Snap-On vs Knipex

[TheMadMech]

How to the Snap-On offerings match up quality wise to Knipex's offerings? I'm talking for the pliers (cobra/alligator), needle nose, diagonal cutters, and such. I got my Knipex off a Matco truck and I love them but I'm curious how Snap-On compares.

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[Jim C.]

How to the Snap-On offerings match up quality wise to Knipex's offerings? I'm talking for the pliers (cobra/alligator), needle nose, diagonal cutters, and such. I got my Knipex off a Matco truck and I love them but I'm curious how Snap-On compares.

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Is it really one versus the other, or just personal preference? Unless there's some kind of scientific study being conducted specifically comparing durability, corrosion resistance, etc., I think it just boils down to, "What do you like and why?" I have a few Knipex that I really like, particularly the mini bolt cutters. I'm sure SO, Knipex, and the other manufactures produce pliers/cutters that perform well and have a dedicated group of followers and enthusiasts. Generally speaking I don't think you can go wrong with either brand.

Jim C.

 

[TheMadMech]

Mostly I'm interested in hearing from people who've used both and what they thought of them basically.

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[Adam.C]

Snap On doesn't offer something like Cobra or plier wrench. These are unique designs and well worth owning. All the other pliers are inferior to Snap On. Snap On pliers have wide comfortable grips, awesome grippy teeth, well designed jaws and fabulous machining and grinding quality. Only quibble is the excessive price. But definitely do a cost comparison and shop eBay for like new Snap On.

I upgraded from craftsman pro to knipex based on rave reviews here. For the price I paid, I was unimpressed with knipex. 2 out of 15 or so pliers I bought had to be returned for quality problems.

I've since bought some Snap On pliers. All are impressive as hell. The needle nose and duck bills are my go to pliers. The old 47ACP are probably my all around favorites for automotive. But for stuff around the house, I love my comfort grip Cobras. Definitely pick these up.

 

[bobcatdan]

A lot is personal choice. SO doesn't have anything that compares to cobras. Franky their channellock style pliers ****. As far as slip joints, something so simple as the third position makes SO slip joints awesome. Needed noses are fine, no complaints. Side cutters, my SO seem better. My one knipex side cutters never impressed me. Maybe I expected too much. Also it's older and was well used before I bought SO cutters so my knipex may have dulled some by the time I was able to compare. Compare each style you want and find which brand pleases you more in said style.

 

[Dave455]

Well, Snap On, as I understand the situation, bought out the old Vacuum Grip company many decades ago, which is how their plier line came about! Those were top grade pliers, and no less so for Snap On's takeover! Indeed, some of the original 'Vacuum Grip' models were still offered up till the late 80's - I bought some!

Back then, those all steel Vacuum Grip models were really the top end of their line, but their regular models with the dip coated handles were pretty darn good too. I bought some of them as well, and am still using them! If there was a downside it was that Snap On seemed wedded to producing 'traditional' patterns and never offerred a European style combination plier, despite it being my most used pattern!

Sadly, over the years, it seems to me that the quality has declined a little. The new 'Talon Grip' were launched with much fanfare, and I'll admit they are decent tools, but the more complex joints of the older models have given way to an (easier to make) lap joint, there are many more nicks and dinks in the forgings than on the older models, and the finish is poorer.

Having said all that, they are still very good tools. I bought a set 'on special' for my road box and they are lovely to use! The long nose pliers have taken abuse without issues, and I reckon the cutters are about the best out there at the moment!

Knipex are an average to good European manufacturer. 30 years ago, I'd have said that they didn't have the fit/finish of the Snap On, or the strength. Of course, they didn't have the price tag either, being half the price of the Snap On's, or less! They didn't sell big numbers in the U.K. owing to the proliferation (and quality) of our domestic brands!

Things change though, and while incompetent British managers fell over themselves in the race to bottom, the Germans kept the quality high! I would say that Knipex are probably now the predominant plier manufacturer in the universe, and certainly in the U.K.

Their quality is very good. They have probably overtaken Snap On now in terms of quality of fit, and quality of finish, but I think that Snap On still have the edge in terms of absolute strength!

Ultimately though, it all comes down to personal preference, and there can be no substitute for trying a pair in your hand! Despite the Knipex being superb value in the U.K. I still reach for my Snap On's first!

 

[kd3pc]

My 40 year old SO cutters are still more comfortable and able than the new knipex. Klein cutters, nippers, screwdrivers and side cutters of the same age - even more so, but they were used 8-10 hours daily for decades as opposed to the SO ones 10-15 hours a week during that same time.

