Which pliers does Snap on make better than Knipex?

[pontoon]

So I’ve been looking at some videos on YouTube. It looks like some tool aficionados have a mix of Snap On and Knipex pliers. Currently I have a mix of Knipex and Channel Locks. The Channel Locks have served me well but sometimes fall a little short (the dykes **** compared to my old diamonds and my Knipex).

I saw a comparison of the long bent needle nose pliers and it seems the long talon grip snap on bent needle nose are better than the Knipex.

Any other pliers where Snap On is definitely the way to go?

Also what is your most used length of each type of pliers?

 

[darkzero]

For me, these.....

I've had em for so long I'm so used to them & love them. Knipex don't really make any like these. Snap On doesn't make these anymore, maybe they have equivalents now, I don't know. I bought them like 20 yrs ago off the truck, last year I finally completed my search in finding all new replacements then sold off my old ones. The duckbill ones I never had, found those when searching for the replacements.

These are the only Snap On pliers I own. I'd say maybe 75% of my other pliers are Knipex.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

I’ve never used Knipex I use Snap-on, Craftsman, SK, and Channellock and Kobalt for pliers. And Vampliers. My most used is the 90 degree bent needle nose I use those for the pinch hose clamps in hard to reach places. I’ve looked at the Knipex but never tried them the Snap-on feels better in my hands.


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[bobcatdan]

Overall I feel the only major fail snap on has is their channellock style pliers. Maybe if I had bigger hands, but I find them terrible to use. Otherwise I think the rest of snap on's plier line up is very good. Other than their mini bolt cutters, I find knipex side cutters overrated.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Knipex needle nose are "meh" compared to snap on, too much flex IMO.

Regular pliers from snap on don't make a ton of sense to me, I'm all about their specialty stuff though. Thin locking pliers, vamplier/engineer tipped pistol grip pliers, etc. I prefer channel lock for things like dikes, because I abuse them and they're consumable to me.

https://shop.snapon.com/product/Spe..."-Pistol-Grip-Needle-Nose-Pliers-(Red)/612AEP

 

[DHCrocks]

the talon are so much better then the Knipex. I got the needle nose and combi hands down the best out there.

for cutters, plier wrench and channel lock type I prefer Knipex. Knipex is much smoother to use they just flop open on their own, the snap on has a lot of friction and you need to spread them.

I usually grab the 200mm or 8" first.

 

[plinker]

From Snap-on the talon grip needle nose and 8" slip joints both are their best pliers. Both grip really well. All their pliers tend to be decent.

For Channellock type pliers, I prefer Channellock. I find the Knipex pliers have too fine of an adjustment so I spend more time futzing with them to get them sized where I want them. I do like the raptor(?) pliers though and the mini bolts cutters are a must have as well.

For wire cutters, 8" Kliens were my favorite of that size.


I have a lot of pliers of various brands and styles, but these get daily use, not in particular order;
8" Snap-on slip joints, 47ACF
8" Snap-on needle nose, 196ACF
10" Channellock #430
8" Knipex mini bolt cutter
7" Matco flush cutters, PFC7. These are ok, nothing special. I do use them a lot though. I may upgrade/replace at some point.
8" wire cutter, currently Knipex not sure which model off hand. Have had Klein & CL as well.
10WR Vise grip
9LN Vise grip
Napa branded "double X" 45* compound joint long reach needle nose (GW clone)

 

[ssdave]

....

 

[oldschoolcraft]

From Snap-on the talon grip needle nose and 8" slip joints both are their best pliers. Both grip really well. All their pliers tend to be decent.

For Channellock type pliers, I prefer Channellock. I find the Knipex pliers have too fine of an adjustment so I spend more time futzing with them to get them sized where I want them. I do like the raptor(?) pliers though and the mini bolts cutters are a must have as well.

For wire cutters, 8" Kliens were my favorite of that size.


