small/'precision' pliers set for electronics, etc

[cheechi]

I had a 6pc set of Kobalt mini/small/'precision' pliers that I've had for years and years. Probably not as old as being USA made, but anyway can't find them/want to replace them anyway. GJ has no love for Kobalt pliers anyway.

So who else has a set of these little guys? What do you have and/or what would you buy again? I really only need dikes, end cut, long needle nose, and maybe some duckbill style. Unless someone has overwhelming praise for one of them I don't think I want to go with one of the store brands Kobalt/Husky/Cman. This set ofvim maybe?

What I'd really like more than all of it is a good small side and end cutters. The rest are ideal but those are really at the top of the list. So I went through the Williams/Bahco online catalog. I could see using any of the following
PL-95C
PL-75C
PL-126C
PL-114CS
PL-116C
PL-149C
23541

Does anyone have experience with any of these or are they one-for-one SO equivalents someone could comment on? And suggestions for the cutters of course.

 

[larry_g]

SO used to have an electronics line.. Even had a special catalog for the line.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[jeffmoss26]

I have collected almost the full line of Channellock mini pliers, they have not been made in a long time. Also have some Xcelite and Snap-on.

 

[four.cycle]

I just ordered a few pairs from this outfit:
proamericatools.com
they're not here yet, so I can't speak to their quality. pictures looked good and they were 40% off on a "black Friday" promotion.

they're in Baldwin Park, California (LA area) and are currently producing private label for Armstrong, Proto, and (believe it or not) Wilde.

 

[cdeer001]

http://www.apexhandtools.com/brands/erem/index.cfm

 

[gungatim]

Husky has the same set. I just picked one up because can't find the craftsman ones anymore and wanted a second set for the ham shack...they look identical to the gold craftsman ones but black/white handles...I think I paid $15 for the set...

 

[creativecars]

I picked up this 5 pc set for my daughter who likes to do crafting. She has not used them yet, but when the came it they seemed pretty good. And for the price...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NPPAUW/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[ravenzfusion]

Xcelite

 

[Richard Cranium]

Sears sells a set just like the ones pictured by creativecars.

 

[anndel]

I used to work in the electronics industry and we've used Xcelite or Snap Ons.

 

[lilcraigford]

Check out Xuron. They are very popular with hobbyists. I don't own any Xuron tools yet, but I have my eyes set on a couple of their products.

 

[rcktsled]

I will second Xuron. Great quality and reasonable prices.

 

[stonesfan68]

Knipex makes awesome small pliers.

 

[Loscaldazar]

Knipex (german) and Pro America (USA) make some great mini pliers. I have 2 Knipex and 1 Pro America (slowly replacing my chinese craftsman mini pliers) and they are excellent.

Otherwise, I'd go for the Tekton set. Cheap and will be about the same as all the other import mini pliers.

 

[rcjoy]

Xcelite has worked great for me.

See page 41-57 of the following:
http://www.apexhandtools.com/PDFs/Xcelite%20Catalog%20550620.pdf

 

[martin666]

Have a Taiwanese Williams set and 2 Mac sets. Been very happy with both, don't remember how much the Williams cost but I know they were more than reasonable and wouldn't hesitate to buy them again

 

[Danglerb]

Really nice pliers have really not nice prices. I lucked into box of premium crafting pliers at a swap meet once, sorry I didn't buy them once I got home and started checking the brands (Swiss and Italian mostly). OTOH I grab one of the $15 set of six types most often so I don't mess up my good ones.

 

[cheechi]

Tektons are on the short list. In fact I'll probably start with that and get more/upgrades as I need.

I am willing to spend some money on these as I have now got used to Knipex quality for all my other pliers. I haven't found a place to sell the smaller Knipex to check prices, avail etc. Usually I get mine from Amazon since Lowe's doesn't stock them anymore.

The Pro Am and Xcelite I am looking at. Need to find some pricing on Xcelite, but I will say between those Williams I looked at if I can get them from the usual sources the pricing looks better than the Pro Am so far.

