I got rid of adjustable wrenches years ago, with the wrench pliers you get a far more secure and tight grip on bolts and nuts. There's always some slack on bolts and nuts with adjustable wrenches no matter what and if its high torque ill just grab spanners anyway. There's nothing worse then a rounded off bolt.
@@TheSir2005 Quite clearly you don't look at your nuts properly. Furthermore, how can you use wrench incorrectly... only a retard could get it wrong. Think about it, how does a wrench fit on to a nut/bolt without precisely aligning them... because there is clearance. What does clearance do? It allows your wrench to rotate around the nut or bolt until it meets the nut/bolt resulting in an angle between the flat surfaces of the wrench and nut/bolt. Where do the two meet? At the corners. How is the force applied to the nut/bolt? At the corners where the wrenchg meets the nut/bolt. What can this cause? well... with enough force, rounded corners.
@@Shocker99 You are not going to round off bolts when you use a quality spanner unless the bolt is already fucked. The clearance you are talking about shouldnt be anywhere near the size where you can round off bolts. I have snapped bolt heads clean off, I've snapped bolts in half by using cheater bars but the only times I have to deal with rounded off bolts is because people do it wrong and yes you can do it wrong.
@@asbestosfibers1325 I never said spanners strip off bolts. That's hard to do even with a nasty adjustable spanner - i don't think i've ever stripped a bolt. I said they round the corners off. If you don't see bolts that have been cycled through tightening and untightening a number of times with rounded corners then you're got poor attention to detail or you're in denial. Quality spanner sets i've used are Teng and Facum. Both will round off corners of bolts as described. I last saw it a couple weeks with some stainless M10 bolts. We replaced them since they're on show and on a brand new machine - we make custom machines and some things are mounted and remounted several times for fit. Using something for a long time doesn't mean it's great. Why are there multiple mains plugs around the world? 2 different mains voltages? and some drive vehicles on the left and others drive on the right... it's because of legacy - the cost and effort required to change is considered too great. Your argument seems rather invalid.
At about 3:48 you're using the adjustable wrench backwards. It should not 'push' against the adjustable jaw, but the other way. The wrench will last much longer if you consistently use it flipped the other way around. Using it as you show is putting pressure on the adjustment and will eventually cause it to jam and make the knurled adjustment ring difficult to turn. The rest of this is ok. In my opinion, Knipex wrench pliers antiquates crescent (adjustable) wrenches.
When you were first using the adjustable in this video you weren’t using it correctly. The force should always be on the top jaw of the wrench not the lower adjustable jaw . Doing it like you did will cause this type of wrench to fail and slip and or brake . All and all great video and I agree they both have there place and love and use them both all the time .
I prefer the Knipex all day long over the adjustable wrench! I am in the excavation business and when I am replacing hydraulic lines the Knipex is my go to, I have them in all 3 sizes...
A lot less messing around with adjustments. I like the adjustable wrench sometimes if I dont have space for my hand to grip the plier handles, but Knipex has BEAT everything that has a direct comparison in other tools!
If working on hydraulic hoses. My best favorite is spanner set and an adjustable wrench is the best. Knipex plier wrench can't replace AJW perfectly cause you have to grip the pliers, beside that the plier wrench head size also need to take care about. Especially in a narrow place between alot of hoses. Correct spanner size is the easiest way to reach the nuts.
As far as the amount of bite you get with knipex I couldn't disagree with you more. The amount of pressure you can get with knipex is ridiculous however I like the Cresent wrench better for when you are in tight spots where you don't have enough room to squeeze the handle handle
I agree. The only advantage that I can see for a adjustable wrench is that you can put a cheater bar on it or hit it with a hammer, to help break the bolt/nut loose. Other than that, Knipex all day.
It’s actually a lot easier just to use a ratchet or a breaker bar if a bolt is seized and stuck than it is using a regular wrench or pliers in general.
Every adjustable/crescent style wrench I've used always loosens slightly after I've snugged it onto a nut or bolt head, leading to slippage and rounding of the fastener, and/or injury to me. Especially in high torque applications. In tight locations where I can't see the fastener, I've never figured out how to use them. I'll go for a fixed open ended wrench or a socket if possible in those cases. The knipex have a learning curve for the adjustment, but once you learn, your wrench will never slip off again.
The only time crescent adjustable wrenches come in handy is if your working in a tight space but other than that the Knipex pliers wrench replaces the adjustable wrench
Nice review. I've had the 7" ones for about six months. I've figured out how to adjust them one handed. You can use a wrist action to flick them all the way open or close (like a switchblade). It helps to depress button a little more than you think you need to. You can also depress button just enough and jiggle them to desired position.
I must respectfully disagree with your views on the Knipex adjustable wrench. They can be operated one handed and once gripped the downwards pressure can be maintained without gripping both handles.
Cory Griffiths I’m a pipefitter/welder by trade and stilsons were my exclusive tools every day, from 8” to 36”. I’ve seen them round off soft nuts stopping them from being removed. These wrench pliers are on another level, I have them in 125mm, 180mm and 300mm, have you actually used any, if not I think you’d be impressed 👍
The Knipex only really needs pressure on the back handle once you have them set up, yes it is a little more awkward, I almost wish the jaws were wider. Bolts are not the main application for these. They are basically a handheld vice that can also be used to spin a nut, great for hoses and tubing, the largest set for instance opens to 77mm while in the tightest closed position which you will fine allows you to grab even -32 Jic nuts. which is incredible, unfortunately they are not beefy enough or long enough to provide the amount of torque you would need to break one free but excellent for tightening them or setting them up in a pressure tester or capping one off. A Super Jumbo wrench set typically ends at 2.5" and Metric around 50" so you have to start buying very expensive individual wrenches for sizes larger than that. 60, 65, 70, 75 are all common applications that the pliers wrench fits in hydraulics, they are not going to replace your slogging wrenches or your really any of your other wrenches. The price difference between a 30" Channellock 830 Adjustable and a Knipex 400 is pretty dramatic with Knipex being about 1/2 to 1/3 the price depending on your vendor, and cheaper brands like Pittsburg only go up to 24". I've personally only seen a 36" adjustable in nonsparking and thus the jaw was actually smaller than the 830 (3 inches). I love adjustable wrenches but these pliers wrenches definitely have their own unique advantages in grip and adjustment size, plus they are lighter.
