Knipex Cobra - VS - Irwin Groovelock
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 ต.ค. 2024
- Get the Knipex Cobras at Amazon -- www.amazon.com/...
Get the Irwin Groovelocks at Amazon -- www.amazon.com/...
Recently I did a full review on the Knipex Cobra Pliers, and there seems to be some confusion about the differences between them & the Irwin Groovelock Pliers. I decided to show you, rather than just write out a reply & even went down to Lowes to buy a brand new pair for comparison purposes.
The Knipex Cobras are one of, if not the most popular and well liked self locking pliers on the market today. They work extremely well, and they perform where others fail.
The Irwin Groovelock pliers do look similar to the Cobras, but there are many differences that make the two completely different in real world applications. In this video I will show you exactly what my thoughts are on them, and why I do not think that they are the same.
Check out the video to see the two pliers for yourself!
:)
My dad bought me a 3 piece set of cobras when I started my Electrical apprenticeship. I had no idea how good they were when got them. 5 years later, they are still working great. And they have been used HARD. I didn't know how valuable they were at first so I abused them, they were my improvised hammer and prybar as well as pliers. Absolutely fantastic tools.
I had Cobras for about 5 years and they really started showing wear and tear--smashed teeth and slippage. I guess I used mine HARDer? I love the design and ingenuity and will buy them again, but the market is getting more and more brands every year with similar features. Just a matter of time before the King's taken out.
@@lampoyo 🤡
I've had my irwins for almost 2 years now. I'm a maintenance supervisor and they have worked great. The groups slid off and I had to glue them but they are good for the price. I have knipex pliers wrench and freaking love it. I personally use my pliers for all kinds of work clean and dirty. If I had knipex I'd cringe everytime I had to use them on something rusty like toilet bolts or something.
The hardened Knipex vs the Irwin damaged teeth shows in one quick image why it’s worth paying more for the Knipex.
My favorite and most used Knipex is the 6" pliers wrench. Use it almost every day.
Knipex are the ONLY way to go! After thirty years of using them, nothing else compares!
The metallurgy and build quality of Knipex is unmatched
Been using those Irwin ones for a year or so, and I agree with everything you've shown. The width of the jaws has prevented me from getting onto a nut/etc without damaging something else, or simply not being able to access it at all. Plus, the teeth on mine are about twice as worn as the one you show, and really do not *grab* anything anymore. Time to fork some more dough towards a Knipex upgrade!
Irwin to loan brother-in-law, Knipex for your own projects.
No, no, no... Never, ever loan tools. Cheap or not. Period. ;)
upside downdog ......screw that. He can get my Harbor Freight Quinn pliers if he is lucky AND I am in a good mood that day. LOL!!!!
All of my friends "why you buy all the tools man why waste all the money?"
Same friends later "hey man can i borrow the drill need to install curtain rods"
@@SuperPaulmax
Nothing is more dis respectable to me than someone assuming I will loan my tools just because they need them. Those kind of folks have no concept of returning a borrowed item better than you recieved it.
@@upsidedowndog1256 I rarely lend them any tools if I have some down time I go do it myself atleast I know nobody is misusing my tools and sleep easy at night.
I own and use both pliers. I like the vise grips. I love the knipex. The knipex are lighter slimmer and just feel better in my hands.
Very glad i watched this. Thank you everyone in participating in order to make these type of videos possible.
Michael McNeil Thanks Michael! I am glad I could help!
I have Knipex that I had for years and they are my go to pliers. The reason I love them is just what you said, they have a narrow jaw that gets in places other pliers never will and they bite down like nothing else. Knipex all the way
Once you go Knipex, you don't go back
Brett B I think you are right :)
for that price, no.
im not a pro I just use them for routine home maintenance and love them
Amen
I completely agree I use my knipex before I grab my pipe wrench lol these things are completely bad ass, try the knipex dikes I havent come across anything they wouldnt cut
For me, the Knipex Cobra won hands down like no other when I successfully backed a 3" deck screw with a stripped screw head out of a green treated joist. For someone who has tried them all in this situation, that is some serious bite.