 

[dslabuda]

I might be biased as I have a Hakko soldering station (fx951), but i am impressed by their quality.

Flush Cutters
https://www.adafruit.com/products/152

Mini Pliers
https://www.adafruit.com/products/1368

Strippers 20-30awg
https://www.adafruit.com/products/527


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk

 

[RRmech]

Xcelite here also.

 

[dede2897234]

cheechi,

Here is a very comprehensive, past GJ thread about precision pliers: LINK.


Dave

 

[BMack37]

You can find NOS Kobalt sets on eBay if you really want to go that route again...but I'm not a fan of them, in fact, I like the Pittsburgh pliers set better. I have a few pairs of Pittsburgh that I still use because I can't find the perfect replacement yet but most of my more commonly used pliers have been changed to Engineer, Knipex or Hakko.

One of the Pittsburgh pliers I'm trying to replace is a long, thin needle nose with serrated blades. I'm looking for something like this but with serrated blades(All good quality pliers of this type I've found are smooth jawed), anyone know of one with serrated jaws?

 

[ssdave]

I've been buying Knipex pliers lately, they cost a bit less than Snap-on and I like them as well. I need top of the line pliers, so they're the best value for me. I have a set of Mac like you're asking about, small dikes, end nippers, needle nose, flat nose, bent needle nose and I really like them. Got them used and never priced them, so don't know how they compare price wise. I have probably 30 pairs of miniature pliers (most of them for jewelry work) and they vary from channel lock, to xcelite, to swiss and german makes, some snap-on, the mac's mentioned, and a few others. The Knipex are the best overall quality/cost, and the xcelite are a close second. The mac and snap-on compete for quality, but at least the snap-on cost more. The german and swiss are nice, but most of them as purchased through jewelry specialty houses are more expensive. I only get them for specific sizes/shapes/jaw configurations I can't get elsewhere.

 

[four.cycle]

BMack37:
look HERE:
7" needle nose, serrated jaw 4016 : http://proamericatools.com/4016-4016.htm

6-3/4" needle nose, serrated jaw 5013 : http://proamericatools.com/5013-5013.htm

7" long-reach thin needle nose, type of jaw not specified 4048 :http://proamericatools.com/4048-4048.htm

go to Ebay, go to "search", type in "KAL America pliers" - there are two sellers there who are low-balling them out - I picked up another pair from one of them earlier today.

 

[oldldh]

Just ordered the Tekton set from Amazon, yesterday...

For $ 7.98 they seem like a good deal...

We shall see...

Tekton has a buy $ 50.00 worth of their stuff, and take $ 15.00 off...

The pliers put my Tekton only order over fifty, and the final cost was $ 38.00...So...

The pliers set, and the Impact Driver adapter set were free...

 

[Davefr]

These are about as good as they get:

http://www.swanstromtools.com/

http://www.tronextools.com/

IMHO I'd rather hand pick 2-3 styles and forget about sets.

 

[04chase]

irwin is what i have used for doing led conversion on interiors of cars , which involves alot of removing bulbs and soldering in and bending legs of leds and resistors. the knipex ones are also nice but no first hand experiience . for me the irwins have worked great.

 

[pedrodagr8]

These are about as good as they get:

http://www.swanstromtools.com/

http://www.tronextools.com/

IMHO I'd rather hand pick 2-3 styles and forget about sets.

Have several Tronex hand tools and they are DAMN good (with a price that corresponds). They are VERY VERY finely made precision hand tools. If you look around, you can find my reviews on them on here. I absolutely love my smooth jawed Tronex needle nose. That being said they also have really nice serated jaw pliers.

Some other ones that are good are Lindstrom, Erem, Excelta(their Five Star line is actually made by Tronex), and Schmitz.

Schmitz are probably the better value of those, they are Made in Germany and have some pretty good prices. They are the ODM for NWS and CK Tools. There are some similarities between Knipex ESD pliers and Schmitz as well but I have a feeling that is just more a combination of German styling/engineering and that there are only so many ways to make a plier.

 

[lilcraigford]

...