I use the Knipex since 2002 at my old employer. Since then I have them in different sizes. For the hand pressure, u only need to press the lower side into wanted direction. U would not even need to give pressure on the lower side!
I bought the 10" Knipex recently based on seeing it used in a video and was impressed by its parallel jaw movement. Time will tell if it is worth the $80 Australian I forked out and be my go-to tool for those odd jobs. To be honest, I've never been a fan of the adjustable spanners/crescent wrenchs as they never seem to maintain their settings and constantly need to be reset. In order of preference: ring, socket, open jaw, with vice-grips as a last resort. Thanks for this video and the useful commentary from other viewers.
What a lot of people fail to understand is how little amount of force required to keep it closed. When set properly once you've closed them and put pressure on the back handle you don't even need to squeeze the two handles together due to the cam and design of the jaws
I have a few of the pliers wrenches it’s a lot easier though just using a regular ratchet and socket and if a bolt is seized then you just use a breaker bar using a regular ratchet is a lot easier than using regular wrenches or any kind of pliers
I completely deleted the emissions off my diesel truck with just a 7.5 inch pliers wrench and a small sledge. It’s actually amazing how much torque they can handle.
I have the cobra version of these and use it to remove rounded nuts. I've clamped them down to rusted exhaust bolts n would wrap e tape around the handles then whale on it with a 5lb hammer until it broke loose or tore the nut off. KNIPEX is the best thing that ever happened to Germany.
Crescent wrenches are designed with a 15 degree offset so you can alternate either way in tight places. Also if you really think about it, the movable jaw is the weakest. If you use it the way we saw in the video(which you called wrong direction), the pressure the nut exerts on the movable jaw is lower closer to the body of the wrench, this way the movable jaw takes more force to break. Compared to when using it your ''right'' way, where the force the nut exerts on the movable jaw will be farther from the body towards the tip of the movable jaw. Like cantilevered airplane wings, you can stand on them close to the fuselage if you have to use the emergency exit, but farther away there is ''NO STEP'' painted on because it would collapse if you stood on it. Also, unrelated but since I mentioned that example I will also encourage you to learn that there is no fuel in large jet airliner's wings, they would collapse from the weight. czcams.com/video/YXRmcumPL3k/video.html czcams.com/video/WFlAutyo-Q8/video.html
I love my pliers wrench! I still use the AJW if I dont have enough space or hand strength to hold the handles together on the PW, but they Pliers Wrench is indispensable if I need to grab something hard or not marr the surface. The only design flaw is that I have to hold the handles together, that getting "fixed" would make them a perfect replacement for the AJW.
I have to say after using both the raptor and pliers wrenches for a while I totally disagree. I feel they are far safer under high torque because the jaws are actively gripping vs a crescent wrench that isn’t. I have put a cheater on the single side of a knipex really abusing them and they took the extra force with zero issues. Haven’t touched a crescent wrench in over a year and don’t even have one in the truck anymore.
Best review I’ve seen on these. Most people buy cheap ass Adjustable wrench’s with a lot slop in the jaw. My favorite thing to use is the Ridgid E-110 hex wrench. I never meet a nut it couldn’t get off plus it’s good for chrome too
This is like watching a late night tool infomercial. You know, the ones where the people using the tools appear to be drunk, hypoxic and recovering from a severe stroke while simultaneously suffering from essential tremor disorder. I can understand not knowing how to use a tool correctly, we all start out ignorant. However, I can't imagine making youtube videos to teach or advise others on a topic that I am not a subject matter expert on. You don't even need to be an expert to realize that some types of tools work far better in one direction, or that, with experience, you can adjust these one-handed and reliably size them without trying to do it on the bolt head or nut. These are best suited to use by pipe fitters and plumbers, not mechanics. If its hex shaped fittings -- pliers wrench. If it's round pipe or fittings -- cobras or pipe wrench Sure if it's all you've got and there's a bolt that needs broken loose, it will work. But you're going to be much happier using the correct tool for the job.
i think your review is fine, but to me, it shows that what you really need is a knipex or a proper sized wrench. the adjustable crescent wrench is just something we are used to but it's inferior to both the knipex and a proprer sized wrench. the one hand use advantage is all it's got as they are big, heavy, thick and you always have to reset them. as in any field, tools evolved and became better.
You might consider practicing your technique for setting the opening size of the pliers-wrench in just one go instead of the fiddling you seemed to suggest is necessary.
I adjust the Knipex wrench pliers one-handed as well. It didn't take "getting used to" as some people suggest. As far as safety, notice that the adjustable wrench slipped after it loosened the bolt which could have resulted in an injury to the reviewer or damage to the material because of the lack of control. Conversely, the Knipex wrench pliers held on tight and it was with greater control.
I agree. They’re not an all out replacement. A good adjustable wrench is a must in any toolbox (although high quality adjustable wrenches are hard to find these days). That being said, I typically don’t use either in a “high torque application “. If I have to lean into a bolt I’m reaching for a box end wrench, socket on a breaker bar, or an impact wrench.
100% agree. I should have specified more clearly that my "high torque applications" are usually really large fasteners or hydraulic fittings on heavy equipment. Often times I don't own a wrench big enough for them and they are not accessible with a socket.
Fabrication Guy that’s fair. I bought a rigid hex wrench (union wrench) that opens up to a little over 3 inches for that stuff. Unfortunately most of the BIG fittings I work on are 6 inch octagonal fittings on hydrogen lines. Have to use the 48” pipe wrench for those.
