Anyone else like Channellocks?

[Travisnd]

Travis,

You are an inspiration to Channellock enthusiasts everywhere!! I'm going to see if I can get a few stickers too.

Jim C.

Thanks Jim! I would like to blame you along with GJ for making this an addiction for me!! If Channellock doesn't send you any stickers, let me know and I'll send you a few.

Travis, is there a retailer that you know of that sales Channellock in the pouches? Like Harry Epstein?

Harry Epstein does sell some Channellock's in the pouches. I've got a list somewhere of what they have available in the pouches, I wanna say it's like 5 or 6 items that are available in pouches. HP is the only retailer that I've been able to find that still has Channellock's in pouches.

 

[Jim C.]

Thanks Jim! I would like to blame you along with GJ for making this an addiction for me!!...........

Hi Travis,

I guess you're right to some extent. I did start the thread. Still, where you may have been initially "enabled" by myself and other members, in some ways YOU have become the "enabler." Like I said, you've inspired a lot of us with some of the recent additions to your GREAT Channellock collection!

Jim C.

 

[ihrescue]

A few weeks ago I posted in a thread concerning "binge" tool buying. During the last couple months, I've been on a Channellock kick that I think has subsided for the moment. For years, prior to my recent "BHB" (Blue Handled Binge), I owned only two Channellock tools, the #442 (far left) and the #415 (second from left). Then, this past Spring, I actually needed the #911 cable cutters (third from right) and bought them. For some reason, shortly after that, I went on a small BHB and added the #422 (third from left), the #410 (fourth from left), the #369 (fourth from right), the #357 (second from right) and the #337 (far right). I'm still feeling compelled to buy a pair of needle nose pliers too.

I'm not sure why I bought all of these..... I certainly did not need any of them beyond buying the #911. The last five tools were purely impulse, binge, purchases!!! It's definitely a sickness. Anyway, I've included a photo for you Channellock fans, that clearly proves my recent insanity!!



Jim C.

I like them as well but still only have one in my tool box, it is a #442 that I found on the shoulder of I95 in Maryland. It was in bad shape but I gave it some TLC and it has been the go to tongue and groove plier for over 25 years. Maybe its time for me to put some money into some more of their great tools.

 

[Travisnd]

Hi Travis,

I guess you're right to some extent. I did start the thread. Still, where you may have been initially "enabled" by myself and other members, in some ways YOU have become the "enabler." Like I said, you've inspired a lot of us with some of the recent additions to your GREAT Channellock collection!

Jim C.

You're right Jim, I've got nobody to blame but myself!! At least I'm spending my money on more productive things like tools vs. other "vises" that I used to have!!

 

[Jim C.]

I like them as well but still only have one in my tool box, it is a #442 that I found on the shoulder of I95 in Maryland. It was in bad shape but I gave it some TLC and it has been the go to tongue and groove plier for over 25 years. Maybe its time for me to put some money into some more of their great tools.

Hey Mike,

The #442s were one of the first pairs of Channellocks I bought. I've had mine for about 15 years. It's a great size for a lot of jobs. I use mine mostly when I have to work on my in-ground irrigation system. Post a picture of your old 442s if you get a chance.

Jim C.

 

[NathanB]

A few new ones from Trident

 

[ihrescue]

Hey Mike,

The #442s were one of the first pairs of Channellocks I bought. I've had mine for about 15 years. It's a great size for a lot of jobs. I use mine mostly when I have to work on my in-ground irrigation system. Post a picture of your old 442s if you get a chance.

Jim C.

Jim: I misspoke, that was a Channellock #415 (10") Tongue and Groove Plier not the #442. Photo of the scruffy old tool below. No telling how long the #415 sat in the median of I95 as I could even move it until a good soaking in Kroil. I was a firefighter for 33 years and spent a good amount of time on I95 for collisions. Amazing how many tools I found in the median strip that no doubt bounced off a truck. Included a heavy pair of sheet metal snips, screw drivers and a Craftsman floor jack that I recently gave away after using for years.

The Channellocks are excellent for plumbing work and seem to have just the rich grip to work on a nut without stripping it.

 

[Jim C.]

A few new ones from Trident

Hey Nathan,

I really like that bent needle nose pair, second from the right. What model nubbier is that?

 

[Jim C.]

