/diy/ - Do It Yourself

[Anonymous No.1728983]

Who do you think makes the best pliers? I always used channellocks as an apprentice, but five or so years ago I switched to 10-inch Knipex.

I think that they are superior to Channellocks in every way. They grip pipe and hex-stock better than channellocks every time. The 10" Knipex have a larger jaw capacity than the channellocks do. Most importantly, the way they are designed make it impossible to smash your fingers.

Really would love to know what anon thinks of SK Tools "channellocks", I was thinking about buying a pair to try out.

[Bepis !n/ZnkB9jUw No.1728991]

>>1728983
The flat jaw ones? I was just looking at their pliers on Amazon, and for that job, I think the Knipex will be better. I’m sure the SK’s will be nice because it’s a good company, but they don’t have the box joint or any of the stuff that makes the Knipex good.

All of the good companies make high quality tools all around, but some are better for certain things. SK is great for wrenches and sockets, the rest of their stuff is good, but not the best. If you’re willing to spend that money, go with the brand that makes the best of that tool.

[Anonymous No.1729000]

>>1728991
Nah, not the smooth jaw, but the ones with teeth. I own all the Knipex pliers (up to the 22 inch) but I try not to use them on company time, only my own endeavors. I wanted another pair of pliers for my EDC and was considering SK instead of Channellock 430's

[Bepis !n/ZnkB9jUw No.1729015]

>>1729000
I’m like you, I would try em and see, and get the Knipex if they don’t work.

If it’s the one I saw, I don’t think any of the SK’s have the box joint. It sucks when the regular joints start slipping, but I imagine SKs would last pretty long.

I don’t understand why you want to protect the Knipex but don’t mind having the SK at work. Whatever.

There was one anon recently who said he has the Kleins and loves em, if you want a good set, I’m sure that is good since it costs like twice what the Knipex costs.

[Anonymous No.1729047]

I have some vise grip brand channel locks that actually really kick ass... They are my go to pliers for most things...

I'll admit I haven't used Kleins or Knipex pliers, but I have used channel lock brand ones. They're not bad, but the V grip ones are fully superior to the straight jaw ones 99% of the time.

[Anonymous No.1729101]

If you intend to do any real work with them and want them to last, channel Lock.

Also, remember to use them correctly, the smaller jaw goes first whichever way you are rotating the work. You want the tool to 'bite in' when you squeeze instead of trying to hold the jaws shut by strength alone.

[Anonymous No.1729104]

>>1729101
>If you intend to do any real work with them and want them to last, channel Lock.
You say this but I use my k-nipex as a commercial sparky more than my channel locks. Still go with klein for my heavies, though

[Anonymous No.1729108]

>>1729104
t. Industrial electrician

[Anonymous No.1729110]

>>1729101
>If you intend to do any real work with them and want them to last, channel Lock
Literally what?
I've had my knipex for years and use them daily as a residential HVAC installer to do gas pipe and plumbing shit, they work as good as the day I bought them.
My channel lock brand fucking folded in on themselves trying to loosen 1 1/8th gas pipe fittings.

[Anonymous No.1729125]

>>1729108
my kuh'nip-x handles rigid couplings and cunt-nectars just fine

[Bepis !n/ZnkB9jUw No.1729296]

>>1729047
This are the best value.

The Knipex feel better though. Considering your pic can be bought for $15 and two Knipex of the same size would be $60, I recommend people try the Irwins first.

[Anonymous No.1729302]

If you actually plan on working and not standing around talking about a job getting done channelocks are for you.

[Bepis !n/ZnkB9jUw No.1729325]

>>1729302
Yea but people on Reddit aren’t impressed by your blue tools.

[Anonymous No.1729511]

This thread seems ok to hijack. How do I un-corrode and make my knipex great again?

[Anonymous No.1729522]

>>1729101
10 year turd herder here, nigga what?
Knipex are infinitely better than shitty old channellocks, why do you think everyone's copying their design?

You "channellocks R de besterest" fags are to pliers what "cordless drills suck" boomers are to power tools.

[Anonymous No.1729523]

>bepo not posting this

[Anonymous No.1729525]

>>1729511
Evaporust then pack the mechanism with wheel bearing grease to keep it from rusting again.


Or just give it a quick shot of wd40 or something

[Anonymous No.1730010]

>>1729047
Irwin's are definitely good enough for homeowners.

Industrial electricians (I'm not the one who posted in the thread), and plumbers have to work with 10ft lengths of pipe (or longer), and channellocks basically become our hands for 6 hrs of the day.

In my experience, channellocks/tongue and groove pliers, are the most versatile hand tool.

Channellocks make the original. Everyone has one. They're kinda bulky. Knipex are smaller, open up wider, and just as good if not better. Then Irwins are what I rock because I'm on first year apprentice wages, and I find that they're a (bad) knipex knockoff for a fraction of the price. The 7 incher Irwin opens as wide as my 10 inch channellocks.

Nearly everyone I've met tells me to avoid the Knipex with the button press. Just get with the traditional mechanism because it's an even slimmer profile.

That said, if you lose your Knipex tools, you will not find them again.

>>1729511
I'd get a super fine steel wool, some gloves, and some oil and just start polishing off the rust. Don't do some bullshit acid or get water on it.

[Anonymous No.1730040]

>>1730010
> Then Irwins are what I rock because I'm on first year apprentice wages

Opinion discarded.

[Anonymous No.1730092]

>>1730040
fucking new guys

[Bepis !n/ZnkB9jUw No.1730104]

>>1730010
Get down on the Irwin Pliers Wrench, they sell em at Lowe’s now.

I haven’t had much of a chance to abuse my Irwins yet, I want to do a torture test between the Irwin and Knipex Pliers Wrenches.

I fucking love those thing for messing with air line fittings. I need a 6” pair of Knipex. Got the 10” Knipex and 8” Irwins.

[Bepis !n/ZnkB9jUw No.1730106]

>>1730104
>>1730010
Ahh here’s the Irwins.

I want Milwaukee to make a pliers wrench. I wonder what it would be like. I hate certain things about the Milwaukee channellocks and Milwaukee cobras, but like other things about them. I hate the button on my 8” Milwaukee Cobras, but I like the grip and they permanently live on my workbench. Maybe they could do a good pliers wrench.

[Anonymous No.1730184]

>>1730010
>Irwin's are definitely good enough for homeowners.

So are Pittsburgh tongue and grooves. This isnt saying much.

[Anonymous No.1730245]

>>1728983
I was going to say who gives a shit, but it seems a lot of people give a shit.

[Anonymous No.1730253]

>>1730010
1.) my baby knipex pliers are slimmer than my baby channel locks. To the point where sometimes I forget theyre in my back pocket, unlike my baby channel locks.
B.) I was able to afford a pair of 8" and 6" knipex cobras as a 1st year. Maybe your local just sucks more than mine (and mine sucks pretty bad)?

[Anonymous No.1730271]

If your option is between Irwin and HF or similar bottom tools, and you are NOT slamming on the things hard and abusing them, just get some old as fuck but not bent channellocks or w/e off ebay or a garage sale. Check the teeth, file them sharp if need be, then give them a light brass brushing and dunk them in evaporust. Let them drip dry. A tiny bit of oiling on the black shit once its good and hardened will keep rust at bay til it abrades off.
>Why do all that work?
Appreciate your tools individually so you won't turn into a consoomer and then wonder why you have no fucking money despite working a shitload of overtime. Plus back in the day cabinetmakers used to make their apprentices straighten nails, carpenters used to make em sharpen their saws, mechanics had their apprentices sort screws nuts and bolts, and machinists had to learn to file a lump of metal square. Some still do.

If you ARE, get 2 pair of the taiwanese HF ones. Can't remember if the pittsburgh pro ones are taiwanese or not but the red doyle ones are. If one breaks then you have a backup til you can get back to swap it for a new one. If you live in a HF desert, autozone or advance autoparts or napa or something (forget which, go look it up) has a no questions asked, "throw it on the counter and grab a new one" warranty too.

