# more saga on plier grips - use eopxy or super glue



## BP_redbear (Jun 22, 2008)

I start a new thread because, in a way, it is off topic of Aiken's thread about the Free Ideal Tools for trial (except for the poster who mentioned the Ideal Lineman pliers whose grips came off), which started many of us mentioning the same issue with other pliers.

I almost don't believe it, I had another grip come loose on a different pliers. 
So far (over the past couple of years) I have had the following pliers 'lose' their grips:

*1.* *Wiha Insulated Adjustable Wire Strippers*. - year or so ago -
*2.* *Klein Journeyman 2000 Series Lineman Side Cutters (J2000-9NETP).* - couple of weeks ago -
*3.* *Wiha Insulated Cable Cutters*. - Wednesday, a day or so after posting on Aiken's Ideal Tool trial thread about my Kleins.

With the Wiha strippers, I used super glue, a few drops placed along the handles, then slipped the grips on. They have held secure since, and those pliers are not a "T-type" stripper (you pull straight in line with the handles).

With the Klein side cutters, on Wednesday I mixed up a small batch of 2-part epoxy and spread a thin layer of the epoxy on the handles, and a small amount right around the inside top of the grip opening, then slid them on. Even though it is 5-minute cure epoxy, I let them set until today. I believe that this is going to be the best permanent fix.

I have not 'glued' the Wiha cable cutters yet, but I plan to epoxy them this weekend.

I wonder why plier companies do not use epoxy for their grips.
You know the epoxy, it either comes in 2 small toothpaste-type tubes or a syringe-type dispenser that keeps the chemicals separate, but dispenses equal amounts when the plunger is pushed. And, as long as the 2 chems are kept separate, the epoxy will keep in storage for a long time.

I am hard on my tools. I also take care of them and generally do not abuse them, using them as intended. It just seems like the thicker grips tend to loosen.

*note:* other remedies previously mentioned are:
heat
electrical tape wrapped on the handles before replacing them

*Are there any other brands of pliers that have grip issues?*
I believe those mentioned have been:

Ideal
Klein
Greenlee
Wiha


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## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

I've never had problems with linesman pliers, but I have had problems with 2 different styles of Klien diagonal cutters. Both the Journeyman style and the regular style handles.


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## randomkiller (Sep 28, 2007)

I have never had the grips come off any pliers other than channel locks. The grips get pretty banged around and chipped up but never pull off. I have changed most of my linemans grips over to the heavy duty red grips.


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## BP_redbear (Jun 22, 2008)

*randomkiller:* 

Just a couple of questions.

1. Do you use Klein lineman pliers with the classic standard grips? (I don't think these ever come off, just chip and split, as you said).

2. Have you used linemans with the Klein Journeyman grips? (These are the ones with issues).

3. And, in order to change your grips to the red grips, do you have to cut the grips off, like MechanicalDVR said in the other thread? (And, are these on the standard-grip pliers?)

I am seeing the benefit of the 'standard' vinyl grips. The handles are wide enough anyway, that an even bigger cushion grip is almost not necessary.

Except, in the Insulated lines of pliers, they almost have to be thicker. It is from working plant maintenance that I learned the benefit of insulated tools. - worked 'hot' more than I should have, and as you know, many times when working on machinery, it is often necessary to have power on in order to troubleshoot-. I guess I say "If you have to work hot, at least use insulated tools, wear safety glasses, and wear Insulated gloves."(Generally, I use Wiha and Knipex pliers and Wiha screwdrivers).

I like my Klein linemans, and was very disappointed and disgusted when the grips pulled off. I am 5'10", 160lb., pretty strong for my size, however if I can pull the grips off the Journeynman Series linemans, just about anyone else could.