I have used both so here is my take. The Knipex is forged steel with a thin plastic covering which gives a slight flex to the tool. You can "feel" the tool bite what you're gripping not the other "dead" Handel. Getting feedback through the tool is important to prevent knuckle-busting slippage. Own the Knipex and loan the Irwin.
ever since I bough my first knipex product I haven't bought any other if knipex has it.
I have a German friend and asked him why German tools have such a high quality and he's answer was that German population has always had the mentality of buy once and buy for life and this reflects on all of German made products. and is why a lot of the cheap China products don't make it to Germany ifyou guys don't believe me you guys should search why walmart didn't make it in Germany.
this is a something that we have lost in the U.S
that's why we get soo ooh much low qualoty products from other country's
That's a valid statement, I concur.
Sooooo, I'm assuming there is no Harbor Freight Tools in Germany? 😉
I buy with the same mentality. I love Knipex. I also love Milwaukee. Same ideals.
@@Shawnbfromsd look into Hilti. 20 year warranty is no joke.
@@IHTENUBZ Lichtensteinian brand.
I've owned Knipex for a long time and the cobras are the best in their class. I've used them daily for years and they still perform as new. Most everything irwin makes is just Chinese pot metal junk.
Someone told me a long time ago that you can’t afford to go cheap. It did take some time to realize how right he was. Knipex are fantastic quality and IMHO worth every cent
Tool guy, you are very good at fairly explaining all of the pros and cons. Your videos are great, keep em coming!!! Thanks.
Thanks David!
i refill nitrogen tanks in confined spaces, Irwin's slip all day, creating a dangerous work environment in my field (on older units i work on), knipex literally save my life (in extreme conditions) and give me piece of mind knowing my tool will preform.
I just ordered a pair of Knipex pliers off of Amazon I’ve never used them before thought I would try them out I ordered the 10 inch Alligator ones for $28.00 my brother in law uses the Alligator ones.
Can’t beat Knipex. Most used hand tool in life my old Knipex channel locks. If I ever lost them I’d be heart broken. Life long tools. Irwin are like the throw away brushes Knipex is a 50yr or 100yr. Purdy. Cool review.
i can do pull ups on a pipe with my knipex and the teeth are still in perfect condition
Mitchell Nola Nice! That would have been cool to show in the video! :)
Knipex should do that in their ads for the cobras.
You should do a review of the CHANNELLOCK griplock pliers. I have both the knipex and channellock. I keep a pair of the channellock in my car. They seem to be of decent quality. Not knipex, but definitely great for the home owner.
+Jordan Booth "Channellock" is first class.They are overkill for home owners,but they are worth every penny!
I know a lot of homeowners who own Channellock. They're of way better quality than Stanley, tekton, etc, but channellocks price point on their pliers isn't that much more expensive than other China brands unless you go to harbor freight of course. Not saying channellock is home owner quality. I was just saying homeowners can afford them too. Which is great!
Not at all overkill for homeowner or DIYer, Knipex might be overkill but Channellock are perfectly reasonable.
I have 2 pairs of the Irwins and they work great. Trying to free seized up exhaust manifold bolts with any channel lock style pliers is going to chew them up, even the Knipex. Perhaps the heads on the were stripped and that's why you chose to use them, I don't know. I usually take a torch to them first and try my luck with an impact wrench or rachet. The wider jaw footprint is better for turning pipe also. The thinner heads will crimp the pipe.
John Scott wrong, I've been using my knipex pliers for 6 years and the teeth look fine, I have both of these brands and from first hand experience knipex is far superior to the Irwin ones in almost every way. Used my Irwin pliers maybe 6 times and the teeth are pretty much flat ive used my knipex thousands of times and they still bite just fine
John Scott exactly...!
I work mostly as a handyman & have both of these tools. My go-to tool for most all plumbing applications are the Irwins hands down. Bought the two pack combo pack from Lowes (10" & 6") & use them all the time.
@@mr.bigbrownbass9089 Why do you prefer the Irwins?
