# The best needle nose pliers?



## papaotis (Jun 8, 2013)

i use my strippers for that. ideal reflex with stripper for romex


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Yeah, I lost my needle nose a few years ago and never replaced them. I just make strippers work. Maybe one day I will buy a nice Knipex pair.


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## TGGT (Oct 28, 2012)

I never use needle nose enough to carry them. I have been looking for an excuse to buy these though. 

https://m.lowes.com/pd/CHANNELLOCK-...MIy-rE982x2wIVx0GGCh0uRgNeEAQYASABEgLB__D_BwE

I like channellock because they cross hatch the gripping portion on their pliers. Klein just has directional parallel grooves.

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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

I got a pair of the new Milwaukee needle nose/strippers and am really starting to like them. 



TGGT said:


> I never use needle nose enough to carry them. I have been looking for an excuse to buy these though.
> 
> https://m.lowes.com/pd/CHANNELLOCK-...MIy-rE982x2wIVx0GGCh0uRgNeEAQYASABEgLB__D_BwE
> 
> ...


I like those, I bought a pair for my road box and ended up liking em so I got a few more pairs for other boxes.

They are pretty small tips, not great for twisting, I use em more for mechanical stuff like roller chain links, holding small roll pins, popping retaining clips.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

I have both Channellock, Klein, Knipex for years and like them all.

The Klein is great for just about everything but the smaller tips on the Knipex are great for working in small panel when pulling terminals and such.

The Channellocks are pretty much relegated to working in the garage.


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## Satch (Mar 3, 2011)

Agree with Klein and Knipex. I like my longnose pliers without a cutter for better jaw closure. While the Klein 8 inch models are rugged and durable I do prefer the longer/thinner nose of the Knipex 8 inch/200mm models. 

The ones without cutters are their 38 series 'mechanics' pliers and the ones with cutters are the 26 series 'snipe nose with cutters'. I bought the 38 15 200 models. This gave them chrome plating(the 5 in the 15) and the two component grips. If you are okay with cutters then look no further than Menard's. They have both the 26 11 200 and 26 12 200 versions. The main difference is the '12' version has the nicer two component grips. Oddly, if you look at the electrical section of Menard's they have the two component version for a couple of dollars less than the dip grip models. 

For some reason the 26 series costs about ten to twelve dollars less than the 38 series no matter where you buy them. I find it strange because I would have guessed it to be more costly to make the cutter models. Sorry for the novel about Knipex but I recently bought a handfull of their pliers and spent some time sorting out models. If you need smaller sizes Knipex would be my first choice.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Removing receptacle tabs are a PITA. Sometimes it helps to remove the termination screws. Leviton are the worst. I just mangle them until I get a big enough gap.


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## canbug (Dec 31, 2015)

Quit using your teeth and get a pair of, What's that, needle nose pliers.


Tim


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## Rora (Jan 31, 2017)

The thing I absolutely need on needle nose pliers is a return spring. My favorite is the Knipex 35 62 145










They're on the smaller side, but excellent for everything you'd think to use needlenose for. May not be as long or beefy as other kinds, but it seems like the value of those is deep reach rather than precision, when most of the time you're picking them up for precision.


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

Klein


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

The Klein needlenose are better hammer than the other brand needlenose, but as needlenose they are all fine. 

Needlenose are good to have at work but really essential for fishing. 

I like the multi-purpose linemans with the jaws for gripping nuts / bolts but I don't like the idea on needlenose, makes them too long and awkward to use on bolts. 

If you are going to get a set of needlenose you might as well get a really tricked out set...

Klein J2078CR All Purpose Pliers with Crimper


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## emtnut (Mar 1, 2015)

99cents said:


> Removing receptacle tabs are a PITA. Sometimes it helps to remove the termination screws. Leviton are the worst. I just mangle them until I get a big enough gap.


Just need a bit of finesse ... Needle nose or *****, just hold the tab and wiggle it side to side ... Like you love it. 

Tab comes off, with lots of 'arc room' to spare :wink:

:vs_cocktail:


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## trentonmakes (Mar 21, 2017)

emtnut said:


> Just need a bit of finesse ... Needle nose or *****, just hold the tab and wiggle it side to side ... Like you love it.
> 
> Tab comes off, with lots of 'arc room' to spare :wink:
> 
> :vs_cocktail:


I was starting to think I was doing it wrong using my *****[emoji106]

Texting and Driving


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## KnightPower (Nov 5, 2016)

Been on Amazon now. Looking at double pivot needle nose. Thanks guys. 

