Totally agree about Klein's fit and finish. It ain't what it used to be.
I was referring to the poor metallurgy, particularly with the screwdrivers (insufficient hardening, if any). The tips are so soft on current production, you'd swear they're made out of butter.
May not be quite as apparent on the cutters as there's more metal, but I wouldn't be surprised if they're suffering from the same issue as well (i.e. Knicks in the blades).
Electronics hand tools? Well funny you should ask but this has been a big pain in the bum for me. I need(want really) a small assortment of miniature pliers and cutters. Cutters are not so difficult. Find a good pair of beveled cutters, no need for flush cut in the industrial world, in the size you want and that fit the hand and have a good build quality and done.
Schmitz does serrated jaws extremely well. So well in fact,
they're the best teeth I've ever used (don't flatten out/wear down like other brands, such as Tronex, who makes excellent cutters).
Seems simple, but you'd be amazed at the differences. They also fit my hands rather well, though I do prefer the foam grips I have from Tronex and Swanstrom as they don't slip at all in my hands (I'm 6'-4" w/ long, thin fingers on otherwise big hands). The Schmitz slip to a
very minor extent; I notice it if my hands are a bit sweaty in particular, but not enough it bothers me to the point I want to find other pliers (very minor gripe, but at this level, there's not much to complain about
). The Erem ergonomic versions do so as well to a bit greater extent (24xx series), as do the Lindstrom Rx series (about the same as Erem's).
At least in my hands, but YMMV (this is why I bought various brands as test units to try out to begin with
).
FWIW, Swanstrom's construction is effectively identical to Tronex, and are an excellent fit for me as well (extremely pleased with the
S512E I have). Based on street prices, they're a bit less expensive as well. Unfortunately, there aren't many sizes & styles that come up on eBay compared to Excelta rebrands of Tronex however (or their own Lazer Line series, which is produced for them by Tronex; slight differences from their own models, but it's extremely minor <finish & shape of grips>), so most of my preferred cutters are actually Tronex (bought a bunch of different cutters to see what I liked, and Tronex came out ahead of everyone else; thus far, all of them were acquired as rebrands from Excelta). Swanstrom is there too, but there's a limited number of profiles that come up on eBay (i.e. 510, 512, 610, 612, in either standard or ergonomic variants). Others come up from time to time, but it's not consistent IME. The basic models offered however, are rather usable for electronics.
FWIW, I usually go for the semi-flush (middle of the pack vs. beveled & full flush), as they make a cleaner cut than beveled, yet have a similar lifespan as a general rule (# of cycles you can actually get out of them).
In my case, I find the longer/ergonomic versions fit me better given my height and hands. Schmitz fits, as does Tronex's ergonomic versions (longer versions begins with a 7 for Tronex, shorter grip versions start with a 5; Excelta rebrands use an E). The Erem's I have are absolutely wonderful at cutting, but the ergonomic grips slip in my hands; not to the point they're unusable, but enough that it bothers me (keep having to reposition them in my hand). If I had it to do over again, I'd go for the foam grips. The Lindstrom Rx series also slip in my hands a bit (they're currently produced in Spain, and they're not to the same quality that the Swedish versions were).
They're usually under 6" in total length (extended ergonomic versions just barely come in under 6"), but will be quite sufficient. Meaning they'll fit your hands & cut the intended wire, assuming it's within it's wire gauge specs (be careful with steel leads; this is where I use a larger head size of cutter, as it can handle the steel leads of say resistors without breaking a sweat <i.e. easy to cut & the jaws don't knick in the process>). Meaning I don't have to search out the cutter's spec on steel/piano wire (Yes, I'm lazy
).
Pliers are weird. A short chain nose and long chain nose of about 4-1/2 to 6 inches long is about right. But finding one with slim jaws and with serrations can get dicey. I love the size and finish options of Knipex electronics pliers but not one of them have a serrated jaw option. I will have to look at their 26 model line to find something. And even then you get into differences that seem small but work big. The 140mm model long nose have nice proportions between handle and jaw length. Move up to 160mm and some of the jaws become well over two inches long which can get in the way inside control cabinets or similar enclosures. Finicky I know but it matters to me.
Schmitz serrated models from their online store (other profiles are available from
Amazon.de*, that would have an MOQ = 6 pieces if you ordered them directly from Schmitz).
- 4212HS22 (Short Snipe Nose, Serrated Jaws)
- 4412HS22 (Long Snipe Nose, Serrated Jaws)
FWIW, I've both of these, and am extremely satisfied.
I've a thin jaw needlenose (smooth jaw) I've not been able to replace with the suitable Schmitz serrated equivalent yet, as I don't want to order 6 of them (not tried Amazon.de; C.K. Tools or Bernstein
might be the easier means of locating them if I'm willing to pay double or more Schmitz's prices).
* Direct link to Schmitz products on Amazon.de.Hope this helps.
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