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Anyone else like Knipex?

davethorik

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I will admit I am a Channellock guy, they've always worked for me. However Channellock does not make a mini bolt cutter. So here is my first (and knowing me, probably not last) pair of Knipex. Haven't used them yet but they should come in handy. I also picked them up at a flea mkt for $30 :)
 

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Champo

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Wow, I don't have a collection like some of you guys, but I've got a few knipex tools and they are all awesome quality. The linesman's pliers, side cutters, wire/cable strippers and the cobras are easily the best I've ever used. But I think I'm the only person who doesn't like the plier wrenches more than a normal adjustable. They're great for cable glands or finished surfaces though.

 
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SASORacing

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Looks like you need a regular long nose with your bent. Looks nice. I just ordered a 7.5" cobra comfort grip. What size are yours champho? I'm not a fan of the plier wrench either, well the concept, as I have not tried them out yet. I have used the cobras though, and it's a great universal wrench that grabs well.
 

beatcad

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I have their side cutters as well as Snap on's. The Knipex are definitely better.

me too.

my tool obsession & brand preference was locked in before I found the GJ...
except for knipex.

i'm now a knipex convert.

thanks jerks:lol:
 

merbie

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Jul 23, 2014
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england
Okay fellas, which set to buy
ha2a2e8a.jpg
and I buy the needle nose on the side or
8ugu7uqa.jpg
and by the cobras on the side?


Sent from the sticks
 

Brownsfan

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Cleveland Ohio
Well here is my modest collection:

How do you like their electrical installation pliers? Did you get them local or on line? Been thinking about getting a set. I have the smaller ones the sell at sears with a stripper and crimpers built in. They are a little too small for me
 

Champo

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Looks like you need a regular long nose with your bent. Looks nice. I just ordered a 7.5" cobra comfort grip. What size are yours champho? I'm not a fan of the plier wrench either, well the concept, as I have not tried them out yet. I have used the cobras though, and it's a great universal wrench that grabs well.

Haha I do have a pair of regular long noses but I forgot to put them in the photo. I like them too, but they have a lot of flex in the ends of them, which makes it hard to grip things. I have a wiha pair as well and they are a lot better than the knipex. I usually carry the electricians installation pliers in my toolbag instead of long noses, because they have a good cable cutter on them as well.
My cobras are 250mm/10". I've had them for 7 years and they still grip better than any other pair I have or have used!
 
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J

JBradley500

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merbie, could you get the assembly set and then get the 3 piece cobra set later on? If you planned on getting more than one set of cobras that's the way i'd go about it.
 

merbie

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Yeah I reckon too, my only concern is the cutting pliers seem a little small at 160? They do sell a set of high leverage pliers which come with bigger cutters but they don't come with the comfort grips which I want


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Champo

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The 160 cutters are quite small, the two pairs in my photo above are a 160 and a 200 for comparison. I'd recommend the 200mm combo pliers and cutters, and the 250mm cobras, but it obviously depends on the type of work you do.
 
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jeffmoss26

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How do you like their electrical installation pliers? Did you get them local or on line? Been thinking about getting a set. I have the smaller ones the sell at sears with a stripper and crimpers built in. They are a little too small for me

I haven't used them a ton but they are nice. Ordered them from Epstein's a while back.
 

decaf

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Stockholm, SWEDEN
Very nice, how much $$ money is this? Who has some free time and a calculator nearby?

I had too see for my self how much it was....somewhere between 2.000-2.5000 USD :scared:
Depending on which store you buy them here in Sweden.

Ha ha you only live once....right? :bounce:
 

merbie

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Instead of buying a set I went for 250 cobras to start with and I already love them although the self locking feature can be temperamental
yhupesa5.jpg



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_Dock_

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Ky
Once you get used to the locking feature you will love it! Cobras are the only way to go, use them everyday..
 

Fcvapor05

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It's your money, so obviously do what you want.. but 5 cobolts? 7 pairs of linesman pliers? Really? In the same box?
 
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SASORacing

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I had too see for my self how much it was....somewhere between 2.000-2.5000 USD :scared:
Depending on which store you buy them here in Sweden.

