Pliers are some of the handiest tools to have around because they can be used for cutting, twisting, clamping and more. When we look for a pair of pliers to purchase, we always take note of the handle material, how tight the hinge feels, how precise the cutting surface or teeth are in the jaws and of course the over all quality of the tool. Look for tools that have a sold, durable grip and are comfortable in your hand. Pliers come in a huge array of shapes and sizes and it can be tricky to determine what type will best serve the purpose you need. To simplify things, we can break most common pliers down into a few major categories.

Adjustable or Slip-Joint Pliers have adjustable square shaped jaws that will allow for grabbing different-size objects. They are normally adjustable in two preset positions and work by a cam style stud that holds the two halves of the pliers together. The jaws typically have a flat area in the front for more precise work with curved edge that has teeth for gripping round objects. Sometimes a wire cutter or crimper is also integrated into the jaws. These types of pliers are very handy for many basic tasks that don’t require a real lot of leverage such as tightening up a loose bolt or nut.

Groove-joint or Channel-type Pliers are similar in how they work to the adjustable pliers but feature more then just two adjustment settings. The groves in the hinge allow the jaws to be aligned in different positions to allow for holding on to small to very large items. Some models of these pliers can open in excess of 6 inches. The brand Channel Lock is the most popular and original style of these kinds of pliers.

Lineman’s or Combination Pliers are heavy pliers that have the ability to both cut and twist wire. These are popular tools with electricians and other trades people because of the multi-purpose uses. Designed with a large, strong head and big jaw areas that typically have serrations or teeth, make these ideal for holding on to things. The built in wire cutter is also very robust because of the strong hinge design. Longer handles on these pliers also typically allow a lot of grip strength.

Needle-nose or Long-nose Pliers are very handy for grabbing small items in hard to reach places. They are also very handy for working with small objects and are very useful for bending wire. Many models of these types of pliers have built in wire cutters at the base of the jaw. One handy thing to do with these kinds of pliers is to hold small nails that you can’t get your fingers on so you can start them easily with a hammer. There are several varieties of these types of pliers that included bent nose and long handle versions.

Diagonal Cutting Pliers or Dikes are different than all the other types of pliers because their jaws do not have gripping surfaces. Equipped with just cutting edges, they have the ability to cut wire and remove small nails. These types of pliers are not normally used for cutting steel or extremely hard materials since these materials will damage the cutting surfaces.

Locking Jaw Pliers have jaws that can be locked in place so they can be used as a wrench, vise or clamp. Available with many jaw configurations for specific tasks these types of pliers are especially useful in gripping screws or bolts when their heads get stripped off. Some of the different jaw shapes available include straight, curved, and C-clamp styles. The brand Vise Grip is a popular manufacture of these types of pliers.

Wire Strippers are a type of pliers with a very specific and limited use. These are design for removing the insulation off of electrical wiring. With different size holes that are graduated in the same size of the wire it takes the guess work out of removing the insulation. The pliers also normally feature wire cutters and are sometimes integrated with crimpers, and screw cutters. These are normally found in electrician’s tool bags but many folks find they very handy to have around even if you don’t use them that often.

Conclusion

Before you buy any pair of pliers, make sure to try them out first and check that it fits in your hand well. Like many other smaller hand tools, sometimes buying these in a set is a good way to start out and then you can customize from there. By choosing the right pair of pliers for the job, you will have a much more pleasant experience.