What is so special about ChannelLock?

[qqzj]

Why do you think CL can survive, and even prosper, in an economy where other USA tool makers fail? I am always a bit curious about this fact. Unlike other US tool makers, ChannelLock products are sold in big box stores and the prices are competitive relative to imported products. So why could not other tool makers copy ChannelLock's strategy? Anyone has insight on this topic?

 

[Kscardsfan]

Why do you think CL can survive, and even prosper, in an economy where other USA tool makers fail? I am always a bit curious about this fact. Unlike other US tool makers, ChannelLock products are sold in big box stores and the prices are competitive relative to imported products. So why could not other tool makers copy ChannelLock's strategy? Anyone has insight on this topic?

I think brand recognition and the fact that all pump pliers are generically called channel locks doesn’t hurt them. They also make a very limited selection of products at their plant and that probably helps limit overhead and boost the bottom line. They’re available at big box stores as well as mom and pop hardware and parts stores, they haven’t backed themselves into a corner with “exclusive” distribution channels etc.

 

[Ton ton]

Because I freaking love Channel lock. I don't want them to die. They're my friends.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Name recognition is huge. They license the name to make all kinds of tools. Do It Best hardware stores carry the line.

The product works fine for the majority of the people that buy them. No doubt about it.

 

[DAustin]

"Hand me a pair of Channel Locks -no not those the real Channel Locks" When you say Channel Lock the first thing that comes to mind are the pump pliers. I've got all brands of channel locks but the blue handle ones are the ones I seem to grab the most.

 

[four.cycle]

It's all about brand recognition and brand loyalty. Your father used "Channellock" pliers, so you're going to use them too.
Price and product quality aren't even a close second or third to brand recognition - that's why SBD paid such an insane price for the "Craftsman" name.

Real-world example:
We carried "Armor All" in all of our stores.
Right next to the "Armor All" we also carried the same sort of product made by STP, Radiator Specialty, The Tannery, and a couple others I can't recall at the moment.
I could put the competitor's brand right next to the "Armor All", price it at one fourth the price of the same size "Armor All", and the "Armor All" would still outsell the other stuff by a ten-to-one margin.

Uncle Harold and I played the same game with other products we carried. Same results - brand recognition is everything. WD-40, STP, Gumout, GUNK and others hold onto their market share on brand recognition only, notwithstanding competitive products of comparable or better quality and lower price.

Personally, I think Wilde makes a better product. It's a bit higher in price, and they don't have the same market penetration or distribution network as Channellock.
I'd love to be able to do a side-by-side comparison between the two, but I do not own any Channellock product.

 

[PFSard]

Why do you think CL can survive, and even prosper, in an economy where other USA tool makers fail? I am always a bit curious about this fact. Unlike other US tool makers, ChannelLock products are sold in big box stores and the prices are competitive relative to imported products. So why could not other tool makers copy ChannelLock's strategy? Anyone has insight on this topic?

I would expect this to be a very complicated undertaking to answer that question. You really need to be looking at company's financial statements as well as operational, marketing information et al.

CHANNELLOCK®: High-Quality Hand Tools - Channellock, Inc.

channellock.com

At the bottom of this Web page. A fairly wide open statement that allows for a lot of flexibility no and in the future. : "CHANNELLOCK® pliers are manufactured in the United States. A select number of CHANNELLOCK® tools are imported from other countries as needed only after passing Channellock, Inc.'s, highest standards of quality. "

 

[KnurledNut]

Strong intellectual property protections and enforcement.
A trademarked color (Pantone 299-C) that is looked for and has globally become associated with value, quality and durability in a domestic product.

 

[Wrench97]

They are ok but no where near the best slip joint plier product out there, the price point is good for the average occasional user.

 

[64merc]

They are a good product (not the best) at a fair price, and easy to find. I think the simplicity of their strategy has been the secret to their longevity and success. I hope they are here to stay and keep most of their stuff in the USA.

 

[Bubba Fett]

Their brand name has become an eponym for tongue and groove/arc joint pump pliers. They are simple, but they work, and they are durable, lasting decades. People talk about Doyle pliers at HF being good, and they are, but for just a few more dollars, you get a far better USA-made product.

 

[nicks78camaro]

Good pliers at a good price made in USA

 

[Jeepster04]

Its a name thats been around for along time. And according to projectfarm, they are not the best...

 

[Ronson25]

They do the job and its a name everyone knows

 

[VolvoRyan]

They're pretty much the cheapest pliers that won't shed all their teeth when grabbing red hot studs.

-Ryan

 

[Ton ton]

Channel lock is heads and shoulders above Kobalt pliers. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Rinspeed]

They are ok but no where near the best slip joint plier product out there, the price point is good for the average occasional user.

Total hogwash on the "good for the average occasional user", I own several different makes and the Channellock hold their own against most of them.

 

[Ton ton]

Total hogwash on the "good for the average occasional user", I own most of them and the Channellock hold their own against most of them.

Good call.

 

[CHI_Tool&Die]

Availability, price, and they work really well. I cannot think of another US brand that is as exposed as Channellock in the retail sphere.

 

[Aaron_W]

Good pliers at a good price made in USA

I think this plays a big part of it. They are smart enough to keep production of their name recognition tools (pliers) in the USA. They also limit their imported tools mostly to factories in Europe (wrenches are made in Spain) and Taiwan (ratchets & sockets), although I think they do have some production of an inexpensive line of tools in China.

Compare this to Crescent which has similar name recognition for adjustable wrenches, but now most of not all Crescent branded wrenches are made in China.

They are also pretty good tools, maybe not great but easily as good as any big box store brand. The pliers are USA made and priced competitively with the higher end Chinese made tools. A set of their pliers is a only a few dollars, maybe 20-30% more than a decent quality Chinese pair of pliers. A lot of people say they want to buy USA made, but not if it means paying 2-3x as much. $13 vs $9.99 makes it a lot easier to have a patriotic wallet.

