Where other pliers are specialists, slip joints are generalists. They may not beat other pliers at specific tasks or jobs, but they are one of the most useful and versatile tools you can have lying around to twist, tighten, pull or grip as well as a myriad of other household tasks. The advantage of these pliers is that they have a pivot that can adjust its jaw size, allowing you to work with objects of varying sizes.
We researched different surprising ways tool lovers use slip-joints to provide some extra inspo:
- As a nutcracker (specifically for walnuts)
- De-bearding mussels before cooking
- Husking corn hot off the grill
- Ripping tape off of cardboard boxes
- As a makeshift pry bar
- Tweezers or forceps in a pinch
- Pulling stuff out of boiling water (like canning jars)
- Opening bottle tops and stubborn lids
- Picking up dirty diapers (?!)
If those aren't enough to convince you, American World War II veteran and Olympic distance runner Louis Zamperini killed a shark with a pair of slip-joint pliers while he was floating in a lifeboat in the Pacific after being shot down by Japanese Bombers. Literally, use them for ANYTHING.
A brand called Channellock in Meadville, PA makes these pliers. The company began in 1886 when a blacksmith from Evansburg, PA began hand-forging farrier's tools and selling them from town to town out of the back of a wagon. He would spend the Winter forging tools, load up his wagon in the Spring and set out selling his tools. When he ran out of tools, he would sell the wagon and buy a train ticket home to Evansburg. His fifth-generation descendants continue to manage the company, with everything still made in America. Channellock is synonymous with enduring quality, considered to be among the best.
Details: Size = 8-Inch | Weight = 7 oz | Made of Stainless Steel