Knipex Kraze

[SteveC]

10% off Knipex and free shipping

 Use discount code: Knipex10

https://usatooldepot.com/collections/knipex?syclid=clqtr3m5ji7s73ejhfcg&utm_campaign=emailmarketing_135647100976&utm_medium=email&utm_source=shopify_email

[Blunt Object]

Until quite recently I didn't know Knipex existed. I have had no-brand pliers, house brand pliers and some Bahcos, and I've never really noticed any difference between them. They all get the job done. My oldest set of tools is a forty-something-years-old socket wrench set made in commie China back when they had bikes instead of superfast trains, and I still break it out whenever a nut or bolt needs tightening around the house. Incredibly, stuff made of even suspect steel lasts a long time. Crazy, I know.

So I definitely owe my Knipex Kraze to Youtube, like so many other cases of must-have-itis. After handling the Cobra XS and the wrench pliers I was sold. Taking apart a multitool has never been this easy, for example. They outperform any and every MT plier head I've ever handled. I'll be using them at home along with my other tools, to fix bikes, furniture etc. But I got them because I wanted to build a no-knife, 100% sheeple friendly and legal tool set in the size and weight class equal to Wave + bitkit minus the knife and saw, being (at least theoretically) airline safe. Let's see how that goes.

[NKlamerus]

Perfect timing, I pocket carry 7" Cobras at work, always had the smaller pair but no way to carry it, until now

Large Nylon sheath, 5" Cobras, Mini Sharpie, and i3t EOS, Free P4

[SteveC]

 

[gra_farmer]

I am quite enjoying this thread. I must admit that I am a knipex fan, they are good.

I looked at the Channel Locks, but in the UK, they are the same as knipex

Sent from my CPH2409 using Tapatalk

[gra_farmer]

I EDC the small 4 inch, even though I often have the charge on me.

Sent from my CPH2409 using Tapatalk

[powernoodle]

  

[Blunt Object]

Here we go. To the left, my work carry Wave, bitkits, Bullet pen and marker. Along with a pocket knife (currently Vic Cadet) I'm covered.  Except that it's effectively illegal to walk around with this kit, unless in the very act of working on something. To be fair, our Police force is extremely professional, and normal people are virtually never hassled over tools. But the potential for prosecution is there. I also fly a lot. Often with only the carry on luggage. Inspired by some Youtube video I put together a no-knife, no-saw kit with a weight, dimensions, and functionality near similar to the Wave. I'm almost there. I'm currently only missing the file and wire cutting ability - I'm working on the former and can live without the latter.

The missing ingredient were the Knipex pliers. The wrench is redundancy, it won't stay in the kit, but there's ample room for more bits, as soon as I find plastic tubes that can hold 4-5 bits each.

So far it's just proof of concept. The local carrier allows scissors up to six centimetres, but I'm not sure how they would feel about the pry bar. With airlines you never know.

I just hate the idea of walking in a new location with no tools. A knife I can buy anywhere, or just pocket a steak knife at a restaurant. And yes, I know I can make a knifeless MT, but where's the fun in that!

[Murphy Slaw]

I've had American made Channellock stuff scattered around my home and vehicles for many decades.

Never owned or felt the need to buy the Knipex.

I've also worn a multi-tool  for nearly 3 decades.

Man, time flies.

[Antti Lammi]

Here is my old and trusty Knipex Cobra its roughly 30 years old, my father gave me this around 20 years ago.




Only Tools Matters

[nate j]

I've had American made Channellock stuff scattered around my home and vehicles for many decades.

Never owned or felt the need to buy the Knipex.

I own and have used Channellocks for a couple of decades also.  They are quality tools.

However, I also own some Knipex, and I think they have advantages in certain applications…

1. Small/pocketable pliers - If you’re looking for pliers to, as you say, keep around the house and in vehicles, then I would say Channellocks are as good as anything.  But if you’re looking to actually carry pliers on your person regularly, Knipex is the winner.  The smallest sizes of Channellocks are 6.5” and 4.5” long, and they have jaw openings of 0.87”/22.1 mm and 0.5”/12.7 mm respectively.  The smallest Knipex Cobras are 125mm/4.9” and 100mm/3.9” long, and have jaw openings of 27mm/1.06” and 24mm/0.94” respectively.
2. Plierswrenches - If you don’t need to grip round stock, these are better than Channellocks or Knipex Cobras for maximizing torque on anything with wrench flats without marring the workpiece.  And so much better than adjustable wrenches.

[NKlamerus]

More to the collection

[nate j]

More to the collection

[ToolJoe]

I don't edc a pair of Knipex on me but I keep a pair of the 125mm combo pliers in my work bag and a 125mm pliers wrench and 125mm Cobra pliers are in my house tool bag and they are all damn handy when I need to use them.

[Djiaux]

Do any of you EDC the Knipex Cobra pliers?  If so why those over a different type?

