Anyone else like Channellocks?

[Travisnd]

Well I figured since the Channellock toolbox is getting full and I can't get the matching bottom right now, I needed a new way to store some NOS stuff.....hence why I found this old Channellock tool board!! Not sure if I'm going to leave the sticker on or not as I found another to replace it and it's in the mail! Pretty cool that it came complete with a old Channellock bag full of hooks.....I'm excited!

 

[Jim C.]

^^^^^^^ I like it!!! Displaying a few of your favorites on an old school board is pretty cool.

 

[Travisnd]

Thanks Jim. I've got a lead on another one that is bigger but not in good as shape as the one I just got. Not sure if I'm going to pull the trigger or not!

 

[greenbalot]

Anybody have any tips how to preserve the blue color of the handles for as long as possible?

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

Well I figured since the Channellock toolbox is getting full and I can't get the matching bottom right now, I needed a new way to store some NOS stuff.....hence why I found this old Channellock tool board!! Not sure if I'm going to leave the sticker on or not as I found another to replace it and it's in the mail! Pretty cool that it came complete with a old Channellock bag full of hooks.....I'm excited!

Interesting cloth bag.. wonder how old it is. When it refers to blacksmithing tools, is that alluding to the classic manual forging tongs? Did (or do they still) make those? Any idea of markings, etc. if so?

Interesting........

 

[Travisnd]

Dennis,
There are no markings but I believe the box it came in is the original box from Channellock so I'm going to look further. There are a few pics in my 1966 Channellock catalog that show counter displays that are identical to this.

 

[NoahG]

Recently got a few media pieces along with a 1992 Channellock catalog....more cool stuff coming soon!

I'd love to see a pdf scan of that!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Brians VWss]

Just pick these up today NOS 3078 duckbill needle nose. It Is amazIng how thIs stuff Is stIll out there.Also picked up a empty 420 pouch

 

[MagnumForce]

Anybody have any tips how to preserve the blue color of the handles for as long as possible?

I use an industrial degreaser and it does wonders. Syndet is what I use. We get it in 55 gallon drums at the factory. No idea if it is available to a consumer.

 

[alpinewhite]

Anybody have any tips how to preserve the blue color of the handles for as long as possible?

Keep it away from light would be my first guess. Museums disallow flash photography for this very reason.

 

[Travisnd]

Just pick these up today NOS 3078 duckbill needle nose. It Is amazIng how thIs stuff Is stIll out there.

Nice addition!!!

 

[fm2176]

I guess NOS will eventually be in my future, but for now I'm buying current production. Got the 414 and GL6 a few days ago and the GS3S set from Lowes earlier today. Now I have all of the regular tongue in groove pliers besides the 480, along with my first non-US tool other than the bottle opener (the 6-in-1 screwdriver).

 

[Travisnd]

Fits perfect on the side of my hanging cabinets. Got a new sticker today just in case I decide to replace the old one on there now, though I kinda like it, add character!

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

Joined ChannelLock on Facebook, got nice comment from them there on my basement collection on my pegboard and sent them my snail mail address for some stickers.. Will update once they get here.

Dennis

 

[jeffmoss26]

Nice!

 

[fm2176]

Picked up the 5410 slip-joint and 410 Nutbuster earlier. Then stopped by an old hardware store and bought a NOS 85 fence plier. They had a 338 and two 460s left--the guy told me they stopped carrying Channellock, and sadly there were some Pittsburgh Pro pliers mixed in with various NOS products.

 

[fm2176]

I'll post some pics of my collection in the next few days...prior to February I only had a pair of long nose and a side cutter, now I'm probably up to 25 or more.

 

[metaldad]

I'll post some pics of my collection in the next few days...prior to February I only had a pair of long nose and a side cutter, now I'm probably up to 25 or more.

the disease has spread.

 

[Jim C.]

Fits perfect on the side of my hanging cabinets. Got a new sticker today just in case I decide to replace the old one on there now, though I kinda like it, add character!

That looks GREAT Travis!! That's exactly what I thought it would look like with a few NOS tools hanging on it. ......and for the record, I'd keep the original sticker on it.

 

[metaldad]

jah, i'd keep the original label on it.
or........... a reproduction label.

 

[jeffmoss26]

This isn't the for sale section.

 

[NUTTSGT]

This isn't the for sale section.

That is correct Jeff and the offending posts have been deleted. There's a classified section for those members (that have 100 posts or more) who are wishing to sell their Channellock wares.

 

[Jim C.]

Another impulse buy.......I stopped by my local Home Depot yesterday looking for a particular size and style of stainless steel screws (which they did not have). As usual, before I left, I took a quick pass through the tool aisles just to shake my head in disgust at the shrinking selection of USA made tools being offered. For no good reason, I ended up bringing home these #430 Channellocks. I have absolutely ZERO need for them, but they satisfied the itch to buy something.