I have a lot of pliers of various brands and styles, but these get daily use, not in particular order;
8" Snap-on slip joints, 47ACF
8" Snap-on needle nose, 196ACF
10" Channellock #430
8" Knipex mini bolt cutter
7" Matco flush cutters, PFC7. These are ok, nothing special. I do use them a lot though. I may upgrade/replace at some point.
8" wire cutter, currently Knipex not sure which model off hand. Have had Klein & CL as well.
10WR Vise grip
9LN Vise grip
Napa branded "double X" 45* compound joint long reach needle nose (GW clone)

People still use slip joints? I had them as a kid as part of US made craftsman sets. Since then I spent over $500 on various other pliers and the slip joint has never left my backup toolbox in 20 years.

I’m curious to know what people still use them for. What applications do they work better than other stuffs.

 

[oldschoolcraft]

For me, these.....

I've had em for so long I'm so used to them & love them. Knipex don't really make any like these. Snap On doesn't make these anymore, maybe they have equivalents now, I don't know. I bought them like 20 yrs ago off the truck, last year I finally completed my search in finding all new replacements then sold off my old ones. The duckbill ones I never had, found those when searching for the replacements.

These are the only Snap On pliers I own. I'd say maybe 75% of my other pliers are Knipex.

Awesome set! I own two of them based on how often people here rave over them and they are great.

Do you think someone needs both a 90 degree and a 45 degree angled pliers like that? And if you were only going to have one of those 2 for space reasons, not cost, then which one is more important? I clarify space because if money was issue you might say get both from a lesser brand

 

[seber]

Long nose Talon are my go to. I've tried Knipex in the past and thought they were no better than middle of the road. Anything from Taiwan would be just as good.

 

[RedneckWelder]

The only inferior tool I have found from Knipex is their flush cutters they dull quickly (I only use them on Zipties)

 

[Davefr]

SO needle nose are superior to Knipex. The old SO electronic series was also superior but the new imported stuff from Bahco is garbage.

Knipex Cobras, plier wrenches and mini bolt cutters have no equal.

 

[bwringer]

Knipex needle nose pliers are excellent quality, but they're designed around a totally different philosophy than most other brands.

They're made for maximum access and more delicate jobs, so the jaws are thinner, and thus more flexible and not as strong as the feral north American 200 pound gorilla expects. So you see a lot of complaints about that.

If you don't agree with the Knipex philosophy, then use something else with a more strength-based philosophy. It kind of comes down to an essential cultural difference.

Snap-On stuff is fantastic, obviously, and there are some Japanese (I have several pairs of Tsunoda pliers -- FANTASTIC quality for reasonable prices) and Taiwanese brands that are also excellent if you don't want to spend Snap-On level cash.

And of course Channel-Lock stuff is US-made, very reasonably priced, easy to find on the shelf just about anywhere. It's very strong and functional, but can be a little crude and variable. You have to sort through several pairs on the shelf sometimes if you want the jaws to have a nice even match.

 

[JBH]

So I’ve been looking at some videos on YouTube. It looks like some tool aficionados have a mix of Snap On and Knipex pliers.

That's unfortunate, because there are a lot of excellent pliers makers out there.

I saw a comparison of the long bent needle nose pliers and it seems the long talon grip snap on bent needle nose are better than the Knipex.

What do you mean by "long?" If you're referring to the 8" or so models

View media item 98977
my experience is very different. I would rank it among the worst pliers I have used in that size class regardless of price. I daresay I've tried more pliers of this size than most people!

Snapon's handles are an ergonomic train wreck (splayed too wide) and their joints leave the factory unfinished, like a DIY project instead of a ready-to-use tool. Very crude and basic tools that are unreasonably expensive. Grip is also no better than any of the others. Maybe the cross-hatches confer some advantage (though my experience doesn't suggest that) but any of that is negated by the joint machining.

