# Knipex and wera



## Oklahoma sparky (Jul 12, 2011)

Well now that I've read through alot of these tool threads and after getting my hands on a pair I just bought 2 pair is 10" Knipex alligators. I LOVE them. I can't find a local distributor for wera so I ordered a six piece set of screw drivers. I hope I like them as much as the pliers. So a big THANKS to all of you who sang the praises of german made tools.


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## Frasbee (Apr 7, 2008)

Just don't bother with the linemans if you _ever_ cut anything other than copper wire. While very sharp and hard, they are brittle.

The Alligators and Cobra's are top notch though.


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## zwodubber (Feb 24, 2011)

Oklahoma sparky said:


> Well now that I've read through alot of these tool threads and after getting my hands on a pair I just bought 2 pair is 10" Knipex alligators. I LOVE them. I can't find a local distributor for wera so I ordered a six piece set of screw drivers. I hope I like them as much as the pliers. So a big THANKS to all of you who sang the praises of german made tools.



After catching a lot of flack from co workers and members here I went with a six piece wera set also. I had harbor freight drivers because I wasn't sure what brand to commit to and just needed a basic set. I sent the Klein Journeyman's back today when they arrived. 

I have been using a kraftform kompakt for a few months and love it so I figured I'd stick with Wera :thumbup:


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## oww-is-that-hot? (Jun 26, 2011)

Frasbee said:


> Just don't bother with the linemans if you _ever_ cut anything other than copper wire. While very sharp and hard, they are brittle.
> 
> The Alligators and Cobra's are top notch though.


Don't listen to this. I've cut through just about everything you can think of on a job site with those. It would probably cut through titanium:jester: and I could probably build a million dollar home using them as a hammer:jester: I'm being serious about they're toughness though, they won't break. I've even cut through and shorted out a hot wire with them once, left the smallest little indentation you could hardly notice and doesn't bother the functionality of the tool at all.


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## zwodubber (Feb 24, 2011)

Wera's arrived a day early.

Stainless with laser tips, they are nicely weighted and the grip is awesome.


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## The Motts (Sep 23, 2009)

zwodubber said:


> Wera's arrived a day early.
> 
> Stainless with laser tips, they are nicely weighted and the grip is awesome.


Is there any particular reason you bought the stainless?


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## Mike in Canada (Jun 27, 2010)

Frasbee said:


> Just don't bother with the linemans if you _ever_ cut anything other than copper wire. While very sharp and hard, they are brittle.
> 
> The Alligators and Cobra's are top notch though.


 This is all true, however I do still use Knipex lineman's pliers because they have a smoothly rounded head that is ever-so-useful for banging blues into their 1/4" holes, and the crimping notch actually *works* on it. The fish-tape puller works, too, but I don't pull with fish tape.

You might be able to get away with cutting screws and whatnot with the Knipex linesman's, but I cut my fish-tape a few times and I had to replace that pair. I haven't risked it on anything other than copper and aluminum.


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## zwodubber (Feb 24, 2011)

The Motts said:


> Is there any particular reason you bought the stainless?


I do security camera installs sometimes and the weather doesn't always cooperate. If this stuff gets wet I shouldn't have any rust issues.


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## Josue (Apr 25, 2010)

zwodubber said:


> I do security camera installs sometimes and the weather doesn't always cooperate. If this stuff gets wet I shouldn't have any rust issues.


The truth is that they were very shiny and nice, so he bought them. :jester:


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## zwodubber (Feb 24, 2011)

Josue said:


> The truth is that they were very shiny and nice, so he bought them. :jester:


That may have had something to do with my decision...


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## jza (Oct 31, 2009)

oww-is-that-hot? said:


> Don't listen to this. I've cut through just about everything you can think of on a job site with those. It would probably cut through titanium:jester: and I could probably build a million dollar home using them as a hammer:jester: I'm being serious about they're toughness though, they won't break. I've even cut through and shorted out a hot wire with them once, left the smallest little indentation you could hardly notice and doesn't bother the functionality of the tool at all.


Don't listen to this. Listen to Frasbee. The Knipex pliers are GARBAGE.


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## bduerler (Oct 2, 2009)

jza said:


> Don't listen to this. Listen to Frasbee. The Knipex pliers are GARBAGE.


I still haven't bought into the Knipex pliers, I only own the mini bolt cutters. I like Ideal and Snap On personally. How about you jza? Do you perfer Kleins or Ideal over Knipex?


