Top pliers to have in your box?

[Fender1325]

while they surely wont perform like other name brand pliers listed I was given needle nose pliers made by dewalt and really like them.

 

[XxToolAholicxX]

Top Pliers One Name. Knepix.
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I am a ToolAholic,Sometimes I regret it,Especially when the Toolman wont give me no credit.

 

[Hafen_Kafer]

Axactly

 

[justme-]

I use my 9" slip joint pliers (snap-on 49acp) all the time, I do hvac and electric. They aren't your cheap dollar store ones they you are probably used to. They are a extension of my hand when grabbing hot pipes. Open wide enough lossen 1/2" unions. They do everything I could need out of linesmens with regards to wiring expect cutting. I use my long bent needle nose almost as much as my slip joints. Once you get a pair you will never go back standard needle nose pliers.

I have a cheap pair from when I was a kid - my first pair of pliers, but I also have several pairs of quality ones like Utica. I do like my bent nose needle pliers - great for carb linkages, but a basic set of pliers for a do all box they aren't needed - went many years without them.

which leads me to a question, what do you guys like for that? For twisting a loop in solid core wire to screw into the terminals on home outlets or switches.
I was at the sears hardware store by my house looking at the craftsman cobras and their knipex stuff. I saw some knipex cutters for cutting wire and thicker wire. On the package shows it cutting a nail? They just look like typical side cutters but I've never seen a pair where the cutting blades are strong enough to cut stuff like that without gouging them up. I have a set of snap on lineman pliers/cutters that I use for that, but thats pretty much all I used them for

I just use a pair of needle nose - whatever pair I happen to grab usually - tho I do try to keep a pair of 9" standard ones in my electrical pouch.
I use dykes for pulling staples and nails and cutting nails regularly - yes they get a little beat up but nothing like shattering a jaw. Been using the same 2 pairs for more years than I can remember and while they're no good for cutting wires they work fine after a lot of abuse. I think they are old Kliens - 1 pair is red handled the other black.