One of the Pittsburgh pliers I'm trying to replace is a long, thin needle nose with serrated blades. I'm looking for something like this but with serrated blades(All good quality pliers of this type I've found are smooth jawed), anyone know of one with serrated jaws?

Pro America makes some of Proto's pliers. I'm not sure if these are among those, but they fit your description:


Proto J222G (Thin Nose) $16ish

Proto J223G (Extra Thin Nose) $26ish

Proto J222G might be the Pro America 5013 suggested by "four.cycle".

 

[BMack37]

Thanks four.cycle and lilcraig! Will order some today, haven't heard of proamerica and didn't know Proto had a precision pliers line! It's hard as heck to find them without having a manufacturer because you get thousands of results with the same rebranded Chinese pliers. I've been looking for weeks, I knew I should have asked on this forum.

Edit: Think you guys just found my solution to replacing all my cheap Chinese precision pliers! Thank you both!

 

[Sine Swept]

^^ Those Proto's look nice. I have a pair of Proto sidecutters that I use daily and I'm not very nice with them, hardly a scratch on them.

I have this set of Mac minis

I don't use this set often, but when I need something that nothing else will do they are a lifesaver.

I can't think whether it is Cooper / Xcelite, but one of them makes a mini chain nose plier, I bought 2 pairs (US made) and I probably get more use out of them than the whole set of Mac's. It's like a snub nose, needle nose.

 

[four.cycle]

When I ordered three pairs direct from Proamerica last week (on their "Black Friday" special), the guy on the phone told me they manufactured stuff for Armstrong, Proto, and Wilde, as well as filling contracts for the US Government.
The Ebay prices from "Bowers Tool" and "donvito-NY" are about the same as what I paid when you factor in the tax that Proamerica has to charge on all sales - within a buck on all of them I checked.

 

[cheechi]

Thanks for the help guys I have some reading to do.

 

[four.cycle]

still awaiting delivery on some other models. this is what I've gotten so far:

Proamerica miniature pliers L to R: 4006F, 4018, 4024, 4030, 4042 by four.cycle, on Flickr

 

[BMack37]

Could you post a picture of the serrations(if there are any) on those Proamericas? Example:
Xcelite:

If they're the same style on the various pliers, one picture would be plenty helpful.

 

[four.cycle]

Proamerica miniature pliers 4024 4030 detail 01 by four.cycle, on Flickr

Proamerica miniature pliers 4024 4030 detail 02 by four.cycle, on Flickr

proamericatools.com

Ebay: search " KAL America pliers " - seller donvito-ny

I got mine from donvito-NY - if you want to buy in multiple units maybe he'll deal with you on prices.
(he's got a boatload of other pliers as well.)

If you want the full-size pliers: bowertools

 

[Derek1387]

Just ordered the Tekton set from Amazon, yesterday...

For $ 7.98 they seem like a good deal...

We shall see...

Tekton has a buy $ 50.00 worth of their stuff, and take $ 15.00 off...

The pliers put my Tekton only order over fifty, and the final cost was $ 38.00...So...

The pliers set, and the Impact Driver adapter set were free...

Everything I have gotten from Tekton has been wonderful.

Except their pliers. I returned 11 pliers the other day. I was all excited to get them until i received them. Contacted Amazon and sent them right back.

 

[BMack37]

Thanks four.cycle! Man, those are nice too. They are cut nice and deep like the Williams pliers. Not sure if I like the crosshatch or the straight, deep cut better...or if it makes any difference at all. Definitely buying a pair of the bent nose Proamerica pliers right after I post this.

 

[four.cycle]

Proamerica 4028 4-3/4" Long Nose With Cutter, Serrated Jaw Pliers by four.cycle, on Flickr

 

[MBfreak]

Hi.
After 40 years of almost daily use my Lindstrom precision small side cutter took retirement. I had sharpened it several times, but the pin was now worn out.


I ended up buying a Knipex 78 03 125 electronics precision side cutter for about $40.
So far, every bit as good as the Lindstrom was. And it won´t have to last me 40 years.

Best regards

Ola