I EDC the small ones as an urban EDC.
You are right, not really worth it, more if you need wire cutting.
I think the idea is that if you want to carry only  a small EDC, you can add some small Knipex to have pliers in it.
These very small knipex don't really allow you to turn big nuts, only small ones. The 125 are more real and give you good service.

What's the the thing?
Quality is really good
You do have pliers service even with the small ones. No gimmick, these pliers grab and turn.
But, with the very small ones you can only turn small things and with the 125 ones you are not carrying that small


So? Good side tool if your main is a swisschamp. Not really worth the price and likelly you will not use it that much. Good but questionable.

If you need wire curtting you are much better off with some powerpint.

[fullbreakfast]

I don’t usually EDC any kind of pliers, but do use them quite a bit for DIY. Have a bunch of Knipex as they are the best I have found for a reasonable price. As others have noted, you have much more utility with 125mm+ sizes and almost all of my usage has been with those.

I do have 110mm Cobra and pliers wrench in a small travel toolkit that I take on holiday etc, which also has a Spirit in it that covers off wire cutting. I have not used them a lot, but from my limited experience they can do a bit more than they look as if they could. The main limitation for me is the amount of grip and leverage you can get with such short and thin handles. The larger models are vastly better in this respect, of course.

My favourites and most used are the 125mm pliers wrench and the 145mm combi pliers. The latter are the most direct substitute for the kind of pliers you get on a typical pliers-based MT, and I certainly prefer using them to any of my MT pliers.

[lister]

Not an EDC, but I have the small black pliers as a part of my bike toolkit. Never needed them yet though... 

[marlowe221]

I recently picked up a Klein pliers wrench at Lowe’s. It’s about 6” long, so too big for my pockets. But it’s a great size for the backpack I take to work.

[Crunchie64]

I don’t usually EDC any kind of pliers, but do use them quite a bit for DIY. Have a bunch of Knipex as they are the best I have found for a reasonable price. As others have noted, you have much more utility with 125mm+ sizes and almost all of my usage has been with those.

I do have 110mm Cobra and pliers wrench in a small travel toolkit that I take on holiday etc, which also has a Spirit in it that covers off wire cutting. I have not used them a lot, but from my limited experience they can do a bit more than they look as if they could. The main limitation for me is the amount of grip and leverage you can get with such short and thin handles. The larger models are vastly better in this respect, of course.

My favourites and most used are the 125mm pliers wrench and the 145mm combi pliers. The latter are the most direct substitute for the kind of pliers you get on a typical pliers-based MT, and I certainly prefer using them to any of my MT pliers.

I quite fancy getting hold of one or two pairs for travel and home use.

Any recommendations for where to buy them in the UK?

I have found them in a couple of tool websites, but got a bit lost in the reference numbers and variations.

[fullbreakfast]

I quite fancy getting hold of one or two pairs for travel and home use.

Any recommendations for where to buy them in the UK?

I have found them in a couple of tool websites, but got a bit lost in the reference numbers and variations.

You can buy Knipex on Amazon UK which is where I got most of mine. I have also bought one on eBay which is a bit riskier!

[nate j]

…got a bit lost in the reference numbers and variations.

Not saying “buy from there” (not even sure if they ship to the UK), but this site has some handy charts to help figure out what model numbers you want:

https://www.kctool.com/knipex-cobra-xs-pliers/

https://www.kctool.com/knipex-pliers-wrench-xs/

[Crunchie64]

Thank you both.

I wasn’t sure if Amazon could be trusted, or if resellers would be trading in counterfeit tools.

Based on the links, certainly plenty of options to pick from!

[fullbreakfast]

Thank you both.

I wasn’t sure if Amazon could be trusted, or if resellers would be trading in counterfeit tools.

Based on the links, certainly plenty of options to pick from!

The ones I got from Amazon were legit, but it pays to be careful. I would stick to ones sold by Amazon directly rather than others selling via Amazon.

[fullbreakfast]

Coincidentally I just now got an email from Heinnie Haynes saying they are now stocking Knipex. A much better place to shop than Amazon for anything they carry. So I would recommend buying from them if they have the model you want.

[powernoodle]

I was going to object to the above, but then remembered that you are talking about the UK.   

[Crunchie64]

I’ve got the Heinnie email too, so I think that settles it.

Going to be ordering very soon.

[TheNELocksmith]

I've used knipex most of my working life and have quite the collection. Never thought about EDCing a pair outside of work until I got the 100mm cobras in a secret santa one year. I carried them for a bit while working around my parents farm. They now have a permanent place in my work pocket EDC. They're used for the applications that the needle nose multi-tool pliers don't do. I was thinking of trying the 160mm Twin grips as a carry in place of a plier based Multi-tool,but think I'd miss the needle nose pliers. I've used them for everything from extracting broken keys, taking the nut off of camlocks, crinping connectors in a pinch when the vans been too far away to get a crimp tool, removing broken screws, bending and straightening things-the list goes on. If you don't need wire cutters often in day to day life then I can see why they would be preferred over needle nose or combi pliers