy he immediately took them down.

I remembered that many of you here are real fans of Channel Lock. Why do you like them so much? What am I missing?

boobag · Sep 28, 2015

"made in usa"

tshetter · Sep 28, 2015

I never thought channel lock pliers were all that great, to be honest.

They may have been better quality or innovative in years past but today they just don't feel that way to me. I have a few of them but they are not go to tools for me.

The newer Irwin Groovelock pliers are much better and I keep two sets in my tool backpack and use them almost daily.

AA/FC · Sep 28, 2015

tshetter said:
The newer Irwin Groovelock pliers are much better and I keep two sets in my tool backpack and use them almost daily.

That's weird..... I feel the exact opposite. I feel the channel lock stuff is made much better, and longer lasting. Not to mention, they are made in the USA. The Irwin's are made in China, feel cheap and flimsy, and the steel seems softer. A member here did a tool review video of the Irwin Groove lock pliers and they failed miserably. Check youtube for "real too reviews" if you look for that video.

Oh well, to each his own I guess. :dunno:

rodsnratfinks · Sep 28, 2015

Older channellocks were a great compromise between strength and price. When I was a plumber, they were my go-to brand for pliers. The newest ones don't have a nice a fit and finish, but they haven't fallen as far in quality as other brands, and they're about half the price of Kleins. I like them.

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Tenex · Sep 28, 2015

1. Made in USA
2. Quality steel
3. Affordability

thor80 · Sep 28, 2015

They're plain carbon steel so they will rust, never really found it to be that big of problem. When they get too rusty, hit them with the wire wheel and they are new again. Lot of old pliers made of that sort of steel that are still around and working 100 years later...

tshetter · Sep 28, 2015

AA/FC said:
That's weird..... I feel the exact opposite. I feel the channel lock stuff is made much better, and longer lasting. Not to mention, they are made in the USA. The Irwin's are made in China, feel cheap and flimsy, and the steel seems softer. A member here did a tool review video of the Irwin Groove lock pliers and they failed miserably. Check youtube for "real too reviews" if you look for that video.

Oh well, to each his own I guess.

I have some newer channel locks that are maybe 10yrs old and they rusted up pretty fast. I also have a pair my dad gave me with my first tool kit 25 yrs ago that he had owned for maybe 10yrs prior to that. Those old ones have a patina but no rust. They also have a better fit to them.

Are the Irwins as strong as the channel locks?

You know I would have to say probably not. But I don't know how large of a difference it would be. I don't think they are weak but they aren't a tool that I would push to that limit or abuse. If I need to push that hard I would reevaluate how I am working or select a more appropriate tool.

The type of work being done also plays into this.

Also gives me more reason to buy and/or try newer and different tools. Always a good thing.

ajchien · Sep 28, 2015

I've got both.

Both of them rust after a while, especially since I'm use them a lot when dealing with lawn sprinkler / swimming pool plumbing work.

The channel lock teeth seem tougher to me. They don't mar, bend or flatten out as easily as Irwins. They also grip better, IMHO. The Irwin's siding mechanism is really slick and works nicely. So, do you want longer lasting teeth, or easier to adjust sizes?

A few of my channel locks get occasionally rusty enough that they're hard to move, usually a drop of 3-1 oil and working them around for a minute and they're fine. Wipeout excess oil. Haven't needed to oil the Irwins yet.

BMack37 · Sep 28, 2015

I've always though the Channellock pliers were good but not great. The only thing that I've found from Channellock that is great are their "WideAzz" adjustable wrenches, fantastic wrenches.

newspeed · Sep 28, 2015

I was never really a big fan of them either. As already mentioned, their quality was much better in the old days but they are still US made which is probably why people still love them. These days I only buy Snap on, knipex, nws pliers.

M6erfan · Sep 28, 2015

Never thought they were great, good yes, great? Nope...

Negen · Sep 28, 2015

The channel locks I own seem to be holding up. I cannot say I am completely loyal to one brand or another. Right now it seems to me that Japan and German brands are a bit better than the rest. I been using my keiba pliers more than my others. I did just buy an ignition pliers branded by wilde which is identical to my older warn out craftsmen pliers.

I live in an area where it is wet most of the time tools seem to rust easy. I use mystery oil on most my tools that are not chromed about once a year. And if there is any surface rust I have a scotch brite drill bit I clean them up with before applying the oil. It is about 5-10 minutes of work. Well worth it to keep tools in good condition. I am sure that if I had an opportunity to use my tools daily I probably would not have to worry about cleaning them or taking preventive measures.

Sanny81 · Sep 28, 2015

It's getting harder and harder to walk into any local store, big name or small local place, and find USA made tools. That's one thing Channelock still has going for it.