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## HandyManDan928 (Apr 29, 2018)

Klein and Knipex are OK ... Think Chevy , ... You want the BEST , ...? = Snap-On Tools ... I used to Drive a Service/Sales Truck for them as a fill=in "Company-Man" I had a new tool every week I had to "Demo" ... I got to where I had to entertain the troops ,so to speak , ...I developed quite the Comedy/Factual Demo of every new tool and loved the ACTING part of it( I got Really good at this ! ) . (think the old Ronco Gizmo ads in the 70's and 80's , It Dices it Slices...LOL) ... so I would load up the truck with big Burly Grease Monkeys and pick the biggest Fattest Dude I could to pull this off ... I would tell them all I was starting my presentation on the new model # xxxx and challenge the Big Guy to compete with me ( irresistible in front of his peers ) ... I would say , if I can pull a penny from a pair of vice-grips , with these needle-nose pliers , would you be interested ...? ...crowd gathers , penny in place , Big Fat Guy vs Old Dude Snap-On Fill-in Driver ... drumroll ... I beat them every time ... best cross-hatch cut tips in the business plus 5 or so other unique features ... I sold a lot of Needle-Nose Pliers ... Life-Time Warranty ... if anyone has an interest , I can post pics or a Demo Video if that is allowed ... LOL ... normally i would just say Klein for Electrical , but mine were stolen at a new construction site and i got a pair of Craftsman Large and small at my local ACE Hardware as replacements for the same price AND I didn't have to go to Friggin' Home Depot ...worth it ... I "loathe" my local HD ... they suck !!!


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## HandyManDan928 (Apr 29, 2018)

https://store.snapon.com/Needle-Nos...-Cutter-and-Fastener-Turning-Jaw-P873228.aspx


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

HandyManDan928 said:


> Klein and Knipex are OK ... Think Chevy , ... You want the BEST , ...? = Snap-On Tools ...


I don't know how to break this to you, but electricians don't use Snap-On tools.


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## flyboy (Jun 13, 2011)

MTW said:


> I don't know how to break this to you, but electricians don't use Snap-On tools.


Apparently, handymen do. :whistling2:


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

MTW said:


> I don't know how to break this to you, but electricians don't use Snap-On tools.


That's right, if an electrician spends too much on a tool, they insist that it be German.


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## HandyManDan928 (Apr 29, 2018)

MTW said:


> I don't know how to break this to you, but electricians don't use Snap-On tools.


Ha ... lol ... I did say that the Klein and other brands are fine , and I thought the discussion flows talking about gripping and pulling ability and the nose not twisting and all that kind of stuff if you want to get technical about it yeah what's the standard set of needle nose is almost electricians will need if you buy the high-end stuff you better watch it on a new construction job site cuz anything decent like that disappears I actually don't use the snap-on's for much at all but if you want the best grabbing ones the tips are really good somebody mentioned above or below this post that channel lock brand has a cross-hatched tip as well that design is superior to the Klein straight grip design for grabbing and pulling on the ends of things IMO... 

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## HandyManDan928 (Apr 29, 2018)

flyboy said:


> Apparently, handymen do. :whistling2:


LAFF , I promise not to bomb any posts with Plumbing , or Painting etc... 

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## HandyManDan928 (Apr 29, 2018)

Rora said:


> The thing I absolutely need on needle nose pliers is a return spring. My favorite is the Knipex 35 62 145
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I agree ... those look like what I would use for Electronics and data/com type work as well ... 

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## HandyManDan928 (Apr 29, 2018)

TGGT said:


> I never use needle nose enough to carry them. I have been looking for an excuse to buy these though.
> 
> https://m.lowes.com/pd/CHANNELLOCK-...MIy-rE982x2wIVx0GGCh0uRgNeEAQYASABEgLB__D_BwE
> 
> ...


I agree that this type of tip is superior for grabbing and pulling on stuff ... 

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## bostonPedro (Nov 14, 2017)

I have used Klein needle nose and have had them for decades. They do the job whenever I actually need them which isnt too often


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

I use my klien all the time. From knockouts to the tabs like you speak of.


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)




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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

I like these Knipex NN pliers:










And these Kleins:


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## Woot (Apr 15, 2018)

My klein needle nose sit pretty on the side of my bag. N have for years. If they went missing, I doubt I would notice or replace them. I do use my needle nose strippers on a daily basis though.


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## Max C. (Sep 29, 2016)

Apart from receptacle tabs, needle nose pliers are practically useless for my line of work in the electrical industry.

The "best," (value) ones I've found are Channellocks when they go on sale at Canadian Tire. They aren't outstanding when compared to Klein or others, however they do get the job done are are relatively compact at that.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Some deviated electrons blew a notch in the tip of my cheap Milwaukee strippers yesterday. Now they grip real good.


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