Tools & equipment that are fantastic.

[BravoXray]

Knipex Smooth Jaw Pliers

I love these things. I have giving them as gifts to family and friends.
I have four of them in various sizes, but find that the 7-1/4" pair go with me almost everywhere.

https://www.amazon.com/Knipex-8603180-7-Inch-Pliers-Wrench/dp/B000X4KP1C?th=1

View attachment 774958

I have a pair right here in my desk. Very handy pliers.
I have a weakness for Knipex tools.

 

[Hay Dude]

I want the Knipex set.

 

[BigBlue1]

Here is my 12" Knipex Cobra locking pliers:

View attachment 775068View attachment 775070

This is one of those tools I just don't understand. I bought one a few years back after seeing them touted as being fantastic. But I just can't find anything it does better than any other channel lock pliers. Plus it seems harder to adjust, which doesn't really make sense... it should be easier. So mine sits in the bottom of the pliers drawer. Maybe I'm just not smart enough to use it??

 

[Dftodd]

This is one of those tools I just don't understand. I bought one a few years back after seeing them touted as being fantastic. But I just can't find anything it does better than any other channel lock pliers. Plus it seems harder to adjust, which doesn't really make sense... it should be easier. So mine sits in the bottom of the pliers drawer. Maybe I'm just not smart enough to use it??

My sets of knipex pliers have a push button to adjust them. This way, you're not accidently jumping to the next larger or narrower setting than what you want.

But I actually don't use them very much. I have a super small set with a narrow jaw that I use on a couple of different tasks where a wrench is too thick to get into the space to hold a nut.

I have a set of combination pipe wrench/ slash channel lock pliers that I got off the tool truck. They are designed to hold closed by just pushing on the bigger of the two handles instead of relying on hand strength to squeeze the handles to hold the bite on a nut, bolt, or stud.

 

[jjeff]

This is one of those tools I just don't understand. I bought one a few years back after seeing them touted as being fantastic. But I just can't find anything it does better than any other channel lock pliers. Plus it seems harder to adjust, which doesn't really make sense... it should be easier. So mine sits in the bottom of the pliers drawer. Maybe I'm just not smart enough to use it??

Most of my more specialized tools usually takes me at least one project using it before I consider myself proficient handling it lol.

 

[Hay Dude]

Vehicle Cordless tool battery charger.
I just keep it pugged in in the back of my Ram and keep rotating batteries through it.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

What I discovered just recently having Knipex is Vice-Grips can crush something and Channel Locks don't have the same gripping force. Everything is "mechanics feel" when working on something and keeping jaws parallel with just the right force is where Knipex shines.
I guess that's why I have 3,000 tools and wife has more shoes than Imelda Marcos.

 

[Dftodd]

Vehicle Cordless tool battery charger.
I just keep it pugged in in the back of my Ram and keep rotating batteries through it.

View attachment 775143

I wished I had an inverter in my service truck just for that purpose. I have a 110 style plug in the dash, but about all it will handle is charging a cell phone. It doesn't handle the battery charger for my cordless tools. If I want to charge, I gotta kick the pto on and hit the switch to kick on the generator. Then burn diesel and listen to the whine from pro and geny, with the charges plugged into the generator panel in one of the side boxes.

 

[BigBlue1]

My sets of knipex pliers have a push button to adjust them. This way, you're not accidently jumping to the next larger or narrower setting than what you want.

I understand how to adjust them. It's just that it doesn't seem to work easily. I press the button and then slide the jaws but I always end up going too far one direction or the other and then overshooting when going the opposite direction. It's just futzy. Sure, standard channel lock pliers can be touchy too, but I'm just used to them. Overall, I guess it's just "they aren't easy to just pick up and use quickly" so I don't bother with them.

Most of my more specialized tools usually takes me at least one project using it before I consider myself proficient handling it lol.

That's probably my issue, though a pliers isn't really a specialized tool and, thus, shouldn't really impose a learning curve. I don't have a ton of patience so it isn't worth the effort. When I'm working on a project I want to get it done. I buy tools to make projects easier, not add a learning curve. Plus, there doesn't seem to be any actual benefit to the Knipex pliers even after mastering the adjustment so the learning curve isn't worth the effort. It's me, I'm sure... I just got a bad impression the first time I tried them and now it's like "screw them... not worth it".

 

[Oaktree]

I wished I had an inverter in my service truck just for that purpose. I have a 110 style plug in the dash, but about all it will handle is charging a cell phone. It doesn't handle the battery charger for my cordless tools.

