Anyone else like Channellocks?
- Thread starter Jim C.
- Start date
jakemac
Well-known member
OK, you guys ****. I say that with a smile, but I'm serious.
I went out to get a carton of smokes today and stopped at a pawn shop to waste some time. There in a box marked "$3ea" was a pair of CL-420's, the rest of the box was junk. Normally I would have ignored them, but because of this thread I couldn't get them off my mind. My other slip-locks are Stanley's and serve me just fine. Now I have a new (to me) pair of slip-locks to match the CL-911 cable cutters that are already in my box.
A few passes on a fine wire wheel, a dip in Simple Green, and a wipe with PB Blaster and they're all set to join the pile in the second drawer of my top box.
Here's the before and after :
I went out to get a carton of smokes today and stopped at a pawn shop to waste some time. There in a box marked "$3ea" was a pair of CL-420's, the rest of the box was junk. Normally I would have ignored them, but because of this thread I couldn't get them off my mind. My other slip-locks are Stanley's and serve me just fine. Now I have a new (to me) pair of slip-locks to match the CL-911 cable cutters that are already in my box.
A few passes on a fine wire wheel, a dip in Simple Green, and a wipe with PB Blaster and they're all set to join the pile in the second drawer of my top box.
Here's the before and after :
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Hako86
Well-known member
I really like Channellock too! Good prices, good warranty, good quality, made in USA and best of all, easy to get (even here in the Netherlands 
)
)ganymede
Well-known member
Nice. By the fact that the patent numbers are stamped on them I'm guessing they are older models held together with a nut and bolt. much prefferd to the so called 'perma-lock' (perma slop) fastener types.
jakemac
Well-known member
I'm going to say "¿¿ yes ¿¿" ?
I don't know the history of CL and never really took a good look at them even when I was selling them.
You'll have to tell me. The patent date is 1953, but those dates can be stamped on the tools for decades sometimes.
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Good job saving that pair of 420s. They cleaned up really nice, and you got a deal on them too.
ganymede
Well-known member
jakemac
Well-known member
Woo Hoo !!
I got a deal, AND got schooled. All for only 3 bucks. Take that Harvard !!!!! PPHHHTTTTT !!!
I got a deal, AND got schooled. All for only 3 bucks. Take that Harvard !!!!! PPHHHTTTTT !!!
RCStocker
Well-known member
Channelock's are fantastic. I really must have 40 pair of them in every style. I have been picking them up for $1 to $5 each for 30 years. I have given all my sons and grandsons the ones they need. They come up all the time cheap. Old Diamond are fantastic but I have never used their other pliers other than the pump pliers ( slip joint)
I must have over 200 pliers of all brands but the truck brands. You can buy good ones for $1 like new. I have them going back 100 years or more. Some of the 100 year old ones are the toughest ones I have ever used. Channelock is the best bang for the buck I have ever used and I used them in construction and repairs for years.
I must have over 200 pliers of all brands but the truck brands. You can buy good ones for $1 like new. I have them going back 100 years or more. Some of the 100 year old ones are the toughest ones I have ever used. Channelock is the best bang for the buck I have ever used and I used them in construction and repairs for years.
Brownsfan
Well-known member
2 of the tool trucks use them for all of their pliers(Mac Cornwell). So they must be pretty darn good. Most of my Pliers are blue handles
OctoMan
Well-known member
I bought a 422 a few months ago along with a few Hanson socket organizers.
rshadd
Well-known member
I just never cared for the baby blue grips.
cburnscrx
Well-known member
That's one of the things I don't like about Channellocks. The slippery grip. That and the Permalock. Oh well, they're still pretty decent.
Burgerkong
Well-known member
All the Channellocks I've bought recently (got the Griplocks set, cutters, snap ring pliers, 460, 440 all for 50% off!):
Farmall450
Well-known member
First thing I look for in a bin full of tools at garage sale/tractor show/etc.
abvw
Well-known member
All my Channellocks turned green :/
Yes, they have a tendency to do that, but they're still pretty good tools for the price.
Jim C.
jeffmoss26
Well-known member
It adds character
John316
Well-known member
That along with a nice mist of surface rust is actually called
"Channellock patina" ;-)
I absolutely love channellocks (patina and all)
here is an older post from when I made some purchases last year:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=137627
Nortonscustom
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2008
- Messages
- 375
I've always had great luck with Channellock. Never had one of their products let me down. Have no idea how many I own between my work box, truck box, home box and so on.....
Pliers drawer of my work box.
Electrical drawer
Pliers drawer of my work box.
