PRODUCT REVIEW Pliers Wrench
Out of the eight Knipex samples I was sent for review, it was the biggest that caught my attention first – a 300mm long Pliers Wrench.
The name indicates its functions – it can be used as pliers and as a wrench or spanner. These functions are made possible by the ingenious design of the bottom jaws that not only slide up and down to adjust to the size of the fixing, but these jaws continue to remain parallel, making it much easier to get a good grip on a hex nut or the parallel faces on a particular fixing. A friend of mine with a 35-year career in the gas industry, from shop floor to management, declared that they were the perfect tool for gas and smart meter fitters because of this feature.
I must admit that it was the sheer ease of use and cleverness of the jaw design that made this tool a favourite for me. It is as good as a spanner in many situations, much better than a traditional adjustable spanner, and, in use, the handles stay close enough to allow me to use just one hand, and not two to operate it. The bottom jaw slides on a very accurate ratchet and can be moved by pressing the spring- loaded button on the top handle.
Operation is smooth – no catching or jerky adjustment on the ratchet teeth and it can stretch to a massive 68mm wide. Laser cut marks, metric on one side of the ratchet and imperial on the other, allow the user to set a size to suit the fixing.
Plastic jaws are available that fit tightly over the steel jaws to prevent marking on more sensitive or softer surfaces.
These Plier Wrenches come in a few sizes, in black and chrome finishes and different grips. Definitely a tool that I would want to add to my toolkit.
PreciStrip 16
I am sure that there are many electricians out there who strip the ends of wires quickly and efficiently with a pair of side cutters, but the Knipex PreciStrip16 brings predictability, accuracy and versatility to the task.
Not to mention speed. As I worked the handles and watched the wire stripping process each time, I couldn’t help but admire the accuracy and ease with which the jaws worked – and it didn’t matter if it was 0.8mm
wire or 16mm wire. All the user has to do to ensure that all the stripped ends are the same is to insert the wire to the set depth on the jaws – adjustable all the way to 20mm.
Apparently, the ease of cut is made possible by the parabolic blades that enclose the insulation better than circular ones as they cut. The blades can be easily replaced in one hit as they are contained in a cassette. The downside of sidecutters when they get blunt is that they have to be discarded.
It is fiddly and time consuming to change tools for different jobs, but the PreciStrip has a wire cutter on the fulcrum to ensure a neat end before starting the stripping process, so no need for another tool.
My electrician friend was predictably non- committal when I let him use them on a job, but his comments afterwards showed that they worked well and made his job easier. If you can impress the old timers, then I think Knipex has got it right. A definite thumbs up for the PreciStrip16.
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