# Side Cutters... nws vs knipex vs knipex with the fancy hinge??



## splatz (May 23, 2015)

Buy Channellocks dikes at Home Depot or Lowes, zero aggravation, made in Pennsylvania, and I really don't think there's anything better. They'll certainly cut MC although dikes would probably be my fifth choice tool for that


----------



## Woot (Apr 15, 2018)

Channel Lock is a decent company for sure. I have Klein ***** now, the grips are beat. I have seen replacement grips for linesmans... not sure if they would fit cutters. Also the only 2 reasons I go with the foreign companies is because I just like to try new tools out and also 4 out of 5 guys I work with probably have Klein or cl. So every time I put them down I'm worried they will disappear by mistake.


----------



## MotoGP1199 (Aug 11, 2014)

I don’t have any experiance with NWS side cutters but I do have some of their needle nose and they are high quality. I have never been impressed with channel lock side cutters. The ones I’ve used simply don’t cut as good as my klein or knipex. My Klein’s are about 15 years old and still cut great (might be better than new klein ones). The knipex I have with the “fancy” hinges cut the best but I prefer standard side cutters for normal day to day use. The action of the standard hinge is more comfortable for me to use.


----------



## tates1882 (Sep 3, 2010)

The high leverage version I found is to large for my hand when trying to cut mc do to how wide the handles need to travel. I use a 12” knipex version of the classic side cutter design. Linemen pliers are what I like to use the most, doubles has a hammer.


----------



## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

***** and side cutters are two different tools.


----------



## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

The 10" Knipex are a thing of beauty. Buy them.


----------



## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Woot said:


> Channel Lock is a decent company for sure. I have Klein ***** now, the grips are beat. I have seen replacement grips for linesmans... not sure if they would fit cutters. Also the only 2 reasons I go with the foreign companies is because I just like to try new tools out and also 4 out of 5 guys I work with probably have Klein or cl. So every time I put them down I'm worried they will disappear by mistake.


Klein has tenite grips that fit their *****:


----------



## JoeSparky (Mar 25, 2010)

splatz said:


> Buy Channellocks dikes at Home Depot or Lowes, zero aggravation, made in Pennsylvania, and I really don't think there's anything better. They'll certainly cut MC although dikes would probably be my fifth choice tool for that


That crap is made of softer tinfoil then Klein junk. Woot, buy these and you won't replace them till you loose them or blow them up.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000X4OFUE/


----------



## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

NWS? Knipex? 

This is the USA, not the UK or Europe. We don't use sissy tools like that here.


----------



## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

JoeSparky said:


> That crap is made of softer tinfoil then Klein junk. Woot, buy these and you won't replace them till you loose them or blow them up.
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000X4OFUE/


Nonsense, I have a set of Ideal pliers that were made by Channelock that are excellent and certainly not soft metal at all.


----------



## tjb (Feb 12, 2014)

Like my Knipex.


----------



## Woot (Apr 15, 2018)

The 10" I think would be to big for my pouch. Which I have to wear pretty often... Few hours every day. I was worried about the opening of the compound hinge being to large for one hand operation. I dont want somthing like bolt cutters. Also knipex offers a curved head design. I won't be flush cutting nails or anything like that but I wasn't sure if it helped or hindered... still not sure. Still looking for replacement handles. Still no luck. Every time i go to order them, i get side tracked and order some other tool i dont really need. But thanks guys.


----------



## splatz (May 23, 2015)

JoeSparky said:


> That crap is made of softer tinfoil then Klein junk. Woot, buy these and you won't replace them till you loose them or blow them up.
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000X4OFUE/


LOL I have Channellocks dikes that are probably older than you, hand me downs that I got and used a long time, that are still pretty sharp. And I have Kleins that with blades that have cut screws more times than you've cut the cheese and they're still pretty sharp. The only thing soft here is the pointed heads on people that think it has to be foreign, expensive, hard to find or otherwise exotic to be really good.


----------



## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Woot said:


> The 10" I think would be to big for my pouch. Which I have to wear pretty often... Few hours every day. I was worried about the opening of the compound hinge being to large for one hand operation. I dont want somthing like bolt cutters. Also knipex offers a curved head design. I won't be flush cutting nails or anything like that but I wasn't sure if it helped or hindered... still not sure. Still looking for replacement handles. Still no luck. Every time i go to order them, i get side tracked and order some other tool i dont really need. But thanks guys.


Go to the store and look at the real thing. This is what I don't understand about online buying. I have 10" Knipex and they fit in a pouch just fine. You're not going to figure that out by looking at an image on a website.


----------



## catsparky1 (Sep 24, 2013)

I like the knipex 95-11-200 . They rock on m/c


----------



## tjb (Feb 12, 2014)

I’ve been rocking (review: 



) this set for quite a while - never gonna give them up! I’m normally hard on my tools, but these have never let me down, even if I’m pulling mc like a mad man running around in the desert. 

Awesome stuff.


----------



## Rora (Jan 31, 2017)

https://chadstoolbox.com/ is a well-known and respected online retailer, you can just buy from them directly. Great place to get European stuff and you're almost guaranteed to get the best price here.

http://www.knipex.com/nc/en/products/ shows all the different varieties and sizes, you can check the HRC (hardness) too.


----------



## Satch (Mar 3, 2011)

I have both pairs of the Knipex diagonal cutters(8&10 inch) with angled heads. Both are fine tools with sharp cutters. Both work well. These have the standard dip type grips which I vastly prefer on this type of pliers.

Would I buy them again? Yes and no. Yes because of quality. No, because the handles of the 10" is a bit too long and the 8" is just a smidgen too short and narrow for my hand. What would I get? Klein 8" angled head with D2000 cutters and the plastic dipped grips. 

This is all very subjective. There is NOTHING wrong with my Knipex cutters. In fact, it is my favourite brand. And I am sold on their combination pliers with two component grips. The journeyman grip on the Klein's is too bulky for me. I like dipped grips on the diagonals for hand clearance on tight cuts against box sides or similar. I simply find the Klein diagonals to be a perfect fit in my hand. And the D2000s cut plenty well.


----------



## JoeSparky (Mar 25, 2010)

splatz said:


> LOL I have Channellocks dikes that are probably older than you, hand me downs that I got and used a long time, that are still pretty sharp. And I have Kleins that with blades that have cut screws more times than you've cut the cheese and they're still pretty sharp. The only thing soft here is the pointed heads on people that think it has to be foreign, expensive, hard to find or otherwise exotic to be really good.


I bet your ancient Channellock and old Klein ***** are still sharp and are quality tools. I used to insist on nothing but Klein. My daily use linesmans are a 25+ year old pair of 9.5" kliens. They are on their 4th set of handles. Dipped 3 times and now tennite. Blades are still plenty sharp. I'll miss them when I finally have to replace em. I don't know what Klein changed, but they changed something in their manufacturing process years ago. Right around the time they stopped honoring their lifetime warranty for worn tools. ***** that used to last me years would last >1year. Philips head screwdrivers that never were used as chisels or hit with a hammer rounded over in 6 months. Switched to Channellock ***** because they were cheaper. had similar results to Klein. Switched to cheap Irwin cutters. Dirt Cheap, but only lasted 6 months. Knipex..... Going on 3 years with the current pair. Hardest thing I have cut with any of them including the current pair is a #10 sheet metal screw.
I'm no tool snob. I have a few cheap HD and lowes no name screwdrivers, 1 grainger store brand, 1 greenlee. Mostly channellock pump pliers. Hell, I even have some harbor freight crap. I don't care if their made in China, Cambodia or the Bronx. I refuse to pay high end money for mediocre tools.


----------

