Pliers, in the form of tongs with a central fastening/pivot point, have been around since at least ancient Rome. While there were other forms of pliers that popped up, such as cobbler's pliers, pliers remained as basically tongs for centuries until the modern world erupted from the Industrial Revolution. This modernization created a need for more and more specialized tools and pliers were one of the tools that has diversified the most and something that people have been able to tweak in a surprising number of ways.
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One of the earliest modern offshoots of the original tongs-type pliers was Klein Tools' Lineman's Pliers which came about in . The oldest set of Klein pliers that have been found is a set from that, despite having seen some action, look good enough to use today. Klein continued the innovation they started with the Lineman's Pliers and by the time they'd been around for 50 years, they had more than 100 sizes and types of pliers. They've probably single-handedly been the largest American innovator in regards to pliers.
Another great innovation occurred in when an immigrant from Denmark started work as a blacksmith growing his business over 20 years and eventually inventing the VISE-GRIP pliers in . It's said that he came up with them because he needed an extra pair of hands in the shop. It took several prototypes before the tool gained its key feature, the locking mechanism. Today the design has been honed to look more and more modern and has even been tweaked into something as smooth as the 'Auto-Grip' Locking Pliers. Vise-Grip type pliers are one of the 'handiest' pliers to have around and it's a design that's been adapted by many other manufacturers such as Knipex.
The year of was also a good year for an iconic brand. The first tongue and groove, slip joint pliers was made by ChannelLock, and it's a name that has come to identify many pliers of the same type made by other brands. ChannelLock has expanded to include many other types of pliers, but their initial contribution to the tool helped them cement their place in tool history.
While there are probably hundreds of different types of pliers, these three companies were at the forefront driving innovation in the last 150 years. They've also lasted as long as they have because of their passion for quality, and this makes them tools we are either proud to sell, or hope to sell in the future.
A blacksmith using pliers Slip joint pliers Cutting wire with diagonal pliers/side cutters
Pliers are a hand tool used to hold objects firmly, possibly developed from tongs used to handle hot metal in Bronze Age Europe.[1] They are also useful for bending and physically compressing a wide range of materials. Generally, pliers consist of a pair of metal first-class levers joined at a fulcrum positioned closer to one end of the levers, creating short jaws on one side of the fulcrum, and longer handles on the other side.[1] This arrangement creates a mechanical advantage, allowing the force of the grip strength to be amplified and focused on an object with precision. The jaws can also be used to manipulate objects too small or unwieldy to be manipulated with the fingers.
Diagonal pliers, also called side cutters, are a similarly shaped tool used for cutting rather than holding, having a pair of stout blades, similar to scissors except that the cutting surfaces meet parallel to each other rather than overlapping. Ordinary (holding/squeezing) pliers may incorporate a small pair of such cutting blades. Pincers are a similar tool with a different type of head used for cutting and pulling, rather than squeezing. Tools designed for safely handling hot objects are usually called tongs. Special tools for making crimp connections in electrical and electronic applications are often called crimping pliers or crimpers; each type of connection uses its own dedicated tool.
Parallel pliers have jaws that close in parallel to each other, as opposed to the scissor-type action of traditional pliers. They use a box joint system to do this, and it allows them to generate more grip from friction on square and hexagonal fastenings.[2]
There are many kinds of pliers made for various general and specific purposes.
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Medieval pincers found in Hamburg-Harburg (15th/16th century)As pliers in the general sense are an ancient and simple invention, no single inventor can be credited. Early metal working processes from several millennia BCE would have required plier-like devices to handle hot materials in the process of smithing or casting. Development from wooden to bronze pliers would have probably happened sometime prior to BCE.[3] Among the oldest illustrations of pliers are those showing the Greek god Hephaestus in his forge.[4] The number of different designs of pliers grew with the invention of the different objects which they were used to handle: horseshoes, fasteners, wire, pipes, electrical, and electronic components.
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The basic design of pliers has changed little since their origins, with the pair of handles, the pivot (often formed by a rivet), and the head section with the gripping jaws or cutting edges forming the three elements.
The materials used to make pliers consist mainly of steel alloys with additives such as vanadium or chromium, to improve strength and prevent corrosion. The metal handles of pliers are often fitted with grips of other materials to ensure better handling; grips are usually insulated and additionally protect against electric shock. The jaws vary widely in size, from delicate needle-nose pliers to heavy jaws capable of exerting much pressure, and shape, from basic flat jaws to various specialized and often asymmetrical jaw configurations for specific manipulations. The surfaces are typically textured rather than smooth, to minimize slipping.
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A plier-like tool designed for cutting wires is often called diagonal pliers. Some pliers for electrical work are fitted with wire-cutter blades either built into the jaws or on the handles just below the pivot.
Where it is necessary to avoid scratching or damaging the workpiece, as for example in jewellery and musical instrument repair, pliers with a layer of softer material such as aluminium, brass, or plastic over the jaws are used.
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Much research has been undertaken to improve the design of pliers, to make them easier to use in often difficult circumstances (such as restricted spaces). The handles can be bent, for example, so that the load applied by the hand is aligned with the arm, rather than at an angle, thus reducing muscle fatigue. It is especially important for factory workers who use pliers continuously and helps prevent carpal tunnel syndrome.
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