>Why would I get a shitty one vs a good one if I need a strong tool if the shitty one will break?
You have to learn by feel because even the good shit has limits. Not flat out snapping but the teeth aren't exactly made of unbreakable uranized titani-alloy. Reshaping them sucks if you keep making them slip and they nub or chip, and you don't find sitting there with a file or stone to be your particular flavor of "relaxing."

Put new Channellock on your christmas list once you understand how to handle it if your old ones or POS pliers start to bug you. The knipex are good, but are they 2x the price good? In yuroland knipex are cheaper to channellock levels, so no, not really.

[Bepis !n/ZnkB9jUw No.1730289]

>>1730184
As a retarded weekend warrior, the V-jaw Irwins are way nicer to use than flat jaw Pittsburgh tools. And those cheap ones get loose and the jaws slip open after some time.

[Anonymous No.1730332]

>best pliers thread
>everyone posts channel-locks
I want some regular damn pliers.

[Anonymous No.1730353]

>>1730289
Irwin sells flat jaw Groovelocks, they are for different applications

[Anonymous No.1730370]

>>1729522
Cordless tools DO suck compared to their AC counterparts

[Anonymous No.1730396]

>>1729108
>>1729104
>doesn't use his pliers for reaming
>electrician.

[Anonymous No.1730400]

>>1730370
Cordless tools can pull more power out of a battery than out of the wall. You are stuck with 15a or so, you can momentarily pull more than 15A with lithium cells which is why cordless tools are powerful as shit.

Run time is the downside of course.

[Anonymous No.1730444]

>>1730370
>t. hasn't used a cordless tool since 1992

[Anonymous No.1730454]

>>1730396
Guess again. I keep my baby channel locks around specifically to ream 1/2 & 3/4 conduit. Sit down and shut up.

[Bepis !n/ZnkB9jUw No.1730572]

>>1730353
I haven’t found a good application for the flat jaws yet.

>>1730370
See >>1730444

>>1730400
15A @ 120V =/= 15A @ 18V

It’s mostly because companies make mad profit off the batteries and being stuck with their lineup, so they don’t put any R&D into the corded tools anymore.

[Anonymous No.1730577]

>>1730572
>I haven’t found a good application for the flat jaws yet.

You also havent figured out why Irwins are shit either, so this isnt saying much.

[Bepis !n/ZnkB9jUw No.1730606]

>>1730577
True. Neither did the old plumber guy from the review who said after a few months of them daily, he preferred the Irwins over the Knipex because of the grip, but he had a hard time choosing between the Irwins and Knipex comfort grips because they were so close.

I like the Irwin’s ratcheting closing design, only heard one person claiming they slip open so far. I still say they’re not bad for 1/4 the cost of Knipex.

[Anonymous No.1730609]

>>1728983
Knipex hands down.

[Anonymous No.1730633]

>>1730572
And as a result of that research, cordless tools have made massive and continuing improvements in power. For example, the latest generation of cordless circular saws has surpassed their corded counterparts in cutting power. 15A at 120V is 1800W. The mag 77 Skilsaw can draw 2200 when pushed. DeWalt claims 2400 for the DCS577, and that's output rather than input. The brushless motors on modern high performance cordless tools mean that input and output are closer than on corded tools, but that's still 40-some amps from the battery. Milwaukee is pushing for hundreds of amps at 18V, and is redesigning their tools and batteries to make it happen..

[Anonymous No.1730641]

>>1730606
>i say something because i parrot any retard with a blog

Sounds about right

[Anonymous No.1730645]

>>1730633
Lol. Have you actually tried ripping anything with a cordless circular saw? Grinding or cutting with a cordless angle grinder? If you're just cutting 1/4" underlayment/2x4s or 18 gauge sheet (respectively), or drilling one or two holes in a concrete floor for some tapcons, it's fine. >>1730633
Put any moderate to severe load on the tool and the battery management circuits immediately cut power and force you to restart because the stall current is so high. Corded tools don't have this problem. That's part of the reason development has 'stalled', they're as good as they're going to get for a given price point.

