Tool Box Necessities: Types of Pliers

Are you a DIY enthusiast? A mechanic? An Electrician? Or even a home maker?

Pliers are necessary gripping tools that are a must-have in every household and workshop. This hand tool is tool used to hold objects firmly, bend other materials, and remove unwanted elements. The general design for pliers consists of two handles, a pivot point, and a head or the jaw.

Pliers can be of many kinds such as slip joint pliers, tongue and groove pliers, combination pliers, needle nose pliers, and more. Different pliers are meant for specific jobs.

Slip Joint Pliers

As the name goes, this type of pliers has a slip joint rather than a fixed rivet at the pivot point. This creates an adjustable pivot point, allowing the two pieces of the pliers to shift which extends the range of jaws to open wider. Slip joint pliers can be used to grip materials of varying thickness. The jaws of this tool have a flat, serrated texture at the mouth to help with gripping flat surfaces. Below that, the jaws are curved out to grip rounded surfaces such as pipes and rods. Slip joint pliers are the most common general purpose type of pliers. They are really useful to keep handy as it can be used for bending and holding, crimping metal, looping wire, cutting wire and soft nails, and even loosening and tightening nuts and bolts.

Needle Nose Pliers

Needle nose pliers have a longer jaw that tapers down to a fixed pivot point. The elongated jaw with a pointed tip works well for more delicate jobs that need to be dome in smaller spaces. The jaws typically have a knurled surface, as well as side cutters. They can be used for versatile applications like bending wires, holding fittings, placing fasteners, and even cutting. Many times, needle nose pliers have their tips bent to 45° and 90° to better access awkward spaces.

Combination Pliers

Combination pliers, also known as Linesman’s pliers or Kleins, hinge at a set pivot point. The jaws have a flat front with serrations for gripping flat objects. It also allows electricians to twist wires together. Behind the front of the jaws, combination pliers include side cutters that enable wire cutting function. They can be used for gripping, compressing, bending, twisting, extracting and cutting various materials.

Tongue and Groove Pliers

Similar to slip joint pliers, tongue and groove pliers also have an adjustable pivot point. However, they can open to a much wider position. They can be locked into different positions, depending on the size needed. The head is typically angled and the handles are longer to allow access to pipes in tighter spaces. These pliers are mostly used for turning large nuts and bolts, and in a majority of plumbing applications.

Locking Pliers

Also known as Vise Grips, locking pliers are best used for clamping down on things. The jaws of this tool can be locked around objects such as bolts, nuts, pipes and other parts for a strong firm grip. Locking pliers are especially useful for turning nuts and bolts which are difficult to turn due to rust, corrosion, or excessive tightening.

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