@@hammurambi Hey. just stop by and ask from the experts. is it safe and advisable to use pipe wrenches for hard and jammed hexagonal bolts that are not possible to access with a socket, but are still too heavy and jammed to use 12pt box end wrenches ?? if not recommended, what should i switch to ?? thank you
@@ardnira I'm no expert, but what are the fittings on? If they are old bolt for something that will be replaced (that don't need to be tested or kept for some reason) then the pipe wrench might work. The biggest issue is that the pipe wrench (unless you get a smooth jaw one) will tear up the faces or the fastener hex head.
@@woodworkerroyer8497 I don't have much choice. only the boxes wrench and socket set. of course like you said the pipe wrench will break it if not careful. it's an old bolt installed once in a lifetime, normally won't open but I need to open it to inspect and make sure my machine is working when I need it. for the bolts I can insert them with the socket, to hold the nuts so the bolts can rotate I use the boxes end because the threads of the bolts are very long so socket is not possible, so I use the boxes end for the counter. but stuck when enggagement, won't rotate Thanks in advance
I know this is an old post but I’ve just now come across it. I could not disagree with you more on your assessment of the Knipex Pliers Wrench. I don’t know if you’ve changed your stance any on them since back then but I work with pipe and fasteners daily up to 6” in diameter. I don’t even grab any of my adjustables any more. When you said “home improvemts” I burst out laughing. I’m not sure what you were doing wrong but you can apply pressure to the top handle only and it’s fine. Also they don’t slip and adjustables do. Nor do I have to readjust the size after a while. But thanks for the video.
If I had to pick one knipix would be it. I carry 1 wrench with me all night at work. 12hour shift, and the smaller and much lighter knipix are the ones in my back pocket. If I carried a adjustable wrench all night in my back pocket I'd have to buy new pants every month. Or wear a tool pouch and I'm not wearing a tool pouch for 1 wrench.
Absolutely replaces the adjustable wrench. Hands down. It's counter intuitive, but the Knipex pliers wrench is much stronger than the adjustable wrench. The weakest link of the adjustable wrench is not in the handle, it's in the opening. There is a video somewhere in youtube that shows the failure point of the adjustable wrench.
Yeah and they’ll put out more power, I’ve heard if you’re putting 50 pounds of pressure the wrench can do up to 500 pounds so I would say they’re good for heavy torque
If I’m going to be removing a bolt that is seized and stuck I just use a breaker bar with a socket adapter so I can fit most sockets on the breaker bar if I’m working in a small area then I use a small 8 inch breaker bar it’s a lot easier using a breaker bar or a ratchet than it is using a wrench or pliers.
Maybe turn them around. The way you're holding them you're applying force in the direction of opening instead of closing them, which means you have to squeeze them more. Turn them around and you should be able to apply more force without squeezing as much. You could also pull instead of push if you know what I mean.
@@hvacnerd4983 or switch from pushing to pulling (or vice versa). The direction of the force is wrong from the pliers' perspective. If you push or pull from the right direction, you don't need to squeeze the handles to keep them from opening. That's not stupid, that's physics.
@@mrjones4249 could be, but I've used them a lot, and in the right direction, more force means more clamping power. You really don't have to squeeze them.
How did you get those 3 knipex in a set? It looks like they sent you 2 of the new style and the big one is the old style. It looked to me like the knipex were much safer, you about slammed your knuckles using that old pos 🔧
@Jon Doe I broke mine within a month of heavy use in industrial maintenance. ☹️. The chrome plating peeled off which caused the spline to break as there is more friction between the gear and spline so it wouldnt engage properly when I'm rushing in machine break down situation.
@@Ken-nv2hl damn. You must've got knock offs or a defective pair. Mine get covered in mud, grease and rub up against other metals in tight situations and the only damage is to the jaws that engage the flats of fittings, bolts and nuts. Hope you got your money back or at the very least a replacement.
hahaha im dying. you have to be the only person ever to say crescent wrenches are good for high torque and get a good bite! project farm tested adjustable wrenches to find the best one and one of the tests he did was which has the least amount of slop. another test he did was how much it adjusts on its own after setting it to a bolt size. because they are literally known for coming loose the only way an old school adjustable wrench is better is if the pliers wont fit. im not a knipex fanboy, im cheap. i literally only have 1 knipex tool and its the 5" plier wrench. i carry it in my pocket every day at work because it works for so many things and saves me trips to the toolbox
Adjustable has a weaker locking mechanism, that’s why you need to use them in the correct direction (which is shown in the video), so every time the tension between the adjustable part and the wrench body is released, you sort have to redo it again. Plier wrench doesn’t have that problem. The ability to apply biting force is it’s biggest strength. But the requirement of biting force is also its biggest limitation - awkward position or small space can make it hard to place a strong force on the handle.
In tight spots the crescent wrench is my go to. It's not even a debate. If you spent enough time under sinks you'll know this. However, when you're working where there is room, the pliers wrench is better because it can ratchet. But still, in some cases, I've come across, the ratcheting is more of a pain. For example, taking off toilet bolts. My small pliers wrench works fine but I prefer a crescent. A crescent is simple and crisp when it wraps around a bolt. Anyway, I laugh when people say they threw away their crescent wrenches. You people are deluding yourself or you really do not deal with plumbing every single day because a crescent wrench is necessary.
I have a few of the Knipex pliers wrenches and they are great but yeah they’re not a replace all for tight spaces you still need a combination wrench or crescent wrench
Put a pipe (cheater bar) on it = all the torque you’ll ever need. I saw a dude stand on it no grip necessary. Stayed fully locked until he pushed up on the top jaw arm.
You shouldn’t put a cheater bar on them pliers wrenches because they’re not strong enough for that not like a regular wrench but I do love them the pliers wrench has replaced my adjustable wrenches for the most part.
@@corygriffiths4394 did you see that I said a knipex dude stood on the wrench? I didn’t say you should attempt to break them I said a cheater will get you where you need to be if you need more torque.