Comfort for me, regardless of tool brand - really only comes in to play when that tool is used and in your hand hour after hour, and is still comfortable - and your hand will move at the end of the day.

Slip joint still belongs to Channel-lock, meters to Fluke, and so on.

 

[espyking83]

I like Snap Ons flush cuts better, but think they're Pro America.. Knipex for everything else. Oh yeah, Snap Ons long duck-bills are nice.

 

[zkling]

Depends on what you are comparing.
As mentioned snap on doesn't offer specific styles such as the cobra/alligator or mini bolt cutters. The quality of both is very good, but snap on's offerings are more of the traditional pliers design. Their T&G pliers are quite a bit different than others. Knipex is a pliers company, snap on is a general mechanics tool company.

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

SO did sell Knipex cobras…

 

[Strouty]

To give a general answer for essentially all tool manufacturers, not one company makes the greatest of everything, so I try and buy the best each has to offer. Snap On has some great pliers, the channel lock style is not one of them. The cutters work well, but I really like the ones that NWS has, I am also a big fan of my older klein side cutters. If you want to stick with one brand, ultimately you will not have the best of everything. Knipex pliers wrench and cobras are some of the best tools on the market, the cobras have finer teeth that seem to break down quicker than some of the larger teeth brans, but they grip like a mofo.

 

[TheMadMech]

I've Ben impressed with the Cobras ability to bite and not slip. I've experienced Channellocks, Craftsman (the non-Knipex), Husky, Irwin, and Kobalt and they all slip rather frustratingly but the Cobras/Alligators just grab the hell out of the piece. That said, I have no Snap-On experience so I was wondering.

As far as the Needle Nose go, I've used a similar range as well as Proto and broken tips off all and bent all except the Knipex which hold up remarkably well.

Diagonal Cutters I'm currently using Protos and they are pretty well but I broke the cutting surface pulling a key out of a keyway and need to replace them but it was a situation where it would have broken ANY tool, I'm sure and the Protos got the key out.

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[abvw]

I think every variant of the Knipex Cobras is worth owning.

If you use needle nose pliers to grip or pull things other than wires, Snap-on's needle nose and duck bill pliers are the best, hands down.

 

[JAKE-THE-TOOL-MAN]

I own plenty of both, it depends on which style you're using

 

[Davefr]

Knipex Cobras + SO Talon Grip Needlenose pliers = marriage made in Heaven

 

[TheMadMech]

It sounds more and more like I need to build a relationship with a Snap-On vendor.

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[Mrmanface3]

I prefer knipex over snap-on for any type of cutter. I bought my snap-on wire cutters first and never realized how terrible they were until I was given a pare of knipex wire cutters as a gift. Now all of the various types of cutters I use are knipex.

Also, as pretty much everyone else has already said, nothing compares to the knipex Cobras!


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[vartz04]

Knipex for me. I've been trying to convince my tool truck fan boy Buddy to switch to some German stuff and trusty cook hammers. He likes wasting his money though.

 

[platform389]

Knipex Cobras + SO Talon Grip Needlenose pliers = marriage made in Heaven

I would second this as well. I do like the spring loaded handles SO offers in their "Channelock" type pliers. Knipex offers an excellent jaw design and handle position selections. Well worth the money.

 

[Inabox85]

If i may chime in. A real good friend of mine is an electriction. He won't use anything but kline. When he's at my house in my garage he always gives me a hard time about using mastercraft tools. But I'm a chef not a contractor.

 

[fras_auto]

snap on doesn't offer something like cobra or plier wrench. These are unique designs and well worth owning. All the other pliers are inferior to snap on. Snap on pliers have wide comfortable grips, awesome grippy teeth, well designed jaws and fabulous machining and grinding quality. Only quibble is the excessive price. But definitely do a cost comparison and shop ebay for like new snap on.

I upgraded from craftsman pro to knipex based on rave reviews here. For the price i paid, i was unimpressed with knipex. 2 out of 15 or so pliers i bought had to be returned for quality problems.

I've since bought some snap on pliers. All are impressive as hell. The needle nose and duck bills are my go to pliers. The old 47acp are probably my all around favorites for automotive. But for stuff around the house, i love my comfort grip cobras. Definitely pick these up.

i bought 2 pairs of the knipex cobras and they are very nice and quality is top notch

 

[winlinmac]

The only two Knipex Pliers that concern me are their Long Needle Nose Pliers w/ Cutter and Electricians Multi-function Plier. The Long Needle Nose doesn't appear precision-cut and the Electricians Multi-function plier is not fully coated with oil out of the factory. Overall, Knipex is still favorable, not because they are Made in Germany, but that they are cleverly made with some of the best steel around.