Anyway, I also noticed the Channellock selection at my local HD appears to be shrinking. Within the last six months or so, it just seems like the basic 440s, 430s, 420s and the three piece set (includes needle nose, 420 and one other, maybe 430 or 440) are the only Channellocks on the hooks. There were no individually packaged Channellock needle nose pliers (there used to be two different sizes), and just two pairs of Channellock lineman's pliers. I didn't see any Channellock fence/multi tool pliers either. There were a few Channellock oil filter pliers. What I did see plenty of were Husky branded pliers, and they had clearly invaded display space that had once belonged to Channellock. Anyone else noticed this trend at their local HD?

Jim C.

 

[alpinewhite]

I wish HD or Lowes sold the 480.

 

[Askme42]

Another impulse buy.......I stopped by my local Home Depot yesterday looking for a particular size and style of stainless steel screws (which they did not have). As usual, before I left, I took a quick pass through the tool aisles just to shake my head in disgust at the shrinking selection of USA made tools being offered. For no good reason, I ended up bringing home these #430 Channellocks. I have absolutely ZERO need for them, but they satisfied the itch to buy something.

Anyway, I also noticed the Channellock selection at my local HD appears to be shrinking. Within the last six months or so, it just seems like the basic 440s, 430s, 420s and the three piece set (includes needle nose, 420 and one other, maybe 430 or 440) are the only Channellocks on the hooks. There were no individually packaged Channellock needle nose pliers (there used to be two different sizes), and just two pairs of Channellock lineman's pliers. I didn't see any Channellock fence/multi tool pliers either. There were a few Channellock oil filter pliers. What I did see plenty of were Husky branded pliers, and they had clearly invaded display space that had once belonged to Channellock. Anyone else noticed this trend at their local HD?

Jim C.

The HD I've been to have a ton of milwaukee hand tools. Very little channellocks. Menards is my go to for channellocks.

 

[jonjon1]

Heres one of my pliers drawers, I like channellocks, there are a few more sets in my other boc and in my tool bags, I probably have 30-50 pairs total...

 

[fm2176]

Here are my pics, sorry for the orientation issues as Photobucket won't let me save the edited versions:



From humble beginnings... Old 337 and 317, along with a Blue Point CHN440; these have been in my possession for years. I also have/had an old pair that may have been 558s. Prior to February these were all the Channellocks I owned.



The tools that lit the fire...these were about 50% off at True Value around Valentine's Day. Had the lady price check some other pliers but they weren't on clearance. The store still had some left last month. NOT PICTURED: 424 and 326 pliers--these are somewhere in the house.



The results of my hardware store crawl during St. Patrick's Day weekend. Paid more for these than I should have, but supported some good mom and pop businesses.



Finally added more "Channellocks" to the collection! Purchased over the past few weeks. Bought the GS-3S to add the 440 and 420 to my collection. Got home to realize that I'd already bought the 420 a week earlier (thought I'd bought the 430), so I already owned all of the pliers in that set if you count the Blue Points.



The complete collection (minus the aforementioned 558[?], 424, and 326). The "Big Azz" 480 is likely to be added soon, as are the 12" and 15" oil filter wrenches. Those and future purchases will be made online unless I happen across a great deal. I'll also be looking out for good used pliers in the future. As you can tell, these are all new and only a couple have been used so far. Don't worry, though, they'll get plenty of use in the coming decades.

 

[RedneckWelder]

So what is the opinion on the Nutbusters- worth getting or not?

 

[fm2176]

So what is the opinion on the Nutbusters- worth getting or not?

I haven't used mine yet but reviews on them are great, with many people claiming they work better than a pipe wrench or Vise-Grips for many applications.

 

[Travisnd]

Heres one of my pliers drawers, I like channellocks, there are a few more sets in my other boc and in my tool bags, I probably have 30-50 pairs total...

Nice drawer!!

Here are my pics, sorry for the orientation issues as Photobucket won't let me save the edited versions:

Nice collection!! Definitely a good start!! haha!!

 

[jonjon1]

So what is the opinion on the Nutbusters- worth getting or not?

I use them before grabbing a vise grip and 95% of the time they take care of rounded bolts and nuts, the large pair feel like you can crush the fasteners, and they DIG in quite well, I would say they are very worth the price...

 

[Duth62]

I haven't used mine yet but reviews on them are great, with many people claiming they work better than a pipe wrench or Vise-Grips for many applications.

Are you planning on ever using any of these tools ? EVER ? I can't even spot a fingerprint, much less any sign of usage.

 

[fm2176]

Are you planning on ever using any of these tools ? EVER ? I can't even spot a fingerprint, much less any sign of usage.

