Splurged on some NWS diagonals.

[kctyphoon]

No - NOT the Fantastico - i already have the Irwin branded model.. missing my knipex that coworkers lost - and ive had these on my mind for a while since i went on my diagonal cutter buying spree.. these are the only models i wanted to try and didnt buy.. so now i did.. cant wait.. lol

Plus - a contractor i work with called me the other night asking what size knipex he should buy for his guys - so i had to one -up em..

 

[kctyphoon]

Added the Combo Pliers.. that didnt take long.. should i get the pump pliers and complete the set?

What’s the biggest flathead screwdriver they have? Do they have non-insulated drivers? Something i can hit with a hammer??

 

[Tonyuk]

Wera do great impact screwdrivers.

 

[mr.lemons]

Doesn't appear to be any chisel style drivers on the NWS website. However it looks like NWS rebrands drivers from Felo and Athlet. Both of which offer heavy duty drivers. Just to be clear I'm guessing from looking at pics and don't know for certain.

Looks to be made by Felo
https://www.felo.com/en/

Felo offer 550 Series Heavy Duty Frico.

Looks to be made by Athlet.
https://www.athlet-online.de/profi-2k-screwdrivers-series-5000.html

Athlet offer 'Power Punch Driver.'

 

[kctyphoon]

Yea those look too pretty to beat up.. i have a big USA stanley i use now.. i like the demo drivers but not what i wanna carry.. looking forward to the pliers though.. i love my knipex alligators but dunno if i can justify the nws pump just yet.. if i buy it, its gonna be a purely - i just wanna try it - purchase..

 

[Tallpilot]

These are better than Knipex? About all I do with them is remove cotter pins. I suppose you find yourself actually cutting wire quite a bit.

 

[itylerstewart]

The Milwaukee demo drivers are nice for like $9 a pair at Home Depot

 

[wiens80]

I wouldn’t recommend these. I bought a pair and when you really bite down on something, I found the adjustment mechanism would slip. Returned them for another pair and they did the same.

The linesman pliers on the other hand are excellent. I have the Irwin rebrands with the fish tape puller and really like them.


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[FMC1959]

Doesn't appear to be any chisel style drivers on the NWS website. However it looks like NWS rebrands drivers from Felo and Athlet. Both of which offer heavy duty drivers. Just to be clear I'm guessing from looking at pics and don't know for certain.

Looks to be made by Felo
https://www.felo.com/en/

Felo offer 550 Series Heavy Duty Frico.

Looks to be made by Athlet.
https://www.athlet-online.de/profi-2k-screwdrivers-series-5000.html

Athlet offer 'Power Punch Driver.'

This would make sense as NWS makes all the pliers and cutters branded Felo. I have a set of Felo drivers, like them very much.

I have these by vessel
https://www.vesseltools.com/handtools/screwdrivers/megadora/980-kit-2-detail

Work great and are solid, no fear of destroying them. Pretty sure Wera, Wiha and others should have similar...but I have quicky become a big fan of the various Vessel screwdrivers I have, especially their "Philips" JIS or whatever you care to refer to them as. Obviously the screw head is important but between Pozidrive, Philips and Vessel (JIS), the vessel work more often than everything else.


I know you are a big Knipex fan, why not get Knipex again. I like my NWS very much, but would have a hard time find an NWS product that clearly beats the Knipex equivalent. I know some complain about flex in Knipex long nose pliers, but I like mine very much. maybe the NWS are more rigid, but still like both very much.

They both are great, maybe Knipex is slighty more of a sure thing....as long a we are talking of the main stream pliers and dykes. Specialty items I can't speak to.

 

[davethorik]

The linesman pliers on the other hand are excellent. I have the Irwin rebrands with the fish tape puller and really like them.

If the # is 1902415, I have the same pair and I agree. I did notice that the coating on mine has terrible runs and looks sloppy, unlike most other NWS I've seen, but it doesn't affect use.

I also have the Ergo Multi branded Irwin, these function and look perfect. I love these pliers, IMO all spring loaded pliers should have the lock these have. Love them so much I bought the companion Ergo Combi branded NWS. Not sure if I will buy any more but I have zero complaints with these 3.