Jim: I misspoke, that was a Channellock #415 (10") Tongue and Groove Plier not the #442. Photo of the scruffy old tool below. No telling how long the #415 sat in the median of I95 as I could even move it until a good soaking in Kroil. I was a firefighter for 33 years and spent a good amount of time on I95 for collisions. Amazing how many tools I found in the median strip that no doubt bounced off a truck. Included a heavy pair of sheet metal snips, screw drivers and a Craftsman floor jack that I recently gave away after using for years.

The Channellocks are excellent for plumbing work and seem to have just the rich grip to work on a nut without stripping it.

Mike,

That's still a great old, well used tool, with a lot of honest scuffs and scrapes on it. Thanks for the picture. I think it's got another twenty five years of life left in it.

Jim C.

 

[NathanB]

Hey Nathan,

I really like that bent needle nose pair, second from the right. What model nubbier is that?

https://www.channellock.com/e388-xlt-long-nose-pliers.aspx cost me $18.11
They're not as nicely done as other brands, but it looks like it will work for me.

 

[Travisnd]

Got these in the mail today to go along with my 907's....



Looks like slim pickins now, so please keep me in mind when you guys come across BLUE pouch goodies!!

 

[Clik]

Channellocks were an absolute must in my trade. As a business owner I've bought hundreds of pairs over the years and never had a defect.

Chrome won't get ya home. I hate chrome. In fact any knife maker would laugh at a chrome plated knife. If Channellock starts chroming their tools I'll have to search for a good German made substitute.

Funny you should post this.

I purchased a pair of 317's at a WalMart as a show of support for WalMart carrying American products. When I got home, I noticed that the pliers had a large gap at the tip when fully closed because the knife edge and/or anvil were not ground down properly.

I emailed [email protected] (or whatever address they had posted on their site) and never got a reply, so I returned them to WalMart yesterday. I won't be buying any more ChannelLocks.

 

[Outlander]

Canadians, get your Channellock fix this week at Canadian Tire!

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/search-results.html?searchByTerm=true;q=channellock;store=0200;site=ct;viewMode=grid;count=16;promotion=Sale+Items

 

[Jim C.]

Travis,

You even found some NOS snap ring tips? I think it's safe to say that you are officially a bonafide "Channellock Enabler." Nice find!

Jim C.

 

[Jim C.]

Channellocks were an absolute must in my trade. As a business owner I've bought hundreds of pairs over the years and never had a defect.

Chrome won't get ya home. I hate chrome. In fact any knife maker would laugh at a chrome plated knife. If Channellock starts chroming their tools I'll have to search for a good German made substitute.

Agreed...there's no reason to chrome them.

 

[Vinko]

For some reason, though I have the Knipex (Cobra and the non-serrated jawed varieties) as well as maybe one or two very other nice German-made things I’ve picked up here -- and have them either at home or in different tool box stations at work, I seem to always reach for the Channel locks. Be it the water-pump plier, or the needle nose or other variety. Don’t know why. I like them. They work. And most of the time, the jobs I’m doing are pretty crude and don’t seem to require anything more.

 

[Jim C.]

For some reason, though I have the Knipex (Cobra and the non-serrated jawed varieties) as well as maybe one or two very other nice German-made things I’ve picked up here -- and have them either at home or in different tool box stations at work, I seem to always reach for the Channel locks. Be it the water-pump plier, or the needle nose or other variety. Don’t know why. I like them. They work. And most of the time, the jobs I’m doing are pretty crude and don’t seem to require anything more.

First off, Knipex makes some great tools, but they're on the expensive side. I have a few and I like them well enough. Still, I usually reach for the Channellocks first. Maybe there's some subconscious reaction in the human brain that is attracted to the bright blue grips. Do you think the executives at Channellock had a study done to see what colors people are most attracted to? They certainly stand out in a tool box. On top of that, they're good tools at a reasonable price.

Jim C.

 

[Travisnd]

Travis,

You even found some NOS snap ring tips? I think it's safe to say that you are officially a bonafide "Channellock Enabler." Nice find!

Jim C.

Thanks Jim. I had found the NOS tips before I purchased the snap ring pliers but wanted to wait till I had the pliers before getting them. Now its a searching game to try and find more NOS items!!

 

[AndrewH]

Thanks Jim. I had found the NOS tips before I purchased the snap ring pliers but wanted to wait till I had the pliers before getting them. Now its a searching game to try and find more NOS items!!

