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Anyone else love knipex?

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TOOL FANATIK

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Sep 20, 2014
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566
Location
Bennington, VT
I have come to know, love, and appreciate good quality pliers. Channellocks, SK pliers, Klein's, Leatherman to name a few. Knipex pliers are growing inside of my tool bag. Blue handles are being replaced with red, and USA with GERMANY. Some blue handles kept their spot, while the red ones turned out to be really nice backups. What are your thoughts on knipex? What models do you so love? Tell us. Now...every love story has SOME hate in it somewhere...so what do you hate?

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zkling

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Jan 23, 2007
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Awesome. Alligators and minibolt cutters are my favorite. What do I hate? The price. :lol_hitti
 
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bonneyman

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Apr 22, 2010
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Location
Desert SW
I was turned on to Knipex adjustable pliers many years ago by a boss. Since then I've always kept a pair or two in reserve just in case my primary pair broke or stripped out. Which it never did.

The 10 and 12 inch gator pliers are among my favs.
 
OP
T

TOOL FANATIK

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Bennington, VT
I dished out cash for the 10" raptors. They say they're good for rounded or painted hexes. I honestly should have saved my money. I hesitate to say they're useless in removing rounded fasteners only because I haven't tried enough techniques, but I'm not impressed.

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bonneyman

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I haven't used them on rounded hex fasteners, but I have used them to hold 1/2" black iron pipe so I could install a union or an elbow on the end. Teeth dug in and held just fine. Oh, and they seem to work well on square headed bolts, too.

I'm not above putting them in the vise and cleaning up the teeth with a file every so often if they need it.:shocking:
 
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redwrench60

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Sep 10, 2011
Messages
6,062
Location
East Tennessee
Cobra pliers, excellent.
Mini bolt cutters, outstanding.
10" diagonal side cutters, could be perfection.
Linemans pliers very good. Second only to 2000 series Klein
 
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tshetter

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May 19, 2011
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603
Location
Central, FL
Count me in.

I used ones similar to these the other night adding a lighting circuit:

13011604k.jpg


The ones I have are for AWG; they are German Knipex made for 14, 12, 10awg and not metric wire sizes. Just for that I had to get them. I would have preferred if they were VDE insulated but they don't offer that variety yet.

Item: 13 01 614 for the AWG version. I got my from ChadsToolbox.com


My NWS electricians cutters/strippers are for 1.5 and 2.5mm, and are just a little bit too small for 12 and 10awg; so I gotta be a little more careful when stripping insulation with those.
 
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Farmall 1066

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Jul 21, 2012
Messages
1,805
Location
Suburban Rockford, NE
Got each size of their compound leverage pliers. Lost track of how many guys have bought them after using mine.
One of the first things I'd replace, if I had to.
 
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KamiCrit

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Joined
May 25, 2013
Messages
322
Location
North Of The 49th And West Of Everything.
I like em buy the best, forget the rest. But in Canada I find the prices are hefty and the selection/availability are limited.

At Lee Valley I can grab NWS pliers, and from Gray Tools I can order in Wilde rebrands. And Princess Auto/Canadian Tire have Channellocks, on lock.
 
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bobcatdan

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Jan 4, 2011
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9,948
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Kaukauna,WI
The plierwrench is one of the greatest tools ever. Mini bolt cutter pretty good too. The rest doesn't excite me much. Not saying they are bad, just don't do anything to stand above the rest. Side cutters were never that sharp and dulled quickly. Drawer liner weight now. Corbas aren't bad, but good old channellock work just as well.
 
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mickeyone

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Joined
May 31, 2007
Messages
198
Location
northern NJ
Recently won a pair of cobras in woodstockva giveaway,they are awesome and in my klein bag,along with knipex dykes,klein linesman,klein long nose,and old school miller wire strippers,also klein auto stripper.Each company makes something good.I mix it up and get the best of all worlds,Still have love for channelock and utica
 
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BAndritsch

Active member
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May 8, 2008
Messages
27
tshetter said:
Count me in.

I used ones similar to these the other night adding a lighting circuit:

13011604k.jpg


The ones I have are for AWG; they are German Knipex made for 14, 12, 10awg and not metric wire sizes. Just for that I had to get them. I would have preferred if they were VDE insulated but they don't offer that variety yet.

Item: 13 01 614 for the AWG version. I got my from ChadsToolbox.com


My NWS electricians cutters/strippers are for 1.5 and 2.5mm, and are just a little bit too small for 12 and 10awg; so I gotta be a little more careful when stripping insulation with those.
Click to expand...
Get a pair of Klein 600v grips, shave yours off and put the new ones in a pan of hot water and then just slip them on. Wonderful grips.
Bill
 
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hautpot

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May 25, 2015
Messages
824
Location
California
I love how Knipex is very global in the tool market. I wish NWS had more channels of distribution in the USA besides Irwin and a few internet sellers.

What I hate is how Knipex is divided between Euro and USA markets. There are tools sold in Europe not available for the USA market. And then there is the ugly Blue and Red comfort handles.
 