Ha ha you only live once....right? :bounce:

That's a heck of a lot for pliers! But at least they are german and good ones...
 

burke753

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Aug 16, 2014
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Hobbs, NM
I've got the 3 piece Set of Cobra's and those get used everyday. If I have to remove the tubes coming out of these diesel exhausts, for backpressure and all the DPF sensors nowadays. I don't even reach for a line wrench anymore. I grab my 10" cobra and go to work, because you're going to round those nuts anyway.

I've actually been able to reuse more of those tubes since I started using the Knipex than I ever could reuse after a line wrench had it's chance.


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Monte

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Dec 23, 2008
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Germany
Love all of mine. Probably have 15-20 pairs of their pliers. Monte, how do you like those snap ring pliers? Durable?
i only used certain sizes a couple of times so i can´t say much...
so far so good :)
Monte, how well does the chrome finish hold up on them?
the chrome plated pliers (except the end nippers) belong to my father. They´re still good (1 year old). Mine too but not used really often. Over the years it could be possible that the plating at the cutting edges peel off.





caddilack031.jpg

caddilack032.jpg
 

crbnfbr

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SC
Man you guys know how to make someone feel jealous. I only have a 7",10",12" cobra pliers and a 10" high leverage side cutter. I also have a 16" Bahco adjustable pliers that I like almost more than my Knipex. It seems easier to adjust.
 

decaf

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Stockholm, SWEDEN
News from knipex says that the plierwrench is avaible in 125mm now also.

And i haven´t bought the 400mm yet, i need too speed up....:lol_hitti
 

Davefr

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I have a love/hate relationship with Knipex. I absolutely love the Cobras but hate their needlenose.

Look at this garbage. There's nowhere along the jaws where there's even grip forward of the cutter. This is very poor manufacturing quality IMHO. These damn things won't even hold a thin object and they're supposed to be precision pliers.

SO, Klein and Channelock don't have this problem. The tip should be the first part that closes tightly.

Maybe I got a manufacturing dud.

P1030879.jpg


P1030881.jpg


P1030883.jpg
 

PBCampbell

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Interesting that you post this Dave. I went and looked at mine (26-11-200 & 26-21-200). The teeth also do not meet, but without extra pressure neither do the cutting edges. After fussing with them a bit, it certainly seems this is by design. I've never felt they lacked anything in use. I noticed my Klein journeymans don't meet until near the tip. The Kleins also have cutters.
 

Davefr

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Interesting that you post this Dave. I went and looked at mine (26-11-200 & 26-21-200). The teeth also do not meet, but without extra pressure neither do the cutting edges. After fussing with them a bit, it certainly seems this is by design. I've never felt they lacked anything in use. I noticed my Klein journeymans don't meet until near the tip. The Kleins also have cutters.

This is SO's design. (Klein is very similar but with a more gradual gap taper). With light pressure the first part of the jaws to make contact are the very tips:

P1030887.jpg


With even more pressure the cutter edges make contact and even more of the jaw tip's length will make contact:

P1030888.jpg


P1030889.jpg


The SO and Kleins are a much more precise implementation IMHO. Also their serration pattern is much better for gripping/twisting.

The Knipex jaws are much more parallel across their length when approaching being closed. Maybe that's why they did it that way but it's not as effective IMHO and makes for poor tip contact. They should change the design so the tips engage slightly before the cutters.
 
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Farmall450

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Dec 23, 2011
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Marengo, Illinois
I have a love/hate relationship with Knipex. I absolutely love the Cobras but hate their needlenose.

Look at this garbage. There's nowhere along the jaws where there's even grip forward of the cutter. This is very poor manufacturing quality IMHO. These damn things won't even hold a thin object and they're supposed to be precision pliers.

SO, Klein and Channelock don't have this problem. The tip should be the first part that closes tightly.

Maybe I got a manufacturing dud.


I'd request a new one, that's terrible.
 

Champo

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Mar 13, 2013
Messages
160
All these long nose pictures made me check my knipex pair, and they are pretty bad. :headscrat
The tip of one side is bent, I can't remember ever bending/dropping them, but I doubt they would have come from the knipex factory like that (every other knipex tool I own is flawless, except for a couple of chrome coatings which doesn't really matter to me). Even so, there's a fairly large gap between the jaws because the cutters meet before them.
My wiha long nose pliers are perfect though :thumbup: does anyone know if the insulated wiha tools are still swiss made?

 
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