Knipex's best needlenose (sold under their Orbis brand, "EvoTel" model) would be my pick if I could only choose 1. Cost may be similar to Snapon (have not looked in a long time) but design and quality just laps Snapon.

View media item 98970.

There are voices here who regularly claim standard Knipex (DIN-pattern) needlenoses like these

View media item 98989
are not designed for the kinds of tasks many people here want to use needlenoses for. (My opinion: they're fine, but I prefer other DIN-pattern pliers, such as Gedore and the old Swiss-made Wiha.) Knipex would likely say those tasks are best handled by their combi-pattern pliers, which seem fairly rare in the US. (Combis are a real set of pliers with a proper joint, not one of those "slip joint" jokes.) However, if you want a hybrid combi-needlenose, there are much better options than Snapon. Orbis Evotel (above) is probably the best. Other very good ones are Klein, if comfort handles or US make are important

View media item 98978
or Tsunoda ("King TTC") if value for money or Japanese make are important.
View media item 98981I think you can buy three of the Tsunodas for the cost of one Snapon, and even if the price tags were swapped Tsunoda would be the better value.

Also what is your most used length of each type of pliers?

In 8" needlenose, either the above Orbis EvoTel or spring-loaded Facom.
View media item 98971
I don't generally use diagonal cutters of any size. When I cut cables they're generally stranded wire of between 28AWG and 10AWG, in bundles of 2-8. Cable cutters give much cleaner performance for such wires. Here are two examples, one a Phoenix Contact branded Orbis EvoShark, and the other a recent pickup sold by the Excelta brand.
View media item 108992When I need to cut harder stuff, Knipex Cobolts come out:
View media item 107666
Pliers wrench: 5" - Knipex (this size is the most useful to me), 7-12" VBW/Stahlwille. I prefer the balance of VBW/Stahlwille PowerGrip, which has the fork on the front leg instead of the back (like Knipex or Gedore) and a slightly more comfortable handle geometry.


Waterpump: Knipex Cobra 5", Stahlwille/VBW FastGrip 7", Gedore or Stahlwille/VBW FastGrip 10", Knipex 12" (Knipex has by far the widest range of sizes, but I prefer Stahlwille/VBW FastGrip generally because of the balance (see PW pictures above), and the Gedore 10" one was my first decent pair so I have a soft spot for them. I actually don't own Cobras in the most common 10" size (I don't think), only Gedore, Stahlwille, and Orbis "Speedy".

Combi: Facom spring-loaded or NWS ErgoMulti:
View media item 91223View media item 91200
Wire stripping: Pressmaster Embla on the workbench (on left end)
View media item 104938
and Jokari disposable anywhere else, or the little Jokari below for 26-28AWG wires.
View media item 93704

 

[bwringer]

Yeah, forgot about Orbis. VERY damn nice.

FWIW, Menard's has a nice selection of Knipex and some Orbis pliers on the shelf if you're the "fondle-first" type, and you happen to live near a Menard's. The Orbis pliers are over in the electrical tools.

 

[plinker]

People still use slip joints? I had them as a kid as part of US made craftsman sets. Since then I spent over $500 on various other pliers and the slip joint has never left my backup toolbox in 20 years.

I’m curious to know what people still use them for. What applications do they work better than other stuffs.

The thing with the Snap-on's is they dont grip like the typical slip joint pliers. With the teeth they have, they pretty much grab & hold on to whatever you are grabbing. I used them yesterday to pull a tight fuel filter out of the housing. Holding small parts while cleaning them, pretty much grabbing stuff in general, bending tabs on large cotter pins. They function as a bottle opener (as needed), and can crack walnuts.

I also use them for hose clamps quite often, I have plenty of hose clamp tools and these work better for me in general. Loosening hoses & removing them at times from the hose barb as well.

 

[bonneyman]

For me, these.....