Ya its pretty damn stupid to used pliers for seized exhaust manifold studs. Thats what stud removers or extractors are for. Im sure the knipex would have damaged the teeth as well. Maybe not as much as the irwins, but still would have got damaged. Dont be stupid, use the right tool for the job and don't use the wrong tool for the job and you wont have problems. I have all 4 or 5 of the irwin ones. Theuly work great for me. I dont make them do stuff i know they arent going to do or made to do and they have been holding up just fine for me. Yes im sure the cobras are better, but i have no problems w the irwins using them properly.
Your snow shoe analogy works to show that your less likely to strip or damage your fastener or nut with the wider irwins. The downside of that is they are thicker and blockier so they won't fit into as tight of spaces
Interesting, I didn't figure the Knipex pliar line was considered "consumable". Excellent video as always!
Sears has knipex on sale all the time. I got my ten inch cobra pliers for twenty dollars, ten inch pliers wrench for thirty dollars
What?????? No way. Will definitely look into it.
Woot
After watching this video I actually sold the groovelocks I had just bought and got some of the Knipex (err...craftsman) instead. Glad I did.
Daniel Patterson Haha nice :)
Another channel was showing tool deals this month and one of them was a complete set of Irwin pliers that included three sizes of the Knipex knock-off pliers for $60 on Amazon (ironically, none of the pliers were actual Vice-Grips even though the entire set was the Irwin Vice-Grip name). After watching this, I'm glad I skipped that deal, would probably have to buy two sets just to get any use out of them seeing how the teeth wear down so badly.
For $20 at lowes you get 8" & 10" visegrip channel locks. Design for me as an electrician tightening couplings/circe objects all day i love these. When i make more money I'll Definetly go knipex lol
Totally dig the snow shoe analogy lol I was thinking of the same thing
Thanks for the comparison.
I got the Cobras after the last video, only used them once, worked great.
Andre juneau Nice! I am glad they worked out for you Andre.....thanks for commenting :)
Hi guys! ... As a german
I'll try now to explain you Americans how KNIPEX is correct pronounced.
In Germany, almost all letters of a Word are pronounced.
I know, you didn't. For example "Fort Knox". You speak it out as "Fort Nox".
So,... NIPEX is wrong! In German Language are always "what you see is what you get". ... Say KNIPEX , first with an "K" and
in the middel with an "i" like Illinois. ... And keep in Mind! ... The Germans make the things that comes in the things that
comes in the things! ... :-) ... Nice conversation here. :-) ... Best regards
Werner Lampe so you say it like "kipex"?
wades623 Hi wades623, ... yes, but don't forget the "n". ... Please say "K" "N" "I" "P" "E" "X". And the "i" in the middle like the first "i" in the Word "Illinois". ;-)
Werner Lampe who won the war?
Mookey The Pimp Thompson : ... OK, ... that was not the best comment of your life, but no problem for me. ... I'm sure you are basically a nice guy. ... God bless you
As much as I dislike Germans, I must admit, it was an unbelievable act of courage, strength and innovation, that ONE country was able to wrest with the rest of the world for nearly 6 years. By the way, your NASA rocket program was initially directed by who?
1 broader head on Irwin. Might be an advantage. More grip area versus higher grip pressure. Needs test on specific material to know which is better for a specific purpose.
2. Longer head reach on Irwin: Might be better in some applications and worse in others but probably usually won't matter.
3. Knipex opens a bit wider: Sort of, but I doubt that pliers work very well unless jaws are close to parallel and if the maximum opening with the jaws parallel looks like it might be about the same.
4. Smaller opening on Knipex pliers when the jaws are closed: Might be a disadvantage. Normally small fasteners don't need much grip force, so the outer part of the jaws is all that is necessary. The larger opening on the Irwin might grip better on larger fasteners where more grip is needed.
5. Knipex has a replaceable part: Mostly only significant because Knipex are expensive. If the Irwin fails you can just buy another one without much pain. Also maybe the permanent nature of the Irwin connection for that part is more reliable than with the Knipex approach.
