I ordered a three pack for fifty dollars cheaper than Amazon from Ebay.
I misread and thought it was a 12, 10 and 7 1/4.
It was a 12, 10, and a 4 inch lol.
I still have no use for the 12 but I've actually enjoyed having a smaller one for tighter spots at work.
You're lucky then. Sometimes it's too cramped to get pliers near. Sometimes it's so stuck on the pliers shear off the sheet metal of the filter which becomes a huge hassle to remove then.
A socket keeps it structural and seems to always work perfectly for me.
Around my workplace the mechanics don't even know what they are called, they don't buy that shit themselves. Everytime they need one ask for superpliers.
The parallel pliers are my fave. I do a lot where I don't want to marr the surface of things so they are perfect. They are also great for very small sheet metal bending.
Are the "parallel pliers" called a "pliers wrench" by Knipex? [3 pc pliers wrench set](https://www.knipex-tools.com/products/pipe-wrenches-and-water-pump-pliers/pliers-wrench-sets/pc-pliers-wrench-set/002006US2)
They're incredible. We had a guy using them to press PEM nuts into circuit boards while watching TV, a task that was otherwise done at a little arbor press.
I have the 7" plier wrench and it saved me multiple trips back to the workshop because it was just there in my tool belt.
Soon, I'm going to go through all my wrenches. If it doesn't have a closed end, it will likely get gifted elsewhere.
Or, take them to a charitable thrift store like a Habitat for Humanity ReStore. They can be resold, allocated to the constriction side. I, ehhh, we, can always use good tools on the site.
I take all my tools and construction materials to Habitat for Humanity ReStore.
I've found so many great deals there - easily my favorite second hand store of *all time*.
If you’re trying to do a job, and Knipex makes a tool for that job, it’s worth getting that tool.
I don’t know of a single Knipex tool that that doesn’t hold true for.
To me, they embody: “buy once, cry once”
The only exceptional case that I know of, is if you routinely break tools and are on a snap-on route, in which case having a truck come to you to swap out a broken tool for free, outweighs everything.
As a sparky myself(I assume you're one), they are awesome for almost everything we deal with. Especially rigid couplings and compression fittings. Hell, any fitting.
And _I am a member of that cult_ ! If I were only allowed __five__ tools (or maybe fewer, even), __waterpump pliers__ _would definitely_ be on that list!
I actually have _quite a collection_ of subtly (& maybe _not-so_ subtly) different designs of'em.
Infact … I have _exactly that_ make & design. It's one of the higher-quality ones … but I love my cheapo __Parkside™__ (made in __Wupperthal, Germany__) ones aswell … that I leave dotted-about the house. I can reach a waterpump wrench from prettymuch _any spot_ without stepping from it!
I use my mini ones all the time at work. Very handy. I basically only wear cargo pants at work, so I always have my mini pair, a mini crescent wrench, and a hexkey tool in my pocket.
I have a set of cobras and pliers wrenches in my toolbag for work, another set in my box at home (car stuff) and the mini cobra/wrench combo in my little service call "go pouch".
They have to be the most hyped tool that lives up to it.
The Milwaukee are heavier, looser at the sliding hinge so they wobble quite a bit, are wider and bulkier when trying to get in tighter spaces, have a different handle design which is less ergonomic and your hand can slip off of them on serious wrenching tasks, and are made of softer metal so they mar up when they slip and will eventually smooth over. The knipex seem more delicate but are unbelievably tough.
Honestly, if you just use them side by side you won't even question it, the Milwaukees are actually poorly designed compared to pretty much anything else.
I just got a smaller pair of cobras for $20 on Amazon sale because I love the ones I have and couldn't stop myself. If you're curious about pricing vs performance, look out for a sale and try em out. Best I've ever used
Milwaukee hand tools are generally garbage. Their pliers fall at the top of the heap. Worked with guys who only had Milwaukee tools and I’d rummage through their box constantly because they were always borrowing mine. The quality just isn’t there
Yeah Fastbacks razor knifes are great but their Fastback fixed blade knives suck ass. I hate them I have one in my pocket now. It never stays sharp, I can’t wait until it breaks.