 

[mikew13]

I always have been happy with and preferred Channelocks

 

[dnschmidt]

I've been to the Channellock factory in Meadville, PA. Looks like it hasn't been changed since WWII. If you have all of your equipment in place and paid for your cost of production should be low. That and a gold plated brand name doesn't hurt.

 

[unslow1]

I strongly prefer Channellocks and have more expensive brands in the toolbox that don't get used much. As mentioned the price vs HF is pretty close to equal. Last year I went to HF and looked at the Doyle. The same ones at Menard's in the Channellock version was actually a couple of bucks less.

 

[Blind1]

They make buying USA easy.

 

[ike]

As long as the quality stays the same and the manufacturing stays in USA, I'll keep buying and using channellock. I think they offer a great price/quality/availability.

 

[dwasifar]

Channel lock is heads and shoulders above Kobalt pliers. Just my 2 cents.

It took me a while to come around to liking Channellocks. They're a little bit coarsely made compared to some other brands, and that put me off at first. But eventually I realized that, coarse or not, they work well and are comfortable to use, and have better teeth than your average Chinesium plier - like the Kobalt, as you mentioned. I had a set of three Kobalt groove joint pliers, which I gave away after replacing them with Channellocks.

Now I don't think of them as coarse so much as "rough and ready." I think you still have to inspect them in the store before you buy them, because sometimes the grinding is just too uneven to be acceptable, especially on the smaller pliers like 7" longnose. Other than that, though, I count myself a Channellock convert.

 

[msharley]

Good Product. Fair Price. Made in the US of A!

 

[rustbucket5]

channellock is good but not the best at a good price. the quality punches above the price. however the downside is that the company is slow to evolve, and if you dont evolve as a business you will fail eventually. i hope they change because they are capable of evolving and becoming better

 

[rshimizu12]

Channel lock makes very good pliers for the money. Their long reach needle nose pliers are great. The jaws don't flex when you need a lot of force. I use thos pliers all the time.

 

[Ton ton]

Sberry liked the channel lock 440 pliers. I like channel lock because it is what I find lying on the road.

 

[alfazer]

Over here, Channellock would not be a well-known brand at all, but I've been seeing Channellock in our Homebase stores in the last few years. I think it is since Aussie company Hilco bought Homebase in 2018.
I bought a discounted twin set, water pump and side cutter snips to try because I heard so much Channellock chat on GJ. Plus I rarely see any genuine USA products commonly available over here. (Arrow staple gun is the other one that springs to mind.)
The channellock seems really chunky and strong, but for similar money or just a little more, I prefer my Knipex Cobra.

 

[CJM8515]

they simply work for the average consumer, and quite well at that. The tools are quality and carry brand recognition and they are fairly priced. I have an entire tool chest drawer full of them. Is say knipex better-yes but also more costly and the distribution network is nowhere near channel lock. So therefore people will reach for and seek out what is familar and has worked in the past.

 

[MJK]

I bought a pair of channelocks a couple years ago based on all I've seen posted around here. I like my 15 year old Craftsman Pros that they were supposed to replace better (less joint slop, comfier handles). I like my Knipexes even better than that.

Honest question: do channel locks have different grades of similar pliers? I just got whatever was at Home Depot

Late Edit: My channelocks are 422s, which I really don't care for. The black and gold Craftsman Pros are Western Forge made model 45481 and it appears they are closer to 25 years old.

 

[Ton ton]

I bought a pair of channelocks a couple years ago based on all I've seen posted around here. I like my 15 year old Craftsman Pros that they were supposed to replace better (less joint slop, comfier handles). I like my Knipexes even better than that.

Honest question: do channel locks have different grades of similar pliers? I just got whatever was at Home Depot

I can't answer this question unfortunately.

 

[sparky 1971]

Honest question: do channel locks have different grades of similar pliers? I just got whatever was at Home Depot

I don't think so unless there is a super tool store that would have the better grade. Home Depot, Menards, Acme Tools, and the electrical supply houses all carry the same thing. The overall grade has deteriorated over the years though. I used to love 420's, and I still like my 20+ year old's. About 12 years ago, I bought a new pair and I hate those as they are about 25% thicker than the old ones. I've heard other old timers say the same thing about the 430's and 440's also, I still have my old sets, I don't have any newer models to compare with. I'm also more than a little upset that Channellock discontinued the 546, 548, and 5410. My 5410's have been to hell and back and can't be replaced.

As far as the original question, almost everyone knows the name Channellock, and I think it would be hard to find a better value in an American made tool. Even though I don't use much of the brand anymore, I will never be able to talk down about them.

 

[FrogBlastTheVentCore]

The geometry is good without being gimmicky. The steel is good without being gimmicky. The teeth are good without being gimmicky. The grips are good without being gimmicky.

Solid tools you can rely on, with no nonsense “innovations.”

And the price is fair.

And, of course, USA-made.

 

[Fedwrench]

They have nice blue grips

I think most Channellock tools (not the licensed screwdrivers, wrenches, &socket sets) harken back to no frills, get the job done, day in and day out dependability. They might not be the fanciest but, they get the job done without costing too much.

 

[garfunkle24]

I find it funny that the pliers they are best known for (with the genericization of waterpump pliers as "channellocks") is where they fall most short of their competitors. As others have said though, they offer a pretty good balance of price and quality.

 

[Compressed]

Blue is just better.
Oh and the first set of i used is when my uncle decided i'd be a plumber's helper that was 42 years ago.
P.S. Why is their logo Hagar Red?

 

[threeputt]

I own both Channel Lock and Knipex. Knipex is much better for me.