Where'd you find them? Anymore available?

 

[gtlaw]

I recently grabbed a couple new pairs I especially like the xlt e338 diagonal cutters

 

[Travisnd]

I found the tips on ebay and the seller has 1 left.....though it appears hes jacked up the price on the last set.

 

[dodgemike]

YES. I have the little ones i carry
in my pocket all the way to the
20". End nippers, side cutters, I
may not have them all but i do
use them. I saw a documentary
on tv of the mfg. process. Very
impressive.

Sent from my SCH-S720C using Tapatalk 2

 

[Jim C.]

I recently grabbed a couple new pairs I especially like the xlt e338 diagonal cutters

Nice collection!

 

[gtlaw]

Nice collection!

funny thing is I have some more on the way and a few are even duplicates

 

[Jim C.]

funny thing is I have some more on the way and a few are even duplicates

We'll need more pictures.

 

[Coleman]

My blue drawer!

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[Jim C.]

Hey Coleman,

I see a lot of nice stuff in that drawer... Not just Blue.... But don't get me wrong, the Blue looks pretty good too!

Jim C.

 

[beamrider]

A friend of mine just showed me my 1st pair of "teethless" CLs meant for working on display fixtures, pretty nice. I've got a few pairs of 10" "beater" slide lock grippers, but since the Lowes close-out (and before, actually) I've populated the drawer with Knipex!



HEIL KNIPEX!

(or whatever,....... I reallly really like theit damn button push slip pliers!!!)

 

[techenthusiast]

Where is the best place to buy the 480? It's at Home Depot but kinda pricey


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[premierplayer]

google is your friend
https://www.google.com/search?q=480...j7&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8

looks like $36 + free ship
don't know seller history, could be a PITA, dun no

 

[Outlawmws]

A friend of mine just showed me my 1st pair of "teethless" CLs meant for working on display fixtures, pretty nice. SNIP

Was it the # 415's? Those were originally designed for not marking up drain pipe fittings under sinks.

 

[beamrider]

Was it the # 415's? Those were originally designed for not marking up drain pipe fittings under sinks.

I'm not sure of the model #, but it looked like a typical set of 10"ers, with the teeth ground off smooth.

 

[jakemac]

Yup, those are for plumbing fixtures, but can be used anywhere you need to avoid marking up the surface with teeth marks.

 

[Jim C.]

I'm not sure of the model #, but it looked like a typical set of 10"ers, with the teeth ground off smooth.

Outlaw is right. They're model #415. Those were one of the first pairs of Channellocks I bought several years ago. I actually used them about a week ago to tighten a shower fixture. They've been around for years, but for some reason you don't see them too often in the big box stores. I do know of one Ace Hardware store near me that does carry them in stock. I think they're worth having for any job where you don't want to leave teeth marks.

Jim C.

 

[Coleman]

Hey Coleman,



I see a lot of nice stuff in that drawer... Not just Blue.... But don't get me wrong, the Blue looks pretty good too!



Jim C.

Thanks Jim. Work in progress!


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[SquareLJ]

I only own one Channellock, a 460. Many years ago I had another one (I believe it too was a 460) that I used daily for plumbing saltwater aquariums. It was constantly getting saltwater baths. I always cleaned it with fresh water, dried it off and put it away. Not one bit of rust on it after several years of that abuse. Sadly, it was lost and I had to buy another recently.

 

[Jim C.]

I only own one Channellock, a 460. Many years ago I had another one (I believe it too was a 460) that I used daily for plumbing saltwater aquariums. It was constantly getting saltwater baths. I always cleaned it with fresh water, dried it off and put it away. Not one bit of rust on it after several years of that abuse. Sadly, it was lost and I had to buy another recently.

Welcome to the GJ and thanks for making your first post a part of this thread!! Hope your new 460 serves you as well as the old one did.

Jim C.

 

[KAOTIK Motorsports]

Nice collection!

I have a set just like this on the way can't wait

 

[AUconcrete]

One of my favorite if not the favorite 6-in-1 screwdriver that I've ever owned was a Channellock from a gift set...of course it's been lost for nearly 15 years so I'll be leaving GJ briefly to head over to the bay in search of lost love...

 

[outdoorsman310]

Went to Lowes today to see if they had a 3/8 dr. 21 and/or 22mm deep impact socket. They did not, but I bought 3 pairs of Channellocks instead