 

[kctyphoon]

KC, have you used them for work yet?

I tried the 10” Knipex ones, but I always go back to the D-2000 Klein’s.

No not yet. I have the 10” knipex (and 8” till someone lost them) also, but i find them just too big and i feel like 8” cutters are the best for me. I LOVE my knipex stuff, i didnt buy these for any other reason then just wanting to try something that should be on par with Knipex. There’s a little tight spot in the joint i think is just from the coating they apply. There’s one side where the two halves seem like they almost touch while they pivot, but its really not a big deal as most pliers need a little breaking in. I REALLY like the grips on these too. They’re aren’t hard like knipex of channellock grips. They are softer, kinda spongy and grippy.

I have the Irwin fantastico and i just dont like the wide grips, and they dont open wide enough for me. The compound action requires your hand to open a close a lot further for everything. Anythiny really hard will require two cuts anyway as you need to walk the object further down towards the joint. I find standard high leverage style cutters to be the best, and NWS is a little “exotic” to find around here so ive been wanting to try them. If nothing else they look a lot cooler than Knipex does..

Give me a few more days, ill get bored and order the pump pliers too. Lol. To be fair, the kinda work I’m doing right not is not nearly as rough on cutters as i used to be. Its all new install and not old work repair, or emergency calls where I’m cutting a ton of stuff to get cables back up in the air or over to a new pole. Channellocks didnt last a day before, and they’re what ive been using most of the time now cause i dont need to cut anything that hard - and guys keep losing stuff so i stopped buying expensive cutters as “community” tools. I have Kleins also.. they all work good.

What’s interesting too - is on the NWS - both handles are different. Its not the same piece just flipped over and riveted together. The handles actually have different shapes to them. Like they are designed to fit your hand better. There is zero, and i mean ZERO movement in the jaws right now that might let one cutter skip over the other. These are rated for 2.5mm piano wire where the fantastico is 3.0mm I believe.

I haven’t looked again - but when i got the Irwin NWS lineman pliers a few years ago, i looked to find an NWS version that was identical with standard grips - and I couldn’t find one identical to the Irwin style.

 

[kctyphoon]

I wouldn’t recommend these. I bought a pair and when you really bite down on something, I found the adjustment mechanism would slip. Returned them for another pair and they did the same.

The linesman pliers on the other hand are excellent. I have the Irwin rebrands with the fish tape puller and really like them.


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I have the knipex alligators now and i love them. Those are the ones without the quick adjustment. I didnt really wanna get anything that has something that can get caught on the pouches on my belt. If i get the NWS pumps it’ll be w/o the quick adjustment, like these, but thank you.

https://shop.nws-tools.de/en/plumbe...ump-pliers-classicplus-10578.html#1651-12-180

 

[JBH]

Give me a few more days, ill get bored and order the pump pliers too. Lol

If you want something different from Cobra get Stahlwille/VBW Fastgrip, Gedore, or Orbis Speedy. All four beat NWS’s Quattro or whatever it’s called.

 

[kctyphoon]

Also... can you cut screws and bolts like the D-2000’s?

Should handle it no problem.. Klein came out with those to compete with the other models since their standards aren’t rated for hard wire.. even the Channlocks aren’t despite what many people think.

 

[kctyphoon]

The shape of those diagonals looks like they are shaped for a left handed person.

They are noticeably more comfortable right handed.

 

[kctyphoon]

Channellock diagonals **** for real electrical work.

I have like 3 or 4 models of channellock diagonals. The biggest problem is they dont use metal thats hard enough to survive hard work. Another issue i find is they dont seem to excell at having to use the tips, head on to cut.. like say if you have a tie wrap that’s already around something and pulled tight, its hard to cut that tie wrap off.. the head on the Klein’s seem better designed for this, and belive it or not, the cheap Apex/Crescent compound cutters work best for that. The cutting edge on them is actually the longest part of the plier head. I actually really liked the Crescent compound cutters, but the springs eventually break and the jaws will get beat up after a while. But for the price, they are really good as long as you accept they are a consumable tool.