I've had em for so long I'm so used to them & love them. Knipex don't really make any like these. Snap On doesn't make these anymore, maybe they have equivalents now, I don't know. I bought them like 20 yrs ago off the truck, last year I finally completed my search in finding all new replacements then sold off my old ones. The duckbill ones I never had, found those when searching for the replacements.

These are the only Snap On pliers I own. I'd say maybe 75% of my other pliers are Knipex.

Yowza! Nice set of pliers.

 

[DeeKay]

I might be the odd one out here, but I think the Snap-on needle nose are a little over priced for what you get(like most things SO) compared to Knipex. I think Snap-on might have skipped over hardening my 196CFs; the grippy crosshatch pattern on the tips wore flat after like a week of use. I will say I do like that the tips don't flex as much on the Snap-ons like they do on my knipex. I guess they both have their place depending on what you're doing.

 

[RoundedNut]

There are a lot of fine plier makers beside Snappy and Knipex, especially Japanese brands. Snappy is way overpriced while Knipex from amazon Germany is actually a good value for their common pliers.

Using the right type of pliers is more important than a specific quality brand. Long, needle, flat, and round nose pliers all have their uses for example. Even within a type/size of plier, there are subtle differences in dimensions among brands that you may have a personal preference. So there is not necessarily a "best" choice.

 

[pontoon]

Thanks for the replies so far, this is awesome stuff to look at.

Someone asked above which long bent pliers I was saying Snap On does well.

It’s this 11” talon grip one. I saw a review of this vs the long Knipex and the Knipex flexed like crazy compared to this. Also this looks like it has nice grippy teeth.




Don’t get me wrong I like Knipex a lot. I have the smooth wrench pliers, a couple cobras, dykes, 8 pairs c clip pliers, ear clamp pliers, and I’ll be getting their Swedish pipe wrench. I’m 100% happy with my Knipex stuff especially the cobra and the smooth pliers wrench.

 

[dscheidt]

Awesome set! I own two of them based on how often people here rave over them and they are great.

Do you think someone needs both a 90 degree and a 45 degree angled pliers like that? And if you were only going to have one of those 2 for space reasons, not cost, then which one is more important? I clarify space because if money was issue you might say get both from a lesser brand

I don't have those style in snap-on, but I have both types. I use the 45 more than the 90, but there are times that you need the 90.

 

[dscheidt]

For me, these.....

I've had em for so long I'm so used to them & love them. Knipex don't really make any like these. Snap On doesn't make these anymore, maybe they have equivalents now, I don't know. I bought them like 20 yrs ago off the truck, last year I finally completed my search in finding all new replacements then sold off my old ones. The duckbill ones I never had, found those when searching for the replacements.

These are the only Snap On pliers I own. I'd say maybe 75% of my other pliers are Knipex.

You might want a pair of the 612AEP pliers. They're amazingly useful.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Until Knipex has a tool truck, this comparison is on two different playing fields.

I know some tool trucks sell Knipex, but some do not. If you have a driver that does, and also deals with the warranty, that may be a reason to buy them. Otherwise, someone may choose Snap-on, Mac, etc because of tool truck service.

 

[darkzero]

Awesome set! I own two of them based on how often people here rave over them and they are great.

Do you think someone needs both a 90 degree and a 45 degree angled pliers like that? And if you were only going to have one of those 2 for space reasons, not cost, then which one is more important? I clarify space because if money was issue you might say get both from a lesser brand

Thanks. For me for the long ones, the 45° is the most useful, or should I say used the most. 90° is useful too but I didn't use nearly as much. This was when I worked in automotive.

Theres' an 11" straight also but I never liked them. I prefered the shorter nose 8" ones that I have pictured. I really love those 8", I used that one a lot & for other things not automotive.

Yowza! Nice set of pliers.

You might want a pair of the 612AEP pliers. They're amazingly useful.

At first glance they don't appeal to me but I'll check em out, thanks. What type of things do you use it for?

