Southwire 9″ Side Cutting Pliers
By Jim Nadeau on Electrical
Southwire 9″ Hi-Leverage Side Cutting Pliers Review
I’ve been using the same brand of pliers for over 15 years now. When I switched over to the Southwire 9″ Side Cutting Pliers it reminded of back then. Going into my senior year of high school I was working two jobs. One at the local hardware store and the other as an electrical apprentice. Naturally, I purchased all of my tools from the local hardware store that I worked at. On one occasion, I was using the pliers I had purchased from the hardware store and I was struggling to cut a 12-2 armored cable. One of the licensed electricians on the job site looked over at me, tossed me his pliers, and told me to use a real set of pliers. Mine were an 8” handyman special and his were a set of 9″ linesman pliers. Doesn’t sound like a lot but the leverage gained, especially with a tool that an electrician can’t live without, is tremendous.
Since that day, I have been using a set of Klein’s Linesman pliers, but over the years the price has gone up dramatically and their warranty on the blade has disappeared. Southwire’s 9” Linesman pliers are exactly what I have been looking for and I know many other electricians are too.
Comparison
There is no doubt in my mind that Southwire has tried to duplicate Klein’s Journeyman pliers and they have done a great job. The pliers are slightly larger but not noticeably and the grips feel slightly larger. I’m am curious to see how the cutting blade holds up, but so far it cuts through 10-32 bolts without a problem.
Features
- Comfortable and durable grips
- Outside file on the head for deburring conduits.
- Induction hardened cutting blades to hold up longer
- Able to crimp uninsulated connectors
- 9″ long which allows you to still have good leverage for cutting while still easily maneuver with one hand.
Summary
At $38 for the Southwire 9″ Side Cutting Pliers, I am getting a slightly better product at a much better price. I have been frustrated paying almost $60 for a set of linesman pliers for quite sometime. Until now there wasn’t an alternative. Look no more, because these pliers are just what electricians like me have been seeking!
Click here to purchase.