KNIPEX Alligator Water Pump Pliers (8801180SBA)

Headquartered in Wuppertal, Germany, Knipex is an independently-owned family enterprise steeped in tradition and specializing in the manufacturing of high-quality pliers. It all started back in 1882 when C. Gustav Putsch set up his own forge shop in Cronenberg (now a suburb of Wuppertal), and the company is now run by a fourth generation of that family. The world's leading brand in pliers today, Knipex is focused on the performance, service life, and ergonomics of its tools in order to meet the high expectations of professional users.

Made in Wuppertal-Cronenberg, Germany, Knipex tools are built upon key cornerstones that include quality, innovation, performance, sustainable actions, and value-guided orientation. The Knipex Alligator water pump pliers, for instance, offers nine adjustment positions for 30 percent more gripping capacity and good access to the workpiece due to the slim size in its head and joint areas. This versatile tool can be used in any industry — automotive, electrical, HVACR, industrial, and even DIY.

The serrated gripping surface on the jaws allows for securing any shaped object — round, square, hex, or flat. Furthermore, the tool's teeth are induction hardened for wear resistance and a longer life. A box joint provides directional stability when working in any environment. This dual channel design offers the operator increased confidence that the tool will not bend or break under heavy duty working conditions. A fine adjustment enables you to find the perfect setting for different sized workpieces.

By adjusting the handles to get the appropriate width, you can lock the jaws into place to avoid slipping off the workpiece. Once locked into position, you won't have to squeeze the handles to get a greater grip. Only downward pressure on the top handle is needed to firmly hold the object. The Alligator also has a forged-on pinch guard that prevents the operator's fingers and hands from being pinched. Because the guard is forged at the same time that the tool is made, it will last as long as the tool itself.

The steel Knipex uses is precisely hardened with a maximum of 0.8 percent carbon and defined parts of chromium and vanadium, guaranteeing optimum cutting performance and service life — even though it requires special production and costs a bit more. This is because the company's high product demands require this level of quality. The rivet of the high-leverage diagonal cutter also has to stand up to a lot of stress, which is why Knipex forges it straight onto the pliers, requiring precision milling to a few hundredths of a millimeters.

Knipex also looks closely at the small details, constantly reviewing, researching, testing, and improving the angles, sharpness, hardness, toughness of the cutting edges, the precision and smooth movement of the joints, the handle design, and the finish. This commitment to performance, service life, and ergonomics makes Knipex the Number 1 choice of tradesmen worldwide, providing comfortable, quality-assured tools that are fit to match the needs in the shop, at home, or in the service field.

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