Hi i working like plumber i have irega 6 inch and 8 inch swo adjustable wrench. can you help me what is your opinion really i need knipex pliers or not.Tank you so much.
it honestly sounds like you dont know how to use the pliers. you dont need to open the handles up so wide to adjust the jaw size. you can size them up with the handles closed, solving your issue of trying to find the right size. Which is already an issue with traditional slip join pliers.
Ya I disagree with your low torque situations. I work on air craft with huge torques and I’ve never had knipex slip on me, without even squeezing them at all. In fact you don’t even have to touch both handles
Totally disagree with your assessment. The adjustable wrenches always move around with bad slop in the mechanism. The pliers wrench only gets tighter the more pressure you apply.
I agree with you on the crescent wrenches having more slop but the only problem is tight spaces where you can’t fit the pliers wrench in still have to use a combination wrench or crescent wrench for that
Gotta get channel lock crescent wrench. They open to 2" on a 8" wrench. Channel lock is the best adjustable wrench you can get... I carry a knipex and channel lock at work everyday
Really useful video review, these Knipex wrench pliers look great and I was going to buy some but think I'll pass for now. Great variations in the jaws though even with the smallest pair.
Screw the high priced Knipex pliers I would much rather use my 14 inch vise grips especially whenever it comes to a bolt being stuck the Knipex pliers wouldn’t be able to do near as much whenever it comes to grip 14 inch vise grips are badass.
The Knipex have a 10x lever ratio which is higher, I prefer a long socket wrench though.
Před 2 lety
you do not need to "squeese" the knipex pliers to get excellent grip. here is proper video explaining how to use them: czcams.com/video/vGb4WF4e8YQ/video.html
The best thing to do is just buy one at a time wait till you have more money and then buy another one they are very expensive that’s why it’s best to collect them over time.
Wrong! The plier wrench is much stronger than the adjustable wrench. Watch the torture test here on youtube. The German has the recipe for strongest metal since WW2.
If you use the pliers correctly, it self tighten So you don’t need to hold them like some pliers anymore but just like some normal adjustable wrench. This video explains it better than me: czcams.com/video/vGb4WF4e8YQ/video.html
1.) czcams.com/video/idEWTzUklPA/video.html do switch sides and make a pull not a pushaction for better control and more force 2.) adjusting ist easier if you do it like this czcams.com/video/U_RFptcZKgM/video.html
I respect his opinion I guess it’s all about personal preference but after buying two of those pliers wrenches I haven’t used my adjustable wrenches I’ll just be using those for certain situations
I respect his opinion but after buying two pairs of those Knipex pliers wrenches I haven’t used my adjustable wrenches the only time I will use any of my adjustable wrenches is in certain situations like tight space.
Knipex are not worth buying them, they are just fancy and irritating to adjust them, instead we can buy a cordless impact wrench at their price, which makes our work faster too
I have Knipex pliers and I love them but I respect your opinion the downside to them is they are very expensive and a lot of people out there can’t afford them I had to save up money to buy mine but it was worth it to me.
Between the two, I strongly prefer the Knipex. If I need more torque, I'd rather go to a fixed wrench anyways. Also, adjusting the Knipexes is *so* much faster than a crescent wrench!
You failed to mention the greatest advantage the Knipex wrench pliers has: the self-ratcheting action.
I got rid of adjustable wrenches years ago, with the wrench pliers you get a far more secure and tight grip on bolts and nuts. There's always some slack on bolts and nuts with adjustable wrenches no matter what and if its high torque ill just grab spanners anyway. There's nothing worse then a rounded off bolt.
Even regular high quality spanners and sockets round off the corners of nuts and bolts.
@@Shocker99 no offense but you might be doing something wrong then cause that shouldn't happen
@@TheSir2005 Quite clearly you don't look at your nuts properly. Furthermore, how can you use wrench incorrectly... only a retard could get it wrong.
Think about it, how does a wrench fit on to a nut/bolt without precisely aligning them... because there is clearance. What does clearance do? It allows your wrench to rotate around the nut or bolt until it meets the nut/bolt resulting in an angle between the flat surfaces of the wrench and nut/bolt. Where do the two meet? At the corners. How is the force applied to the nut/bolt? At the corners where the wrenchg meets the nut/bolt. What can this cause? well... with enough force, rounded corners.
@@Shocker99 You are not going to round off bolts when you use a quality spanner unless the bolt is already fucked. The clearance you are talking about shouldnt be anywhere near the size where you can round off bolts. I have snapped bolt heads clean off, I've snapped bolts in half by using cheater bars but the only times I have to deal with rounded off bolts is because people do it wrong and yes you can do it wrong.
@@asbestosfibers1325 I never said spanners strip off bolts. That's hard to do even with a nasty adjustable spanner - i don't think i've ever stripped a bolt. I said they round the corners off. If you don't see bolts that have been cycled through tightening and untightening a number of times with rounded corners then you're got poor attention to detail or you're in denial.
Quality spanner sets i've used are Teng and Facum. Both will round off corners of bolts as described. I last saw it a couple weeks with some stainless M10 bolts. We replaced them since they're on show and on a brand new machine - we make custom machines and some things are mounted and remounted several times for fit.
Using something for a long time doesn't mean it's great. Why are there multiple mains plugs around the world? 2 different mains voltages? and some drive vehicles on the left and others drive on the right... it's because of legacy - the cost and effort required to change is considered too great. Your argument seems rather invalid.
At about 3:48 you're using the adjustable wrench backwards. It should not 'push' against the adjustable jaw, but the other way. The wrench will last much longer if you consistently use it flipped the other way around. Using it as you show is putting pressure on the adjustment and will eventually cause it to jam and make the knurled adjustment ring difficult to turn.
The rest of this is ok. In my opinion, Knipex wrench pliers antiquates crescent (adjustable) wrenches.
I found you have to squeeze them first, and then continue to apply downward pressure, so the jaws don't fall open.
the top handle is the only one you really need to put the pressure on if you're turning it the right way
When you were first using the adjustable in this video you weren’t using it correctly. The force should always be on the top jaw of the wrench not the lower adjustable jaw . Doing it like you did will cause this type of wrench to fail and slip and or brake . All and all great video and I agree they both have there place and love and use them both all the time .