 

[Bannik254]

SnapOn Talon Grip for needle-nose and slip-joint pliers.
The joint needed to be worn in, similar to a new pair of boots, after that the gummy grips need to be replaced with some hard plastic aftermarkets, and then they are the best. Twisting metal and other odd jobs, the gummy material splits open, and worse hands get sweaty and slick with oil and can't handle the plier for ****.

I've found Knipex to be the best for snap ring pliers(circlip, they have both forged/turned down or pressed tips), mini bolt cutters, cobras(has non-marring slips), plier wrench(has non-marring slips), and canon-plug(has non-marring slips).
The problem with most snap ring pliers I've run into is almost always clearance related issues on gearboxes, press-fitted tip snap ring pliers have a larger shoulder that gets in the way, and having a large set of Knipex snap ring pliers has saved my bacon many times. Knipex having non-marring slips for all their mainstream pliers is a big thumbs up, you trade some gripping power, but machined surfaces can't be marred but the job still needs to be done. Knipex makes it a lot easier.

 

[dscheidt]

At first glance they don't appeal to me but I'll check em out, thanks. What type of things do you use it for?

(talking about the 612aep)

Grabbing stuff and turning it. The front of the pliers have serrations running both side to side, and front to back, and there is a radius in the front. That means they have a very secure grip on round and roundish stuff. The pistol grip gives a lot of clamping force, without a whole lot of hand pressure. You can grab on the broken end of a screw and turn it out; I have better luck with these than with vise grips or the like. you can pull nails and cotter pins out with them, for similar reasons. I also use them to hold small parts (screws, pins, washers, etc) when taking them to a grinder or sander.

 

[measuredtwice]

Yeah, forgot about Orbis. VERY damn nice.

FWIW, Menard's has a nice selection of Knipex and some Orbis pliers on the shelf if you're the "fondle-first" type, and you happen to live near a Menard's. The Orbis pliers are over in the electrical tools.

I've previously owned Orbis pliers but not the ones that you were talking about. They were rough compared to Knipex. But they were also inexpensive. I've seen the ones at Menards and they look better but I haven't used them.

 

[JBH]

I've previously owned Orbis pliers but not the ones that you were talking about. They were rough compared to Knipex. But they were also inexpensive. I've seen the ones at Menards and they look better but I haven't used them.

Compared to Snapon one would be hard pressed to call any Orbis “crude!”

 

[measuredtwice]

Compared to Snapon one would be hard pressed to call any Orbis “crude!”

I'm not sure if we are talking about the same pliers. The Orbis pliers that I had were combination pliers, diagonal cutter, and water pump pliers. Dipped handles. I got the set from Amazon when the price went real low... I think it was less than $30 for the 3 piece set IIRC. They weren't the fancy ones from Menards.

Edit: Just looked up the order. It was $21.63 for the set of 3 pliers.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0778PGFYY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Blind1]

People still use slip joints? I had them as a kid as part of US made craftsman sets. Since then I spent over $500 on various other pliers and the slip joint has never left my backup toolbox in 20 years.

I’m curious to know what people still use them for. What applications do they work better than other stuffs.

I use them like tongs and for anything that needs to be pulled straight out or twisted. I use them frequently as a quick hand vise when bending/twisting small parts, clips, etc. my 8 and 6” Wilde slip joints get used constantly for this type of thing. Great for when I torch something to soften it.

For serious torque I use my Cobras or 440s.

 

[JBH]

I'm not sure if we are talking about the same pliers. The Orbis pliers that I had were combination pliers, diagonal cutter, and water pump pliers. Dipped handles. I got the set from Amazon when the price went real low... I think it was less than $30 for the 3 piece set IIRC. They weren't the fancy ones from Menards.

Edit: Just looked up the order. It was $21.63 for the set of 3 pliers.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0778PGFYY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

That’s my point - a set of Orbis pliers in a $22 set will have a properly machined joint and ergonomically sound design. Will they be finished as well as Gedore or Stahlwille or Facom? No. The Snapon version will have a DIY joint and idiotically wide handles. And not be finished to the standard of Gedore/Stahlwille/Facom either.

