Several of you aren't comparing the correct Pliers Wrenches. The Icon pliers wrench is almost an exact copy of the original Knipex Pliers Wrench that was sold up until their revised Pliers Wrenches came out several years ago. It looks to me like Icon basically made a carbon copy of the original Knipex design and then added the laser etched size markings of the current Knipex version and that's it. The original design didn't have sides that stuck out on the jaws to hold the plastic jaw inserts (that's why the plastic jaw inserts only work well on the newer Pliers Wrenches) and they didn't have the ribbed finger grip areas at the top of the coated handles. Those are basically the only two differences between the Knipex and Icon wrenches. I don't know how all the legal stuff works, but maybe they can get away with it because they know Knipex is a German company and HF only exists in the US so they are betting Knipex won't bother trying to sue.
When HF came out with a plier line that consisted of almost exact copies of Channellock's entire plier line I was a bit frustrated by the blatant copying and how it would inevitably affect Channellock in the long run. I also realized complaining would never amount to much because Channellock's plier designs are all so basic there's really no way to prove any wrongdoing legally. There are a couple things I do go to HF for, but blatant Pliers Wrench copying like this is the sort of thing that makes me want to rethink whether or not I want to ever give HF my money again.
I agree with a few others here, it doesn't mean anything to me even if Project Farm or someone else does a head to head comparison between Knipex and HF and finds that both wrenches are equal in terms of quality. I will gladly pay a little more to get a product from a company that strives to make great products over a company that only strives to take market share away from companies that make great products. If I don't have the money to cover the difference, I would rather wait and buy the original version used instead of buying the copy version new for the same price. At least that way my money isn't helping to reward blatant copying of tools from another tool manufacturer that I love.
When HF came out with a plier line that consisted of almost exact copies of Channellock's entire plier line I was a bit frustrated by the blatant copying and how it would inevitably affect Channellock in the long run. I also realized complaining would never amount to much because Channellock's plier designs are all so basic there's really no way to prove any wrongdoing legally. There are a couple things I do go to HF for, but blatant Pliers Wrench copying like this is the sort of thing that makes me want to rethink whether or not I want to ever give HF my money again.
I agree with a few others here, it doesn't mean anything to me even if Project Farm or someone else does a head to head comparison between Knipex and HF and finds that both wrenches are equal in terms of quality. I will gladly pay a little more to get a product from a company that strives to make great products over a company that only strives to take market share away from companies that make great products. If I don't have the money to cover the difference, I would rather wait and buy the original version used instead of buying the copy version new for the same price. At least that way my money isn't helping to reward blatant copying of tools from another tool manufacturer that I love.
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) these are 100% shameless and would expect to see it from no other company, HF on the other hand is already well known for knockoffs. Others usually copy a concept and try to innovate on it with varying degrees of success or at least make it look like their own product
gifts at the time.