Choosing Pliers

1. Use adjustable pliers to tighten or loosen nuts and bolts, pinch snap-rings, and other jobs that require a good grip. The slip-joint style adjusts to two positions for large or small objects. Groove-joint pliers are sometimes called tongue-and-groove or Channellocks. They adjust to many possible sizes. The jaw is at an almost-90-degree angle and the handles are long to allow better leverage.
2. Bend and twist wires, grip small objects, and work in confined spaces with gripping pliers. Some come with a wire cutter near the pivot point. Lineman's pliers are great for pulling and twisting wires; long-nose and their smaller cousin needle-nose pliers are ideal for working in confined spaces, jewelry making, and electrical work.
3. Cut and strip wire with diagonal cutters or wire stripper/cutting pliers.
4. Chip, trim and shape tile with tile nippers.
5. Cut out sheet metal with tin snips.
6. Choose locking-type pliers, sometimes called Mole Grips or Vise-Grips, for pipe work. There is a long-nose version that is useful for those hard-to-reach places. This type of plier provides excellent holding power with adjustable degrees of tension.

How to use Pliers.

1. Choose the right tool for the job. Using your pliers as a hammer may not only damage the tool but could cause you injury.
2. Maintain your tools. Oil your pliers and wire cutters with a drop of oil on the hinge. Be sure that the jaws are clean and the teeth are sharp. Worn or greasy jaws are more likely to slip.
3. Never stick your fingers between the grips and always keep your wrist straight when using pliers.
4. Protect your tools from extreme heat, which can expand the metal and cause dangerous structural problems.