The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: Big Frank on August 18, 2025, 02:05:44 PM
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When I was stationed in Germany in 1981, I was finally issued a toolbox after being a small arms repairman without a toolbox for 1 1/2 - 2 years. In it were all kinds of goodies, like Swiss-pattern files, my favorite pliers - Parallel Jaw Pliers, and one of Adam Savage's Favorite Tools: Safety Wire Pliers. When you need safety wire pliers, nothing else comes close, but there were only a few machine guns that needed some of the parts safety wired in place. My friend who was in the air force used them enough to remember how many twists per inch were enough but not too much, but that varies if you use a different size of wire. There are lots of bolts and things on aircraft that need to be safety wired. The army standard was, yeah, that's good. Some grunt would just end up breaking it and making you re-do,it anyway. ;)
But I used the parallel jaw pliers all the time. I bought a pair years ago that also have a side cutter, in addition to all the great features of the army issue pliers. They have a V-groove running the length of one jaw that makes them great for holding onto roll pins. I can usually push them in far enough to get started and don't need a fancy roll pin starter punch. If I can't push them in to start, I can turn them 90 degrees and tap them in with a hammer. On really short pins, I can hang on tight and tap the side of the jaws. They're great for bending wire, and since there's no hinge between the handles and jaws like regular pliers, you can "ram the wire down its throat" to make a bend farther down the wire then pull it out. And I couldn't begin to make a good estimate of the number of time I've used them as a wrench, especially on #6 - 1/4" nuts. Parallel pliers are better than conventional pliers that have a scissor action. They grip better, especially nuts and bolts. They make straightening wire easy. You need less handle force for equal jaw pressure.
The jaws are Teflon coated and the handles are zinc-plated. They have a return spring, which makes them really nice to use, but not all parallel pliers have them. The side cutter uses compound leverage like bolt cutters, and the hardened steel jaws can cut through piano wire up to 2mm thick, and small screws. On copper or soft steel wire like rebar wire, it cuts whatever you can fit in the jaws, single strand or multiple strands twisted together. Mine are Manley 2004 pliers which are the same thing as the Manley 2006 Super Pliers they sell now, except they don't have the comfort grip handle. Besides the #2006 6-1/2" Teflon Super Pliers and Rugged Nylon Clip-On case, Manley Industries makes Stainless Steel Gripper/Nippers for fly fishing and light tackle, with or without a case, and a 7" Bait Knife. And they have pliers with the knife and case in a kit. Since they only make 3 tools and cases for them, I think they're actually custom-branded Maun Industries pliers which are made in England, just like these are. Other than the name being different, mine are exactly the same as these Maun 160mm pliers, right down to the handle texture. Lots of places that sell fishing equipment sell the Manley Super Pliers for cutting saltwater wire fishing lines.
When I need a screwdriver I grab anything that fits, and when I need a hammer the nearest tool automatically becomes a hammer, but when I need a pair of pliers these are the ones I use most of the time. Do you have a favorite tool? One you use all the time, or just can't do without?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPy0JzpZuvY
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Applied lots of safety wire on planes. So that we appreciated the pliers we had to do out first dozen or so by hand. Haven’t needed them since I left the service.
Love parallel pliers.
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If I had to twist more than a few wires like safety wires I would get a pair of safety wire pliers too. I don't remember if the ones I was issued had an automatic return on the twister knob or not after 40 years or so. I do remember that they were longer than most I see online, like this foot long mil-surp pair I found on eBay.