Pliers come in a variety of shapes and sizes and you'll probably need at least three different kinds for a beginning tool kit. The regular slip-joint kind that everyone is familiar with is an absolute necessity. Long-nosed or needle-nosed pliers should be in everyone's tool kit also. The number of jobs these two tools are good for is endless. Locking pliers (commonly called Vise Grips® ) are so useful; you'll wonder how you ever got along without them. A good pair of cutting pliers is necessary for any kind of wiring job.
Eventually, you may want to add specialized pliers. There are pointed-tip pliers for spreading lock rings and hooked pliers for removing brake springs. Some pliers have a groove in the end to compress the wire hose clamps used on many radiator hoses, although these can be made from a pair of old pliers by filing a groove in the end.
Wire strippers are also handy for electrical work. Most have special grooves for stripping various gauges of wire without cutting the wire inside.
| Fig. 1: Pliers come in all shapes and sizes. Locking
pliers are handy for removing old rusted parts.
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| Fig. 2: Wire strippers and cutting pliers are handy for
doing electrical work
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