Recommendations for pliers and side cutters please?

[kevanf1]

I could do with getting a new pair of combination (sometimes called linesman) pliers and a pair of side cutters mainly for MiG wire (probably not stainless stuff). I have already asked this question on the Land Rover Series 2 Club forum so apologies if you are on there. I am looking at 'hopefully' spending no more than £10 to £15 for each pair. Is that feasible? Can I get something decent for that sort of money? They will be purely for home/DIY use. If I were looking at earning my living then I would add £10 or £20 to each at least.

So, any recommendations?

 

[harryb94]

Not sure if they'll fall within your budget or not, might be slightly over but knipex will last you a lifetime and be a pleasure to use rather than struggling with side Cutters that don't work properly

 

[brightspark]

I use eclipse pliers and snips there as good as knipex and I use them day in and day out 7 days a week . I only pay a tenner for them at the autojumble

 

[optima21]

I use stanley pincers for trimming mig wire, been using them for years

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252274265119

 

[500e]

2 for Knipex

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Knipex-74...218440?hash=item58b2ff9d48:g:090AAOSw~OdVXIy6

Also I have the Knipex cobolt lever cutters (have lasted 3 times the life of SO Compound cutters) & the excellent XL gland pliers
After 2 set of jaws & listening to So man moaning I bought the Cobolt ones & sold the SO to a So geek

 

[tinman123]

+3 for knipex, dear but cheap.

there is also a NWS brand, again, they aint cheap either but are every bit as good as knipex if not even better but the price is up there too.

you may try the eclipse stuf because neither of the two brands above are going to come in under your budget im afraid.

 

[brightspark]

I use eclipse and knipex and theres no difference between them in quality the snips last me a year in constant use then I bin them as the edge is slightly off them and when your cutting hundreds of cables a day can notice it

 

[Richard.]

I have 2 pairs of knipex cutters 2 pairs of knipex pliers 1 pair of snap on cutters a pair of snap on linesman pliers and a pair of Gedore 200mm bolt cutters.
All are excellent and the knipex are probably closest to your budget.
These are All used every day for cutting .8 mig wire to 5mm Stainless wire bar and bolts which sounds Like over kill for your purpose.
Occasional mig snips can be sourced cheap and serve you a long time. Look at bacho and ck too. They'll all do your job by the sound of it.

 

[dobbslc]

+++ for the knipex gear. I've been using them for years as an electrician and still have two old pairs of cutters that are 27 years old!
Crap I feed old now......

 

[kevanf1]

Cheers for the suggestions so far Somebody else has suggested Bahco elsewhere and I will admit to having three sets (various sizes) of their adjustable spanners. I hate adjustables but I find them a necessary evil sometimes and Bahco are the best I have ever known, even better than some original (40 yrs old) Britool ones. Knipex I would love to get and may be swayed as I know they are good. I did look at Irwin but wasn't sure of the quality.

 

[Robotstar5]

I've got a couple of pairs (work & home) of Bahco Progressive cutters, can recommend them.

 

[Richard.]

Don't ignore channelock either.
Might end up putting another 5-10 quid on the budget but many say the Channelock linesman will hold its own with the snap on pair. I have had a snap on linesman set for years and they are solid powerful things but 3 x the price of anything else.

 

[penfold]

I bought an ex-MoD pair of Maun compound side cutters 20-odd years ago, not worn them out since and even a very limp wrist will snip hard stuff like piano wire. A fiver from Bill's Tool Store; there were two pairs in one of the rummage boxes, I've often ruminated that I ought to have pounced on both.

 

[blenkie1]

I 2nd the Maun side cutters. Was given a pair when I first started welding and still have them. Expensive though.

British as well

 

[DrDeAtH]

CK combicutters for me..

 

[normspanners]

edge is slightly off them

cutting through live TWE wires does tend to take the edge off a bit !!

 

[kevanf1]

I've settled on Knipex for both sets of tools. It was a toss up between the Bahco combi/linesman style pliers and the Knipex ones. The Knipex just clinched it. Money wise there was only pence in it but the Knipex were just that little bit better on specs. The cutters were a no brainer as the Knipex were better specified than any others, though Bahco again came very close. What did it on the cutters was that the Knipex are specified for a 3.0mm hard wire cutting ability while all the others only gave 2.0mm or 2.5mm capability. I am not likely to need to be cutting 3.0mm 'hard wire' but if they will do that then I figure they have to be that little bit better. I got both pairs of pliers for £31 so it was only very slightly over the top end of my budget. I'm happy.

I did look at the specialist MiG welding pliers cutters and was sorely tempted. But then I thought if one part gets chewed up I'm still looking at needing more than one tool.

Thank you all for the very helpful suggestions they were all very much appreciated

 

[500e]

KP So

Had a set of Maun flat nose for 60 years were fathers before me lost them somewhere as for Snap on I wold not give them room in the box I use the Knipex compound's to cut 3 mm SS aerial wire every day the snap on compound first set of jaws lasted about 9 months big divot in blades, second set the fixing hole broke,

The Knipex 6 years the SO about 12 months no further adjustment in the handles never rated their cutters of any sort, for fine work Lindstrom are by far the best

 

[kevanf1]

I cannot see me needing to go above 1.0mm MiG wire so hopefully the cutters will have a fairly easy life anyway. If I ever do need to cut through anything above about 3.0mm wire/rod then I can use my bench guillotine for that as it goes up to something like 6.0mm as stated in the spec's. I'll report back when they arrive and give an opinion on them

 

[V6BOY]

I also recommend knipex love there stuff, especially water pump pliers!