[Bepis !n/ZnkB9jUw No.1730651]

>>1730645
>as good as they’re going to get
Not really. Look at the DeWalt Flexvolt, and look what the newest Milwaukee shit will do on their 18V batteries with the bigger cells. It’s kind of nuts, there has been a big leap just the past few years with brushless tools and better lithium cells. Next battery tech will be even better.

Pic related will remove lugnuts, and it’s not even the newest model. The M12 stuff is insane for the size.

>>1730633
That’s crazy, I’m sure that’s with a fat battery pack though.

[Anonymous No.1730663]

>>1730645
I was able to drive some 3/8" hilti lag screws into some 3/4" ply with 1/8" galvanized steel behind the wood with my 18v Ridgid impact. Only thing that happened was it got a little hot and depleted 25% of the battery (after drilling like 8 or so of those screws to the deck of a work trailer), but it was outdoors towards the end of summer so

[Anonymous No.1730670]

>>1730645
>Have you actually tried ripping anything with a cordless circular saw?
No, but every review I've seen of the current top models has them cutting not just faster than the mag 77, but significantly faster.

>Grinding or cutting with a cordless angle grinder?
I have one for odd jobs in awkward spots, an older 18V model. The only time I've pushed it was cutting some scrap 7ga stainless to see how much it can draw. Turns out it can sustain 40 amps until the battery is depleted. However, that's only half the power of my corded 4.5" grinder, so I use that one where practical.

>That's part of the reason development has 'stalled', they're as good as they're going to get for a given price point.
This is the opposite of reality. How did you reach this conclusion?

[THe_KvD !ZNBx60Gj/k No.1730672]

>>1730645
Have you used a brushless cordless grinder or circular saw?

It’s a world away from the NiCd brushed 6-1/2” saws from a few years back.

[Anonymous No.1730687]

>>1730633
>brushless motors on modern high performance cordless

Hitachi (metabo hpt, hikoki, whatever the f the call themselves now) make brushless corded stuff. Don't go out and buy it though, it's for pros only.

[Anonymous No.1730690]

>>1730672
That idiotic monstrosity of an angle grinder looks like it was designed by the same people that design nurf guns. Same user demographic, too.

[Anonymous No.1730691]

>>1730690
Pic related has gotten rave reviews from plenty of people who didn’t want to admit a cordless grinder could be that good.

[Anonymous No.1730692]

>>173065
> cordless is magic
And you'll be right when they use cordless tig welders to make pipelines.

[Anonymous No.1730694]

>>1730691
I can't buy that, I've got $1000s invested in the Milwaukee battery system.

From a power tool brand business perspective, THAT is the problem with corded tools -- I can just plug any brand into any fucking outlet! Holy shit, we have to put an end to that!

Thank god there are so many weak minds out there.

[Anonymous No.1730695]

>>1730672
I use a makita fuel 18v whatever blah blah at work. It's the subject in question from my rant: >>1730645. >>1730691 is in the same category: handy to cut a padlock or rusted 1/4-20 off when you can't fit the bolt cutters but basically useless for any real work.


Try to grind or cut any serious metal (1/4"+) in a reasonable amount of time that you'd expect from the lowliest 4.5A Bepis-tier corded Ryobi grinder and it just keeps fucking stalling. That's all it does, until you get frustrated and just burn it with the oxy-acetylene.


Fuck I hate all of you, except my corded Bros

[Anonymous No.1730698]

>>1730695

I've done some pretty serious grinding with my 18V fuel milwaukee grinder. But I don't expect it to hang with a corded grinder for super long or demanding jobs... They have their place for quick grinding/cutting jobs in remote areas with no power

One of my favorite things to do with it is run out to the metal pile and cut off a piece of what I need without having to drag a whole 20' stick of material into the shop to cut it with the bandsaw or a corded grinder...