Of course not! Just kidding. I've already broken in the newer 317 and the 908, as well as a couple of other tools. Keep in mind that almost all of these are only two months old and that many were purchased while I was recently on an extended leave (returned yesterday, 24-hour shift today). I haven't had a project to use most on yet, but they will doubtlessly get their share of use in the coming years. My truck and the fixer-upper house will see to that.

Unfortunately, my current job doesn't allow for much tool usage. Every now and then I'll get a detail where I can have some fun (put four different bolt cutters through their paces a couple of months ago cutting military-grade locks), but for the most part I have to look for stuff to do on my own time.

Worst case scenario is that most of these Channellocks get passed to my children in perfect condition. Oh ****, I'll need quintuplicates to make it fair.

 

[Jim C.]

Of course not! Just kidding. I've already broken in the newer 317 and the 908, as well as a couple of other tools. Keep in mind that almost all of these are only two months old and that many were purchased while I was recently on an extended leave (returned yesterday, 24-hour shift today). I haven't had a project to use most on yet, but they will doubtlessly get their share of use in the coming years. My truck and the fixer-upper house will see to that.

Unfortunately, my current job doesn't allow for much tool usage. Every now and then I'll get a detail where I can have some fun (put four different bolt cutters through their paces a couple of months ago cutting military-grade locks), but for the most part I have to look for stuff to do on my own time.

Worst case scenario is that most of these Channellocks get passed to my children in perfect condition. Oh ****, I'll need quintuplicates to make it fair.

No need to justify your tool purchases. Sometimes you just go on a binge, and the next thing you know.....well, you see what can happen. Anyway, that's kind of how my Channellock collection got going. That's why I started this thread. I bought a bunch all at once within a short period of time. I just recently bought a pair of #430s a couple days ago that I have absolutely no immediate or foreseeable use for. Eventually I'll use them, just like all the others I bought on a binge..... You have a nice collection....

Jim C.

 

[OCD]

The complete collection (minus the aforementioned 558[?], 424, and 326). The "Big Azz" 480 is likely to be added soon, as are the 12" and 15" oil filter wrenches. Those and future purchases will be made online unless I happen across a great deal. I'll also be looking out for good used pliers in the future. As you can tell, these are all new and only a couple have been used so far. Don't worry, though, they'll get plenty of use in the coming decades.

Sweet!! Awesome collection...

 

[fm2176]

No need to justify your tool purchases. Sometimes you just go on a binge, and the next thing you know.....well, you see what can happen. Anyway, that's kind of how my Channellock collection got going. That's why I started this thread. I bought a bunch all at once within a short period of time. I just recently bought a pair of #430s a couple days ago that I have absolutely no immediate or foreseeable use for. Eventually I'll use them, just like all the others I bought on a binge..... You have a nice collection....

Jim C.

Thanks for the input. I went through a couple of clearance binges last year, first with Wiss and then with Ideal. This is my first mostly full price binge. Channellock makes a great product here in the US and as an aside the handles are close to Infantry Blue in color--so I'm supporting American laborers while displaying my service pride.

Sweet!! Awesome collection...

Thanks! I kind of justify these purchases by comparing them to consumables: should I buy these 430 pliers or make two trips to McDonald's? I paid less for the entire lot than my brother has racked up in bar tabs in the past.

As a Soldier I see a lot of arguably frivolous spending in my peers and subordinates. I guess that when housing and a steady paycheck are guaranteed, it is easy to appreciate the finer things. Some collect expensive watches, others shoes; some buy or lease a new car every couple of years, others have thousands invested in custom paint and rims; some have the latest video games and nice home theaters, others have the newest i-whatever and spend hundreds in apps. I drive a ten-year-old truck and have a 22" tv, while I wear a $10 watch and contemplate replacing my worn out PT shoes. Even my former passion for firearms has waned over the past few years. I like spending my hard-earned money on stuff that can make or save me money. The way the military is nowadays I could be back to using my tools in a professional setting before I plan to.

 

[rick carpenter]

So what is the opinion on the Nutbusters- worth getting or not?

The jaw depth is fairly shallow, but they are NUTbusters. Vice grips, CL v-jaws, and pipe wrenches can be your friends too.

 

[Travisnd]

These arrived yesterday from Meadville, PA! Book is pretty cool, pretty much just a pictorial over the 125 years of Channellock.

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

Joined ChannelLock on Facebook, got nice comment from them there on my basement collection on my pegboard and sent them my snail mail address for some stickers.. Will update once they get here.

Dennis

Just arrived over the weekend.. I thought I posted earlier but apparently not..

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

These arrived yesterday from Meadville, PA! Book is pretty cool, pretty much just a pictorial over the 125 years of Channellock.

What is the blue item? Mouse pad??

Super cool...