Chris Burdett gets his hands on a selection of Knipex tools and gives his verdict for Professional Builder.
This pliers wrench is a new version in its already popular range, but has a slimmer 180mm length. It has narrow gripping jaws which are good for getting into confined spaces for hard to reach tightening jobs. Knipex says it has considerably reduced the weight of these pliers by around 10 per cent and they feel really good in the hand.
The jaws are very smooth, which means you can work directly on chrome without leaving any marks or damage, essential in these lovely bathrooms we fit! Of course a major feature on the pliers is the gripping mechanism. You just push the button and it grips nicely without slipping. It’s a great all rounder for plumbing and heating work.
The Ergostrip looks like no other tool I have ever seen, and my sparky was really impressed with it. It is a small tool that allows you to strip and dismantle all cables used in houses. Being so small it is ideal for use in confined spaces such as junction and distribution boxes. We used it in the loft cavity we were laying cable in. It is designed to be comfortable, and is shaped like a pistol grip. There’s a length scale, which you can use to dismantle and strip cables to the exact length. Knipex tells me the Ergostrip won a Top Product award with Professional Builder’s sister title Professional Electrician and I can see why.
A more traditional shaped tool, the Electronic Super Knips are ultra-slim cutters with very sharp edges, with shaped tips. It means you can use them for very fine wire cutting work but also for shortening cable ties so they are flush. These Knips are very light and are VDE tested, so they are going to keep you safe too.
Ever struggled accessing cabinets – whether that be gas, water, electrical fuse boxes, air conditioning or any other? Knipex has couple of solutions to help.
First up is a TwinKey which has been designed to open a number of established locking systems. The key has two, four-way cross keys magnetically held together, making up eight arms but taking up little space. When unclamped the keys remain connected to each other by a stable stainless steel wire, so they won’t get lost.
Both sides of the universal key have different, quality coated surfaces (matt and shiny) and weighing in at just 135g and only 92mm, it fits in any pocket.
Another option is the company’s 00 11 06 Control Cabinet Key ‘Double Joint’ featuring a varnished plastic body and zinc die-cast profiles. It has been designed to work across a range of utility and control cabinets, fitting locks made by different manufacturers.
This new product is a universal swivel head wrench. It has four different rotatable closing heads and three closing heads with a double function. There are three profile types available: outside square (5-8mm capacity), triangle (7-9mm capacity) and double bit (circle with fins – 3-5mm capacity).
The tool contains strong magnets allowing it to open and close easily – and stay firmly in place. It can be opened fully to 180 degrees or held at 90 degrees giving it an easy to use handle. When folded back together, the key measures just 62mm. Weighing in at just over 100g it can be carried easily in a pocket.