I prefer the Knipex all day long over the adjustable wrench! I am in the excavation business and when I am replacing hydraulic lines the Knipex is my go to, I have them in all 3 sizes...
A lot less messing around with adjustments. I like the adjustable wrench sometimes if I dont have space for my hand to grip the plier handles, but Knipex has BEAT everything that has a direct comparison in other tools!
If working on hydraulic hoses. My best favorite is spanner set and an adjustable wrench is the best. Knipex plier wrench can't replace AJW perfectly cause you have to grip the pliers, beside that the plier wrench head size also need to take care about. Especially in a narrow place between alot of hoses. Correct spanner size is the easiest way to reach the nuts.
As far as the amount of bite you get with knipex I couldn't disagree with you more. The amount of pressure you can get with knipex is ridiculous however I like the Cresent wrench better for when you are in tight spots where you don't have enough room to squeeze the handle handle
I agree. The only advantage that I can see for a adjustable wrench is that you can put a cheater bar on it or hit it with a hammer, to help break the bolt/nut loose. Other than that, Knipex all day.
You can use a cheater bar on Knipexes as well. You only need to apply torque to the top handle for them to grip.
It’s actually a lot easier just to use a ratchet or a breaker bar if a bolt is seized and stuck than it is using a regular wrench or pliers in general.
You only have to use the top handle
Every adjustable/crescent style wrench I've used always loosens slightly after I've snugged it onto a nut or bolt head, leading to slippage and rounding of the fastener, and/or injury to me. Especially in high torque applications. In tight locations where I can't see the fastener, I've never figured out how to use them. I'll go for a fixed open ended wrench or a socket if possible in those cases. The knipex have a learning curve for the adjustment, but once you learn, your wrench will never slip off again.
The only time crescent adjustable wrenches come in handy is if your working in a tight space but other than that the Knipex pliers wrench replaces the adjustable wrench
Nice review. I've had the 7" ones for about six months. I've figured out how to adjust them one handed. You can use a wrist action to flick them all the way open or close (like a switchblade). It helps to depress button a little more than you think you need to. You can also depress button just enough and jiggle them to desired position.
thanks man just got mine didn’t think ab that
I must respectfully disagree with your views on the Knipex adjustable wrench. They can be operated one handed and once gripped the downwards pressure can be maintained without gripping both handles.
Cory Griffiths I’m a pipefitter/welder by trade and stilsons were my exclusive tools every day, from 8” to 36”. I’ve seen them round off soft nuts stopping them from being removed.
These wrench pliers are on another level, I have them in 125mm, 180mm and 300mm, have you actually used any, if not I think you’d be impressed 👍
The Knipex only really needs pressure on the back handle once you have them set up, yes it is a little more awkward, I almost wish the jaws were wider. Bolts are not the main application for these. They are basically a handheld vice that can also be used to spin a nut, great for hoses and tubing, the largest set for instance opens to 77mm while in the tightest closed position which you will fine allows you to grab even -32 Jic nuts. which is incredible, unfortunately they are not beefy enough or long enough to provide the amount of torque you would need to break one free but excellent for tightening them or setting them up in a pressure tester or capping one off. A Super Jumbo wrench set typically ends at 2.5" and Metric around 50" so you have to start buying very expensive individual wrenches for sizes larger than that. 60, 65, 70, 75 are all common applications that the pliers wrench fits in hydraulics, they are not going to replace your slogging wrenches or your really any of your other wrenches. The price difference between a 30" Channellock 830 Adjustable and a Knipex 400 is pretty dramatic with Knipex being about 1/2 to 1/3 the price depending on your vendor, and cheaper brands like Pittsburg only go up to 24". I've personally only seen a 36" adjustable in nonsparking and thus the jaw was actually smaller than the 830 (3 inches). I love adjustable wrenches but these pliers wrenches definitely have their own unique advantages in grip and adjustment size, plus they are lighter.
I use the Knipex since 2002 at my old employer.
Since then I have them in different sizes.
For the hand pressure, u
only need to press the lower side into wanted direction.
U would not even need to give pressure on the lower side!
As long as you pull the correct way on the pliers they are great. Should pull toward the lower jaw and they self tighten
I bought the 10" Knipex recently based on seeing it used in a video and was impressed by its parallel jaw movement. Time will tell if it is worth the $80 Australian I forked out and be my go-to tool for those odd jobs. To be honest, I've never been a fan of the adjustable spanners/crescent wrenchs as they never seem to maintain their settings and constantly need to be reset. In order of preference: ring, socket, open jaw, with vice-grips as a last resort. Thanks for this video and the useful commentary from other viewers.
What a lot of people fail to understand is how little amount of force required to keep it closed. When set properly once you've closed them and put pressure on the back handle you don't even need to squeeze the two handles together due to the cam and design of the jaws
I have a few of the pliers wrenches it’s a lot easier though just using a regular ratchet and socket and if a bolt is seized then you just use a breaker bar using a regular ratchet is a lot easier than using regular wrenches or any kind of pliers
I completely deleted the emissions off my diesel truck with just a 7.5 inch pliers wrench and a small sledge. It’s actually amazing how much torque they can handle.
I have the cobra version of these and use it to remove rounded nuts. I've clamped them down to rusted exhaust bolts n would wrap e tape around the handles then whale on it with a 5lb hammer until it broke loose or tore the nut off. KNIPEX is the best thing that ever happened to Germany.
why did you use the crescent in the wrong direction?
Probably to prove his point. With the knipex, you really do have to squeeze if you go the wrong direction. I still prefer the knipex, though
Crescent wrenches are designed with a 15 degree offset so you can alternate either way in tight places.
Also if you really think about it, the movable jaw is the weakest.