6. Harder jaws on Knipex: If this is true, not much of everything referenced in this video matters. If gripping metal is the issue. Soft jaws grip poorly on iron pipe and even more poorly on harder metal. I presume harder jaws not only grip better they also last longer. But I'd like to see some objective testing before I believe that the Knipex jaws are harder.
Buy some. Then come back and sing your song.
Right!?! Who the hell is ever going to use pliers fully open like that? Put them on the last setting and close them like they are supposed to be used. That was just a stupid thing to show. And using pliers on a rusted seized exhaust manifold stud...just shows his real knowledge of tools and what to use when. Im sure the knipex would have got damaged doing that too. Use the tools for what they are meant for and they will work and hold up fine. Abuse them and use them for things they cant do and they will get damaged. Notice he used the irwins and when that didnt work he cut it and drilled it instead of using the knipex. Im not saying the irwins are better, i bet the knipex are a bit better, but use your tools properly and they will last longer. Dont say they don't last because you're not using them properly
Fantastic review. Glad we didn't have to hear about what you think of the colour or what season it was when you ordered them. Technical, precise, and to the point. And the gripping property you were referring to near the beginning would be 'clamping pressure' of which the Knipex has more. Thanks for costing me $60 and a trip to return the vice grips. I was in an auto parts store in Germany and was a fool enough to not buy a pair.
See ProjectFarm vid comparing 16 different brands. The Irwin's with their much wider jaws had far and away more clamping pressure than all the others. Still, overall the Knipex is still king. though.
Love your reviews. The best tool reviews on youtube.
Decent review, but he is incorrect at the 6:19 when he says Knipex is in excellent condition but in reality you can easily see the small roundings at the center teeths (those shiny bare metal parts at the outer edges). So they were showing some marks of usage after all.
It's like snap on wrenches vs Craftsman wrenches. They'll do the same job (in theory), but the quality is incomparable.
I've never seen anything better than Knipex. It's almost not even worth making comparison videos because no one else makes the kind of tool knipex does. The price is worth every penny
Baahby Joe I 100% agree
I do industrial hvac and every single set of Knipex I have ever owned last years and years and years and I do not fear rounding any bolt busting my knuckles or not being able to back out a stripped off thread bad.
Knipex hands down has the best made pair of pliers tongue and groove or adjustable ever made even in 2020.
I believe these will hands down be the best pliers made even 20 years from now.
Bought my pair of Irwin 8" to throw in my car, but after this video and seeing the wear and tear on them versus the Knipex, I've changed my mind
I'm a heavy equipment mechanic and I use knipex cobra pliers a lot . I prefer knipex just because they are thinner, they are very durable as well .
dave0z96 Thanks Dave! I agree!
I have the irwin set, and I use them all the time. Yeah knipex is much better quality, but the irwin pliers work great.
The cobras are better. The Irwin are good though. I've been using the 12 inch Irwins on my job for several years, maybe 7 or 8 years now, but when I need to replace them it'll be with cobras.
I started with a 7 inch cobra for use with riser clamps / setting ready rods but now i have the 5&12" cobras and the 10" wrench plier... gonna catch them all.... eventually
You do great reviews young man👍🏻👍🏻
Proper heat treating is critical on all toolls. Gotta heat entire work area and instant oil bath. Great job
I have both tools. And I am a man thay will spend the money where it is due. You cannot bend the Knipex steel. That in itself sells the product however I do know that the Knipex tools have features that are ahead of the pack for innovation. Knipex all day, all night. Thank you for this helpful and entertaining video.
I know this is an old review but I wanted to make a comment. I have to disagree with your force analogy. Wider jaws will spread the clamping force but the effective clamping force will be identical. The wider jaws of the irwin pliers are less likely to dig in which may be good or bad depending g on the job. That being said. I love my craftsman knipex!
Glad to hear you like them! 👍
I recently purchased knipex 7" and 10" cobras. They are awesome. The smaller 125 mm cobra seems great to have in motorcycle emergency toolkit. Video is great.