That and put a 7" circular saw blade on it and notch railroad ties for twisting wire around for fence corners.

[Anonymous No.1730951]

>>1730444
>found the battery jew

[Anonymous No.1731122]

>>1728983
Knipex. I love my knipex pliers and they work very well.

[Anonymous No.1731125]

>>1729015
> made in Germany
Those might be rebranded knipex
>>1729047
I have some of the other tools from this line and they work pretty well. I'd probably go knipex though if it was for a career.
>>1729101
No

[Bepis !n/ZnkB9jUw No.1731130]

>>1730951
>found the stubborn boomer

>>1731125
>rebranded knipex
There are a few good hand tool companies in Germany, I’m sure one of them is contracted to make them for Klein. Supposedly they have the ratcheting action like the Irwins. I don’t think I have ever seen them IRL, but there is one anon who uses them and likes them better than Knipex and far above Channellock and other brands.

[Anonymous No.1731143]

Rate my legit OCD. Still want to rearrange the drawer to flip the Knipex pliers brand side up.

>>1729523
Based Japan
>>1729296
I agree

>>1730010
>Nearly everyone I've met tells me to avoid the Knipex with the button press.
That's what I like about them. I hate when they flop around and change jaw size on me. Set it and forget it!™

>>1730245
Some of us make a living with these things. The right tool can make all the difference.

>>1730332
Then get the Irwin ones.

>>1731130
>There are a few good hand tool companies in Germany, I’m sure one of them is contracted to make them for Klein.
Good point

[Bepis !n/ZnkB9jUw No.1731161]

>>1731143
Nice Lisle hose pliers.

>he keeps all his pliers in one drawer
Goddamn that sounds nice. I really need a bigger box.

[Anonymous No.1731177]

>>1731161
That's not all my pliers lol. My strippers and other related electronics pliers have another drawer. My snips hang off a peg board.

[Anonymous No.1731270]

Inherited my dad's channellocks. Still work great, some are a bit loose in the handles, but they haven't failes me yet. My last job had a lot of maintenance and technical work, and was fitted out with a nice workbench that had all knipex pliers. Never heard of them before I worked there, but I was actually super impressed with them. Seem solid and well built. Had great grip, even on wet metal surfaces. I'd definitely buy a few pairs if I wasn't a broke ass bitch.

[Anonymous No.1731271]

>>1731161
are those mini bolt cutters legid or shit

[Anonymous No.1731277]

>>1731271

They work great for smaller stuff.

[Bepis !n/ZnkB9jUw No.1731531]

>>1731271
I haven’t gone super hard on them yet. I got it thinking it would be good for bigger wire, but copper is so soft that a decent size pair of diagonal cutters has worked fine. It will go through nails fine, but it’s awkward to use for lots of stuff with the tiny jaw opening and wide spread of the handles. It’s not going to cut through full size Masterlocks, but it will get into your little sister’s diary.

Pic related is my favorite style of cutters for tough stuff that is on the edge of “do I need power tools to chop through this?”

[Anonymous No.1731551]

>>1728983
I would also say Knipex.
They're just too good.
Metal is also durable enough for my own work.

[Anonymous No.1731592]

>>1728983

I always thought ridgid were pretty good, I inherited most of mine from my dad, so the've lasted well into the second generation. Kind of like made-in-usa knipex quality; hell they're even the same color scheme! I wonder who copied who?

I don't think they're associated with those sub-par power tools home despot flogs.

Added bonus is that you can make ridgid tool innuendos to go with your nipple caddy schtick.

[Anonymous No.1731598]

>>1730633
>15A at 120V is 1800W.

True, but the conclusion is wrong.
You can get 4847 watts out your typical north american socket...in fact you do it all the time without realizing it.

When an inductive motor starts, it presents a near dead-short load. Or when it stalls :-).

You can't leave it at 5KW for very long, because (a) the circuit breaker will eventually trip, although it's not immediate, and (b) the wires will heat up and eventually burn, however the breaker is supposed to trip before anything catches fire.