If you use it the way we saw in the video(which you called wrong direction), the pressure the nut exerts on the movable jaw is lower closer to the body of the wrench, this way the movable jaw takes more force to break.
Compared to when using it your ''right'' way, where the force the nut exerts on the movable jaw will be farther from the body towards the tip of the movable jaw.
Like cantilevered airplane wings, you can stand on them close to the fuselage if you have to use the emergency exit, but farther away there is ''NO STEP'' painted on because it would collapse if you stood on it.
Also, unrelated but since I mentioned that example I will also encourage you to learn that there is no fuel in large jet airliner's wings, they would collapse from the weight.
czcams.com/video/YXRmcumPL3k/video.html
czcams.com/video/WFlAutyo-Q8/video.html
I love my pliers wrench! I still use the AJW if I dont have enough space or hand strength to hold the handles together on the PW, but they Pliers Wrench is indispensable if I need to grab something hard or not marr the surface. The only design flaw is that I have to hold the handles together, that getting "fixed" would make them a perfect replacement for the AJW.
If your struggling to hold the handles together either you are using them backwards or you have the hand strength of a toddler
I like how they don't slip off when the bolt cracks
I have to say after using both the raptor and pliers wrenches for a while I totally disagree. I feel they are far safer under high torque because the jaws are actively gripping vs a crescent wrench that isn’t. I have put a cheater on the single side of a knipex really abusing them and they took the extra force with zero issues. Haven’t touched a crescent wrench in over a year and don’t even have one in the truck anymore.
Best review I’ve seen on these. Most people buy cheap ass Adjustable wrench’s with a lot slop in the jaw. My favorite thing to use is the Ridgid E-110 hex wrench. I never meet a nut it couldn’t get off plus it’s good for chrome too
Very good, at least not one sided comment like other post to say how good Knipex is. Thanks for stating the fact.
This is like watching a late night tool infomercial. You know, the ones where the people using the tools appear to be drunk, hypoxic and recovering from a severe stroke while simultaneously suffering from essential tremor disorder.
I can understand not knowing how to use a tool correctly, we all start out ignorant. However, I can't imagine making youtube videos to teach or advise others on a topic that I am not a subject matter expert on.
You don't even need to be an expert to realize that some types of tools work far better in one direction, or that, with experience, you can adjust these one-handed and reliably size them without trying to do it on the bolt head or nut. These are best suited to use by pipe fitters and plumbers, not mechanics. If its hex shaped fittings -- pliers wrench. If it's round pipe or fittings -- cobras or pipe wrench
Sure if it's all you've got and there's a bolt that needs broken loose, it will work. But you're going to be much happier using the correct tool for the job.
i think your review is fine, but to me, it shows that what you really need is a knipex or a proper sized wrench. the adjustable crescent wrench is just something we are used to but it's inferior to both the knipex and a proprer sized wrench. the one hand use advantage is all it's got as they are big, heavy, thick and you always have to reset them. as in any field, tools evolved and became better.
You might consider practicing your technique for setting the opening size of the pliers-wrench in just one go instead of the fiddling you seemed to suggest is necessary.
I adjust the Knipex wrench pliers one-handed as well. It didn't take "getting used to" as some people suggest. As far as safety, notice that the adjustable wrench slipped after it loosened the bolt which could have resulted in an injury to the reviewer or damage to the material because of the lack of control. Conversely, the Knipex wrench pliers held on tight and it was with greater control.
I agree. They’re not an all out replacement. A good adjustable wrench is a must in any toolbox (although high quality adjustable wrenches are hard to find these days).
That being said, I typically don’t use either in a “high torque application “. If I have to lean into a bolt I’m reaching for a box end wrench, socket on a breaker bar, or an impact wrench.
100% agree. I should have specified more clearly that my "high torque applications" are usually really large fasteners or hydraulic fittings on heavy equipment. Often times I don't own a wrench big enough for them and they are not accessible with a socket.
Fabrication Guy that’s fair. I bought a rigid hex wrench (union wrench) that opens up to a little over 3 inches for that stuff. Unfortunately most of the BIG fittings I work on are 6 inch octagonal fittings on hydrogen lines. Have to use the 48” pipe wrench for those.
@@hammurambi Hey. just stop by and ask from the experts. is it safe and advisable to use pipe wrenches for hard and jammed hexagonal bolts that are not possible to access with a socket, but are still too heavy and jammed to use 12pt box end wrenches ?? if not recommended, what should i switch to ?? thank you
@@ardnira I'm no expert, but what are the fittings on?
If they are old bolt for something that will be replaced (that don't need to be tested or kept for some reason) then the pipe wrench might work. The biggest issue is that the pipe wrench (unless you get a smooth jaw one) will tear up the faces or the fastener hex head.
@@woodworkerroyer8497 I don't have much choice. only the boxes wrench and socket set. of course like you said the pipe wrench will break it if not careful.
it's an old bolt installed once in a lifetime, normally won't open but I need to open it to inspect and make sure my machine is working when I need it. for the bolts I can insert them with the socket, to hold the nuts so the bolts can rotate I use the boxes end because the threads of the bolts are very long so socket is not possible, so I use the boxes end for the counter. but stuck when enggagement, won't rotate
Thanks in advance
I've watched many, many videos on these Knipex pliers, you're the one and only to focus on the low torque/high torque application.
The main difference is that the Knipex pliers wrench doesn't round of the bolts,like the adjustable wrench.
Great explanation and review.
Neither is suitable for high torque applications. Get a box wrench (ring spanner) with a long handle instead.
I know this is an old post but I’ve just now come across it. I could not disagree with you more on your assessment of the Knipex Pliers Wrench. I don’t know if you’ve changed your stance any on them since back then but I work with pipe and fasteners daily up to 6” in diameter. I don’t even grab any of my adjustables any more. When you said “home improvemts” I burst out laughing. I’m not sure what you were doing wrong but you can apply pressure to the top handle only and it’s fine. Also they don’t slip and adjustables do. Nor do I have to readjust the size after a while. But thanks for the video.