 

[seber]

Knipex needle nose pliers are excellent quality, but they're designed around a totally different philosophy than most other brands.

They're made for maximum access and more delicate jobs, so the jaws are thinner, and thus more flexible and not as strong as the feral north American 200 pound gorilla expects. So you see a lot of complaints about that.

If you don't agree with the Knipex philosophy, then use something else with a more strength-based philosophy. It kind of comes down to an essential cultural difference.

Snap-On stuff is fantastic, obviously, and there are some Japanese (I have several pairs of Tsunoda pliers -- FANTASTIC quality for reasonable prices) and Taiwanese brands that are also excellent if you don't want to spend Snap-On level cash.

And of course Channel-Lock stuff is US-made, very reasonably priced, easy to find on the shelf just about anywhere. It's very strong and functional, but can be a little crude and variable. You have to sort through several pairs on the shelf sometimes if you want the jaws to have a nice even match.

If I need delicate, I use tweezers. If I'm using pliers, it's because i need some gripping power. That philosophy just doesn't make sense to me.

 

[measuredtwice]

That’s my point - a set of Orbis pliers in a $22 set will have a properly machined joint and ergonomically sound design. Will they be finished as well as Gedore or Stahlwille or Facom? No. The Snapon version will have a DIY joint and idiotically wide handles. And not be finished to the standard of Gedore/Stahlwille/Facom either.

You didn't answer if you own the particular pliers in my link. If you don't have that exact model from Orbis, your impression of the quality might be based on better examples of their work.

You really don't like the Snap-On pliers --haha. I had read your posts previously on the subject.

 

[davethorik]

You really don't like the Snap-On pliers --haha. I had read your posts previously on the subject.

Yeah I think he is either paid to say that stuff or Snap-on killed his entire family. Either way, never heard anyone ***** that much about Snap-on pliers. Some people are better left on the ignore list.

 

[measuredtwice]

If I need delicate, I use tweezers. If I'm using pliers, it's because i need some gripping power. That philosophy just doesn't make sense to me.

It depends on the use and preferences.... Mechanical, electrical, and computer.

As one example, precision electronics pliers aren't typically used for power. One of the benefits of pliers over tweezers is that pliers don't require constant pressure from your fingers. Pliers can hold a wire with just the pressure from holding the handles loosely in your hand.

I'm not arguing for or against a particular brand or model. Just saying that pliers are useful to some folks for reasons other than gripping power.

 

[M6erfan]

Yeah I think he is either paid to say that stuff or Snap-on killed his entire family. Either way, never heard anyone ***** that much about Snap-on pliers. Some people are better left on the ignore list.

Oh, there's others. I can see their point, to some extent

 

[65k10]

I somewhat agree with JBH's complaints with Snap-On needlenose pliers. The wide handles do make them a bit cumbersome at times. However the leverage they provide, combined with stiff tips make them great for when you need a needle nose to bend something stiff. The rough joints when new do kind of bug me. They get smooth once broken in, but most other brands I have bought are smooth from the get go. Snap-On needle nose are still my go-to since the design usually works best for what I need and the tip symmetry is also pretty consistent.

 

[JBH]

Until Knipex has a tool truck, this comparison is on two different playing fields.

I know some tool trucks sell Knipex, but some do not. If you have a driver that does, and also deals with the warranty, that may be a reason to buy them. Otherwise, someone may choose Snap-on, Mac, etc because of tool truck service.

That cuts both ways.

A subset of customers prefer to buy tools from a franchised delivery van slash loan officer.

Another subset of customers cares more about the quality and value of a given at time of purchase, pays for what they buy, has never stepped into a white van, and cares more about quality control than “warranty.”

 

[ssdave]

....