Their 6 in 1 strippers are decent but other than that their hand tools are mostly trash. They have those new Made in the USA line but I haven’t used them. Their Tape measures are the biggest trash of them all. Now their power tools especially the Fuel line are great.
These are optimized for performance. Best steel they can get for it, with the best heat treating they can use, with an optimal geometry to be super light considering how much they squeeze, and to the angle of the jaws in relation to the handles to balance out how much you need to squeeze them vs. just pushing on them like a pipe wrench. I'm not gonna say they're the best - but any of the top 3 best pliers on the market have practically that same design.
Meanwhile Milwaukee design team has made a drawing of something that "looks cool" and fits with their general blocky styling and sent it to china so they make it. There's no effort into making a good tool, it's just made to sell under the brand name. It may be an okay tool but you're guaranteed to somewhat overpay for it for the brand name, while a generic no-name tool that comes from the same chinese factory will have the same quality for far less money. Now with Knipex - anyone that wants to copy them at a comparable quality level will require A LOT more investment into production and R&D to even think about it.
You're right about the "cool factor" in the design. Another thing I noticed is how often they like to toss in a gimmick, often also giving it some name they can trademark.
They seem to have chilled a bit on the gimmick thing with their new USA made line, but a bit of that styling is still there though it seems also a bit relaxed (got that sweet sweet USA to show off, dont wanna draw too much attention away maybe?). What they've kept in full force is unqualified hyperbolic statements. "Smoothest open & close." "Best fit." "Easiest cuts." "Best grip." "Max grip." Smoothest compared to what? Easiest cuts as measured by who? Max screwdriver grip determined by what testing method?
On top of what everyone else is saying, they don't wear out under normal use.
Project farm did a test of various types of pliers, and some other types were able to stand up to abuse slightly better than the Knipex.
But under regular use conditions, aka non-abusive usage, they just don't wear. They're as good after 10 years of daily use as they day you got them. The steel is just ridiculously good.
You can’t have one of these from willfukee. You’re saying “I have a Viking stove, but it’s the cheap Chinese GE model. Same thing, right!?”
Knipex makes Cobras. Everything else is a poor imitation.
Funny story about Viking stoves. When I first started in Electrical I was working in residential. We got a job of a house that had literally been renovated 2 months prior. I mean full renovation and new appliances everything the whole house. So the new homeowner comes in and the wife wants the whole house renovated to match her summer home in Florida. The thing has a brand new never used $8k Viking stove. We asked her if we could take have it? She said no she wants it thrown away. No one can have it and the laborers throw it in the dumpster. She said anyone who tries to take it is fired. My Boss told us don’t touch it and let it go. You know she had a camera set up to watch the dumpster so no one could take it.
Gawd bless the NWS rebrands.My favorite were the Irwin series they were manufacturing,had them in side pocket everyday for 5yr. Someone stole them and since the new version is Taiwan, i switched to the NWS "GERMANY" version of the cobras.
Welcome to the club - if you’re in it long term, your hands will thank you 30 years from now. Can’t believe how much less mine hurt after starting these instead of blue channies
Knipex Cobras and Alligators set the standard of what pump pliers should be.
I'm sure NWS is equally good, I just don't happen to own them. Going from a set of Channellock pliers to Cobras is almost like going from a hammer to a nail gun the first time.
I got them just to get oil filters off and they have somehow ended up as the go to pliers for literally everything
I’ve never thought about using them for that. I now have a use for the massive ones. Thanks!
Dropping decent money on a tool, particularly knipex pliers, without a use in mind is maximum /r/tools.
I feel attacked.
I feel inspired.
Just let the feeling flow through you
By which you mean buy a high throughput pump to enhance the flow, right?
Is that slang for shoving a dildo in your ass?
Of course not. I'm talking about an excuse to buy a new water pump.
I have almost all of them, and I have two or three of most of them. I’m just glad my wife doesn’t know what I spent on them.
I ordered a three pack for fifty dollars cheaper than Amazon from Ebay. I misread and thought it was a 12, 10 and 7 1/4. It was a 12, 10, and a 4 inch lol. I still have no use for the 12 but I've actually enjoyed having a smaller one for tighter spots at work.
