Get a Grip: The Essential Pliers Guide
Learn about the main types of pliers and their functions, so you can match the right pliers to every professional task for the best results.
Pliers are hand tools found in almost every toolbox. They come in many configurations, but the main categories include diagonal, lineman’s, long nose, slip joint, groove joint, end cutting, locking, and specialty pliers.
Main Types of Pliers
Diagonal Cutting Pliers
Purpose: Designed solely for cutting. These pliers come in two main joint styles:
- Single Joint: Single joint diagonal pliers are smaller and best for precision work, such as electronics or fine wire. The joint’s pocket-and-protrusion design keeps cutting edges aligned.
- Lap Joint: Lap joint diagonal pliers are typically larger and ideal for heavy-duty cutting. Due to the joint design, these pliers often have a high-leverage pivot or one that is located close to the cutting edges, allowing the user to make the cut with less force applied to the handles than a traditional pivot.
Cut Styles and Head Shapes
Cut Styles:
- Standard Cut: For general use, with minimal concern for shock or wire tip “pinch.”
- Flush Cut: For delicate work needing minimal shock; produces a clean cut, facilitating soldering and increasing connection reliability.
- Semi-Flush Cut: Reduces shock and wire tip pinch for most applications.
Head Shapes: Diagonal cutting pliers are available with different head shapes for easier access in difficult areas.
- Oval Head: Most versatile because they have the most material behind the cutting edges and last longer.
- Tapered Head: For limited-access areas. These cutters have less head mass and provide proportionally fewer cuts.
Lineman’s Pliers
Also called side-cutting pliers, they are multipurpose tools for cutting, gripping, twisting, and crimping.
Combination Pliers
Perform the same functions as lineman’s pliers, but are thinner with two different types of gripping jaws in the head.
Slip Joint Pliers
Split joint pliers have a two-position joint, which allows the user to adjust the jaw opening. These types of pliers are Ideal for grasping and turning.
Hose Clamp Pliers
Hose clamp pliers are modified slip joint design with jaw recesses to install and remove wire spring tension clamps.
Long Nose Pliers
Long nose pliers are perfect for gripping and bending small objects or working in tight spaces. Many include cutting jaws or stripper holes for small-diameter wire. Jaws may be serrated for grip or smooth to protect delicate materials. Some models feature 45° or 90° bent noses for reaching around obstacles.
- Chain Nose Pliers: Commonly referred to as long nose pliers, they are shorter and thicker for increased strength.
- Needle Nose Pliers: Have longer and thinner heads for finer work.
Tongue & Groove Joint Pliers
Tongue and groove joint pliers, often called channel lock pliers, use a grooved joint for adjusting jaw width. Available in various jaw styles, they are common in plumbing and automotive work. Some feature V-notch jaws for gripping fasteners like a wrench. The European market uses a similar type of pliers called water pump pliers.
- Water Pump Pliers Used similarly but have thinner, shorter jaws and multiple jaw positions without interlocking grooves. They typically use serrated teeth or scallops that align with a pin or gear.
End Cutting Pliers
Also known as pincer pliers or nippers, end cutting pliers have C-shaped jaws for flush cuts and rounded heads for prying nails or tacks, much like a claw hammer.
Locking Pliers
Commonly known as ViseGrip®, these types of pliers grasp and hold objects with adjustable force. Most locking pliers use a simple toggle-link mechanism with an adjustable pivot to set the clamping force and come in many jaw configurations for welding, plumbing, or woodworking.
Specialty Pliers
Designed for specific tasks such as installing snap rings, cutting fiber optic cables, removing springs, or stripping insulation. Some types of specialty pliers include the ones shown here: