Pliers are a very large group of hand tools with a very wide range of applications. In terms of application, pliers can be divided into gripping (including handling, bending and clamping), cutting, pressing (crimping), expanding (e.g. rings), stripping insulation etc. Many types of pliers combine two or more of these operations, e.g. pliers can be used for both cutting and gripping small parts.
From a constructional point of view, a pliers is nothing more than a movable combination of two 2-way levers at a single point of support. Their arms therefore move in a small arc towards or away from each other. The longer arms of the point-connected levers are the handles and the shorter arms are the working (execution) part, usually called jaws or blades. Every type of pliers available today is in fact a variation of this basic construction for performing a specific task. Pliers thus work on the principle of the lever, which is one of the physical simple machines. The design which these tools implement makes it possible to multiply the force of the hand and allows the energy of the human muscles to be applied effectively to perform various assembly or machining operations.
Pliers are most often classified according to their operating purpose. There are pliers for gripping, bending, manipulating and clamping (e.g. adjustable, Morse and Seger pliers), for cutting (side cutters and end cutters), for stripping insulation, for crimping (so-called wire stripping pliers) etc. These include single or multifunction tools, e.g. the popular pliers and electrician's pliers, which can be used for cutting, gripping and stripping insulation.
Pliers are used in a wide range of applications. They are used in industry, in the maintenance departments of all production plants, in construction, installation and craft work, in service and mechanical workshops. They are manufactured by e.g. Bahco, Beta, Facom, Gedore, Hazet, Knipex, Proxxon, NWS, Rennsteig, Stanley, Stahlwille etc.