 

[JBH]

I can’t justify them, as I have a ****-ton of Cobras and Channellocks, but this is good info. Which is better, the Fastgrip or the Speedy?

I like the Fastgrip best of all, though Cobras open wider. The difference is small except in the 180mm size, where Knipex can't seem to get their act together. The 180mm Cobras I've seen all have slop and alignment issues that their smaller and larger Cobras, or their 180mm pliers wrenches, don't.

 

[PhysicsDude]

I'd be curious to see how the NWS cutters compare to Knipex.

Based on some tests that I've seen from GermanToolReviews, the NWS pliers and cutters are solid products, but always come in right behind Knipex, which makes sense given that NWS is usually just a bit cheaper.

I've owned probably 10 pairs of side cutters, and the 8" Knipex are far and away my most favorite. I've owned mine for about 2 years - hard daily use - and they still look almost brand new, jaws look perfect. I don't know what Knipex does with the metal on their jaws, but they're stronger and more durable than other comparable pliers that I've encountered.

 

[FMC1959]

I'd be curious to see how the NWS cutters compare to Knipex.

Based on some tests that I've seen from GermanToolReviews, the NWS pliers and cutters are solid products, but always come in right behind Knipex, which makes sense given that NWS is usually just a bit cheaper.

I've owned probably 10 pairs of side cutters, and the 8" Knipex are far and away my most favorite. I've owned mine for about 2 years - hard daily use - and they still look almost brand new, jaws look perfect. I don't know what Knipex does with the metal on their jaws, but they're stronger and more durable than other comparable pliers that I've encountered.

I don't know the exact alloy but they are probably the hardest out there with a Rockwell hardness of 62-64 range, if my memory serves me correctly. On the other hand they are more brittle; there is a thread on GJ where someone having used them to hit something, instead of reach for a hammer (or the proper tool, a ratchet ), and a jaw broke off.

This should not be an issue when used properly.

 

[mobiledynamics]

KCT.

Did you like your purchase

I have to check my stash. I think I ordered a straight and angled NWS. Was not impressed with the tolerances on how tight the teeth were. Been sitting in the toolbox since. I did like the handle design though.

 

[kctyphoon]

I do like them... used them for the first time today. Nothing exciting, but basic stuff.. the handles will take getting used to.. they just feel “foreign” in my hand when i pick them up out of my pouch.. and I’m SO used to having those vinyl style grips that just kinda slide in your hand (esp with gloves on) and these are not like that at. I cant tell ya how many times my heart stopped when i had wet gloves on, and i felt pliers almost slip out of my hand while i was working in the air.. (with the knipex, Klein, Channellock style grips). The NWS grips are very much like whats on the Knipex Alligator pump pliers.. you can feel the traction on them. they will take some getting used to, but i do like them..

Came home, and the combi pliers ( or whatever the f-kc NWS calls them) were sitting on my door step. First impression - they look nothing like the pictures. Lol.. the jaws are much longer and more slender than how the pictures look. They honestly look a lot like the Irwin NWS (which would make sense, lol). Ill have to put them side by side..

But NWS has me scratching my head again - the aggressive teeth towards the front of the jaws, are not a mirror image of each other on the left and right side.. i have no idea what the reasoning behind this could possibly be. Very nice pliers though.

Look at the opening - its not the same shape on the right vs left side.. weird.. when i get out of my chair, in like 2 hours, I’m gonna have to grab the Irwin and see if they are like that too.

 

[kctyphoon]

You know what it is - its the angle of how the picture is taken thats being used on the listings.. thats why in those pictures it looks like such a “boxed” head.. the angle the pic is taken, theres a lot of metal thats fallen past the line of sight.. ive always thought the genuine NWS lineman pliers looked so weird in the pictures.. like a sharp arrow head shape.

I was debating on getting the smaller 8” version.. i think I’m glad i stayed with the standard 9”.

One of these days I’m gonna grab some of those hf Doyle cutters and see how they are.. i bet theyre pretty decent.