Anurag Ranjan Thanks! And you are lucky to have those sizes....all I have is the 10" version, but have seen the rest in person. Funny thing....even the 5" version will lock onto that test stand and support my weight just like the 10" version. The Cobras are in a class all their own.
Not buying the small = better. Sometimes yes, sometimes no.
Not buying wide opening difference. You reach a point where you need bigger plier slong before the jaws are all the way out.
Not buying replace spring. Replace tool. Irwin for the win since it is not exposed on the side of the tool.
Not buying exchange criteria. Bring an Irwin into my local hardware and exchange. No fuss, no interrogation.
Hand comfort. Changed up all my pliers to Irwin- arthritis. World of difference.
Lastly, price, price, price. They are pliers for crying out loud. I have a laundry list of tooling and equipment I need. A 7 piece set of Irwins 6" to 24" cost 205 dollar. A seven piece Knipex set 4" to 22" is 550 dollars. I'll suffer through keeping 300 and change in my pocket.
Brilliant points. Knipex is different, not necessarily better. I would believe that the Knipex has stronger metal though for more frequent use.
The only 3 brands I own and use are Channellock, Knipex, & SK. I love all 3 brands, all are high quality.
Ive had the 10 and 8 inch irwins for about 6 years. Only complaint is obviously they are bulky, the rust doesnt help the sliding mechanism and you end up having to push the button to adjust both ways anyway
Craftsman has renamed kinipex pliers would like to see a comparison
This was one of the best reviews I've seen. Very impressed with the detailed analysis! Subscribed!
The reason the Irwins are thick is to compensate for inferior grade metal. I knew nothing about vise grips but decided to get a Knipex on the advice of RV owners, for my new RV, and found them to be far superior to all others available. They are pricey, but no regrets.
i have 2 10" vice grips and one of them is just starting to slip. never had any problems till now (3 years). (i mainly use them is pipe wrench replecements). im going to try wihas version next
use the concept of PRESSURE =force per area as a better explanation! thanks for the vid
The Knipex Cobra with the Quickset(newest) actually costs actually the same as the Irwin Groovelock, at least in germany. I just checked the US Amazon site and the price is also almost the same
I think you may have been looking at the wrong thing. Knipex are about 3 times the price of Irwin on Amazon. Worth every penny though.
Great review! I never considered the Irwins, not into China quality tools, Knipex are great, as are VBW pliers also Made In Germany.
lekkousa Thanks! I really like the Knipex lineup of pliers....definitely top-notch!
Just a note on gripping small nuts ect. You can always use the section of jaws closest to the body of the pliers.
+dannymaciejewski Yes....thanks!
Are the Irwin's good for learning plumbing, Or should I jump right into knipex?
Pliers are still new to me
Go for the knipex mate. Better heat treat on the jaws. More compact and stream line, quality tool. A plumbers mutigrips are his swag. Save up and get em 👍🏻
@@dannymaciejewski
Thank you so much for responding.
Would you also recommend the Knipex pliers with the smooth parallel jaws? They are saying that the smooth jaws are good for fittings.
@@badger3184yes the smooth jaw “pliers wrench” are awesome too especially for maintenance. They dont scratch the fittings etc and you can hold a fitting securely gripped in one hand unlike with shifters.
I find shifter jaws to always loose their size setting which is annoying.
Ive got 150’s, 180’s (use the most), 260’s and 300’s all in smooth jaw. Then ive got the whole range in the cobras right up to the massive 500 or so mm ones! I use those for tightening tap handle buttons 😉
The difference is design, metalurgy, heat treatment and overall quality. Pay the extra you will be happier in the end. I also note that the tools in every second irwin display i see in hardware stores have failed.
labrat7357 Bingo! :)
My first pair that I just misplaced god knows where lasted fifteen years with very little wear. Just bought the above with the insulated handle because I seldom shut off the electricity when making minor repairs or installations. Once you own a pair, you will never buy a cheaper brand. Worth every penny and then some. These are omg pliers. If you have a decent grip, you can remove anything.
Not mentioned and BIG negatives are that the Irwin Vise Grips RUST very quickly and more than "skin deep". They are also nearly impossible to CLEAN - cannot get the typical black oil/grease off of those pretty yellow & blue handles.