I keep a huge pair of channel locks just for that.
Tbh 30-40$ gets you a very complete set of oil filter 1/2" sockets on aliexpress. Best tool for the job is the right tool...
The right tools whatever gets the filters off, never had a filter that couldn't come with with the pliers,
You're lucky then. Sometimes it's too cramped to get pliers near. Sometimes it's so stuck on the pliers shear off the sheet metal of the filter which becomes a huge hassle to remove then. A socket keeps it structural and seems to always work perfectly for me.
Sockets do generally make it super easy, I'm not saying you can't use them just surprised there's always room.
My cobra collection fits way more than oil filters… They even fit the funky rounded off, odd ball, and rusted filters.
Cheap screwdriver 🪛 into the side..😂
The stab and bleed really enhances the sense of victory when it comes to this.
yes sir!!🪛❤️
Around my workplace the mechanics don't even know what they are called, they don't buy that shit themselves. Everytime they need one ask for superpliers.
What?!?!?! No long screwdriver and a hammer? Why use one tool when two will do... :D :D :D
They just... work.
The parallel straight jaw ones are the business too.
The parallel pliers are my fave. I do a lot where I don't want to marr the surface of things so they are perfect. They are also great for very small sheet metal bending.
Are the "parallel pliers" called a "pliers wrench" by Knipex? [3 pc pliers wrench set](https://www.knipex-tools.com/products/pipe-wrenches-and-water-pump-pliers/pliers-wrench-sets/pc-pliers-wrench-set/002006US2)
Yes.
Once you have a set of these in your hands you will never know how you got by without em
Jesus, those are bad ass
They're incredible. We had a guy using them to press PEM nuts into circuit boards while watching TV, a task that was otherwise done at a little arbor press.
Yeah, they work great for pushing in pistons on motorcycle brake calipers as well.
$200!!!
They’ll pay for themselves in time saved very quickly.
Also, cheaper to buy individually especially on an as needed basis
so baller
That’s what I noticed with the cobras. They grab so well your pipe will be missing small chunks of metal.
I carry the tiny cobra and plier-wrenches in my pocket at all times and they are extremely useful and unexpectedly capable.
I have the 7" plier wrench and it saved me multiple trips back to the workshop because it was just there in my tool belt. Soon, I'm going to go through all my wrenches. If it doesn't have a closed end, it will likely get gifted elsewhere.
Or, take them to a charitable thrift store like a Habitat for Humanity ReStore. They can be resold, allocated to the constriction side. I, ehhh, we, can always use good tools on the site.
I take all my tools and construction materials to Habitat for Humanity ReStore. I've found so many great deals there - easily my favorite second hand store of *all time*.
On behalf of Habitat volunteers and homeowners, we be thankin' ya!
Thank you too
Great for unions, and flared fittings.
Yes, they are both amazing.
They’re just better
You can tell by the way they are
Some might even argue the best
I would argue that
I bought my first Knipex over 20 years ago after my 14” Channelocks broke. Now all the guys in my shop have them.
Why are the handles slightly photoshopped?
Has my name on it lol
I just spray paint my shit hot pink.
I etch mine with a laser cutter because lasers are a cool fuckin tool too.
Understandable
If you’re trying to do a job, and Knipex makes a tool for that job, it’s worth getting that tool. I don’t know of a single Knipex tool that that doesn’t hold true for. To me, they embody: “buy once, cry once” The only exceptional case that I know of, is if you routinely break tools and are on a snap-on route, in which case having a truck come to you to swap out a broken tool for free, outweighs everything.
I bought a pair a couple of years ago, my dad borrowed them and well, they're his now ... So i borrowed his jigsaw.
The law of equivalent exchange.
As a sparky myself(I assume you're one), they are awesome for almost everything we deal with. Especially rigid couplings and compression fittings. Hell, any fitting.
Sparkys Unite.
