TEKTON Straight, Curved, Long Nose Locking Pliers Set (4-Piece)

just exactly what I needed

I compared these tools to some others that I have made by Stanley and the original Vise-Grip. These Tekton locking pliers have distinct advantages over the other products and no disadvantages that I discerned. The Tekton tools are as well made as the Stanley and Vise-Grip products with all of them having well machined jaws and properly fitting moving parts. The dimensions among the tools are very close to the same so for my purposes they are the same. The surface finish of the Tekton tools is a little nicer than the others, suggesting that the company is keen on producing a product with good fit and finish.The Tekton tools have significantly nicer knobs for adjusting and tightening the jaws. The Tekton knobs are longer and have a hole through them and those differences make it much easier to adjust the jaws turning them with my finger and also by enhancing the torque by putting a shaft through the holes. The longer knobs make it noticeably easier to grip and turn the jaws when these 4-point over center pliers are open. This is one of those improvements that I immediately noticed and liked as soon as I felt and saw it, but probably would not have suggested until I noticed how much nicer the Tekton tools are than the Stanley and Vise-Grip products. Another important advantage for the Tekton tools is the hole through the knob. A shaft, such as a hex wrench or a screw driver can go through the hole to greatly increase the torque that can be applied. The result is the ability to tighten the jaws using the knob, not just by squeezing the pliers until they go over center and snap down. Turning the knob with the jaws closed allows precise clamping force to be adjusted. The holes also contribute to the nicer feel when fingers grip the knobs.An advantage that the Tekton and Stanley tools share compared to the Vise-Grip tool is the release lever. The Vise-Grip release lever to unlock the clamped toot needs to be pushed toward the handle. That works but it is not nearly as convenient and easy as the gentle squeezing action on the release lever that is designed into the Tekton and Stanley tools. The release lever on the Stanley tool has a plastic coating that looks nice and the Tekton tool does not have the plastic coating. I like the uncoated Tekton lever better because the coating does not make the Stanley tool easier to use and I expect that the plastic coating will nick and cut and break down from the physical abuse that is inherent when these tools are jostled in the tool drawer that has pliers of various sorts and in the portable tool box. Although I did not expect something as basic as four point over center clamping pliers to have noticeable design improvements compared to the ones I have been using for decades the Tekton does sell a noticeably better product. I recommend it over the Stanley and Vise-Grip products that I also have.

This is a very good set of locking pliers. They are very heavy duty and well made. The different sizes are nice to have for different uses such as clamping stock for drilling or welding. They would also work well for tough to remove nuts and bolts. It would have been nice to have some sort of rubber or plastic grip on the larger pliers as they could get slippery and cold with just the bare metal.

These Tekton locking pliers are the best, very heavy duty and strong, should last a lifetime. These locking pliers are a great addition to my tool box. Four different sizes came in this package and are a perfect combination of sizes and functions. Keep them clean and put away when not using and they will last a lifetime. They work real easy and clamp very tightly to all surfaces.