Pliers

When creating your first tool set or improving the already existing one, a pair of durable pliers is definitely a must-have. This easy-to-use hand tool can effectively cope with a variety of jobs that range from gripping to bending, turning, and cutting. Available in multiple sizes and designs, made of forged steel with a rust-resistant finish and featuring anti-slip plastic / vinyl or insulated rubber handles - the choice of pliers is truly immense.

Pliers have a set of parallel handles joined with a pivot and a pair of metal jaws on the other side of the tool that is used to grip and manipulate objects that would otherwise be too small or tight to be worked on in any other way. Pliers are designed to transfer the power of your grip to a precise point. This efficient tool will come in handy when tightening and loosening fasteners, working with electrical wiring, water pipes, removing nails and tackling an entire array of other jobs. Depending on the application, you can choose from fixed and adjustable pliers, long nose/needle, cutting, electrical, crimper pliers, etc.

Two general types of pliers include fixed (solid-joint) and adjustable (slip-joint) pliers. Solid-joint pliers open only to a set width, while a slip-joint tool offers more flexibility being capable of accommodating various widths of objects. Solid-joint pliers have a rivet attached to the pivot that does not let the jaws open more than their set width. Adjustable pliers allow for changing the width of the jaw grip to perfectly match the specific task. Normally, slip-joint pliers feature 2 width settings, while some professional tools have as much as 8 different settings. Fixed pliers include electrical and needle-nose pliers.

Needle-nose pliers feature long narrow jaws that reach confided spaces to make your work with wires, cables, etc. more effective. Linesman’s pliers (combination pliers) have a gripping jaw and an accurate wire-cutter, used by electricians and tradesmen who need to perform various tasks without constantly switching the tools. Electrician’s pliers feature small high-precision double-sided cutting edge and short grip, making accurate cuts of electrical wiring on circuit boards. Tongue and groove pliers have long high-leverage handles and curved jaws to work with pipe fittings and hard to budge fasteners.