Which pliers would you rather have?

[Merkava_4]

Astro 9409A

Mayhew 28640

What? Why another hose clamp pliers thread?

You can never have too many hose clamp pliers threads.

 

[Stuey]

The Mayhew.

 

[Merkava_4]

Thank you Stuey ... any particular reason why?

By the way, I'm honored to have you as my first respondent.

 

[Stuey]

Thank you Stuey ... any particular reason why?

By the way, I'm honored to have you as my first respondent.

No reason why other than how they look. The spring return on the Astro looks a bit weak, making me wonder what else they skimped out on.

Why are you up so early?!

 

[wrenchr]

I'd go with the mayhews as well. Now off to work I go.

 

[mooman]

The Mayhew. For no other reason other than they are not purple.

 

[brian90505]

I have a few Astro tools (t-handle allens, die grinders, air riviter) and they are decent. The Mayhew quality looks a little better in the pic but the Astro purple is cool.
So Astro (since it's just a hose clamp).

 

[Mike83]

The Mayhew for several reasons. One being that it is not named after the Jetson's dog.

 

[Stuey]

Hmm...

Merk, weren't you bothered by a purple ruler a while back? That should help steer you in the right direction!

 

[Stick Figure]

i doubt either will do you wrong, but i think the Astro has a better designed "ratchet" mechanism. Of course i haven't used the Mayhew in person either. Can the next thread be "look which hose clamp pliers i bought!" ???

 

[ATTappman]

Hmm...

Merk, weren't you bothered by a purple ruler a while back? That should help steer you in the right direction!

A word of caution, if the purple handle color is an issue. A year ago when I bought those Astro Pneumatic pliers from Tooltopia, the handle color in their photo was orange. But the pair they sent me had a neon green handle. Apparently, handle color is like a box of chocolates.

 

[Stuey]

I'm not personally affected by the handle colors. Unless of course it was polka-dotted. That might be a deal breaker!

 

[billymade]

One thing I noticed, Merk.... Mayhew sells a replacement cable for theirs. I can only assume that at some point; they both will break! Will Astro swap them out under warranty or will you be SOL or do they offer a replacement cable repair kit? I think I would call BOTH companies and see what their warranty and replacement policy is. The more teeth; on the Mayhew... looks like a better design but I am not familiar with how the Astro work. I would also look at the jaw opening/closing specs...

Mayhew cable replacement; widely available:
http://www.google.com/products?clie...esult_group&ct=title&resnum=3&ved=0CDEQrQQwAg

 

[hammergodthor]

I would vote for the Mayhew and modify it. The cable should be easily replaceable with a standard bicycle brake (road bike) cable, which means you could make it longer (if needed), maybe to keep it form dangling in your face while you're under the car.
The Astro just looks cheaper.

$0.02

 

[Teken]

The Mayhew appears to have a ratcheting handle so you could apply consistent pressure and also free both hands if two hands are required.

But, the middle spring looks easily displaced . . . While the Astro one is a cross spring tension type, that thing isn't going anywhere . . .

I would buy both and try them out in a working environment to really know which one is better designed . . .

 

[Handyman163]

Hell, I don't even know what I'm looking at, but I'd pick the one with the ratcheting mechanism over the other. Mayhew model!

 

[Stuey]

BOTH tools have ratcheting mechanisms.

 

[bradleykd]

lol, man, I really respect your research on tools. If I need/want something, I make a decent quick judgement and go with it. On something as simple as hose-clamp pliers, I'd prolly just pick up the meyhew because i've seen and heard of them more, but you are really torn on this... haha

 

[Teken]

BOTH tools have ratcheting mechanisms.

Where and how does the Astro step / lock from?

 

[Diesel-Mech]

Where and how does the Astro step / lock from?

At the pivot point, look closely at the pic you will be able to see how it works.

I would go with the Mayhew merk.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I'd also go with the Mayhew. And one day, i will..

 

[Stuey]

Where and how does the Astro step / lock from?

At the pivot point, look closely at the pic you will be able to see how it works.

I would go with the Mayhew merk.

If Stick Figure hadn't mentioned that the Astro had a ratcheting mechanism, I probably wouldn't have noticed it either.

 

[MogeraCND]

No reason why other than how they look. The spring return on the Astro looks a bit weak, making me wonder what else they skimped out on.

Why are you up so early?!

The Mayhew. For no other reason other than they are not purple.

yeah... same reasons so i'll go with Mayhew...
and Mayhew's return spring seems easy to find a replacement if it goes...

 

[Moose-LandTran]

The ones i have look identical to those Astro ones. Mine aren't very good. If they're the same, i wouldn't reccomend them.

 

[Teken]

The ones i have look identical to those Astro ones. Mine aren't very good. If they're the same, i wouldn't reccomend them.

What were the short comings of the unit you have?

 

[Moose-LandTran]

What were the short comings of the unit you have?

They don't ratchet or lock properly, they don't return properly they're stiff to operate, there is a lot of slack in the cable, the quality leaves a lot to be desired.

They're just not very good, overall. I bought them because i wasn't aware of their level of suckage and i wanted to bump an order into free shipping territory.

 

[jethro29]

mayhew,hands down.

 

[wreckercologist]

The Mayhew. For no other reason other than they are not purple.

Me too. I'm also thinking Mayhew might be easier to get parts/warranty.

One being that it is not named after the Jetson's dog.

 

[wrenchr]

Craftsman has some as well. $36.99 I think.

 

[Abodyracer]

Craftsman has some as well. $36.99 I think.

Made by Mayhew iirc

 

[bgott]

I prefer the Astro. Maybe because I got mine from a pawnshop in a box of other tools for five bucks or maybe a little less, it's been a while.

 

[autoace]

You still have not bought pliers yet, oh my goodness,buy some f'ing pliers....LOL

Krusty says Mayhew warranty *****! remember that thread.........but the GW ones, the master set is real nice.GEEZ!

 

[Teken]

They don't ratchet or lock properly, they don't return properly they're stiff to operate, there is a lot of slack in the cable, the quality leaves a lot to be desired.

They're just not very good, overall. I bought them because i wasn't aware of their level of suckage and i wanted to bump an order into free shipping territory.

Thanks for the detailed reply that is what I wanted to know before pulling the trigger . . .

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Thanks for the detailed reply that is what I wanted to know before pulling the trigger . . .

I'll get some pics..

 

[Fedwrench]

Just because I go go a day without talking about hose clamp pliers, here's a link to the new ones Mayhew came out with. Look familiar?
http://www.autocarepronews.com/Arti...duces_new_and_improved_hose_clamp_pliers.aspx

 

[Merkava_4]

Son of a _____. Now I don't know what the hell to do.

Those new pliers look fantastic. They look like they took the C-man pliers and combined them into a hybrid of the 28640. Now I wonder what they'll do with the 28640.

Thanks for the link Fedwrench.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

New Mayhew.

You know you want to..

 

[Merkava_4]

verses

Hmm...

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Both.


Yes... both..

 

[Merkava_4]

There must be some advantage to having the spreaders at a right angle as opposed to being straight like the C-man and Snap-on versions. Hmm...