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## oww-is-that-hot? (Jun 26, 2011)

jza said:


> Don't listen to this. Listen to Frasbee. The Knipex pliers are GARBAGE.


somebody hasn't used knipex then...


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## bduerler (Oct 2, 2009)

oww-is-that-hot? said:


> somebody hasn't used knipex then...


I have but I am not a fan. They are well made tools but they are not for me. Compared to Snap On or Ideal those are the two I use. However I say use what you like not what we say should be used


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## oww-is-that-hot? (Jun 26, 2011)

bduerler said:


> I still haven't bought into the Knipex pliers, I only own the mini bolt cutters. I like Ideal and Snap On personally. How about you jza? Do you perfer Kleins or Ideal over Knipex?


truth is, klein has just gone way downhill as far as pliers, and Knipex is the only suitable replacement. They are lighter, stronger, and slightly cheaper.


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## bduerler (Oct 2, 2009)

oww-is-that-hot? said:


> truth is, klein has just gone way downhill as far as pliers, and Knipex is the only suitable replacement. They are lighter, stronger, and slightly cheaper.


I dont buy Klein period :laughing: I wont.


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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

bduerler said:


> I still haven't bought into the Knipex pliers, I only own the mini bolt cutters. I like Ideal and Snap On personally. How about you jza? Do you perfer Kleins or Ideal over Knipex?


Can you cut basket tray with those mini bolt cutters? Do they flush cut on one side or do they just squeeze the metal like normal bolt cutters?






I'm sort of puzzeled with people that complain about their screwdrivers breaking and nicks coming out of their pliers when they hit them with hammers to use them as chisels or cut screws and a whole manner of other stuff.

I carry a 18mm cold chisel (which is awesome as dropping as a sort of torpedo with a draw wire attached to get down an insulated wall) and an 25mm chisel and use them for their intended purpose and I grab my klein cushion grip strippers for cutting screws, anything else and its the bolt cutters or hackzall.


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## jza (Oct 31, 2009)

oww-is-that-hot? said:


> somebody hasn't used knipex then...


I have. I guess since you cut Romex all day you don't have any complaints. I deal with real wire though. 



bduerler said:


> I still haven't bought into the Knipex pliers, I only own the mini bolt cutters. I like Ideal and Snap On personally. How about you jza? Do you perfer Kleins or Ideal over Knipex?


Kleins, never tried Ideal as they aren't sold locally around here. 

I gave Knipex a shot, never again. I'd love to get a pair of Snap-on's though.


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## Marcus (Mar 30, 2010)

I have Knipex pliers, sidecutters & longnose pliers all with the red/yellow VDE handles & cannot fault them. Best pliers I have ever owned/used.  I love my Wera drivers, also. I am on Amazon as we speak buying a new set & thought I would get the stainless ones. 

At least get insulated drivers!


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## zwodubber (Feb 24, 2011)

Marcus said:


> I have Knipex pliers, sidecutters & longnose pliers all with the red/yellow VDE handles & cannot fault them. Best pliers I have ever owned/used. I love my Wera drivers, also. I am on Amazon as we speak buying a new set & thought I would get the stainless ones.
> 
> At least get insulated drivers!


Got to use the new wera's on some projects at home today, the tips really bite into the screws. They are so much better than my previous set.


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## Acadian9 (Jun 6, 2009)

jza said:


> Don't listen to this. Listen to Frasbee. The Knipex pliers are GARBAGE.


Not a single problem with mine. I don't know why you say they're garbage.


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## kevmanTA (Jul 20, 2010)

My knipex pliers wouldn't last.
The only good thing is Lowe's had a no questions asked policy on their warranty
Klein? Not so much.

Wera?
A wholesaler I frequent, had a catalogue..
I bought one of those chiseldrivers..
Maaaaaaaan.. I love that thing...


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## Rudeboy (Oct 6, 2009)

Yeah I'm down on Knipex too. I switched all my stuff over to American tool co. pliers and pincers. Good stuff.


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## oww-is-that-hot? (Jun 26, 2011)

jza said:


> I have. I guess since you cut Romex all day you don't have any complaints. I deal with real wire though.
> 
> 
> 
> ...












ok lets not be idiotic and assume things, take a look at my toolbelt... you see that black tool all the way on the left? Those are my MC splitters. MC. Thats all I do, I've never worked in a house other than my own. So, try again.  Not to mention I'm sure I do a WHOLE lot more work than you do which means my pliers see a whole lot more work than yours do. It's also ignorant to say romex isn't "real" wire. That's like dogging residential electrician's because they work in houses. And, I figured you'd say Klein. I stopped being blinded by the Klein name years ago. Klein doesn't mean the best in everything anymore, only some things.