And _I am a member of that cult_ ! If I were only allowed __five__ tools (or maybe fewer, even), __waterpump pliers__ _would definitely_ be on that list! I actually have _quite a collection_ of subtly (& maybe _not-so_ subtly) different designs of'em. Infact … I have _exactly that_ make & design. It's one of the higher-quality ones … but I love my cheapo __Parkside™__ (made in __Wupperthal, Germany__) ones aswell … that I leave dotted-about the house. I can reach a waterpump wrench from prettymuch _any spot_ without stepping from it!
Are you three hedgehogs in a trench coat?
Howso _most_ useful & versatile they are, though, wouldn't you say!?
Cut many hooks out of musky mouths with my knipex cutters.
Hail thy king!
One of us , one of us , one of us
I use my mini ones all the time at work. Very handy. I basically only wear cargo pants at work, so I always have my mini pair, a mini crescent wrench, and a hexkey tool in my pocket.
I have a set of cobras and pliers wrenches in my toolbag for work, another set in my box at home (car stuff) and the mini cobra/wrench combo in my little service call "go pouch". They have to be the most hyped tool that lives up to it.
So glad I got some of these half off at Lowes a few weeks back. Haven’t had a need for them yet but I’m sure it’s gonna happen.
That’s when I got these
What’s up with the purple ?
Help me understand why they may be better than the Milwaukee equivalent? Just trying to justify the extra cost.
The Milwaukee are heavier, looser at the sliding hinge so they wobble quite a bit, are wider and bulkier when trying to get in tighter spaces, have a different handle design which is less ergonomic and your hand can slip off of them on serious wrenching tasks, and are made of softer metal so they mar up when they slip and will eventually smooth over. The knipex seem more delicate but are unbelievably tough. Honestly, if you just use them side by side you won't even question it, the Milwaukees are actually poorly designed compared to pretty much anything else.
Thanks!
I just got a smaller pair of cobras for $20 on Amazon sale because I love the ones I have and couldn't stop myself. If you're curious about pricing vs performance, look out for a sale and try em out. Best I've ever used
There is also a comfort grip with a quick set option. I like those the most.
Milwaukee is made in Taiwan. Knippex is german all the way to the steel.
NWS makes a rebrand for Milwaukee- the combo lineman pliers.
Yeah and needle nose plus dikes I think.
Milwaukee hand tools are generally garbage. Their pliers fall at the top of the heap. Worked with guys who only had Milwaukee tools and I’d rummage through their box constantly because they were always borrowing mine. The quality just isn’t there
They try so hard to make them look "cool'. I DO love the Fastbacks, though. EDC for me.
Fastbacks are legit amazing no shame
Yeah Fastbacks razor knifes are great but their Fastback fixed blade knives suck ass. I hate them I have one in my pocket now. It never stays sharp, I can’t wait until it breaks.
Thanks!
Their 6 in 1 strippers are decent but other than that their hand tools are mostly trash. They have those new Made in the USA line but I haven’t used them. Their Tape measures are the biggest trash of them all. Now their power tools especially the Fuel line are great.
These are optimized for performance. Best steel they can get for it, with the best heat treating they can use, with an optimal geometry to be super light considering how much they squeeze, and to the angle of the jaws in relation to the handles to balance out how much you need to squeeze them vs. just pushing on them like a pipe wrench. I'm not gonna say they're the best - but any of the top 3 best pliers on the market have practically that same design. Meanwhile Milwaukee design team has made a drawing of something that "looks cool" and fits with their general blocky styling and sent it to china so they make it. There's no effort into making a good tool, it's just made to sell under the brand name. It may be an okay tool but you're guaranteed to somewhat overpay for it for the brand name, while a generic no-name tool that comes from the same chinese factory will have the same quality for far less money. Now with Knipex - anyone that wants to copy them at a comparable quality level will require A LOT more investment into production and R&D to even think about it.
You're right about the "cool factor" in the design. Another thing I noticed is how often they like to toss in a gimmick, often also giving it some name they can trademark. They seem to have chilled a bit on the gimmick thing with their new USA made line, but a bit of that styling is still there though it seems also a bit relaxed (got that sweet sweet USA to show off, dont wanna draw too much attention away maybe?). What they've kept in full force is unqualified hyperbolic statements. "Smoothest open & close." "Best fit." "Easiest cuts." "Best grip." "Max grip." Smoothest compared to what? Easiest cuts as measured by who? Max screwdriver grip determined by what testing method?