If I had to pick one knipix would be it. I carry 1 wrench with me all night at work. 12hour shift, and the smaller and much lighter knipix are the ones in my back pocket. If I carried a adjustable wrench all night in my back pocket I'd have to buy new pants every month. Or wear a tool pouch and I'm not wearing a tool pouch for 1 wrench.
Shit put ur phone and other shit in it why not
Absolutely replaces the adjustable wrench. Hands down. It's counter intuitive, but the Knipex pliers wrench is much stronger than the adjustable wrench. The weakest link of the adjustable wrench is not in the handle, it's in the opening. There is a video somewhere in youtube that shows the failure point of the adjustable wrench.
I just bought the 10 inch and 7 inch pliers wrenches very impressive I’ll be using those more than my adjustable wrenches.
When I have the option, I grab the Knipex everytime.
Yeah and they’ll put out more power, I’ve heard if you’re putting 50 pounds of pressure the wrench can do up to 500 pounds so I would say they’re good for heavy torque
If I’m going to be removing a bolt that is seized and stuck I just use a breaker bar with a socket adapter so I can fit most sockets on the breaker bar if I’m working in a small area then I use a small 8 inch breaker bar it’s a lot easier using a breaker bar or a ratchet than it is using a wrench or pliers.
Maybe turn them around. The way you're holding them you're applying force in the direction of opening instead of closing them, which means you have to squeeze them more. Turn them around and you should be able to apply more force without squeezing as much. You could also pull instead of push if you know what I mean.
So you are telling him to use the pliers backwards? What kind of stupid are you?
@@hvacnerd4983 or switch from pushing to pulling (or vice versa). The direction of the force is wrong from the pliers' perspective. If you push or pull from the right direction, you don't need to squeeze the handles to keep them from opening. That's not stupid, that's physics.
Marcel Vos: the Knipex videos show the exact same way you are explaining.
@@mrjones4249 could be, but I've used them a lot, and in the right direction, more force means more clamping power. You really don't have to squeeze them.
once you have worn them in a bit then they operate one handed.you set the top jaw against the nut and the lower jaw will smoothly slip up to grip it.
Can you still get the ratcheting action afterwards if you use your technique to size up?
@@TwinbeeUK yes they still grip tighter afterwards
You're using your adjustable wrench backwards
Thank you for this video man it was great
How did you get those 3 knipex in a set? It looks like they sent you 2 of the new style and the big one is the old style.
It looked to me like the knipex were much safer, you about slammed your knuckles using that old pos 🔧
It takes some getting use to. But still better than push push push push with the thumb
I agree I love mine but I guess it’s all about personal preference
Nice review. Thanks
Two totally different tools. An adjustable spanner is not a water pump plier as I call them. Used Bacho shifters for over 30 years.
Thank you.
Very informative. Thank you.
Man their expensive but they sure are nice! I will say that proto makes a really good traditional adjustable wrench as well
The knipex wrench looks cumbersome/awkward to use in the larger sizes, and losses the advantage of single hand use that you get with the smaller (
@Jon Doe I broke mine within a month of heavy use in industrial maintenance. ☹️. The chrome plating peeled off which caused the spline to break as there is more friction between the gear and spline so it wouldnt engage properly when I'm rushing in machine break down situation.
@@Ken-nv2hl damn. You must've got knock offs or a defective pair. Mine get covered in mud, grease and rub up against other metals in tight situations and the only damage is to the jaws that engage the flats of fittings, bolts and nuts. Hope you got your money back or at the very least a replacement.
@@rjskum688 I ended up buying some diamond needle files to file out the burrs on the teeth. It's been fine ever since haha.
@Jon Doe They sell them in either vanadium (matte finish) or chrome vanadium (chromed, of course)
hahaha im dying. you have to be the only person ever to say crescent wrenches are good for high torque and get a good bite!
project farm tested adjustable wrenches to find the best one and one of the tests he did was which has the least amount of slop.
another test he did was how much it adjusts on its own after setting it to a bolt size. because they are literally known for coming loose
the only way an old school adjustable wrench is better is if the pliers wont fit. im not a knipex fanboy, im cheap. i literally only have 1 knipex tool and its the 5" plier wrench. i carry it in my pocket every day at work because it works for so many things and saves me trips to the toolbox
I was debating on wether to buy a Knipex pliers wrench but decided to go ahead and buy one I bought the 10 inch pair I spent $200.00 on Knipex pliers.
Should I just get a 10 inch or a 12 inch one or should I get the complete set of 7.5, 10 and 12 inch?
10" is most popular. And will most likely cover your needs.
Fantastic review. I think I’ll buy the 7” to supplement my bigger crescent wrench on he job site for everyday nuts n bolts.
Adjustable has a weaker locking mechanism, that’s why you need to use them in the correct direction (which is shown in the video), so every time the tension between the adjustable part and the wrench body is released, you sort have to redo it again. Plier wrench doesn’t have that problem. The ability to apply biting force is it’s biggest strength. But the requirement of biting force is also its biggest limitation - awkward position or small space can make it hard to place a strong force on the handle.
Very good and informative video...thanks for sharing
Been using the Knipex for almost 20 years.....I don't even carry adjustable wrenches anymore. It totally depends on what you prefer.
In tight spots the crescent wrench is my go to. It's not even a debate. If you spent enough time under sinks you'll know this. However, when you're working where there is room, the pliers wrench is better because it can ratchet. But still, in some cases, I've come across, the ratcheting is more of a pain. For example, taking off toilet bolts. My small pliers wrench works fine but I prefer a crescent. A crescent is simple and crisp when it wraps around a bolt. Anyway, I laugh when people say they threw away their crescent wrenches. You people are deluding yourself or you really do not deal with plumbing every single day because a crescent wrench is necessary.
I have a few of the Knipex pliers wrenches and they are great but yeah they’re not a replace all for tight spaces you still need a combination wrench or crescent wrench
More tools = more better. Don't replace, just buy more. Unless you're replacing a loud air ratchet with a Milwaukee M12 Fuel one :)
@@asbestosfibers1325 True, or your air impact so you sound like NASCAR.