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## zwodubber (Feb 24, 2011)

oww-is-that-hot? said:


>


You just made me realize I forgot to pick up zip ties today...


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## oww-is-that-hot? (Jun 26, 2011)

zwodubber said:


> You just made me realize I forgot to pick up zip ties today...


That's one thing I'm never without:thumbup:


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## oww-is-that-hot? (Jun 26, 2011)

Then again, I always have a little bit of everything in my bag :laughing:










:laughing:


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## jza (Oct 31, 2009)

That sucks man as if you actually wear that stupid tool belt. Running around like a dog with a tool belt on, no thanks.


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## oww-is-that-hot? (Jun 26, 2011)

jza said:


> That sucks man as if you actually wear that stupid tool belt. Running around like a dog with a tool belt on, no thanks.


? I have to wear that tool belt. It's what holds my tools. Can't do what I do without it.


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## oww-is-that-hot? (Jun 26, 2011)

And what makes it stupid?


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

oww-is-that-hot? said:


> ok lets not be idiotic and assume things, take a look at my toolbelt... you see that black tool all the way on the left? Those are my MC splitters. MC. Thats all I do, I've never worked in a house other than my own. So, try again.  Not to mention I'm sure I do a WHOLE lot more work than you do which means my pliers see a whole lot more work than yours do. It's also ignorant to say romex isn't "real" wire. That's like dogging residential electrician's because they work in houses. And, I figured you'd say Klein. I stopped being blinded by the Klein name years ago. Klein doesn't mean the best in everything anymore, only some things.


Its funny to think that I was in my late 40s before we could regularly use MC on commercial jobs. It was just another form of Romex to us that are in a pipe and wire jurisdiction. Im not complaining, I like MC but I still feel kind "Hackish" when I pull a roll of that stuff out.


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## oww-is-that-hot? (Jun 26, 2011)

jrannis said:


> Its funny to think that I was in my late 40s before we could regularly use MC on commercial jobs. It was just another form of Romex to us that are in a pipe and wire jurisdiction. Im not complaining, I like MC but I still feel kind "Hackish" when I pull a roll of that stuff out.


Wow how long ago was that? I've only been doing this a few years but we do so much work its more like I have 4-5 years experience and I've only had to use romex a handful of times for stuff like temporary high bays


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## cdnelectrician (Mar 14, 2008)

Rudeboy said:


> Yeah I'm down on Knipex too. I switched all my stuff over to American tool co. pliers and pincers. Good stuff.


I'm not familiar with American tool, they have a website?


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## bduerler (Oct 2, 2009)

chewy said:


> Can you cut basket tray with those mini bolt cutters? Do they flush cut on one side or do they just squeeze the metal like normal bolt cutters?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have there wera chiseldriver as my beater :laughing:. As far as the mini bolt cutters go, they do what they are designed to do. I cut fishtape and screws with them all day. It is sorta a flush cut, its like it starts out cutting into the screw than just squeeze together. I really didnt pay that much attention to the way they cut, in my view they are saving my ***** and linemans.


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## bustabo (Aug 21, 2011)

im looking to pick up a set of wera drivers do they have a set of commonly used nut drivers? and whats the difference between the yellow and red and blue and red insulated set?

edit: i figured what the pozidrive is


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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

bustabo said:


> im looking to pick up a set of wera drivers do they have a set of commonly used nut drivers? and whats the difference between the yellow and red and blue and red insulated set?
> 
> edit: i figured what the pozidrive is


 
The blue and red arent insulated only the yellow and red, or should I say tested to be insulated. They just call the blue and red ones comfort grips.


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## geoffvro (Aug 15, 2011)

We all have opinions regarding tools....some Klein tools are great, others suck balls...some knipex tools are great, others sucks balls...some channel lock's are great....others suck balls...some greenlee tools are great, others suck balls...some ideal tools are great, others suck balls.....get the point. Just figure out which tools work well for you, and use them!! Be safe of course!


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## zwodubber (Feb 24, 2011)

chewy said:


> The blue and red arent insulated only the yellow and red, or should I say tested to be insulated. They just call the blue and red ones comfort grips.


