Gearwrench has recently come out with new PivotForce compound action cutters and pliers. The new PivotForce line includes 8″ diagonal cutters (82120), 8″ long-nose pliers (82121) and a 2-piece set (82124).
The new pliers and cutters feature a compound-action design that reduces the amount of effort needed to make a cut by 40%. Easier cutting effort typically translates to less hand fatigue as well.
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The forged steel pliers are finished with an anti-rust coating and easy-clean dipped handle grips. Cutting blades are induction hardened for long life. Maximum cutting capacity is 12 AWG wire, presumably copper wire.
There’s no information saying these cutters could be used on harder materials, such as piano wire, but there’s also no warning against such use.
Pricing is pretty reasonable, at ~$18-22 for the individual tools and ~$34-38 for the 2pc set.
Here is a quick 2-minute Gearwrench promo video featuring their new PivotForce cutters:
Buy Now(via Amazon)
More Info(via Gearwrench)
These new compound pliers remind me of the NWS Fantastico cutters I own and the Knipex TwinForce high leverage cutters that I have used in the past. These Gearwrench cutters are more similar in operation to the NWS cutters I favor than the Knipex TwinForce cutters that I don’t.
Here’s a long discussion about my NWS pliers, starting with the compound leverage cutters:
Gearwrench sent over a test sample of the PivotForce cutters, and I like the way they work. They are claimed to reduce cutting effort by 40%, and while I cannot measure this, it does feel like they’re easier to use than standard non-compound 8″ diagonal cutters.
What surprises me is that these pliers are nicely priced at a ~$20 price point.
I should remind you that, because of the compound action design, the handles spread further than with non-compound pivot pliers. This means that these pliers might not be your first choice for working in tighter areas. The greater handle spread is typically a small price to pay for greater leverage and reduced effort the compound pivot design provides.
Thus far I’m liking the new PivotForce cutters, but more testing is necessary before I can give them the ToolGuyd seal of approval. Right now I am very optimistic and can’t see my impression changing unless the cutters magically self-destruct or dull after 10 more cuts.
Alejandro Salgado
I look and sound.
Alejandro Salgado
lol they look and sound promising.
mike foley
Being in the pliers space with my own products, I am blown away when I see such beautiful finishing details on a couple of tools like these! How does a small business find the kind of factory that can make such a handsome tool (with great new features) and get it priced for retail at $18-22 bucks! Wow! If I can partner up with these guys my whole family of demolition and nail pulling tools could be in the big boxes. Just saying’…..
Stan
Easy, I bet these are either made in Taiwan or China. These are cheaper than Knipex for example because of the materials used.
jesse
What do you mean by ‘small business’? Apex Tool Group is a good sized company.
Max
Nice Pliers at a great value! Do they come with opening spring?
Stuart
No, there’s no spring.
skfarmer
that looks like a well done tool. i don’t think i would be ashamed to have those in my tool box. a far better tool than some new whiz bang universal gator grip type socket or roto head yankee driver ratchet.
John Blair
With the specifications saying 12 gauge wire, I am guessing that is just wrong or for steel wire. Copper wire isn’t very hard. Non leveraged 6″ cutters will cut 10 gauge copper wire easily. In the video at about 30 seconds they say, “Cut heavy gauge wire…”
The one fatal flaw for me is the “professional grade dipped handles” don’t go up high enough for electrical work. In nearly every video shot, some part of the hand is touching an uninsulated portion of the tool.
skfarmer
i don’t get the “fatal flaw”. i didn’t see these promoted as being rated for high voltage electrical work. they do not look like insulated high voltage tools and if they are not used for high voltage electrical work there is no issue there.
i see more of a “fatal flaw” in that many pliers having an exaggerated thick handle that makes it (falsely)appear like tools that are rated for high voltage when in fact they are nothing more than thick handle that offer little or no protection from high voltage.
Stan
Spoken as someone that truly understands the difference between cushion grip handles and proper IEC/ENS CAT IV rated insulated tools. You are quite the very well educated gentleman Skfarmer.
Ideally and sincerely, one should NEVER work on live power or at very least, only use properly tested IEC/ENS CAT IV rated insulated tools.
skfarmer
aw shucks cp, you are going to make me blush………..
fred
I would think that there are 2 distinct but related issues when sticking a pair of pliers into a live electrical compartment – and here I’m talking about household voltage (110/208).
The first issue is whether the insulation on the handles provide adequate protection to the user. From what I see in the market 1000 V seems to be what’s designed for – probably to provide an adequate safety margin. Most designs also seem to provide a bump-out on the insulation to help prevent hands from slipping forward. Some also provide 2 layers of insulation – of different colors – with the thought that if the outer layer is cut or nicked – thus compromising the integrity of the insulation – there will be a telltale sign of the inner insulation showing through. Inspecting the tool for damage before use is obviously a good practice. Utilities regularly test insulated tools and rubber goods – which undoubtedly is a better practice than just relying on a physical observation.
A second issue is the untoward consequence of having the metal end of the pliers coming between 2 live conductors – or a live conductor and ground – creating an arc or short circuit, While an arc flash at 110/208 is perhaps only frightening – at higher voltages it can have deadly consequences.
John Blair
Real life adventures in customers trying to kill me. Doing electrical work at a machine shop over weekend to install a new machine. Everything went fine until the customer ignored the big cardboard sign “Electricians at work” and started flipping breakers on because his office lights were out. I cut into a 3 phase 50 amp SO cord about 12 inches from my eyes. No shock through insulation, but my cutters partially vaporized and sprayed metal in my face and welded themselves to the cable.
I dropped like a sack of flour and my lovely Klein cutters are rocking back in forth above me. Idiot coworker who was used to residential work thinks the breaker must have popped tries to remove the cutters. Of course it didn’t. It arcs again, and he is now laying on top of me.
Lesson learned: even when you know the power is off, pretend the power is live.
Mike
Wile E. Coyote would be proud.
There’s a reason lock out/tag out is used instead of a “big cardboard sign” stating ‘electricians’ are at work.
Chris Fyfe
Why would you need compound leverage cutters for 12AWG , any compatent pair of 8″ dikes will handle that , no problem .
Chris
Noah
Less fatigue if you are doing hundreds or thousands of cuts a day.
Gary T.
I ordered a set from Amazon to try them and received them in two days from Tooltopia. Yes they are made in China, but they seem well made. The needle nose version reminds me of the Dewalt compound action needle nose pliers. The handles do have some flex in them when applying force, but they both seem like solid pliers for the price.