 

[mikebaker1129]

Channellock diagonals **** for real electrical work.

I totally agree!

 

[kctyphoon]

I totally agree!

I think the size of the cutters make a big difference. the 7” and 8” channellocks are nothing alike. They have those newer center cut style or whatever they call it. I think they are 8” also.. i have them here too somewhere.

Channellock uses a different style of cutting jaws. Its like a cutter and anvil style - i dunno if thats actually what they call it - but its where one jaw isnt sharp. One has a thin flat edge, and the idea is that you’ll never have jaws that will skip over each other.

 

[kctyphoon]

Does anyone know - Do these Allen key / torx head on the rivets actually do anything? Can you tighten / loosen rivets on these? I dont wanna try on mine.. lol

 

[sweet victory]

What’s the biggest flathead screwdriver they have? Do they have non-insulated drivers? Something i can hit with a hammer??

This is what you want. The flat head screwdrivers feel more like pry bars...

https://www.wihatools.com/screwdriv...extra-heavy-duty-slotted-phillips-8-piece-set

 

[kctyphoon]

This is what you want. The flat head screwdrivers feel more like pry bars...

https://www.wihatools.com/screwdriv...extra-heavy-duty-slotted-phillips-8-piece-set

Those are really nice.. even though the Probability is smaller, i stay away from demo type drivers that have metal all the way though into the handle just in case of inadvertently hitting something with voltage. Most of the places i work, the plant is so old and decayed, poles so overcrowded with stuff i just dont like the idea of it. I’m not a power lineman, but a lot of times I’m closer than i wanna be to that stuff.

 

[sweet victory]

Those are really nice.. even though the Probability is smaller, i stay away from demo type drivers that have metal all the way though into the handle just in case of inadvertently hitting something with voltage. Most of the places i work, the plant is so old and decayed, poles so overcrowded with stuff i just dont like the idea of it. I’m not a power lineman, but a lot of times I’m closer than i wanna be to that stuff.

I'm not aware of any striking cap screwdrivers that aren't full tang. I would think you'd already be wearing the proper PPE if you're swinging a hammer at something with live power...just saying.

 

[kctyphoon]

I'm not aware of any striking cap screwdrivers that aren't full tang. I would think you'd already be wearing the proper PPE if you're swinging a hammer at something with live power...just saying.

The Stanley i use is an acrylic handle.. my work area shouldn’t be near anything other than secondary power lines. But like i said, things are so old and fucked up, a lot of times “fixes” put in place by power companies are tape, or a rubber guard that was placed years ago and is no longer anywhere near its suppose to be. Even telephone lines can give you a jolt at the right moment, or wet branches. You’d be amazed. We dont wear rubber - we are suppose to “avoid” contact..

Minimum safety clearances are non existent in most of nyc. Competeing companies are suppose to “wait” to have space made for them before they install anything new. Being competition - the owners of the poles have no motivation to make that happen in a timely manner. Therefor - companies would rather have their stuff installed by any means necessary - and pay the fines later. Its cheaper in the long run.

 

[Steve_P]

Channellock diagonals ****. I have one larger pair that now works great for pulling nails or cotterpins. NWS or Knipex are so much better. You cant turn the screw on the joint on NWS- I assume that's how they assemble them and then that's it.

 

[Blind1]

I wanted a pair of those Nws linesman pliers something fierce. I just don’t really use them enough to justify it.

Now, my pair of 350s’, that’s a different story . I fix too much fence.

 

[PhysicsDude]

But NWS has me scratching my head again - the aggressive teeth towards the front of the jaws, are not a mirror image of each other on the left and right side.. i have no idea what the reasoning behind this could possibly be. Very nice pliers though.

I think the a-symmetrical jaws grip round things (pipe, etc.) better that symmetrical jaws. Same effect that Cobra/Alligator pliers have. Not sure how useful that is for 8" lineman pliers though... not like you're going to be gripping 3/4" conduit with it or anything like that. Maybe on stuff like 1/2" bolts it would grip better? I dunno.