Red and gray are square tips, red And yellow are insulated, green and black are standard drivers, light blue and black are stainless, and yellow and black are chisel drive from the top of my head


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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

zwodubber said:


> Red and gray are square tips, red And yellow are insulated, green and black are standard drivers, light blue and black are stainless, and yellow and black are chisel drive from the top of my head


My bad, thought we were talking about Knipex.


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## st0mps (Aug 19, 2009)

I been using knipex linesmans for over 2years now and cut #10 screws almost everyday they still holdin up fine even cuttin 1/8th fishtape no problem


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## Rudeboy (Oct 6, 2009)

geoffvro said:


> We all have opinions regarding tools....some Klein tools are great, others suck balls...some knipex tools are great, others sucks balls...some channel lock's are great....others suck balls...some greenlee tools are great, others suck balls...some ideal tools are great, others suck balls.....get the point. Just figure out which tools work well for you, and use them!! Be safe of course!


The only Knipex pliers that suck are their needle nose pliers.

Other than that, everything else sucks balls.... especially klein.

Oh and btw, anyone who buys a Klein tester, of any kind, is an idiot.

Cheap crap.


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## oww-is-that-hot? (Jun 26, 2011)

geoffvro said:


> We all have opinions regarding tools....some Klein tools are great, others suck balls...some knipex tools are great, others sucks balls...some channel lock's are great....others suck balls...some greenlee tools are great, others suck balls...some ideal tools are great, others suck balls.....get the point. Just figure out which tools work well for you, and use them!! Be safe of course!


That's what I've been trying to tell people, I'm the kind of guy that if I go out and buy a pair of Knipex ***** for example, which I did, and I don't like them, which I don't, they go in my spare tool bag and I go out and get a different kind. Klein seems to make a better pair of *****. So, in the process of all the trial and error I go through I've gotten a pretty good idea of what tools are better in each brand. But people seem to be blinded by one certain brand. Ugh wish more people would be more open-minded.


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## jordan_paul (Oct 4, 2011)

Do Wera screwdrivers come in models with 8" shanks? All my 4" stuff sits in the truck, my long drivers stay in my pocket. I'd love to give Wera a try.


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## Oklahoma sparky (Jul 12, 2011)

jordan_paul said:


> Do Wera screwdrivers come in models with 8" shanks? All my 4" stuff sits in the truck, my long drivers stay in my pocket. I'd love to give Wera a try.


Not sure about 8" but I know they offer 6"


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## bduerler (Oct 2, 2009)

jordan_paul said:


> Do Wera screwdrivers come in models with 8" shanks? All my 4" stuff sits in the truck, my long drivers stay in my pocket. I'd love to give Wera a try.


i have seen ideals and kleins go up to 8 but im not a follower of wera


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## Rudeboy (Oct 6, 2009)

I have some Wera that is 250 and 200 mm. That's pretty long, more than enough.
:thumbup:

Actually, I would prefer my wera 250 was 200 mm.

fwiw.


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## OaklandElec (Jan 4, 2011)

Rudeboy said:


> I have some Wera that is 250 and 200 mm. That's pretty long, more than enough.
> :thumbup:
> 
> Actually, I would prefer my wera 250 was 200 mm.
> ...


Great, now I gotta go find a ruler with metric to know what the hell you're talking about.


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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

OaklandElec said:


> Great, now I gotta go find a ruler with metric to know what the hell you're talking about.


A foot is roughly 305mm looking at my ruler.

I like my screwdrivers to be a max of 150mm really. except for my big flathead that I use as a man hole key. 

Why do you like the long screwdrivers, better leverage if you hold them on a slight angle while still engaged in the screw?

I just changed from Wiha to Bahco for my #2 phillips and #2 robbie, they are only about 120mm long but the positive patterned rubber grip really makes a difference and they have a hole in the top of the handle so you can turn them into a T wrench if you got a really stubborn little bugger.


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## SEREMan2000 (Aug 29, 2011)

i just purchased my first pair of the knipex comfort grip linesmans. so far so good. they are definitly lighter then the 4 pairs of kleins i had to send back due to blade curling from cutting screws( i always buy the heavy duty cutting too!). the ***** i have mixed views on. the knipex ***** are sharp but the leverage is ok, while the kleins the leverage is great but the cutting edge has gone down over the years.
i really wanna get a set of the wera's but i wanna handle them first. i have totally sworn off klein screwdrivers because the philps sucks and the flats chip. i was buying the husky pros for a while cus they were cheap but have since switched to the craftman pro set due the philps i own lasting 4 years.


