| Pliers are hand tools, designed | | | | NOTE: Vise-Grip is a trade name of IRWIN |
| primarily for gripping objects by using | | | | Industrial Tools pliers |
| leverage. Pliers are designed for | | | | Gripping pliers (used to improve grip) |
| numerous purposes and require different | | | | Combination pliers or lineman's pliers |
| jaw configurations to grip, turn, pull, | | | | Flat nose pliers |
| or crimp a variety of things. They are a | | | | Round nose pliers |
| tool common to many dexterous trades and | | | | Long-nose or needle-nose pliers, which |
| occupations. Many types of pliers also | | | | have long, narrow jaws for gripping in |
| include jaws for cutting. | | | | confined spaces |
| History | | | | Water pump or channel lock pliers - with |
| Pliers were first invented in Europe | | | | adjustable jaw sizes, which are designed |
| around 2000 BC to grip hot objects | | | | to grip various sizes of round, hexagon, |
| (principally iron as it was being forged | | | | flat or similarly shaped objects |
| on an anvil). Among the oldest | | | | Retaining ring or circlip pliers, which |
| illustrations of pliers are those | | | | are used for fixing or loosening |
| showing the Greek god Hephaestus in his | | | | retaining rings |
| smithy. Today, pliers intended | | | | Locking pliers |
| principally to be used for safely | | | | Nail pulling pliers - an adaptation of |
| handling hot objects are usually called | | | | the end nipper used for cutting wire; |
| tongs. The number of different designs | | | | the jaws may be asymmetric, allowing the |
| of pliers grew with the invention of the | | | | nail to be pulled out with a rocking |
| different objects which they were used | | | | motion on the surface in which it is |
| to handle: horse shoes, fasteners, wire, | | | | imbedded. |
| pipes, electrical and electronic | | | | Cutting pliers (used to sever or pinch |
| components. | | | | off) |
| Design | | | | Combination pliers or lineman's pliers |
| The basic design of pliers has changed | | | | Diagonal pliers (wire cutters, side |
| little since their origins, with the | | | | cutting pliers or side cutters) not |
| pair of handles, the pivot (often formed | | | | really pliers as it is only used for |
| by a rivet), and the head section with | | | | cutting |
| the gripping jaws or cutting edges | | | | Pinching pliers (end nippers) |
| forming the three elements. In | | | | Wire stripping pliers - cuts and removes |
| distinction to pair of scissors or | | | | insulation on electrical wire while |
| shears, the plier's jaws always meet | | | | leaving the wire intact |
| each other at one point. | | | | Needle-nose pliers - designed for |
| In technical terms, pliers are an | | | | gripping, but typically incorporate a |
| instrument that convert a power grip, | | | | cutter for 'one-tool' convenience. |
| the curling of the fingers into the palm | | | | Crimping pliers |
| of the hand, into a precision grip, | | | | For crimping electrical terminals and |
| which directs the power of the hand's | | | | connectors (solderless connections) |
| grip in a precise fashion on the object | | | | For crimping metal rings or tags on |
| to be gripped. The handles are long | | | | livestock |
| relative to the shorter nose of the | | | | For crimping metal security seals on |
| pliers. Therefore, they act as levers, | | | | cargo carriers |
| concentrating and, in effect, amplifying | | | | For crimping an impression on a document |
| the force in the hand's grip on a work | | | | - as in a notary's seal |
| piece. | | | | For crimping laboratory vials |
| Common types | | | | For crimping bottles with sprayer tops, |
| Lock jaw pliers, also called vise grips | | | | such as perfume bottles |
| or "mole grips". NOTE: Vise-Grip is a | | | | Rotational pliers |
| trade name of IRWIN Industrial Tools | | | | developed by NASA engineers to enable an |
| pliers | | | | astronaut to turn a nut in zero gravity. |
| Enlarge | | | | The clamping motion of the hand is |
| Lock jaw pliers, also called vise grips | | | | converted to rotational motion to drive |
| or "mole grips". | | | | a socket wrench |