 

[Adam.C]

i bought 2 pairs of the knipex cobras and they are very nice and quality is top notch

To be fair, when you handle Snap On pliers, you may no longer think so. Cobras are a unique and effective design, but the joint is far from precision quality, the jaws can move side to side. The jaws move when you grab and twist. You don't get that with a simple set of slip joint pliers from snap on.

For the precision pliers, like needle nose and long nose, the Snap On are better finished, the jaw teeth perfectly mate, and there's no slop in the joint. When you spend $30+ on a set of pliers, I think this is what you should get. I think I paid $20-$25 from Chadds for my Knipex and I gotta say I really wasn't that impressed.i think they are overpriced for what you get.

 

[rlitman]

Snap On doesn't offer something like Cobra or plier wrench. These are unique designs and well worth owning....

I've since bought some Snap On pliers. All are impressive as hell. The needle nose and duck bills are my go to pliers. The old 47ACP are probably my all around favorites for automotive. But for stuff around the house, I love my comfort grip Cobras. Definitely pick these up.

To be fair, my first pair of Knipex Pliers Wrenches were Blue Point branded. So, technically, Snap On does offer them. Just rebadged and marked up, even if they don't make them themselves.

l just picked up a pair of Snap On long handle duck bill pliers. I already own similar pliers from Craftsman, Knipex and Channelock.

Side by side, the Snap On are a little smaller than the others (by about 1/2"), but are now my favorite go-to pliers. They have the perfect ratio of handle to jaw strength, and feel just right. The Craftsman duckbills are much heavier, and will remain my go-to pliers for heavier work. The others just don't compare, and will rot in the drawer.

From what I've found, Snap On pliers are some of the best I've ever used. VERY few companies offer better pliers. Lindstrom is the only brand that comes to mind, and as expensive as Snap On pliers are, I do not know of a cheaper alternative that is also superior in quality.

 

[cleason]

bought knipex channel locks, kliens open wider for a plier thats the same length. klien also opens wider than channel locks. knipex diagonal cutters don't cut as good as klien cutters.

 

[kctyphoon]

You really gotta understand that at this point you are just splitting hairs.. AND you need to take into consideration that MANY people in here only buy off tool trucks because the majority of people here are mechanics. suggesting that anything might remotely be better then snap on is just pure blasphemy.. If you make your way over to an electrician site, you will not find ANYONE using snap on tools. For most of them is Klien or die.. Many of the trade guys just fall into line after they are hired, and listen to what the older guys drill into their heads, cause that's what they spent their careers using and anything else is a "waste of money" I have some older crescent lineman pliers, and jonard's.. If I peeled the grips off and painted the tools, I promise you nobody would be able to tell you which was a klien, which was the crescent, and which was the Jonard without picking the things up and reading the label.. They are all basically identical to one another. Knipex also has to combat the Made in the USA loyalists, since it's German, which is actually funny cause Klien sells a rebranded NWS pliers under their name, which are also made in Germany. I promise you, you will not find a world of difference at this level. Little things here, little things there. The residential and commercial electricians can even have different opinions cause they work with different gauge wires.. I'll favor Knipex for what I do cause the V groove in alligators is small enough to work on our smallest strand, when 9.5" or 10" channellock equivalents are just too wide in their v groove to be usefull..

I've never had ay problem with any of my Knipex stuff, and they make a very large line of diverse hand tools.. I don't think you will find mini bolt cutters or cobra equivalents in a snap on version.. Just like power tools, if you are brand loyal, then you invest in the line-up and not just one tool.. For me, it's Knipex, I have 4 tools from them that will do 90% of what I need hand tools for in my craft, and they have proven to be better than all the others I've tried.. If you have read some of my other posts, I bought and tried over a dozen different diagonals cutters and lineman pliers. Out of all I bought, the Knipex were the best "FOR ME"..
To be fair, I don't own snap on pliers, but something tells me if they want $25 for 1 socket, I might find their plier prices to be a little unrealistic for me, but I never even bother looking because I just have easier access to all the other brands since they are sold in stores and on Amazon. I guarantee you that I'll never pick up a pair of lineman pliers and be like "my god, look what I've been missing all this time" - you're just splitting hairs..

