I stopped at Lowe's on the way home from work today and saw that they are starting to stock some Knipex tools. They only had some Cobras, Alligators, needle nose, small cable cutters and a 5 piece insulated set on display so far, but they had space set up for lineman's pliers and dikes, too.
Knipex at Lowe's
- Thread starter The Motts
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HandyManny
Well-known member
I'm shocked. I was under the impression that Lowes was currently in works to fade out most other hand tool brands and sell only Kobalt tools.
G1GRANDEUR
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really? i dont know if thats just your state or local thing.
i will check my area.
i will check my area.
Merkava_4
Banned
I can't picture Knipex being at Lowes ... that's beyond my comprehension. 
fatfillup
Well-known member
Did you check pricing?
HandyManny
Well-known member
Could be just my state or area. Others here seem to have it different at Lowes where they live.
I just recall even 2 years ago seeing various brands of hand tools, even Allen brand tools, a lot of USA made stuff. Now it seems like slowly over the last couple years all those other brands have been replaced by Kobalt branded stuff on the shelf.
I know that my local Home Depots also sell a very limited number of Malco HVAC tools, and only a couple snips from Midwest Snip. Generally these two brands are kept not in the tool section, but the venting, air conditioning, and sheet metal section.
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W_KY
Well-known member
Last time I checked in my Lowe's (about a month ago) there were Knipex pliers. If I remember correctly, they were at a "new lower price"....something like a buck or two lower.
posaune
Well-known member
Were these in the usual tool section or somewhere else? I just stopped at my local Lowes and didn't find any Knipex at all. I was even armed with a 10% off coupon. 
W_KY
Well-known member
I saw them in the electrical section. In the particular Lowe's I go to, they are directly across from the electrical/light switches.
fordracing200
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i can't find them on the website for the life of me..
JakeD
Well-known member
That's exactly where they are at the Lowes by my house. I guess I didn't realize it was a big deal.
I didn't really make note of the prices, but I would say they are slightly higher than Chadstoolbox.com and slightly lower than Amazon.com. One price I do remember is for a 5 piece insulated tool set for $89.00. The same set sells for $99.76 on Amazon. The prices being a little higher than some online retailers doesn't bother me since I prefer buying things at a store, rather than online.
When I got home yesterday I checked the website, too. I couldn't find anything, either. Mostly what I found for tools on the website was Kobalt branded.
posaune
Well-known member
I went back and they were there - in the electrical section. Prices seem to be good too. The 8" needle nose with comfort grip (the only pliers/price I remembered) are within a dollar or so of Chad's Toolbox.
Unfortunately they didn't have the plier wrenches or any big Cobras (they had the 7&10" ones, but those are available WAY cheaper rebadged as Craftsmans).
Unfortunately they didn't have the plier wrenches or any big Cobras (they had the 7&10" ones, but those are available WAY cheaper rebadged as Craftsmans).
apong23
Well-known member
Saw them in the electrical section also, next to the klein tools and kobalt. They look like quality tools.
Andy
Andy
Vinko
Well-known member
^^^ remind me which Craftys are rebadged Knipex?
Attachments
wantedabiggergarage
Member Emeritus
Craftsman 2 pc. Adjustable Pliers Set, 7 in. & 10 in.
Sold by Sears | Sears Item# 00945433000 | Model# 45433
Yup, Sears replaced Klein with Greenlee. Too bad...although more and more Klein is not US made.
HandyManny
Well-known member
Being replaced by Ideal tools at Lowes. Ideal up until a couple years ago was still USA made, but now it appears to be all Taiwan made stuff.
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HandyManny
Well-known member
Klien is shooting themselves in the foot by going exlusive with HD. Used to be that Ace and True Value even sold Klien tools. Even family owned independent hardware stores sold em. I know that the Ace near me still sells some Klien pliers. Sad thing about Klien is that they don't even make a lot of their own line anymore, just their core basic tools.
fatfillup
Well-known member
Very true on big box stores pushing for lower price points. They squeeze their vendors very hard and will accept lower quality as long as the price is where they want it be. They are driven by more and more units moving out the door. Their average customer does not percieve quality as much as they want low prices. And face it, most consumers will never use a given tool or gadget enough to know the difference.
went to one of the local Lowe's and saw the Knipex stuff in the Electrician's section like everyone else says.
They also had greenlee, some klein, some IDEAL, some channellock.
It didn't look like they were trying to get rid of any other brands.
They also had greenlee, some klein, some IDEAL, some channellock.
It didn't look like they were trying to get rid of any other brands.
went to one of the local Lowe's and saw the Knipex stuff in the Electrician's section like everyone else says.
They also had greenlee, some klein, some IDEAL, some channellock.
It didn't look like they were trying to get rid of any other brands.
They also had greenlee, some klein, some IDEAL, some channellock.
It didn't look like they were trying to get rid of any other brands.
I don't know if Knipex is at Lowes in Chicago but I'll find out probably this weekend when I go to one. I hope the fact that Knipex is showing up at a big box store doesn't mean that one day it will evolve into being chop-suey made tools like all the brands before it.
I went back today and wrote down the prices at the Lowe's near me:
Knipex Prices at Lowe's
95 11 165 6 1/2" cable shears $ 23.57
71 31 200 8" bolt cutters $ 39.97
88 01 250 10" alligator pliesr $ 19.88
87 01 250 10" cobra pliers $ 26.57
87 01 180 7" cobra pliers $ 23.57
09 11 240 9 1/4" lineman's pliers w/ crimper $ 44.97
09 02 240 9 1/4" linemna's pliers, comfort grip $ 37.97
74 01 250 10" diagonals $ 35.47
74 01 200 8" diagonals $ 19.97
74 22 200 8" diagonals w/ angled head, comfort grip $ 26.97
26 12 200 8" longnose pliers, comfort grip $ 28.97
09 08 200 9 1/4" insulated lineman's pliers $ 42.97
74 08 200 8" insulated diagonals $ 49.97
26 18 200 8" insulated longnose pliers $ 37.97
5 piece insulated tool set $ 89.00
I did a little Googling of these product numbers and none of the prices were that far out of line most e-tailers. Chad's Toolbox was less expensive on most , but not all items. The only one that seems wrong to me is the 8" insulated diagonals. I think the tag was wrong and should have read $39.97, since the prices I Googled for those were much lower than $49.97.
Big Bad Jon
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The Lowes near my house now has some of these products. The prices were good, close to the e-tailers. And definitely cheaper than the too trucks! And since the Lowes is right down the street from my house, I have a new reason to go there! This is great. I love Knipex products.
won't be available till Dec. 2009.
posaune
Well-known member
Weird- these have been in stores for at least a year. A few months ago, I got the set for $16.**, probably because of one of Stuey's posts.