The point is, that the instantaneous power is there in corded tools (when you need it, but not continuously), and the cordless tools have quite a ways to go.

[Anonymous No.1733758]

Hoe wrench

[Anonymous No.1733775]

>>1733758
your mother has some nice tools

[Anonymous No.1734063]

>>1731598
Isn't there a term for that initial high current draw? Wish I knew more about electromagnetism desu.

[Anonymous No.1734069]

>>1734063

inrush current. your 1969 JLH class A amplifier has it too.

really, that high instantaneous current draw is not that much different (in capabilities) from how a hammer drill or impact wrench works... the impact makes up for the low continuous power. Thats why impact drills are so popular, they have a ridiculously high instantaneous torque when the hammer hits.

[Anonymous No.1734080]

>>1730245
When you’ve skinned your knuckles cause the jaw slips a few times you start to consider all of your options. Plus the majority of these tool threads are just gear whores.

[Anonymous No.1734083]

>>1730400
Not quite how that works but cool

[Anonymous No.1734121]

>>1731271
They're legit for certain situations. They don't have the cutting capability of a full-size bolt cutter, even a cheap one, but the jaws are hard, sharp, and have good leverage. I keep one in my pocket for work (welder) since stainless filler is typically cold-drawn and hard enough to tear up the jaws of side cutters. They cut 1/8" 316 like butter, and after years in service, the only sign of wear is that the cutting edges ore shiny metal instead of the black coating. There are cheaper options from other companies that should work fine for mild steel wire, but if you need to cut hard wire regularly, I'd spring for a premium model like that.

>>1731531
These give a cleaner cut, but in my experience they have about half the cutting power of the mini bolt cutters for a given force on the handles.

[Anonymous No.1734147]

>>1731598
>.in fact you do it all the time without realizing it
No, I realize it. I have several power tools capable of tripping breakers when pushed. Before I had a fifty amp circuit installed, I regularly exceeded the nominal supply rating. For a few seconds at a time.

>although it's not immediate
Twice nominal current will trip a typical breaker in a small enough number of seconds to interfere with the sustained productivity that higher-power tools have that power for in the first place. Ten seconds of use at a time is acceptable for some tasks, but not all.

>and the cordless tools have quite a ways to go
Perhaps you missed the mention in my post of how a nominally 15 amp circular saw actually draws upwards of 18 when pushed, and that the current top-end cordless circular saws have it beat on cutting power. Overload current is already in play, and cordless tools have surpassed it.

>5KW
This is because power drawn from the wall is not the same thing as power applied to do useful work. That start current you're talking about occurs when the motor is not moving. Meaning that NONE of that power goes to doing productive work. Instead, it goes into starting the motor, with a substantial amount lost as heat. As the motor spins up, resistance increases and current decreases quickly (a fraction of a second for most hand tools). Because rotation speed and torque are opposed like this, the maximum power output of a power tool is not all that much more than the nominal parameters. Pushing a tool to a near stall may draw a lot more power from the wall, but the loss in speed means that less output work is being done. As a performance metric, it only matters for how quickly a tool gets up to speed, and for a hand tool, less kick is often preferable to saving a fraction of a second. Nicer modern tools often have soft starters these days, after all.

[Anonymous No.1734172]

>>1734147
>cordless tools have surpassed it

Of course they have, it was inevitable. There is no upper limit on stupidity.

[Anonymous No.1734383]

>>1734172
>A weapon to surpass Metal Gear!?

But more on topic:
https://youtu.be/q5_x_h4EG-w

[Anonymous No.1734386]

>>1734383
>wranglerstar the famous Jeep Scammer

"No"

[Anonymous No.1734393]

>>1734383

We'll call it "plastic gear" since everything is made of plastic to try and counteract the weight of the batteries. Only has to last one or two years anyway, until they change the battery style.

[Bepis !n/ZnkB9jUw No.1734400]

>>1734393
>2 years
Ahhh so you were super late to hop on the NiCd train I see.

Speaking of plastic gears, this goddamn hunk of Chinesium stopped working.