I'm throwing out all of my large collection of Irwin Vise Grips tomorrow upon arrival of my new Knipex collection I ordered. (about $500 worth) I want CLEAN good tools.
I had the opportunity to visit their factory and even have lunch with the CEO (in the cantine ;)) several years ago. What I can tell you is that their design and manufacturing processes are amazing!
They have the best plier in the whole world.
Fun fact: In the same city, you can find Stahlwille, Wera and Knipex.
topdavid Nice! Lucky you :) I hope to be able to see their factory one day, I have seen videos & it looks pretty amazing.
In the same area, in other cities nearby like Remscheid and Solingen, you'll also find many other well-reputated tool manufacturers like Dowidat, Gedore, Hazet. Solingen is also the most important place in Germany for manufacturing of cutlery, the German Sheffield.
knipex tools seem to be very durable&reliable. also have a nice light weight, feel, and balance. however, I don't like how knipex tools feel loosely bound. they seem to be more "jiggly" then other similarly priced competitors.
Name one similarly priced competitor, please.
I’ve always just went with channel lock But I’m thinking about trying knipex pliers as a back up thanks for the info.
I have been using these types of grips for 55 years, believe me stick with channel lock.
My 12inch knipex cobras I've had for 6 years are quite warn on the teeth. I also have a 6inch pair of irwins that I've had for the last 5 years that also show about the same amount of wear. I'm my opinion that are both good however, like you said the width and profile of the head on the Irwin has kept me away from the larger models.
Thanks ... you should point out the weight of each.
I'm the CEO of Irwin Tools. I'm so sorry that our pliers are so shitty.
Sincerely,
Bruce Irwin
I found out about Knipex 25 years ago. There is no substitute.
Just curious. Since you had your Knipex Cobra right their beside you,and the Irwins failed Why did you resort to grinding off your exhaust manifold stud,and not just switch to your cobras? Just courious. Also as far as the pronunciation I think I would say Kipex with a silent N Ki-pex??
Have you ever used Craftsman 9-45433 7 and 10-Inch Adjustable Pliers 2 Pieces. They look and fill like knipex. Some say there made in same place and are under $45 for both.
Ethan Stacy Yep, they are the same......just rebranded for Craftsman. Good eye!
Knipex makes the best pliers in the world. No questions asked
Full of bologna, I don’t care for Irwin but I have 2 types of their hose pliers and after years of heavy industrial use their still near mint, very good. I have the knipex also and tend to use them less. Skinny is good when skinny is needed but skinny eats fasteners, dents pipe and tubing. Their both very good except you can but 3 to 5 Irwin for 1 knipex. As for not being good for small fasteners- that’s ridiculous you just use the front jaw, why would you need to hunker down on a 10-32 bolt with the knot he jaw?
KNIPEX are a lot more expensive than Irwin, but in the long run you get what you pay for. I've had my Cobra set for many years, and they are hands down the bomb!!!
Knipex makes a pair for Matco tools with a blue button.You can put it in a tight spot and pull up on one handle.I do have a pair of these and are awesome pliers.It is shown on Matco's youtube channel
wafrederick Nice! I will check out it...thanks!
Excellent Review!!! I have two pair of Knipex Cobra pliers, which I use daily for my work as an Heavy Industrial service tech. I love them, but after heavy use for about 5 years, the teeth are becoming worn. So I was going to replace them when I saw the Irwin Groovelock. I was not sure how well they would work or last, and your video has superb details which has helped me decide to stay with Knipex. Thank You and keep up the excellent reviews. Steve K.
