What do you use your pliers for?

tomcrx · **on:** May 31, 2008, 02:14:34 AM

Since the main difference between SAK's and Multi's are the pliers, the main reason to buy a multi is the pliers.

What do you use your pliers for and what is the most important aspect of the pliers to accomplish this?

Spoonrobot · **Reply #1 on:** May 31, 2008, 02:36:33 AM

Basic "strong finger" jobs. Anything that is too difficult/uncomfortable to grip with my fingers. e.g. pulling wire through a cover, pulling staples/nails out of wood, etc.

DIY/Field mods; bending metal, wire and other stuff.

Cutting wire, zip ties.

Interacting with nuts and bolts.

Picking up things that I don't want to touch; bugs, suspicious items and so forth.

The key thing for me with pliers is that they be reasonably strong and able to handle medium duty tasks. To accomplish this I like comfortable handles and full feature plier heads.

Rodion · **Reply #2 on:** May 31, 2008, 03:46:01 AM

^ I can do most of the above with an Atlas.

Turning big and tough screws, pulling household items apart. Basically, getting in wherever they don't want me...

AJ · **Reply #3 on:** May 31, 2008, 04:02:44 AM

I use the pliers daily at work for a number of different repair jobs.

ducktapehero · **Reply #4 on:** May 31, 2008, 04:49:08 AM

Squishing bugs.

Anthony · **Reply #5 on:** May 31, 2008, 04:57:09 AM

I used my Crunch to hold a bracket part which I was Dremeling today

Between my Crunch and Spirit, I can do pretty much anything during the course of a day without looking for a toolbox. Gripping nuts and bolts doesn't come up all that often, with me it's mainly re-wiring jobs, getting the needlenose pliers into a tight spot that my fingers coulden't fit, holding stuff over a flame,

Having a pair of pliers really gives you a lot of options in a lot of situations that having just a SAK on you might have you scratching your head. It basically takes the power you have in your soft hands and transforms it into a steel robot hand!

tomcrx · **Reply #6 on:** May 31, 2008, 05:37:42 AM

Quote from: Corrugated on May 31, 2008, 04:57:09 AM

It basically takes the power you have in your soft hands and transforms it into a steel robot hand!

I like that analogy !

The reason I asked the question is I hear, and participate myself

, in lots of discussions on "tool X" vs "tool Y".In hindsight most of the conversations center around issues that have nothing to do with the quality of the tools pliers.

Multi-tools are centered around the fact that they are a pair of pliers. So if you had to choose between 2 multi's of equal quality but one had better pliers and the other had better accessory tools which would you choose?

Smitty44 · **Reply #7 on:** May 31, 2008, 06:15:26 AM

Better pliers,and other with better accessory tool,a lot of the jobs I do need pliers and screwdrivers at the same time.

scrappy · **Reply #8 on:** May 31, 2008, 07:47:59 AM

I always carry two tools, I remove lots of large staples at work (100 page staples), use the needle nose to remove paper jams in the printer and screws and bolts around the house. this week I was helping a neighbor who was trying to remove some stripped screws, the charge did the job while the screw laughed at his screwdrivers.

Leatherman123 · **Reply #9 on:** May 31, 2008, 03:28:07 PM

I like having the pliers just because I know I can do A LOT of things with them!

Rodion · **Reply #10 on:** June 01, 2008, 12:11:51 AM

Yeah, since I started to EDC a Juice (JUICE KING

), I've been amazed at how I managed to survive this long without handy pliers.

parnass · **Reply #11 on:** June 03, 2008, 04:22:25 AM

Besides a pliers, I use the wire cutters. How does one cut wire using an SAK?

Anthony · **Reply #12 on:** June 03, 2008, 04:34:17 AM

Quote from: parnass on June 03, 2008, 04:22:25 AM

Besides a pliers, I use the wire cutters. How does one cut wire using an SAK?

You look around and see if anyone has a Multi on their belt

I think in this day and age no one who carries a multi should "just" carry a SAK...there has to be pliers somewhere in the mix. Nuts, bolts, wires, and metal are everywhere these days. Try bending metal with just a SAK...it's tough!

ultimaonliner · **Reply #13 on:** June 03, 2008, 05:45:07 AM

In a weird way, just carrying a pair of needle-nose pliers might be useful enough for most people to EDC.

NutSAK · **Reply #14 on:** June 03, 2008, 05:13:04 PM

Quote from: ultimaonliner on June 03, 2008, 05:45:07 AM

In a weird way, just carrying a pair of needle-nose pliers might be useful enough for most people to EDC.

I agree. I've often thought about carrying just a plier and a SAK.

ducktapehero · **Reply #15 on:** June 03, 2008, 09:45:22 PM

Quote

How does one cut wire using an SAK?

If it's thin wire and it's an emergency, use your blade. If it's thick hard wire(like a wire hanger), use your SAK to hold it a way where you can bend it and forth until it breaks. I know it won't work in every situation it has worked for me on some.

NutSAK · **Reply #16 on:** June 03, 2008, 09:46:36 PM

Quote from: parnass on June 03, 2008, 04:22:25 AM

Besides a pliers, I use the wire cutters. How does one cut wire using an SAK?

With the wire cutters on the pliers.

Leatherman123 · **Reply #17 on:** June 03, 2008, 09:50:27 PM

Yeah, but they are wicked small! The largest wire you would be able to cut would be like paper clips!

NutSAK · **Reply #18 on:** June 03, 2008, 09:56:37 PM

He didn't ask how you cut thick wire with a SAK.

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What do you use your pliers for?

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