All-Around Internal Snap Ring Pliers

[Nocturnal-G]

Can anyone recommend a certain size for snap ring pliers that would be perfect all around? Mainly going to be used on ratchet snap rings. I measured a 20 mm snap ring on one ratchet. I'm most likely going with Knipex... what's the difference between the regular ones and the precision ones?

So far I see two that fit my needs...

Knipex 44 11 J1 Dimensions:
Overall Length: 140mm (5-1/2")
For Shafts: 12-25mm (15/32"-1")


Knipex 44 11 J2 Dimensions:
Overall Length: 180mm (7")
For Shafts: 19-60mm (0.748-2.362")


Thanks guys!

 

[lok]

The j2 is more "all around" size. You can use it in more circumstances.

I have the regular j2. I don't know the differences with the precision for the internal ones other than the design.
For the external I would buy the precision.

 

[Monte]

the precision series have tips made out of piano wire which should last longer than the regular forged tips

 

[jmm]

Will probably get blasted for this...but in my ratchet rebuild kit I use the Harbor Freight 1.99 interchangeable tip pliers. Of the ratchets I own with a retaining ring, most have internal ones, but there are a few designs which have external retaining rings. The HF model adjusts to accomodate both internal and external.

I don't use them for anything else, but if you're just servicing your ratchets they're perfect.

 

[scaron]

i think it is discontinued now and some people don't like interchangeable tips but i love my pair of channellock 907s. they seem to have replaced them with the model 927 which feels chintzy to me. i recently picked up a set of wilde (again, interchangeable) snap ring pliers from epstein's as a backup pair and those feel very nice to me, highly recommended.