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