ber77
Member
Good day, Does the Knipex Cobra at the same size pipe wrench could replace a pipe wrench when it comes to plumbing jobs? or if I have a Knipex Cobra I will not use my pipe wrench anymore? Thanks!!!
Knipex Cobra vs. Pipe Wrench
- Thread starter ber77
- Start date
FMC1959
Well-known member
For some really big valves, Cobras come in a max size that won't do and pipe wrenches come in humungous sizes. For common sized stuff that Cobras work, I would say overall "yes", but personal preference also comes into play.
Myself personally, I could get by with only Cobras.
Myself personally, I could get by with only Cobras.
bcradio
Well-known member
I would still need a pipe wrench definitely. Maybe a little less often though.
Cobras are very nice pliers, but just like anything else they do have their strengths and weaknesses. If you are trying to get a single plier to do as much as possible you might want to look into a pair of Channellock V-Jaw pliers (or if they can handle the plumbing size you work with, the largest size of "nutbuster" pliers) instead. They are a nice compromise between the Cobras and a pipe wrench.
A good pipe wrench is pretty much the beefy gorilla of the tool world. They are very strong, they grip very tightly, and they can usually do the job when nothing else will work. I would never get rid of mine, but I do use them less often now that I have other similar pliers. Pipe wrenches do have pretty wide jaws, so there are situations where they will not fit or work well.
Cobras have really thin jaws, so their contact patch is much smaller. This can be good or bad depending on the situation. Cobras also have quite a noticeable flex to the handles when cranked on hard which many find a little unnerving, myself included.
Channellock V-jaw pliers have more of a mid-sized jaw width so they are a bit more versatile overall. They grab tight (like the cobras and/or a pipe wrench) without having to clamp hard on the handles with your hands, and they are more beefy than a pair of Cobra pliers so they feel much more secure and stable under high torque loads.
I have and use all the pliers I just mentioned, and I greatly prefer a regular Ridgid pipe wrench to anything else when doing threaded black iron or galvanized pipe work. For brass fittings I prefer a Knipex Pliers Wrench or a Ridgid hex wrench to prevent the fitting from becoming marred. For plastic or metal house sink drain fittings I usually grab a Ridgid e-110 hex wrench. For something like a hydraulic fitting I use either a flare nut wrench, a Ridgid hex wrench, Knipex raptor pliers, a Vise Grip locking wrench (4lw, 7lw, or 10lw), or a Knipex pliers wrench.
Overall, I really find myself using my Cobra pliers a lot less than I expected to, because there always seems to be a better option if you have a wide selection of tools to draw from like I do. I could easily get along without my Cobras, but I would never sell my pipe wrenches. Even with a wide selection of tools, standard 10", 14", 18" pipe wrenches are still a necessity for some jobs.
A good pipe wrench is pretty much the beefy gorilla of the tool world. They are very strong, they grip very tightly, and they can usually do the job when nothing else will work. I would never get rid of mine, but I do use them less often now that I have other similar pliers. Pipe wrenches do have pretty wide jaws, so there are situations where they will not fit or work well.
Cobras have really thin jaws, so their contact patch is much smaller. This can be good or bad depending on the situation. Cobras also have quite a noticeable flex to the handles when cranked on hard which many find a little unnerving, myself included.
Channellock V-jaw pliers have more of a mid-sized jaw width so they are a bit more versatile overall. They grab tight (like the cobras and/or a pipe wrench) without having to clamp hard on the handles with your hands, and they are more beefy than a pair of Cobra pliers so they feel much more secure and stable under high torque loads.
I have and use all the pliers I just mentioned, and I greatly prefer a regular Ridgid pipe wrench to anything else when doing threaded black iron or galvanized pipe work. For brass fittings I prefer a Knipex Pliers Wrench or a Ridgid hex wrench to prevent the fitting from becoming marred. For plastic or metal house sink drain fittings I usually grab a Ridgid e-110 hex wrench. For something like a hydraulic fitting I use either a flare nut wrench, a Ridgid hex wrench, Knipex raptor pliers, a Vise Grip locking wrench (4lw, 7lw, or 10lw), or a Knipex pliers wrench.
Overall, I really find myself using my Cobra pliers a lot less than I expected to, because there always seems to be a better option if you have a wide selection of tools to draw from like I do. I could easily get along without my Cobras, but I would never sell my pipe wrenches. Even with a wide selection of tools, standard 10", 14", 18" pipe wrenches are still a necessity for some jobs.
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I'd say no, but I guess it would depend how far you want to push them. This past summer I removed an old furnace and only had the cobras, no pipe wrench. I was a little worried at times but they survived even after standing on them to unthread some nasty black iron fittings. They don't have the wide surface area jaws of a pipe wrench, but they bite easily and very hard.
Best use I have found for the cobras and alligators is for gripping rounded over or stripped out fastener heads. They really bite, but do marr so plan on trashing the fastener.
Best use I have found for the cobras and alligators is for gripping rounded over or stripped out fastener heads. They really bite, but do marr so plan on trashing the fastener.
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General Geoff
Well-known member
Outside of an industrial environment, I am confident I will never need a traditional pipe wrench when I have this.
(Hot Wheels car shown for scale. It's a Cobra, get it?!)
This Cobra XL will handle 4-1/2" pipes no problem. Possible too small for some really big industrial applications, but I can't imagine anything residential or automotive that they (or a smaller pair) won't handle.
And yes, you can stand on them with a 6 foot cheater pipe slipped over the handle. These things will not bend.
(Hot Wheels car shown for scale. It's a Cobra, get it?!)
This Cobra XL will handle 4-1/2" pipes no problem. Possible too small for some really big industrial applications, but I can't imagine anything residential or automotive that they (or a smaller pair) won't handle.
And yes, you can stand on them with a 6 foot cheater pipe slipped over the handle. These things will not bend.
Mud
Well-known member
Grab a pipe wrench mate, you can't put a piece of pipe on the end of the cobras as a last resort.