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Crescent Pliers

Limy Sami

Diamond
Joined
Jan 7, 2007
Location
Norfolk, UK
Your help please guys on Crescent pliers.

1- Are they still US made?

2- Quality as good as 20 years ago?

3- I need to replace my R210Cv mulitplier (straight jaw 10" pump pliers to ordinry folk) so if not Crescent,.... Channelock?....... they do straight jaw.

4 -I'm being careful,... Crescents are $40 plus in the UK.
 
I've never heard of Knipex, but I've had many pairs of Crescent's over the years, and probably have about 4 left. You can do much worse. Years ago, there were several brands--and SK used to be one, that made dismal examples of these. The SK's would slip right out of the slot under a strong hand. Some, like Proto, were much more expensive than Crescent, which around here seem to be pretty reasonably priced.

Isn't Crescent the original designer of these types of pliers?
 
No, Roadrunner, Channel-Lock is, the name referring to the grooves, or "channels". They are still being made as far as I know. Crescent was the originator of the adjustable open-end wrench.
Paul
 
If I were buying pliers in Europe, I would favor Knipex. They are expensive over here (USA), but I have several styles and sizes that I bought at less than retail and I am very happy with them. They are sold by Snap-on and Mac with their logos lasered on in addition to the Knipex name. It is cheaper to buy them from a Knipex dealer on eBay. They make a very good parallel jaw plier in several sizes.
http://www.knipex.com/

Of course, the best plier is the Eifel Plierench. They made millions of them since 1921, so they are easy to find on eBay. I have even seen them turn up in Australia. They are still made, if you want a new one.
http://www.nopak.com/catalog.htm#plier

Channelock pliers are first rate, if you don't need parallel jaws. I don't recall seeing Crescent waterpump pliers, and they are not famous for pliers.

By the way, Bahco in Sweden claims to have invented the "Crescent wrench" in 1892. They make a nice-looking waterpump plier, but I have not seen one except in the picture. It is bound to be top quality, though.
http://extranet.bahco.com/CONndc.asp?Save_UID=1&wp=&GotoCat=true&cmbLanguage=12
http://www.bahco.com/asp/front/index.asp?lngStructureID=1098&lngMenuID=1127

Larry
 
Can't help much on current models, but I have had one pair of pliers for over twenty years that gets used every day, and in a lot of ways that they weren't designed for, and they will still cut .023" MIG wire(or barb wire) as good as a new sidecutter. Oh yeah, they are Channelock. I had to take them out of their holster to double check the brand name!

Dale Nelson
 
No, Roadrunner, Channel-Lock is, the name referring to the grooves, or "channels". They are still being made as far as I know. Crescent was the originator of the adjustable open-end wrench.
Paul


Oh, hell, gaseous pressure on the brain, here. Channel Lock is exactly what was in my mind when I typed Crescent. Ya, I know Crescent made the "crescent hammer"

(By the way, did you know there is actually a metric version of a Crescent wrench? Listed on the side, is the max opening in mm!!!
 
Have the vise grips always been Irwin?
Also wanted to say that I have a 3 pack of Knipex pliers at work and I am thouroughly impressed with them.

Brian
 
yea ,yea , we all heard that one ... go to the tool room and get me a metric crescent wrench. Along with left handed screwdrivers , and a bucket of prop wash .
 
Thanks everybody, I'll be staying with the Crescents, if only 'cos I've already got the ''special'' extension handles ----- tube to you and me:)

An observation, and I'm not trolling,... I've been kicked a few times for being un-patriotic over Harrison & Colchester lathes, which is OK by me.
So,...... how come when I enquire about a famous US quality brand the majority of posts back German made Knipex? MMMMM :)
 
Channel-loc.......

AKA "North County socket set"*

AKA "nut rounders"

You are the only other person I have heard/seen refer to them as "pump pliers" or "water pump pliers", which is the original name I know them under......

* "north county" people are considered to be "not so bright", since they grew up with one airplane right overhead every 30 seconds and have presumably no attention span.......
 
Water pump pliers

JST, Ive been calling them water pump pliers all my life. About three weeks ago I found a pair of Channel locks on the road now I have a matched pair so I can round off bolt heads twice as fast.

James
 
"...how come when I enquire about a famous US quality brand the majority of posts back German made Knipex?"

I mentioned Knipex because I thought they are top quality and might be less expensive in the UK than a USA brand. I always got the feeling that many people in the UK look for ways to economize, but appreciate top quality goods. I favor parallel jaw pliers for many jobs and Knipex makes a good one, in addition to several good designs of pivoted joint water pump pliers. If you don't like German products, there is always Bahco in Sweden.

But, you would be amazed if you ever got hold of a USA PlieRench with the full set of jaws. They are still the best pliers after 87 years of others trying to come up with alternatives. Here is a pretty nice example of a 1950's model with the jaws and storage pouch on eBay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=260212138767&ssPageName=STRK:MEBI:IT&ih=016

Larry
 








 
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