Comparing snap ring pliers at work made me realize I was doing it wrong

Last month I was wrestling with a stubborn C-clip on a 737 flap carriage using the cheap flip-style pliers from the parts drawer. My coworker handed me his knipex set and I got the ring off in about 20 seconds flat. The difference was night and day - the old ones kept slipping and I nearly lost the ring into the wing gap twice. I ended up spending $45 on my own pair after that shift and it's saved me at least 2 hours of frustration on the last 3 jobs. Has anyone else switched brands on a basic tool and seen that big of a difference for everyday work?

3 comments

3 Comments

murphy.blair2mo ago

it's saved me at least 2 hours of frustration" - oh man, I felt that in my soul. I had the exact same thing happen with my old wire cutters. I was using this cheap pair that kept leaving half-stripped wires and nicked insulation. Finally grabbed a pair of Klein's at a supply house and it was like going from a butter knife to a scalpel. Now I actually look forward to wire stripping jobs instead of dreading them. Funny how the right tool turns a pain in the ass into something you can knock out in a few minutes.

the_ryan1mo ago

Saved me at least 2 hours of frustration" - man, I feel like I should get that tattooed on my forehead after some of my DIY disasters. I once spent a whole Saturday trying to strip speaker wire with a pair of rusty scissors because I was too cheap to buy actual strippers. Ended up with a pile of chewed up copper and a wire that looked like a squirrel got to it. By the time I gave up and drove to the hardware store, I could have just paid a professional to do the whole job. So yeah, I'm with you on the right tool thing. It's like I have to learn this lesson every single time the hard way.

jadew632mo ago

Wire cutters that leave nicked insulation" - umm actually you're describing wire strippers not cutters.