It says made 100% in the USA of US steel

[vtfireman85]

Needed new channel locks for my tool belt. Old ones we’re getting loose and slipping, causing bad words to be said when blood blisters emerged in the palm of my hand. I was going to get Klein but spotted these, they feel more delicate than the Klein, but ill give them a shot. 

[756puller]

Their pliers are usually made in the USA but their socket sets are tiwaneseum or Chineseum  I think

[jeeper61]

Would be nice if they would plate them they rust up easily 

[jeeper61]

18 minutes ago, vtfireman85 said:

I was going to get Klein but spotted these, they feel more delicate than the Klein,

Good for around the home but not Insulated in your line of work I would want Kleins 

[MTB98]

1 minute ago, jeeper61 said:

Would be nice if they would plate them they rust up easily 

They do seem to rust or discolor, even if you keep them oiled in storage. The plus side is they’re reasonably priced and good quality. Knipex German-made pliers are probably the best but they’re about double the price of Channellocks. 
 

7 minutes ago, 756puller said:

Their pliers are usually made in the USA but their socket sets are tiwaneseum or Chineseum  I think

Sockets are foreign made. I think they still have some USA made screwdrivers and pick & hook sets. 

[mjcolemn]

Used to use Channel lock but switched to Knipex, haven't pinched my fingers since!

[vtfireman85]

11 minutes ago, jeeper61 said:

Good for around the home but not Insulated in your line of work I would want Kleins 

None of my tools are voltage rated, 4x the amount for a screwdriver, it’s bulkier and once it gets the slightest nick in the insulation it is no longer rated. Except for the linemen and the occasional factory guy at GE I’ve never seen anyone with insulated hand tools. 

[mike newman]

3 hours ago, vtfireman85 said:

None of my tools are voltage rated, 4x the amount for a screwdriver, it’s bulkier and once it gets the slightest nick in the insulation it is no longer rated. Except for the linemen and the occasional factory guy at GE I’ve never seen anyone with insulated hand tools. 

...time to pass on the non-rated..non  compliant  electrical tools to  SIL ..?????!!!!!!!!....just wonderin'

Mike

[vtfireman85]

1 minute ago, mike newman said:

...time to pass on the non-rated..non  compliant  electrical tools to  SIL ..?????!!!!!!!!....just wonderin'

Mike

Shes an eyeful mike, just you wait. 

[Art From Coleman]

3 hours ago, mjcolemn said:

Used to use Channel lock but switched to Knipex, haven't pinched my fingers since!

There is NO comparison between Channellock, and the gold standard----KNIPEX, no more blood blisters from KNIPEX.

BUT, one has to give credit to Channellock for staying loyal to its US employees.

[Ian Beale]

When the decision was made to source the Crescent fencing pliers we get here in Oz from Taiwan they sure didn't provide the steel recipe that was used in the US made ones

[Paystar5000]

3 hours ago, mjcolemn said:

Used to use Channel lock but switched to Knipex, haven't pinched my fingers since!

I have had a bigger size of those pliers in the picture for a bout 20 years.  Top notch.  I also have the blue channel locks in every size I think and use them all.  

 

3 hours ago, 756puller said:

Their pliers are usually made in the USA but their socket sets are tiwaneseum or Chineseum  I think

Local hardware store stocks quite an inventory of the sockets and wrench’s for a low cost option.  It’s okay but its a get what you pay for kind of thing.  I bought a 15/16 wrench that is kind of on the tight side.  My Mac wrenches fit just right on a 5/8 bolt and that channel lock wrench is hit or miss.  Guess better tight than loose.  Maybe 20 years use  on the Mac ones is the difference

[jeeper61]

3 hours ago, vtfireman85 said:

Except for the linemen and the occasional factory guy at GE I’ve never seen anyone with insulated hand tools. 

We have to wear flash rated clothing in some places

Most of big places are pretty strict they make you comply to their rules   

[M35A2]

I've used and bought Channellock over the years.  At the time 20 plus years ago when I started to acquire tools, I wanted Knipex but could not afford them. Settled for the Channellock.  Never been unhappy with them, but now that I have most of the tools that I need (other than an occasional replacement or extra for a job), I have the money but not the need for Knipex now.   The company I work for sells Klein tools.  Had I know of them in the late 90's and early 2000's I would have bought them.     My nephew who is 20 years old buys junk Harbor Frieght stuff for his projects, mainly because he needs the tool now, and is a typical 20 year old guy with no money.   So at Christmas time I replace some of his crap with Klein tools.  My brother-in-law likes the specialty tools from Klein and is addicted to them since he started getting them at christmas from me too.  

[Mr. Plow]

They are my go to pliers brand...never have been disappointed!

[ky966boy]

I’ve had a set of those channel locks brand in my back pocket for 25 years, not same set though,  they best I’ve used .

[acem]

I really like these 410 parrot head pliers.

[DR.EVIL]

SON worked for a couple years at a shop assembling custom 2-3-4 or more stage gearboxes,  some the size of a full size pickup.  He never had a reject or field complaint about faulty assembly or excessive noise.  He installed THOUSANDS of retaining rings, snap rings,  KNIPEX was the only brand of pliers that would hold up.  Occasionally a pair of his Knipex would get borrowed and not returned and the company would give him a cheaper brand to use till a new pair of Knipex could be delivered. He has a whole drawer of KNIPEX pliers in his home roll-around tool chest.  And I thought I made a huge jump in quality when I bought my first couple pair of Channel Locks, a pair of slip joint pliers and a big pair of wire cutters.

[New Englander]

15 hours ago, mjcolemn said:

Used to use Channel lock but switched to Knipex, haven't pinched my fingers since!

They're the best! No slip, no blood blisters.

[vtfireman85]

I could probably do ok with Knipex water pump pliers, but as far as diagonals I wouldn’t waste the investment, I would have notches burned in them the first day, ill go 6-8 months with a plain old pair of Klein, if i bought something nicer I would ruin it right off. 

[AKwelder]

I have several sizes of channel locks, and both in my plumbing gear and my shop box, at work we issue them by the bucket full.  No complaints from me or any of the crew, and the old Pipefitter that is our material guy doesn’t complain about the price either. 
 

I remember them being made in the USA. But I am surprised by the American steel.

 

I prefer them for mobile use, when they get lost or disappear it doesn’t hurt so much.

[Art From Coleman]

12 hours ago, acem said:

I really like these 410 parrot head pliers.

Just out of curiosity, what makes this style better than a regular pair of "water-pump" pliers?

[mader656]

Love knipex 8 inch bolt cutters for high tensile wire. They are the only one hand method I use.

[m.c.farmerboy]

19 hours ago, mjcolemn said:

Used to use Channel lock but switched to Knipex, haven't pinched my fingers since!

I have had Knipex for years well worth the extra money 

[just Dave]

1 hour ago, Art From Coleman said:

Just out of curiosity, what makes this style better than a regular pair of "water-pump" pliers?

Its a ratio deal. short jaw lever and long handle lever means more pressure. All pliers apply more pressure closer to the pivot. Cutting off the end short lets you get that pressure closer to your fastener.

I cut off an old pair of Channel lock jaws very short that I use only when I need ex-stream pressure.

I have Knipex Cobra model 5" thru 20"and for fasteners they are my favorite. For radiator hoses and some other stuff like that I grab Channel Locks

Note that Knipex also offers the Alligator style, I have 1 pair and will not get any more. They look quite similar but they use a half moon slip joint set up.