scmrak's Full Review: Stanley Tools 6IN Long Nose Pliers - 84 - 101
There are a few tools no house should be without - a hammer, screwdrivers, and some sort of adjustable wrench will get you through most basic repair emergencies (although not by much). When one begins to look beyond the bare minimum, however, the word "pliers" almost immediately comes to mind. Now there are a bewildering array of pliers out there - a survey of my toolbox turned up six or seven different kinds of pliers - but some of them are pretty esoteric (the bent-nose and the end-cutters, for instance). But when you start adding to that household toolkit, a good pair of long-nose pliers should be somewhere near the top of your list. My pair - the most recent of them - just happens to be some Stanley Six-Inch Long-Nose Pliers (#84-101).
Though designed mainly for use in electrical wiring, long-nose (also called needle-nose) pliers can come in handy on many an occasion. Their extra reach lets you pull small objects out of holes, and their narrow tips can reach into many a place that would frustrate the longest, skinniest fingers. This particular pair has an overall length of 6¾ inches (172 mm), of which a little over two inches (50 mm) comprises the jaws. The jaws open a maximum of just under 1½ inches (38 mm) and are about 1/8x1/8 inch (3mm x 3mm) at the tips when closed (pretty "needle-nosey," eh?) The last inch of the inner surfaces of the jaws is milled to provide better a better grip on a wire or other object. The pliers are built of forged steel with an anti-rust finish. The box joint (pivot) works smoothly, well enough that the pliers are easy to open and close one-handed when needed. The handles are rubberized in a double-dip process to provide a non-slip grip - note however, that they are not intended as insulation against electrical current.
Long-nose pliers are at their best when used in wiring projects: their long reach lets one dig around in junction boxes, while the rounded tips are perfectly designed for making loops in copper wire. With the built-in side cutters, one doesn't even need to fumble for a pair of wire cutters while up on a ladder, though a good pair of diagonal cutters will still be needed for cutting Romex cables.
Wiring isn't the only use for long-nose pliers, though. The tool comes in an assortment of sizes from five to eight inches long, and smaller sizes are favorite for crafts like jewelry making. Many fishermen carry a pair to remove errant hooks (the side cutters snip off a barb or an eye with ease). Around the house, they're great for fishing small objects out of drains and other small, dark places.
Long-nose pliers won't take the place of a good pair of slip-joint pliers, though. The jaw capacity of this design is small and they're designed less for applying heavy pressure than for simply gripping and pulling or twisting. I have an old pair on which the tips no longer meet; a sure sign that they were misused on too heavy a job (I didn't do it, I swear). These are the ballerinas of the world of pliers; not the flamenco dancers...
You could certainly spend more on needle-nose pliers - as much as $40 compared to a mere six for these Stanleys - and if you make your living using them, you probably should. For an ordinary homeowner with a short list of honey-dos on the week-end, however, this is a pair that will work just fine and will probably last long enough to pass on to your kids.
At 599 words, this review is certified lean-n-mean.
Looking for some wire cutters for your toolkit? Try this nice pair of Diagonal Cutters, also from Stanley
Long tempered jaws for working in hard to reach areas. Forged steel construction. Rust resistant finish. Double dipped handle for comfort. Meets or ex...More at Sears
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