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## Ridge (Mar 25, 2011)

I agree with sereman on the knipex *****. I had to cut through 3 pairs of 1/0 the other day and some 2 awg. They are sharp, but its hard to get leverage with them. Alot of the guys I have worked with are turning away from klein as the quality and warranty has gone way down. I personally buy the store brand stuff for screwdrivers and nut drivers. If they break, take them in with the reciept and they replace them. I have Kobalt screwdrivers which I regularly have beat on for 6 month and they still haven't broken.


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## Rudeboy (Oct 6, 2009)

chewy said:


> A foot is roughly 305mm looking at my ruler.
> 
> I like my screwdrivers to be a max of 150mm really. except for my big flathead that I use as a man hole key.


That's true, most of the wiha and wera i have are 150mm. I have one 200mm and one 250mm. But 150mm is pretty much perfect.


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## Rudeboy (Oct 6, 2009)

OaklandElec said:


> Great, now I gotta go find a ruler with metric to know what the hell you're talking about.


The thing is the measurement is the length of the shank, not the overall size of the driver including the handle.

One inch is a little over 25mm.


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## jordan_paul (Oct 4, 2011)

chewy said:


> Why do you like the long screwdrivers, better leverage if you hold them on a slight angle while still engaged in the screw?


I prefer long screwdrivers because when I'm terminating a pannel my knuckles arent scraping against the side of the tub. It also comes in handy when you're on the 8th step on a 10' ladder, and if you go up one more step your head will be banging off the deck or a pipe or something trying to use a 4" shank crewdriver, you can just stay on that 8th step with your 8". It comes in handy tying in your ground on deep masonry boxes or boxes with multiple extension rings.


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## Jeff000 (Jun 18, 2008)

Frasbee said:


> Just don't bother with the linemans if you _ever_ cut anything other than copper wire. While very sharp and hard, they are brittle.
> 
> The Alligators and Cobra's are top notch though.


I've had my current pair of Knipex linesmen for about a year now. And I have beat the crap out of them. I'f cut everything from fish tape to tray to 1/4 rod to screws and nails and everything in between. Used them as a hammer for those hammer on caddy clips to beams. 
And I still don't have a gap in my cutters. They are marked up real good though. 
I treated my kleins like they were made out of glass, only cut copper, never used them as a hammer, and they still hardly made the year mark. They were the j2000 ones even, the teeth wore out so fast, and the cutters had gaps. 

I can't stand when the cutters have a gap. 




Oklahoma sparky said:


> Well now that I've read through alot of these tool threads and after getting my hands on a pair I just bought 2 pair is 10" Knipex alligators. I LOVE them. I can't find a local distributor for wera so I ordered a six piece set of screw drivers. I hope I like them as much as the pliers. So a big THANKS to all of you who sang the praises of german made tools.


I love my cobra's, not sure what is different with the alligators though. 

My only issue with the Wera screw drivers is the shafts are so short. Or I would have a full set
My klein screw drivers are all 7-8" shafts. 



jza said:


> I have. I guess since you cut Romex all day you don't have any complaints. I deal with real wire though.
> 
> Kleins, never tried Ideal as they aren't sold locally around here.
> 
> I gave Knipex a shot, never again. I'd love to get a pair of Snap-on's though.


I have a pair of ideal linesmen as my back up pair under the seat in my jeep, used them a few times and they seem ok, just heavier and balanced different. 
I already replied as to my use of knipex so read that. 




Marcus said:


> At least get insulated drivers!


I have insulated tools, but do not use them as my day to day tools, if I need to use insulated I want to know for damn sure they are not compromised from day to day use.


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## sp009 (May 22, 2011)

Keeping with the German made tool's 
what about NWS Tools?


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## Rudeboy (Oct 6, 2009)

sp009 said:


> Keeping with the German made tool's
> what about NWS Tools?


I've read nothing but good reviews. Generally, people say better than knipex.


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## Holt (Jun 20, 2011)

sp009 said:


> Keeping with the German made tool's
> what about NWS Tools?


I have a pair of NWS ergo combi pliers and love them and I'm looking at getting a pair of the lever action cutters next.

http://shop.nws-tools.de/index.php/...verage-combination-pliers-ergocombi-1097.html


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