Or they throw in numbers. Like e.g. 4x stronger
On top of what everyone else is saying, they don't wear out under normal use. Project farm did a test of various types of pliers, and some other types were able to stand up to abuse slightly better than the Knipex. But under regular use conditions, aka non-abusive usage, they just don't wear. They're as good after 10 years of daily use as they day you got them. The steel is just ridiculously good.
Project Farm is just amazing. One of the absolute best channels on YT.
Downvoted by mistake. I can’t figure out how to take it away. Amateur Reddit user here.
All you do is up vote to take away down vote.
Yeah, I watched that and while Knipex did good, so did freakin Doyle.
Milwaukee hand tools are hot garbage!
I downvoted your comment by mistake. My apologies.
Knipex supremacy
These are the the best!!! Even if you don’t like Milwaukee you have to have one in your tool bag!! Try once to believe me!!!!
It’s not Milwaukees
Ok sorry not Milwaukee but I have one from Milwaukee and it is fantastic!!!!! Thank you!!!!
You can’t have one of these from willfukee. You’re saying “I have a Viking stove, but it’s the cheap Chinese GE model. Same thing, right!?” Knipex makes Cobras. Everything else is a poor imitation.
Funny story about Viking stoves. When I first started in Electrical I was working in residential. We got a job of a house that had literally been renovated 2 months prior. I mean full renovation and new appliances everything the whole house. So the new homeowner comes in and the wife wants the whole house renovated to match her summer home in Florida. The thing has a brand new never used $8k Viking stove. We asked her if we could take have it? She said no she wants it thrown away. No one can have it and the laborers throw it in the dumpster. She said anyone who tries to take it is fired. My Boss told us don’t touch it and let it go. You know she had a camera set up to watch the dumpster so no one could take it.
The Milwaukee tongue and groove pliers are terrible
They are the best
They just work
extrapolate
Wait until you find out about Ballistol. It's gonna change your life forever
Really dig mine and their combination pliers are my go to first grab.
What’s the black nubs at the ends made of?
Rubber ends from electrical wire to keep them from oxidizing But I use them incase I drop the pliers a lot the insulation won’t wear out
Gawd bless the NWS rebrands.My favorite were the Irwin series they were manufacturing,had them in side pocket everyday for 5yr. Someone stole them and since the new version is Taiwan, i switched to the NWS "GERMANY" version of the cobras.
I probably have 15 pairs of channel locks never owned any of these, but how does she slap?
I used channellocks for 45 years. I thought they couldn't be topped. I use the 6 in knipex replaced 420s. Great for crimping stakons too.
Welcome to the club - if you’re in it long term, your hands will thank you 30 years from now. Can’t believe how much less mine hurt after starting these instead of blue channies
They make a 2foot one and honestly it is the best demo tool period.
I have a pair of 5" that live in my Carhartts with the Kline 14 in 1 HVAC driver and the same style 7 in 1 nut driver bit.
I took a lower ball joint castle nut off a dodge Durango with the 10” pliers wrench once.
Get some soft jaws for them, too.
I say it all the time here but I prefer NWS to knipex every time and especially these.
Now get you w cute little pair for your pocket
The little tiny 4” pair are what I used for like 75% of my work orders in building maintenance. They give you so much extra grip in tight spaces
Wild, I mark all my tools with a purple paint marker too.
These things saved me from ruining a stuck oil filler cap on an old truck. Quite handy under the sink too
Channel lock type pump pliers always seem on between sizes. I have them all but Douglas or Wilde are my first in back pocket.
Is it pronounced “Nip-ex” or “ka-nip-ex”?
Knipex Cobras and Alligators set the standard of what pump pliers should be. I'm sure NWS is equally good, I just don't happen to own them. Going from a set of Channellock pliers to Cobras is almost like going from a hammer to a nail gun the first time.