 

[cleason]

im a union electrician over 30 years, klien linesmans are the best. tried other brands. snap-on linesmans dont feel right in my hand.also ideal and bluepoint ratchting strippers are the same, switched parts so i could warranty them. knipex 15" pliers dont open up large enough.same size klien are open 1" wider. i do like my smaller knipex pliers for running ridgid pipe. people pay too much for knipex off tool truck. i bought mine at an electrical supply house for 1/2 what the truck charges.i worked maintenance in a plant, the shop had mechanics , so im familiar with the snap-on and mac trucks.

 

[shawhite]

[QUOTE I have some older crescent lineman pliers, and jonard's.. If I peeled the grips off and painted the tools, I promise you nobody would be able to tell you which was a klien, which was the crescent, and which was the Jonard without picking the things up and reading the label..[/QUOTE]

I have to disagree with this statement. Jonards are straight junk and should not be mentioned with crescent or Klein.

In my day job I use kleins only because they are the only true lineman pliers meaning they offer a version with a 5/8 bolt thread chaser. I won't not be caught on hooks with anything less. At home I use snap-on not only because they work flawlessly but also because my driver will warranty them if I mess the cutting blade up.

 

[MWEric]

I have both, also NWS and Gedore. QC on the Snap ons has been iffy. As in needle nose pliers with excessive gaps below the tips. Also the snap ons are not as nicely finished, steel wise. They don't polish all the surfaces before plating.

 

[rlitman]

...Also the snap ons are not as nicely finished, steel wise. They don't polish all the surfaces before plating.

I've got a bunch of Snap On pliers. None made by Snap On were plated.
What are you talking about?

 

[MWEric]

I've got a bunch of Snap On pliers. None made by Snap On were plated.
What are you talking about?

Sorry I should have said coated.

 

[cleason]

should i say more. a man needs to use his tool.

 

[kctyphoon]

[QUOTE I have some older crescent lineman pliers, and jonard's.. If I peeled the grips off and painted the tools, I promise you nobody would be able to tell you which was a klien, which was the crescent, and which was the Jonard without picking the things up and reading the label..

I have to disagree with this statement. Jonards are straight junk and should not be mentioned with crescent or Klein. [/QUOTE]

Jonard is not "junk".. They are America made, and Union approved hand tools. Their slogan is "made for life".. The only reasons they are not popular is because they are not sold in big box stores, and the company specializes in the telecom industry.

 

[Keyrick]

They are different types of pliers. The Kliens and Channellocks are Arc Joint pliers and the Knipex Cobras and alligators are a form of slip joint pliers. The Arc Joint pliers in your picture have flat serrated jaws, while the Knipex jaws are curved. Perhaps for your use, that doesn't make any difference, but that is not the case for everyone.

 

[winlinmac]

I feel the Knipex and Klein Combination Pliers are on par with each other. This is from a 2016 standpoint.

 

[cgv69]

I have a few Snap On dykes and honestly, they've never impressed me much. I know they have some new designs that might be better but if I was looking for the "best", I would look at Knipex or NWS or go the opposite direction and save some money and get Channellocks

ETA for water pump type pliers, I think Knipex Cobra's are worth the extra expense. For dykes or needle nose, if you get a really good deal on them or are in an electrical field and will use them daily then the knipex/NWS'a might be worth the extra money but other wise I feel like the Channellocks are more then good enough. Just my $.02

 

[jeffmoss26]

should i say more. a man needs to use his tool.

Are those re-dipped Channellocks?

 

[Schurkey]

I really miss the Snappy #87 sidecutters I lost. Flared, Vacu-Grip handles, and decent cutting edges. Now the 87x replacements have bowed handles that really stink, and of course they're plastic-coated. Current model is 87ACF, but the flared handles were gone a long time ago.

My only complaint was the looseness in the hinge.

 

[TheMadMech]

I met up with the local Snap-On dealer and after talking for a while he said that the Knipex stuff beats out most Snap-On stuff but pointed out some Snap-On gems. It was interesting because he sold both and said he would warranty Knipex as well. Everything he told me matched up with what I've read here on GJ.

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[kctyphoon]

[QUOTE I have some older crescent lineman pliers, and jonard's.. If I peeled the grips off and painted the tools, I promise you nobody would be able to tell you which was a klien, which was the crescent, and which was the Jonard without picking the things up and reading the label..

In my day job I use kleins only because they are the only true lineman pliers meaning they offer a version with a 5/8 bolt thread chaser. I won't not be caught on hooks with anything less.[/QUOTE]

Crescent did as well...