Over at Amazon, these Knipex concreter’s nippers, model 99 01 220 SBA, are priced at $14.39, which is considerably lower than their normal price of ~$25.
These end-cutting pliers are great for cutting and twisting wire, and can probably be used for pulling up small nails as well. Keep in mind that these cutters are optimized for a concreter’s typical applications, and are shaped a little differently than end cutters designed for electrical or electronics work.
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There’s no telling how long the presumed temporary price drop will last. If Amazon sells out, check Sears, as they are also offering these nippers at the same price.
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fred
Nice find – Knipex quality at a reasonable price.
One minor quibble is that they seem a bit short (220mm – if I’m reading the Knipex part # correctly) for the application.
I’m more used to using a 12 inch (305mm) long nipper in this application:
http://www.amazon.com/Channellock-35-300-12-Inch-Concretor-Nipper/dp/B000WUWWIG
SteveR
Another purpose you can put these to is crimping stainless connectors around rubber hose. For instance, they can crimp connectors on drip irrigation system
components and other such systems. I used mine to crimp a connector ring around a length of tubing inside the tank of our Flushmate toilet system. It had come loose and was leaking, so a quick squeeze of the handles resolved that issue. The stainless rings are fairly tough, and can withstand the pressure exerted by these plier/nippers. If you have a concern that the nippers might cut through the connector, you could always put duct or electrical tape on the cutting edges to blunt them.
Again, this is one of those tools that you don’t have a lot of uses for, but are indispensable when a problem comes up that requires it.
Szymon
This is true.
Those specialized crimpers for such rings (plumbing PEX tubing) can be expensive. ($40-$100 pus) Especially for someone who does not need them on a daily basis.
These cutters would kill 2 birds with 1 stone. Cut and crimp in needed.
The stainless steel rings are very difficult to cut through. Almost impossible to cut when positioning the cutter in the same way as you would to crimp. I found that it is easier to cut perpendicular to the crimp if spacing allows for it.
fred
The reason why some Oetiker clamp pliers can be really pricey – is not because of price gouging. The expensive ones often have a full cycle ratcheting mechanism and can be calibrated to produce consistent quality crimps time after time. This is not to say that you can not crimp a PEX clamp with this Knipex pliers and get a good result – it’s just that in a commercial setting – doing hundreds of crimps you might be better served with something like this:
http://www.toolfetch.com/wheeler-89250-stainless-clamp-pincher-ratchet-tool.html
BTW – over many years of installing PEX tubing – I became less enamored with systems that used crimped hose clamps – either Oetiker-Stype (ear clamps) or Zurn-Style crimp rings – preferring the Wirsbo-Uponor style connection where you use an expander tool. When we did use press fittings – we moved away from hand tools altogether in favor of Ridgid ProPress and Milwaukee Force Logic powered press tools.
Chris Pyfer
Fred you might remember the horrible hand operated expander for Pex. I can’t forget them and not in a good way. Roughed in a hospital lab with those and got a good shoulder workout as a result.
fred
When Uponor first offered a powered expander – they priced it real high – so the occasional used might have bought the hand powered tool (Q6275075) which also sold at a hefty price – in the $150 range as I recall. The expander heads were separate – and a full outfit could have cost you $500.
The tools were made in France. Once Milwaukee and the Chinese manufacturing entered the expanding (pun intended) market – with the cost and ease of doing installations dropped.
Dan
Ordered a pair, for that price I don’t mind having them as a spare pair until my current ones wear out. Even if they are the short version.
Peter
$23.16 as of now
Stuart
Look at the “more buying options” to the right. It’s still $14.39, but now has a 2-4 week shipping estimate as they wait for stock to be replenished.
Update: I fixed the link to force it to show Amazon as the seller, and so the Amazon-direct price should be shown front and center.
Toolfreak
Sears had them down to around 12 bucks a week or two ago.
Noah
I’ve never understood what the intended use is between the different kinds of nippers/end cutters. Can you shed some light on this?
Stuart
My understanding is that these are more designed for use on concrete reinforcement wire mesh and the such. Electrical end nippers are used to flush-cut wires, or to cut wires in hard-to reach spaces. Precision end nippers are used on smaller scale wiring.
It looks like these have more space between the jaws and pivot, which give more space for twisting wires before cutting, and it also means less leverage than some models designed for electrical work.
Jim
Anybody remotely considering getting these to crimp hose clamps, STOP.
Get the right tool for the job, The sharp edge must first be ground down. Crimp clamp pliers have a softer face for crimping without cutting. If you compromise the crimp, it is more likely to fail over time. And, these are too short.
PLUS, Amazon has the Ideal-Tridon 61001V Crimp Clamp Tool on special at 77% off at $9.82. ( Regular $43.35). They are longer, cheaper and the right tool for the task.
http://www.amazon.com/Ideal-Tridon-61001V-Crimp-Clamp-Tool/dp/B001UL4ALS/
Toolfreak
These are actually ok as crimping pliers once the blade has gone completely dull, although the ones you linked or some like the Lisle 30800 are definitely better suited to the particular task of crimping clamps.