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Brownsfan

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Apr 16, 2012
Messages
5,974
Location
Cleveland Ohio
The mini bolt cutters have no equal. Their slip joint pliers are superior to others. Side cutters are good but I wouldn't call them the best. The Klein 2000 series are similar in price and just as good if not better. I personally HATE their long nose pliers. Klein is definitely superior in my opinion. The one thing Knipex does the best is they come nice and loose and easy to use. Some others need broken in and oiled to loosen up. Just my opinion of the pliers I own.
 
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zkling

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Jan 23, 2007
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bobcatdan said:
The plierwrench is one of the greatest tools ever. Mini bolt cutter pretty good too. The rest doesn't excite me much. Not saying they are bad, just don't do anything to stand above the rest. Side cutters were never that sharp and dulled quickly. Drawer liner weight now. Corbas aren't bad, but good old channellock work just as well.
Click to expand...

What? I've done so much more with the alligators than i ever could with old fashioned (straight jaw) channelocks. Primarily with round and semi round objects. They just really bite.
 
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G1GRANDEUR

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Aug 22, 2009
Messages
2,094
true, once I used cobra, I never though about going back to or use regular channel locks.
 
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rick carpenter

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Jan 20, 2011
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Location
Huntsville, East Texas
tshetter said:
The ones I have are for AWG; they are German Knipex made for 14, 12, 10awg and not metric wire sizes. Just for that I had to get them. I would have preferred if they were VDE insulated but they don't offer that variety yet.

Item: 13 01 614 for the AWG version. I got my from ChadsToolbox.com
Click to expand...

I have the 614's and I also like them. I wish they were bigger/heftier though, more like the size of the Milwaukee 6n1's but I was the one who played with them in Sears and bought them to be able to carry fewer tools in a bag in a less accessible location. When I have the chance though I go with my Klein and Ideal strippers and my Channellock linesmens.

I really like my 10" Pliers Wrench and want a smaller maybe 7" version too. For regular ol' pump style action I'd say the Cobras are better than the Alligators, but I like T&G much better.

I know I'll like their mini bolt cutters and cable shears if I get them, but they are a wish rather than a need now. I'll be buying more Knipex though, just very carefully considered.
 
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davethorik

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Sep 14, 2013
Messages
4,992
Location
Norka, Ohio
Only Knipex I own is the mini bolt cutters. They are fantastic as others have said. The cobras and pliers wrench are a little too pricy for my taste. I'll get them if I can find a deal.
 
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bobcatdan

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Jan 4, 2011
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9,948
Location
Kaukauna,WI
zkling said:
What? I've done so much more with the alligators than i ever could with old fashioned (straight jaw) channelocks. Primarily with round and semi round objects. They just really bite.
Click to expand...

To be honest, I only have the 22" king cobra and was never inspired to buy the smaller one. It's a nice pliers, but never found it to be much better then my 20" Blue Point (99% sure its a channellock). For one thing, the Blue Point opens wider. Once I got the PWZ3, the bite blows the King cobra out of the water. Yes the cobra adjust faster, but the PWZ 3 is going to get the job done.
 

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rednotch

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Jun 3, 2013
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1,170
Location
south nj
I loved them when Lowes was dropping the line for pennies on the dollar. There not cheap when its retail though so I only have a hand full of their tools.

I have the craftsman rebranded cobra's
7" Combination pliers
9" Concretors nippers
and the 5 pc insulated set.

I tend to reach for the knipex first before anything else now.
 
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MJD1

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Dec 28, 2014
Messages
606
Very happy with the quality. Does anyone know if they offer a larger version of the mini bolt cutters?
 
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maxpower_hd

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Joined
Apr 17, 2015
Messages
2,230
Location
Massachusetts
I've had a set of the Craftsman rebranded pliers that I believe are the Cobras, just black. I recently had them save my *** twice being the only thing in my home box that would do what I needed.

The most recent, which I posted in a different thread, was removing a stubborn fuel filter from my truck. I rounded the line bolt with a flare wrench because of the amount of force trying to remove it. I ended up trying the Cobras since I had nothing else to lose expecting even more damage but I managed to brake the fittings loose without even as much as a slip from the pliers. For perspective, I had a 20 mm wrench on the filter side with a larger wrench on that for leverage and the 10" Cobras on the line side.

Needless to say I was impressed. I have been hemming and hawing on pulling the trigger on some Snap On, made in Sweden, Flank Drive adjustables. Now I may try the plier wrenches after all. Or at least get two 10" cobras for my work box.
 
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Ike4160

Active member
Joined
Feb 18, 2014
Messages
29
My go to pliers are all Knipex. In the eighties I liked craftsman, nineties I started using Knipex and Klein. Klein have been too soft and wear out too quickly. Knipex are tough as granite and just don't break or rust. They also do not wear out and get sloppy like other pliers do. I have to put fluid film on my Klein stuff because it rusts too easy also.
 
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zyx5432

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Joined
Jan 27, 2013
Messages
133
I hate Knipex. Or at least my wife does... (but the collection above puts mine to shame!)

 
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