I have an old crescent adjustable wrench and when straightening an allen key I found out the knipex steel is very soft in comparison :(
Thanks! So hard to tell with these "speciality" wrenches what is hype vs what "will work" vs what to buy next...
useful information
Put a pipe (cheater bar) on it = all the torque you’ll ever need. I saw a dude stand on it no grip necessary. Stayed fully locked until he pushed up on the top jaw arm.
You shouldn’t put a cheater bar on them pliers wrenches because they’re not strong enough for that not like a regular wrench but I do love them the pliers wrench has replaced my adjustable wrenches for the most part.
@@corygriffiths4394 did you see that I said a knipex dude stood on the wrench? I didn’t say you should attempt to break them I said a cheater will get you where you need to be if you need more torque.
@@danbaucom yeah but I still wouldn’t take the chance
Hi i working like plumber i have irega 6 inch and 8 inch swo adjustable wrench. can you help me what is your opinion really i need knipex pliers or not.Tank you so much.
So looks like the 2 smaller ones you have are the newer style and the larger is older. How do the finishes compare?
it honestly sounds like you dont know how to use the pliers. you dont need to open the handles up so wide to adjust the jaw size. you can size them up with the handles closed, solving your issue of trying to find the right size. Which is already an issue with traditional slip join pliers.
"Crescent" is a trademark brand. You should say "adjustable wrench."
Ya I disagree with your low torque situations. I work on air craft with huge torques and I’ve never had knipex slip on me, without even squeezing them at all. In fact you don’t even have to touch both handles
Very nice explanation!
Totally disagree with your assessment. The adjustable wrenches always move around with bad slop in the mechanism. The pliers wrench only gets tighter the more pressure you apply.
I agree with you on the crescent wrenches having more slop but the only problem is tight spaces where you can’t fit the pliers wrench in still have to use a combination wrench or crescent wrench for that
@@corygriffiths4394 That makes sense!!
These mostly replace my open end wrenches have not busted one yet.
Aren’t they self adjusting ? I’ve seen a man stand on a pair of pipe pliers I’m sure u can stand on the knipex
Gotta get channel lock crescent wrench. They open to 2" on a 8" wrench. Channel lock is the best adjustable wrench you can get... I carry a knipex and channel lock at work everyday
Really useful video review, these Knipex wrench pliers look great and I was going to buy some but think I'll pass for now. Great variations in the jaws though even with the smallest pair.
same
Very helpful..
If you are a real fitter you need both
Screw the high priced Knipex pliers I would much rather use my 14 inch vise grips especially whenever it comes to a bolt being stuck the Knipex pliers wouldn’t be able to do near as much whenever it comes to grip 14 inch vise grips are badass.
The Knipex have a 10x lever ratio which is higher, I prefer a long socket wrench though.
you do not need to "squeese" the knipex pliers to get excellent grip. here is proper video explaining how to use them:
czcams.com/video/vGb4WF4e8YQ/video.html
I think you using imperial hardware and the knipex positions are optimized to metric size. Thats why they dont close as tight
Look very nice but 20 seconds of adjusting to break a bolt kinda sucks.
$190 bucks for the set ? I can’t do it Guess I’ll have to keep using adjustable wrenches
The best thing to do is just buy one at a time wait till you have more money and then buy another one they are very expensive that’s why it’s best to collect them over time.
That’s what I like about the Channellock WideAzz wrenches. Best of both worlds.
I own one also and the downside its Made in Spain.
Wrong! The plier wrench is much stronger than the adjustable wrench. Watch the torture test here on youtube. The German has the recipe for strongest metal since WW2.
It’s pronounced Ka-nipecks, the K is not silent in German.
11.12.21 ws c13 hood gls nk guerra
But can you use it as a hammer?
No
The cobra pliers are the ones that will stay locked after squeezing them, not this model.
No matter what type of pliers you will use, one day your knuckles will be f!cked up....
These Knipex wrench pliers seem pretty nice, but they don't seem $50 nice to me.
you bought the wrong ones, should have bought the Knipex Cobras.
The Cobra’s are regular pliers though not a wrench he was talking about wrenches
If you use the pliers correctly, it self tighten
So you don’t need to hold them like some pliers anymore but just like some normal adjustable wrench.
This video explains it better than me: czcams.com/video/vGb4WF4e8YQ/video.html
1.) czcams.com/video/idEWTzUklPA/video.html do switch sides and make a pull not a pushaction for better control and more force
2.) adjusting ist easier if you do it like this czcams.com/video/U_RFptcZKgM/video.html
Completely disagree with most of that
I respect his opinion I guess it’s all about personal preference but after buying two of those pliers wrenches I haven’t used my adjustable wrenches I’ll just be using those for certain situations
👍👍🌹🌹
The thing where you press down on the back is only for the knipex cobras
Wrong pretty much everywhere.
No disrespect,, but you have no idea what you are talking about. As a electrician, these bad boys are bad ass! Are you a tradesman?
I respect his opinion but after buying two pairs of those Knipex pliers wrenches I haven’t used my adjustable wrenches the only time I will use any of my adjustable wrenches is in certain situations like tight space.
Adjustable wrenches are obsolete.
DUMMY TEST !! You use the adjustable wrench in a wrong way
No that's a common misconception, you can use it either way. That's why the head is offset 15 degrees so you can alternate either way in tight spaces.
Knipex are not worth buying them, they are just fancy and irritating to adjust them, instead we can buy a cordless impact wrench at their price, which makes our work faster too
I have Knipex pliers and I love them but I respect your opinion the downside to them is they are very expensive and a lot of people out there can’t afford them I had to save up money to buy mine but it was worth it to me.
Between the two, I strongly prefer the Knipex. If I need more torque, I'd rather go to a fixed wrench anyways.
Also, adjusting the Knipexes is *so* much faster than a crescent wrench!