Thanks,
BP

*note:* I do not intend to give the impression that klein Journeyman lineman pliers are insulated type pliers. When I said 'when working hot, use insulated tools', I was referring to Wiha's and Knipex's insulated line of tools. Only tools so marked, are truly insulated, as they are individually tested and held to strict standards. -Be safe.
BP


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## BP_redbear (Jun 22, 2008)

Oh...*Question #4:* and with the red grips, do they stay in place after just pushing them on?
Even when using the pliers to pull?

I realize that many people have never had grips pull off pliers, but I am not lying, and I don't believe that I am doing anything out of the ordinary with my pliers. I wasn't even pulling with my cable cutters, just cutting cables one-handed (the Wiha are spring-opening).


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

BP_redbear said:


> Oh...*Question #4:* and with the red grips, do they stay in place after just pushing them on?
> Even when using the pliers to pull?
> 
> I realize that many people have never had grips pull off pliers, but I am not lying, and I don't believe that I am doing anything out of the ordinary with my pliers. I wasn't even pulling with my cable cutters, just cutting cables one-handed (the Wiha are spring-opening).


 
In order to put the tenite grips on you need to cut the regular grips off, put the new grips in a glass of water and heat them in the microwave and then tap them on the pliers with a hammer. I have never had them come loose at all.


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## cdnelectrician (Mar 14, 2008)

I've never had to cut the vinyl grips off....put a leather glove on and just keep pulling on the grips and they will eventually come off. That way I can keep them for later. I've had my Klein linesmans for about 7 years now still going strong. Their ***** however really suck now.


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## randomkiller (Sep 28, 2007)

cdnelectrician said:


> I've never had to cut the vinyl grips off....put a leather glove on and just keep pulling on the grips and they will eventually come off. That way I can keep them for later. I've had my Klein linesmans for about 7 years now still going strong. Their ***** however really suck now.


I have a good mix of real old stuff (10-15) and a few months old. Mostly Klein and haven't had any issues with any of it. I don't have much of the journeyman stuff though just lineman's and channellocks. I still have my first lineman's from '86' kicking around, sharpened the blades with a dremel a while ago and have been using them around the house. I like the bent 2000 series dikes, they hold up well for me.


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## BIGRED (Jan 22, 2007)

Purchased a pair of Greenlee pliers and the first day the handle grip came off. I went back to Colonial and exchanged them for a new pair.


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## nick (Feb 14, 2008)

*grips*

ill say it ,hope i dont offend anyone, but this is what we do with our tools new or old buy your grips ya know the red looking grips that slide on your kleins or channellocks or what ever you got , put ya a boiling pan of water on that stove top . bring to a boil ,put the grips in the water boiling take them out put a dab of cooking oil in the boiling water no hammer needed ever and slide them on over the grips that came with the tool ,now ya got double the grip and they are not ever going to come off i mean never. super glue is not for grips .but if you dont trust that then get a tube of jb weld and i can say it is not comming off ever . just dont get it on your jaws and jb weld is non conductive does not conduct electrically.its a insulator you can use jb weld on any voltage from 120v to 25 kv. and jb weld has iron in it but it dont conduct electrically ever. like to add sears had this stuff i dont know the name of it but you pull off the top of the can and dip your tool handels into the rubber looking stuff ,coat pull them out let dry the repeat 6 more times and you can get it in different colors it was a way to claim your tools meaning your color on them and it was good stuff . must say ive only been in the trade few years but my dads tools i use today and the grips are still on and he started in 1947.


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## BP_redbear (Jun 22, 2008)

I'll admit that the super glue was not the best idea, but it lasted for nearly a year with frequent use. I guarantee that the Klein Journeyman grips that I used two-part liquid epoxy on will not be coming off again.

To spend the extra money on the Journeyman series pliers from Klein, and then put hard plastic grips over them doesn't make sense to me. I suppose if you plan to put red grips on them anyway, you wouldn't buy the Journeyman series. I certainly don't want plastic grips like the cheap yellow screwdrivers - hard plastic. Just my opinion.

I *can* see if after years of use, you have just worn your grips off (chips, cuts, gouges, etc.) it makes sense to use replacement grips.