Electrical drawer
sberry
Banned
There are some tools which are a standard, the unit on the left in the pic above, a 440 I believe is what I mean when I am in a jamb and want a pair of channelocks. Its like the 10R vise grip, the old timers many moons ago got the fundamental geometry so close to perfect that all the rest is a relative futile attempt to copy/improve mostly as a new model sales scheme. Even subtle differences, many which seem like a good idea havnt come along and wiped it off the planet. A lot of the knock off copies are like that, the engineer that did it thought a subtle change would be ok, it doesn't work as good especially when push comes to shove. Minor tasks not such a deal but when its used in a trade level hi duty cycle hi stress environment where the tool box isn't convenient to have a couple dozen flavors or when it does duty as a pipe wrench its what rides in the back pocket of hard plumbers world wide.
sberry
Banned
I was on a job where tools were all provided, they didn't have that exact same model. I bet they tried early on but with 1000 plumbers on the job they didn't last long, they had a slightly varied size and design, it worked but wasn't this perfect thing for installing small bore gas pipe,,, ha
TOOLFREEQ
Well-known member
GREAT PLIERS ,but hate the way they rust over time!! Anyone else have this complaint? or a solution?
I'm lucky to be able to keep most of my tools in a climate controlled shop, so I haven't had that problem, but I have heard that they do rust. My dad has a few pairs that are in his garage and they have remained in pretty good shape by keeping a light coat of oil on them. He has this old oily rag that he uses to occasionally wipe his tools with when he's done with them. The oil and grime soaked into the rag seems to transfer a light coating onto the tools and they stay fairly rust free. His Channellocks are from the 1970s and they all have a very dark patina on them. It's not so much rust, but just a patina that comes from years of use and getting wiped off with that oily rag.
Jim C.
celticbhoy
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- Apr 10, 2013
- Messages
- 540
Great tools that go on sale at Canadian Tire monthly. The snap ring pliers are awesome.
Okay "Blue Handle Fans," are these Channellocks? Digging through my box last night, I came across this old pair of pliers (see pics below). I got them from a friend about fifteen years ago. Anyway, the only reason I question if they're Channellocks is because they have old bluish green faded grips, that are very characteristic of of the grips one sees on older, well used Channellocks. The pliers themselves are very well made, with a spring return to open, wire cutting jaws and cross hatching on the needle nose section. Unfortunately, there's not a mark on them that indicates the manufacturer, model number, or if they were even made in the USA (or elsewhere). There's nothing to identify them. Does anyone recognize these pliers? Are they Channellocks? Are they knockoffs? What do you think?
Jim C.
Jim C.
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metaldad
Well-known member
Okie dokey. I see that this thread is still around. Time for some updated photos:
First, is my service truck channeys on the right. Carage ones on the left. Vehicle ones on top. I count 14.
Next is the tool chest, and the various drawers thruout the house. I count 27
Next, all piled together, for proof.
And my drivers. Metrics and SAE. Phillips, slotted, and multi's. I count 40
I add up 81. Did I win?
First, is my service truck channeys on the right. Carage ones on the left. Vehicle ones on top. I count 14.
Next is the tool chest, and the various drawers thruout the house. I count 27
Next, all piled together, for proof.
And my drivers. Metrics and SAE. Phillips, slotted, and multi's. I count 40
I add up 81. Did I win?
Buckgnarly
Well-known member
No, they look like a Japanese made pair of welpers. CL makes them noe, but they are not like them.
And my drivers. Metrics and SAE. Phillips, slotted, and multi's. I count 40
I add up 81. Did I win?
I did not know they made screwdrivers... And I happen to have a problem with buying screwdrivers and pliers... lol How do you like them?
metaldad
Well-known member
The 'code blue' (blue /red handle) are chinese. the handles are comfortable.
The others - solid blue and opaque blue, are USA
I wish they still made them here.
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celticbhoy
Well-known member
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- Apr 10, 2013
- Messages
- 540
I'm interested in the screw drivers as well.
Okie dokey. I see that this thread is still around. Time for some updated photos:
First, is my service truck channeys on the right. Carage ones on the left. Vehicle ones on top. I count 14.
Next is the tool chest, and the various drawers thruout the house. I count 27
Next, all piled together, for proof.
And my drivers. Metrics and SAE. Phillips, slotted, and multi's. I count 40
I add up 81. Did I win?
So far, you appear to be the winner!
RedFordTruck
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 10, 2012
- Messages
- 921
The grips used to be imported but they arent anymore!
http://www.channellock.com/pressroom/press.aspx?releaseId=156
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=161138
http://www.channellock.com/S141CB.aspx
Seems the drivers are made in china.. But I'm still pretty interested in them. At 28 bucks for the set I think I'll pick some up anyway I've had a set of chinese made from hf that I like but ended up using them as hammering implements lol....
Seems the drivers are made in china.. But I'm still pretty interested in them. At 28 bucks for the set I think I'll pick some up anyway I've had a set of chinese made from hf that I like but ended up using them as hammering implements lol....
d.mcfarland
Well-known member
^^^^ That's correct, and the company is proud to have found a supplier that is very close. It has been in local publications.
upgrading
Well-known member
The solid blue looks nice.
The opaque blue is rockin the house.
How long ago did they offer those ?
The opaque blue is rockin the house.
How long ago did they offer those ?
metaldad
Well-known member
I dunno on the vintage of either. Think the opaque ones are older,,,,,,,,and by the way, are identical to the handles on Vaco drivers of the same vintage.
The solid blue ones, I think the handles are on the small side.