Knipex Wrenching Pliers mini review

[zuspiel]

I am really going to like these. I only have one minor crit, I tend to pinch my fingers in any pliers where the handles can close together closer than about 1". I am going to have to be careful with these, because on certain middle settings the handles touch.

Thanks Zuspiel for the review, would not have known about these if you'd not posted.

zuspiel posted the original review

They are pricey but I dont know how I lived without them. It will be hard to use an adjustable now.

Glad you guys like them. I haven't had "finger issues" with them so far. It takes a lot less pressure than you might think to get a firm grip on something. I gripped them way too tight in the beginning...

Crawlin, that adjustable will be even harder to use the second time you try it again after using these since you'll have thrown the adjustable across the garage the first time

Thanks bchee

zuspiel aka Stuey's little helper

 

[Crawlin]

I just used mine some more tonight. I dont have any wrenches bigger than 1" yet. And I needed to tighten a 3/4" bolt with locknut which is a 1 1/8" and I stuck my snap on cordless impact on the bolt head and the plier wrench on the lock nut and they worked awesome, yesterday I did one with the cresent and it sucked. These are are must have!

 

[Vinko]

Sorry, I should probably have explained how they work. It's quite a neat design. Their power comes from the extremely short "forward" lever arm. Here's a comparison pic with some large channellocks:

The ratio of the red to the blue lever arm gives the "force multiplier" of the pliers. On the traditional pliers, the distance from the tip of the jaws to the fulcrum is 75 mm. From the fulcrum to a point close to the end of the handle, it's 250 mm. If you apply, say 10lb of force to that point on the handle, the tips of the jaws will experience

10lb * (250/75) = 33.3 lb

of force. Now for the Knipex ones, we get

10lb * (200/13) = 153.8 lb (4.6 times more)

That's what makes the Knipex ones so unique. The whole jaw is pushed up by that much larger force because the forward distance is so small.

I used two hands for the studs and I'm sure I developed at least 50lb of force on the handle. That means the jaws were clamped shut by a 770 lb force!!! That allowed the flat face to grip a smooth fastener.

Actually, when you play with the things and put your finger in them, it takes almost no force on the handle for it to start hurting

bchee, you're right. When fully closed, there is a small angle between the jaws. I think that's there on purpose. It takes up the slack of the whole mechanism when you apply some force. Kind of like pre-tensioning it. When you clamp down on something, they do seem parallel.

I've also used them on dirty brass AC fittings (elbows with square corners). The load was distributed so evenly that they hardly disturbed the grease and dirt on the fitting... From other times I've used them, I know that they work a bunch better than the "vise-grips plus wrench" approach, as well.

chammyman, the lack of teeth is what makes them so attractive to me. You don't have to worry about tearing stuff up.

Stuey, I have to check out the channellocks you mentioned. Do they work on the same principle?

Finally, thanks for the "thanks for the review"s. I like reading reviews here a lot, myself.

I hope this post helps. Otherwise, fire away

I just read through your review. Like your PB tools review, and others, this one is great. Not only the pics but the copy as well. Keep 'em comin'

 

[Vinko]

I know they're too different tools but it's interesting to compare the finish of the steel head on the Knipex to the S-O locking pliers (LP7SLIM) that I posted elsewhere. Admittedly, my photo skills are horrible compared to Zus's but you might get the idea of what I was trying to say in my post there.

 

[zuspiel]

Thank you! I'll try. I don't have a whole lot left to get,
so things might peter out. Have a few left, though

 

[zuspiel]

The finish on the Knipex ones reminds me of Gedore satin finish wrenches.
Do you have a link to your pic of the SO?

 

[Vinko]

The finish on the Knipex ones reminds me of Gedore satin finish wrenches.
Do you have a link to your pic of the SO?

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=365766&postcount=30


Sorry, I have to learn to hold the camera steady and use the focus. Too many 12 hour days with coffee.

 

[superautobacs]

I wish Zuspiel comes back to participate again.

Here's a couple videos that demonstrate the uniqueness of the pliers wrench:
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[Vinko]

I wish Zuspiel comes back to participate again.

+1 I don't think there was a more thorough or more enjoyable to read tool reviewer around

 

[FNFS2000]

Now we can just cross our fingers and hope they don't start outsourcing production outside of Germany. With entry to the big boxes, there will be great pressure to lower prices... Call it the walmart effect...

 

[Monte]

We don`t have Walmart here in germany so they mustn`t outsource

 

[superautobacs]

Knipex is another one of those long-time, family owned and operated businesses. Knipex is still independently run, and is now under the hands of the fourth-generation family members.

There's no guarantee, but such companies tend not to sell their name and reputation, for the sake of saving face, of their pride and legacy.