I bought that 4 pack from Home Depot for that very reason. For the price they're decent but nothing special at all in my opinion.

dutchgray · Sep 28, 2015

I would call them good but not great also, they are decent tools for reasonable money.

hautpot · Sep 28, 2015

Well they are at Home Depot and suppose most people who see Channel lock is the only pliers they have that are made in America they would call it premium.

maintguy · Sep 28, 2015

I like channel lock. But I find the Irwin grovelock better. I still like channel lock. To me its an american tradition.

TS3g · Sep 28, 2015

Tenex said:
1. Made in USA
2. Quality steel
3. Affordability

This. Sure, there might be better pliers out there in terms of finish and whatnot, but I've never completed a job with pliers that Channellock pliers couldn't handle. So for the price and being made in USA, I like them.

--- · Sep 28, 2015

So it seems most like them because of COO and price. Best bang for the buck kind of thing.
I've never been to keen about the current Irwin pliers. To me the USA Craftsman outperform Channel Lock in all the same categories. Also with others like Tekton USA made pliers (which are getting good reviews), I wonder I Channelloxk will start loosing popularity.

cliftonbros89 · Sep 28, 2015

I have a couple pairs of various Channellock pliers. I
Haven't had any rust problems. I like them for the most part.

I prefer them over the Craftsman pliers. I've actually had rust problems with those. I feel they do not grip as well either.

I have other brands too. But all in all I prefer Snap On over the rest. But I plan to pick up a few more pairs of Channellock pliers for my truck box.

G-Ram · Sep 28, 2015

Eh, I bought a pair of Channel Lock water pump pliers last year, wasn't all that impressed. The pivot is loose, and no way of tightening it as it is not a bolt holding the 2 halves together. I do like the side cutters though, use them daily

John in OH · Sep 28, 2015

Tenex said:
1. Made in USA
2. Quality steel
3. Affordability

Yep! That's it in a nutshell !!

I give my Channellocks a spritz of WD40 once or twice a year and have no rusting issues.

I quit buying Irwin products after they moved the Vise Grip production to China and try to avoid supporting companies that have dumped on US workers.

NUTTSGT · Sep 28, 2015

Tenex said:
1. Made in USA
2. Quality steel
3. Affordability

TS3g said:
This. Sure, there might be better pliers out there in terms of finish and whatnot, but I've never completed a job with pliers that Channellock pliers couldn't handle. So for the price and being made in USA, I like them.

I'll add that they are readily available at numerous places.

Spudland_Dave · Sep 28, 2015

Welcome to GJ...where "Made in the USA" trumps overall quality... I got no beef with Channellock, own a few pairs myself with no issues, but by the same token, they are NOT the best pliers ever.
I put Channellocks in the same category a Craftsman Raised panel ratchets...not the best by a long shot, but because they were cheap, made in the USA and readily available with very liberal return policies they became a fan favorite. I hate to compare them to the CMan RP rats, cause the C-Locks are actually OK.

As for the whole American worker thing...I'm all about supporting them. But seems to me, most American MFG's (who shoot for middle of the pack status)...what they have done is to cheapen the PRODUCT as a way of staying competitive.... Easy to see it...just look at CMan again...the product got cheaper & cheaper by the year to the point of it being a running joke, now they off shore, sounds like the quality is going back up...

exmaxima1 · Sep 28, 2015

Tenex said:
1. Made in USA
2. Quality steel
3. Affordability

+1

I bought my 4-inch pliers many years ago cuz I was tired of borrowing my neighbor's, but it was the only tool that would remove the oil filter in my Saab. Still my "go to" tool for tough filters, and no issues with rust. Extremely high value.

Ponchoguy · Sep 28, 2015

--- said:
Earlier this year I purchased a Channel Lock HD-1 pliers set. I found the edge of the pliers to be real sharp, so sharp in fact that I cut my finger on the edge of the needle nose. As mentioned in other threads here they lived up to the reputation of rusting quickly.

I ended up switching them for the craftsman 4 peace pliers set and I've been really happy with them.

I went to Home Depot yesterday and while tool window shopping I noticed a lot of the pliers hanging brand new in the package had a significant amount of rust in them. It was so bad that when I pointed it out to the tool guy he immediately took them down.

I remembered that many of you here are real fans of Channel Lock. Why do you like them so much? What am I missing?

The fact that they are still made in Meadeville, PA has a lot to do with it (at least for me). I also have Craftsmans, no problems with them either.

