Scheduled maintenance - Thursday, July 12 at 5:00 PM EDT
We expect this update to take about an hour. Access to this website will be unavailable during this time.
Pliers are made in various shapes and sizes and for many uses. Some are used for gripping something round like a pipe or rod, some are used for twisting wires, and others are designed to be used for a combination of tasks including cutting wire. There are also tools that are used just for cutting wires (as opposed to wire cable and rope). Use the correct pliers or wire cutters for the job.
Proper use of side cutting (lineman's) pliers:
Proper use of long nose pliers:
Proper use of utility pliers:
Proper use of diagonal cutting pliers:
Proper use of flat nose pliers:
Proper use of slip joint pliers:
Proper use of end cutting pliers
Refer to OSH Answers General Hand Tool Operation for more tips.