Well that seems pretty useless, can't imagine a tool charger draws very much power. Inverters aren't that expensive these days, Amazon has a 1000W one for under $70.

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Inverter-Converter-Outlets-Modified/dp/B0927P7P66/ref=sr_1_13?keywords=12v+inverter&qid=1671389334&sr=8-13

 

[JethroB]

Handy tool, a couple of pair of good heavy SS scissors laying about.

 

[Hay Dude]

I wished I had an inverter in my service truck just for that purpose. I have a 110 style plug in the dash, but about all it will handle is charging a cell phone. It doesn't handle the battery charger for my cordless tools. If I want to charge, I gotta kick the pto on and hit the switch to kick on the generator. Then burn diesel and listen to the whine from pro and geny, with the charges plugged into the generator panel in one of the side boxes.

These newer Rams come with a built in inverter that will allow me to charge DeWalt 60V batteries in the front or back.

 

[LouNY]

This has been an interesting read on a Sunday evening.
My cordless tools that I'm pleased with are predominately Milwaukee M18's,
started with the impact wrench and grew from there.
I also have a few of the Harbor Freight Bauer 20 Volt that do the job decently.
And I just spent a bunch on an Atlas 80 volt chainsaw, haven't even used it yet,
wished that I had tried to charge the battery using the pickups 115Volt outlet.

 

[WinterDeere]

I wished I had an inverter in my service truck just for that purpose. I have a 110 style plug in the dash, but about all it will handle is charging a cell phone. It doesn't handle the battery charger for my cordless tools. If I want to charge, I gotta kick the pto on and hit the switch to kick on the generator. Then burn diesel and listen to the whine from pro and geny, with the charges plugged into the generator panel in one of the side boxes.

Well that seems pretty useless, can't imagine a tool charger draws very much power. Inverters aren't that expensive these days, Amazon has a 1000W one for under $70.

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Inverter-Converter-Outlets-Modified/dp/B0927P7P66/ref=sr_1_13?keywords=12v+inverter&qid=1671389334&sr=8-13

This is interesting, I've never shopped for vehicle-based charging solutions for cordless tools, mine all live in my shop at home. But stepping 12 VDC up to 120 VAC, just to go back down to 20 VDC for the purpose of charging a cordless tool battery seems pretty senseless. Are there not DC-DC converter-based solutions for most pro tool brands, which operate directly from 12 VDC?

 

[jjeff]

This is interesting, I've never shopped for vehicle-based charging solutions for cordless tools, mine all live in my shop at home. But stepping 12 VDC up to 120 VAC, just to go back down to 20 VDC for the purpose of charging a cordless tool battery seems pretty senseless. Are there not DC-DC converter-based solutions for most pro tool brands, which operate directly from 12 VDC?

Here's one for black and yellow tools Dewalt DCB119 12V MAX* - 20V MAX* Lithium Ion Vehicle Battery Charger - Mutual Screw & Supply

 

[Rustyiron]

These have spiked my interest. Why are they better than channel locks?

Their closing/opening action or movement is parallel like an adjustable wrench and much more hex head friendly.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Here's one for black and yellow tools Dewalt DCB119 12V MAX* - 20V MAX* Lithium Ion Vehicle Battery Charger - Mutual Screw & Supply

I believe you'd save money just buying a 12vdc to 120vac inverter.

 

[Dftodd]

Well that seems pretty useless, can't imagine a tool charger draws very much power. Inverters aren't that expensive these days, Amazon has a 1000W one for under $70.

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Inverter-Converter-Outlets-Modified/dp/B0927P7P66/ref=sr_1_13?keywords=12v+inverter&qid=1671389334&sr=8-13

I haven't pulled the manual to see how much juice the plug is rated for. I keep forgetting. It's not too big of a deal since I have 4 batteries for my impact. Would be nice if I could plug it in inside the cab and have batteries charged while driving instead of burning diesel unnecessarily out on a jobsite.

 

[jjeff]

I believe you'd save money just buying a 12vdc to 120vac inverter.

Might depend if the ac chargers require a pure sine wave inverter?

 

[jjeff]

I believe you'd save money just buying a 12vdc to 120vac inverter.

I have an older cigarette plug inverter lying around somewhere I might have to try it. Unsure of AC power it produces. I do know the factory AC plug in my truck doesn't, however it no longer works at all, lol