People still call pliers like that "Channel Locks" even though they are a different brand (Q-tip issue.....).

dragonballz · Sep 28, 2015

I was using a Stanley Fatmax groove joint pliers and the jaw broke at the a groove while trying to loosen a fitting.

k2-_fb71b290-90aa-4fbe-9c14-da0da84d7512.v1.jpg

Gearshredder · Sep 28, 2015

I can see where something like the CNL-909 crimping pliers need to be machined properly to have a good crimp can be of issue in some of the other pliers that share the same features. The reason why I went with the channel locks as there was a history of poor alignment of the others. I just lube em up with Wurth HHS-K rather. It's crazy how much rust pours out after lubing my older sets. I guess theres the klein journeyman crimpers that I might buy as well. Not much more vs similar handled pliers of the CNL-909CB.

HanShotFirst · Sep 28, 2015

Regarding the rusting, there are some cures.

Actually MAINTAIN your tools every now and then. No you'll never keep an unfinished carbon steel tool rust free, but you can strip surface rust when it accumulates before the pitting starts.
- Steel wool with oil is the way to remove surface rust and you leave a protective coat of oil. Plus, for the places where you get staining, the oil will stop the rusting process in place.

Clear coat it when you buy. Around the jaws that will wear off quickly, but the rest of the pliers will be preserved.

Put a coat of cold gun bluing on the surfaces left in the white. This can provide some protection against rust, and when you do get some surface rust, it will hide/blend it very well, keeping the tool looking good.

I really wish they would put a finish on pliers.

ganymede · Sep 28, 2015

My last couple of purchases were of mediocre quality.
One I still have ( a pair of big slip joints) and one I **** canned (some thin nose that bent).

bobcatdan · Sep 28, 2015

I would consider channellock the 350 Chevy of pliers. Yeah there's better, but at the end of the day, they do what you want them to do.

toolmutt · Sep 28, 2015

I, too, have several pair of both Channellock and Craftsman pliers. And, like Clifton, the Cman seem to rust quicker, at least in my garage. :dunno:

ajsgarage · Sep 28, 2015

I have a few of those craftsmans you linked. I prefer the blue rubber handle of the Channellock to the black textured of the craftsman, feels better in my hands, and that's really what matters

For the price range Channellock is in, they are of very good quality.

Also, I choose not to support the Craftsman brand after they turned the hand tool line overseas and took a dip in quality doing so.

tubamonster · Sep 28, 2015

To me, they aren't the best pliers. Knipex certainly seem to be better, but are they worth the price? Not to me. Channellock are the best value of any pliers in my opinion. I've cut several nails using my Channellock diagonal cutters and they've held up well. If they get dull, I can sharpen them with a file. The teeth on my Channellock pliers seem to hold up well. Yes, they can rust but I keep them clean and oil them occasionally.

In short, they're the best value, USA made, and are very well made even if they aren't quite up to Knipex standards.

d.mcfarland · Sep 28, 2015

bobcatdan said:
I would consider channellock the 350 Chevy of pliers. Yeah there's better, but at the end of the day, they do what you want them to do.

Good analogy!

They aren't flashy, innovative, ergonomic, visually appealing, etc. They work and work well, especially considering the price.

Zartan · Sep 28, 2015

Tenex said:
1. Made in USA
2. Quality steel
3. Affordability

This and I love the Blue!

redwrench60 · Sep 28, 2015

Look around at your surroundings. Weather you're at home, at work, in the car or at the store chances are the tradesman, builder, mechanic or factory worker who ran the electrical, piped the water, Built the structure or worked the assembly line had something made by Channellock in their tool belt, pouch or tool box that helped build your world.

They're still effective
They're still affordable
And they're still made in the USA.

KnurledNut · Sep 28, 2015

Channellock (Champion-DeArment) started out as a tool to lock onto pipe and rounded/rusty objects.

This was the original 410 Nutbuster, a parrot jaw tongue and groove plier.

For over 80 years, this tool has proved invaluable for many.

Most, today, think of the straight jaw style when asked, "hand me a pair of channellocks..."

However that wasnt always the case. In the past, they would have been referring to a problem-solving tool.

--- · Sep 28, 2015

BMack37 said:
I've always though the Channellock pliers were good but not great. The only thing that I've found from Channellock that is great are their "WideAzz" adjustable wrenches, fantastic wrenches.

I don't see myself swapping my craftsman pliers for channel locks anytime soon, but you arose my curiosity and will probably add a WideAzz to my tool repertoire in the near future.

kunkernator · Sep 28, 2015

--- said:
So it seems most like them because of COO and price. Best bang for the buck kind of thing.
I've never been to keen about the current Irwin pliers. To me the USA Craftsman outperform Channel Lock in all the same categories. Also with others like Tekton USA made pliers (which are getting good reviews), I wonder I Channelloxk will start loosing popularity.

The Tekton USA pliers are made by Wilde. I own quite a few Wilde pliers and LOVE them. I have to say, they are better than Channel Locks.

Wilde has some great innovations, such as an adjustable flush joint option on some of their pliers.

What makes Channel Lock Pliers so great?

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