+sklecanda Thanks! They saved me again today....Cobras are by far some of the best pliers ever invented!
fact is you need both wide and thin type sooner or later
this is why we all collect tools constantly
not one tool does it all
i got both tools and many other slip joint type pliers and never got enough
Like you, I bought a pair of the Irwins when I lost a pair of my Knipex pumps. To this day, I haven't used the Irwins. They are just way to big and bulky. The Cobras, as you stated, are much thinner and have a better feel , can get into confined spaces that the big bulky Irwins. Its the quality of steel that makes the difference. One thing you said about the snowshoe simile, a smaller footprint applies more force. This is not accurate. It applies the same force only spread across a larger area. Imagine if you will trying to rotate a shaft made of something soft like a very thin copper tube. The wider footprint won't distort the tubing and may be able to apply greater torque / rotational force on it, where the smaller footprint may require more squeezing force to apply torque. In all, I think it just boils down to the task at hand. For instance, I only buy 6pt sockets because they have less tendency to round off a nut than a 12 point will. BUT, I occasionly bump into a square head that requires an 8 point or twelve point so, of course I opt for the 8. We all love it when we have that alternate tool we can use to make our jobs easier or even do-able..
Great video. I am only bothered by the pronunciation of Knipex.
Herbert Newby absolutely agree!. My buddy has been using their tools for years. He said it's similar to the controversy of lay people who mispronounce Porsche as something you stand on to wave at the neighbor..
He said the tool vendor said it is pronounced without the "k" sound, as "NIP-x".
@@charlescho We don't pronounce the K in America. Well maybe Gary Gnu would but then he was in Space.
@@charlescho no he didn't, it's "Kee-nipixs"
I wanna stab my self with the Ka-Nife. 🔪
I have to disagree with you on this one. They aren't in different leagues , they just have different uses. I own a few sets of both and the knipex are great for small fasteners. I've found that the groves are closer together so they line up funky on bigger bolts. The Erwin are much more useful if you are working with larger fasteners or pipe. Lastly, the push button is on the Erwins is better for putting in a tool bag or pouch.
Recently bought a Knipex Cobra 10" and must say I am surprised at how high quality they are! In the past I looked at the Irwin Groovelock pliers and did not like them because they were bulky, unbalanced and the spring release looked like it was weak and it was difficult to work! Knipex with the cobra model solved all the problems I had with this tool. I think Cobra might be the new name in water pump pliers for years I always regarded Channel Lock as king but it is now King Cobra!
+melaniew77msn Nice! Once you go Knipex...you dont go back :)
I was sold on the Knipex Cobras after viewing your previous demonstration. It looks as if the Irwins were heat treated by someone using a bic lighter while they were standing outside the manufacturing plant on a smoke break.
Mike L. Thanks Mike! Haha...a Bic Lighter....nice ;)
I DO HAVE THE KNIPEX COBRA, EXACTLY 💯 THIS SIZE, AND I DEFINITELY LOVE THIS TOOL 🔧 😄 !!!
I WILL NOT DESCRIBE IT AS YOU DID IT PERFECTLY IN YOUR VIDEO, BUT I WILL JUST CONFIRM THAT THIS TOOL IS GREAT 👍
THANKS A LOT FOR THIS REVIEW !!!
Thanks for the review, I own the Irwin and they are great but the main thing i dont like about them and that´s why I want to buy the cobras, Its when you fail to hold the fastner the irwin close all the way down and it smash your hand palm, may I ask your opinion about the milwaukee groovejoint electrician pliers are they near knipex or more like the irwin? thanks
battleminion I looked at the Milwaukee ones today at Home Depot when I stopped by earlier....they definitely look like the are specifically geared towards electricians, since they have the reaming feature & unique head design. I would say that the jaws are very similar to the Groovelocks, and the adjuster button is closer to the Knipex. I dont think they would be as ideal as the Cobras for automotive work....but for electrical they look like a winner.
Thanks for your opinion, more part of my job its electrical so i will go for the milwaukee first and after that i will buy the cobras
Just got my first pair of knipex cobras and I love them
I had two Erwins broke the button on both. Switched never had an issue.
Interesting that you left out the magic locking feature in the Knipex that you showed in your review of them. One could speculate that the reason is as simple as the fact that the Irwin Groovelock pliers do not have such a feature therefore no need for a comparison. I will take it a step further though and say it's probably because whatever evil sorcery that was involved in the magic locking feature had worn off and was no longer available. I'm telling you man, i've tried multiple different fasteners and the Knipex pliers won't hold onto jack squat for me. You either tell me the secret or i'm getting my broom, Sir! Thank you for uploading!