 

[Joe B.]

There's no guarantee, but such companies tend not to sell their name and reputation, for the sake of saving face, of their pride and legacy.

...until the kids need money for coke. One bad generation ruins it all.

 

[xroad]

There seems to be lots of shear force across the width of the "***" that holds the lower moving jaw in place. I wonder how much shear force is required to break it? If the opposite of the multiplying force from the hand grip to the jaw, the jaw to hand dividing force in this case, ends up spreading the gripping hand before breaking the "***", it would be OK. If the hand is able to hold on beyond the shear force limit, then .....

 

[Monte]

I`m pretty sure that they are engineered right and hold up well.
How strong the cobras are for example you can see here....:
nothing breaks....

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[woody 73]

Zuspiel,

Shame on you( now that you have told me about these pliers I must brave the snow and cold and buy them)!

Dont feel bad for me it's like taking a drunk for a walk down a aisle in a liqueur store...

Tool Sickness I hope it never ends.

 

[Hawk321]

Oh those pliers are the ultimate adjustable wrench. The grip power comes from the 2 levers, they press the jaws like a vise grip to the fastener without any damage.

I turned some inbus bolts to belive that, hell even those round head are not a porblem for this nice tool.

 

[kooldino]

This looks really interesting...I think I'm going to order a 7" model. I mostly work on cars, so I rarely encounter anything over 19mm, therefore the 7" should suffice, no?

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

Where is the best place to order it?? never can find them in the store.

 

[bmwpower]

I`m pretty sure that they are engineered right and hold up well.
How strong the cobras are for example you can see here....:
nothing breaks....

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6MMm3vErm84&hl=de_DE&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6MMm3vErm84&hl=de_DE&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

That looks like a tiny asian guy, but still...

Looks like there is a 6" in the Ergo handle as well:

http://chadstoolbox.com/8605150knipex6inchmicroplierswrench-comfortgrip.aspx

 

[kooldino]

Where is the best place to order it?? never can find them in the store.

I found them here:

http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/kni8603180.html

 

[Z06 427]

Where is the best place to order it?? never can find them in the store.

Check out Crawfordtool.com

 

[Monte]

just added the 6" to my toolbox

 

[egdede]

Bought pair to use on high end plumbing fixtures. Use them everywhere, all the time.

 

[scottmlew]

I have these on order, can't wait to get them in...I love my other plier wrenches! I'd recommend Chadstoolbox.com or aktoolsonline.com for good prices and service.

 

[kooldino]

Just got my set from tooltopia. These are damn impressive.

 

[bmwpower]

Any reason to keep your other pliers if you have these? I mean these seem to grip better than anything else...

 

[matthew]

That is the best designed pair of pliers I have ever seen - I suddenly know what all the fuss over Knipex is about. That lever-jaw mechanism looks fantastic - I'm going to have to put that on my list of stuff to buy.

 

[fatfillup]

Being the knipex fan that I am, I have to order them.

Zuspiel, thanks for the info and thanks to everyone else who chimed in.

 

[FNFS2000]

Cute little things, I had to get mine as soon as they crossed the pond. Havn't used them much, but I'm a fanatic and needed to have all sizes!

 

[sputnikv8]

Scored a 10" pair of these from a 3rd party seller on amazon for $35 due to "damage to the box". Box was dinged, but, the pliers are wonderful. I am amazed at the pressure you can exert with them.

German engineering...marvelous!

 

[toolmutt]

Wow! A thread that is over a year old has enough residual to cost me money! Just saw it. Great review. Gotta get some of those!

 

[wellstig1]

I was enjoying my 7" and 12" pair until monday when the teeth sheered off, I'm hoping I just got unlucky and that this isn't common.

 

[Vinko]

I was enjoying my 7" and 12" pair until monday when the teeth sheered off, I'm hoping I just got unlucky and that this isn't common.

Teeth? These don't have any?

I've got the 10" pair (this review inspired me to get them) and want the 7 and the 12. A few times both would've come in handy.

 

[y20dth]

Glad to know I'm not the only that sticks his fingers where they don't belong

+1 LOL

We don`t have Walmart here in germany so they mustn`t outsource

Actually,there are 2 in Wiesbaden that I know of.
But that might be because there is an US army-base in the neighbourhood.

 

[superautobacs]

I was enjoying my 7" and 12" pair until monday when the teeth sheered off, I'm hoping I just got unlucky and that this isn't common.

Can you provide us with pictures and tell us how this happened?

 

[bchee]

what ever happened to Zuspiel? And yes, how about picts of the damage?

 

[FNFS2000]

Its an easy quick fix to change the button. I had to do it once on my most used 87 01 250.