Pliers are as diverse as the craft. The tool is used for gripping or cutting, for example. Es blickt auf eine Jahrtausende alte Tradition zurück und ist heute aus keinem Werkzeugkoffer wegzudenken. Für ihre vielfältigen Aufgaben haben sich zahlreiche verschiedene Zangen-Typen gebildet. Sie alle unterscheiden sich im Aufbau anhand von drei Merkmalen: Backen, Gelenk und Griff. This guide is intended to help you reach for the right tool in all situations in the future. The reichelt online store also has the right pliers for you.
Gripping or cutting? The pincer jaws decide
Basically, pliers are divided into three categories: gripping, cutting or combination. Combination pliers such as KN 03 06 180 can be used for both gripping and cutting. The jaws of these pliers consist of a combination of gripping surface and cutting edge. This allows them to be used for a wide range of tasks.Not all gripping surfaces are the same
Grippers differ from one another primarily in their gripping surface. Depending on the intended use or the material to be processed, the surface is smooth, serrated or cross-toothed. If you want to prevent your pliers from deforming the workpiece through the surface, go for the smooth surface. Nails or wires, on the other hand, can be gripped better with a (cross-)serrated surface. Depending on the space or the task to be performed – bending, gripping or holding – you must decide on the appropriate gripping surface. The best known form is the flat nose pliers. They are commonly used to grip or hold workpieces. In contrast to the flat round ones, on which the gripping surfaces are rounded on the outside, flat pliers usually require more space. Therefore, if you have to work in a particularly confined space, you’d better reach for the flat-round ones. Thanks to their tapered jaws, they are ideal for gripping thin workpieces or wires.
The round nose pliers, on the other hand, are primarily used to bend sheet metal strips or wires into shape so that, for example, a perfect cable connection is created in no time at all. Their jaws are completely round and are even narrower than those of the flat round nose pliers.
Pay attention to the angle – the differences of cutting pliers
Before you decide which version to reach for to cut through workpieces, you should check how the material can best be reached: transversely, at an angle or in the longitudinal direction of the handles. If two materials lying on top of each other need to be cut flush with each other, it is worth reaching for the precutter. The best known pliers of this type is probably the pinch pliers. In contrast, pliers with a cutting edge in the longitudinal direction are much better known. They are manufactured in different lengths depending on the material and application. The classic representative of this group of pliers is the side cutter. It has a cutting edge on the edge of the jaws.
Center cutters and diagonal cutters, on the other hand, are rather unknown. The center cutter is best suited for cutting through materials at an optimum wedge angle so that the amount of force required remains minimal. Diagonal cutting pliers are used when the material can be cut neither from the front nor from the side. However, unlike the other cutters, it is used most rarely.
Cutters also differ in the shape of the cutting edge. The most common shape is the bite cut with an external bevel. The bevel shape on both sides reduces the amount of force required to a minimum. To cut flush, you can also resort to a bite cut without an outer bevel. However, pliers of this type should only be used for soft materials such as copper. For ropes, an anvil cut is often used. However, be aware of the increased force required to make the cut. The shear cut, however, has the lowest cutting force. This cut is most often found on sheet metal shears.
The joint: The linchpin of a pair of pliers
The type of joint determines the load for which your pliers are designed. Here, too, there is an optimized joint for every application. You can choose from four different types: surface-mounted, inlaid, push-through or sliding joint.
Particularly nippers and power diagonal cutters have hinged joints. Here, the two parts of the pliers are placed on top of each other without the need for any finishing. The advantage of a mounted joint is that the legs can be designed to be particularly robust. In contrast, the pliers halves of an inserted joint are recessed so that the halves can be placed inside each other. This ensures that the outer area is less ragged than with a laid-on joint.For the greatest amount of force, it is best to use pliers with a box joint. They can withstand particularly high loads. In pliers of this type, such as a bolt cutter, one leg is slotted. The second leg is inserted through this, and hinge pins ensure that the pliers are guided securely.
Pliers with sliding joint, on the other hand, provide optimal adaptation to different sizes of the workpiece to be treated. The best example of this is a pair of water pump pliers such as the Knipex Alligator.. Adjustment can be made either by a spring-loaded pin, or you can unlock the latching mechanism by opening the legs wide. This allows you to use the Alligator to process workpieces with a wrench width of up to 46mm.
The handle does it
The shape of a pliers handle should help to perform the work optimally. To do this, it can be either straight, curved or curved. If you need to reach around more often when using them, as with a pair of pinchers, the straight handle is the best for your purposes. Straight water pump pliers or bolt cutters often have a curved handle. Because this supports your hand from both the front and the back, you don’t have to exert a lot of force when working.Pliers with a curved handle, on the other hand, are best suited for precision tasks such as in precision engineering or electronics. The Electronic Super Knips can be cited as an example of this type. Curved precision handles allow accurate work on adjacent wires up to 0.2mm in diameter.
Depending on the work area, it is also worth taking a look at the cover of a handle: multi-component covers are advisable, especially for large forces. They are gentle on the hand and protect against blisters and pressure points. If a secure grip is required, a simple plastic cover can also be sufficient. This already protects against high temperature fluctuations when working with metal. If you need to be able to slide easily along the handle, it is best to use one without a coating. If you want to carry out electronic work, you should pay particular attention to a VDE test of your pliers – such as KN 03 06 180. This ensures that the handle of the pliers is sufficiently insulated and you are protected against electric shock.
Pliers are a dime a dozen. To ensure that you, too, reach for the right pliers for your work area in the future, follow these tips or the guide from pliers manufacturer Knipex. You will find a large selection of pliers – also for your requirements – in the reichelt online store.
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