Robert Johnson No broom!! haha.....if you are having issues with them clamping down and locking into place, it is most likely because the jaws are too loose. I suggest trying again, with them engaged a notch or two tighter...that should fix your problem with them. It took a bit of trial and error for me to get things right when I first used them also.
Knipex pliers are a great pliers; better than other similar pliers, but.......versus a stillson; sweden pattern; english wrench or vise-grip pressure type pliers; you will aply double force to use it. -You will need apply hand force to closeand mantain these pliers firmly over nuts or tubes; and aditionaly appy force to turn the tool. - When you use Stillson; English or Self adjust wrenches, you only apply force to turn the wrench left or right. That its the handycap from pliers vs wrenches. -The bite of "Alligator" pliers are better than "Cobra" pliers; both are excellent; better than competitors but they need apply double energy to do the work vs wrenches as sweeden pattern; stillson and self adjust hook wrenches,
I bought a set of the 10" Irwin pliers. The mechanism stripped out the first time I really tried to put some force on it. I'm not exactly a 200lb gorilla. I picked up a set of Cobras and never looked back. That will be the last Irwin tool I ever buy.
The metal quality is a biggest difference .My Knipex Cobra gripping teeth still sharp after 5 years of almost daily use and I can't say that about any American brand even when they marked as Made In US.
Lifetime warranty is only as good as parts availability. One of my 25-year-old Irwin QuickGrip clamps was feeble -- just couldn't grip as tight as the others. I opened it up and discovered it has only one locking plate, instead of two. I ignored the thing for several years, but decided to see whether Irwin would send me a locking plate a few weeks go. Nope. They told me (rather smugly) they stopped making that model clamp 20 years ago. I guess 20 years is beyond lifetime.
Have both and the difference is that the Cobras are thinner , the teeth are better and stay sharp for better grip. And the Cobras open a bit more. The Cobras are a stronger metal . The Irwin with time the plastic grips come loose and slip off wich is a safety issue when applying a great force. The Knipex are a much strong safer and reliable choice and fit in tighter spots.
Mine first Knipex are over 20 yeas and as new, ore almost (a little rusty now), best tools are those last longest. and dou't damage what you are to fasten ore loosen .....My best to All....keep on "skruing" ;-)
Very good analysis. HOWEVER, I am sitting her holding the 8-inch version of those Knipex and Irwin tools. With this size, the Irwin opens very slightly larger. Perhaps one millimeter larger than the Knipex.
Maybe they changed something...
I own both. I have used both. I prefer the Irwin.
I prefer the ALLIGATORS over both of these pliers though.
Why do you prefer the Alligator models?
craftsman had knipex make the 10" and 6" cobras for the craftsman line, I own several pairs of the craftsman versions in both sizes. My son has the actual knipex 10" cobras. I like the craftsman version better but they are the pinnacle of water pump style plier in either version. sadly craftsman stopped the licensing agreement in their fall from grace.
EXCELLENT REVIEW. I LOVE THE KNIPEX TOOLS. I HAVE BOTH THE KNIPEX COBRAS AND THE CRAFTSMAN VERSION MADE BY KNIPEX FOR THEM. EXCELLENT TOOL.
Emin HVAC Thanks Emin!
Is it normal for a Knipex Cobra plier to have jaws that when closed do not align?
In other words, do the jaws of a Knipex Cobra Waterpump plier close straight or are they suppossed to have side play to them?
I have two "Channellock" pliers,420 and 442 models.I think they are 10",and 12",and I have them for more then 10 years.They are worth every penny.Yes,when you see diference in price between Chinese junk,and "Channellock",you have to think,is it worth it?Yes,it is,how many times in your life you going to buy those kind of pliers?"Channellock" will most likely last forever.I will buy "Knipex",some day.People in North America is so used to buying cheap crap,they don't even know what is good stuff.You can't have something,for nothing!