As far as insulated tools, like my cable cutters and strippers, putting grips over the originals would not appeal to me.

Wiha said to send them back to them, grips are covered under their warranty. 

From now on, ANY grips come off, they are going back, ASAP. Maybe manufacturers will wake up and realize that they need to improve their methods of attaching the grips.


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## nick (Feb 14, 2008)

*grips*

ya everyone is different on how they use or what they do with there tools issue of puttin double the grips on if thats what a electrician wants to do. well we didnt mean for you too do that it was a suggestion . its insulation max, out and they slide on fine , we do it for that extra protection and they last a long time ,feels better in your hand meaning if your hands big and you got a grip its less of and effort to use all day , but everyone has a opinion thats mine .we only use kleins just my thinking but buy american wiha just the name turns me off.


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## BP_redbear (Jun 22, 2008)

nick

I didn't intend to say that you or anyone who uses replacement grips is stupid. 
I have not yet had to use the grips. 

I am sure at some point in my career that I will. :thumbsup:

When you boil the grips to put them on, do they fit over literally all size of grips? (Will they fit over larger grips?)

I have a lot of Klein tools. Most of my tools are made in USA. I like being part of the Klein following, that's why I bought the Klein Lineman pliers.

Wiha's cable cutters are spring-opening, and I like that. Klein's are not
Wiha's straight-pull adjustable strippers are the style that I like. They strip from 24AWG to 6AWG (and larger and smaller if you are careful).

I haven't seen any American-made pliers of this style. 

Just personal preference, like you said.

And, for what it's worth Wiha is short for Willi Hann, founder of Wiha.

I prefer to buy USA tools, sometimes the quality is just not there. Try Wiha screwdrivers and you'll notice a major difference.

Look in my tool bag, if it's not American-made, it's probably German.
Even my boots are USA-made. Matterhorn boots and Danner boots, both USA-made, and Union made. How many of us can say that, with all the stuff made in China these days, from boots to every-fr**king-thing else 

Later
BP


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## nick (Feb 14, 2008)

*grips old style*

ya i know you were just using the normal way of expressing it , no one was offended , but i did find out why them new grips wont work its because they are made of vinyl the grips we get are not .there older style made from hard plastic real tough stuff clear see thur red looking plastic . we get these at hughes supply and garybar i think anyway.our company has these in tool room also , [vinyl ] doesnt work well if too hot . they will not last as long as the older grips seems they cant make grips anymore everything today is cheap china . ill keep my old kleins .years ago my dad and brother were both electricians ,dad had lots of tools i got a 125th year anniversary chrome kleins only made them one year cant place the year i think it was 1977 or 1978 but anyway i got them now in a box, covered in oil they are 14 karat gold inlayed printed ya know the linemen on the jaw and the stamped print is in gold but i never will use them ever .the kleins iam using now are at least 40 years old still work fine . well good luck best to ya


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## BP_redbear (Jun 22, 2008)

yea, isn't it sad when new tools have to be fixed, modified, or returned, and 10 or 20 year old tools, there is no issue with.

Something about the new thicker cushion-grips, like you said, different material, their glue just won't stick to them. They should use epoxy, that sh*t sticks to anything.

Some tool manufacturers still put out quality products. 
Some just seem to only care about how much $$$ they make.


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## nick (Feb 14, 2008)

*grips ny*

i see your from ny , iam originally edison nj ,but my dad a brother worked staten island and city electrical way back , local 43 i think and also local 3 they worked on most of the big ones in town .chase manhattan plaza, one penn plaza ,trade centers stuff i cant remmeber or spell .


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## BP_redbear (Jun 22, 2008)

yea. New York, but NY state, not NY City, LOL. 
I am as far away from NY City as you can get and still be in NY state (west) western NY, south of Buffalo, NY.

We are closer to Erie, PA, and actually closer to Toronto, Canada than NYC


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