Special Note – There are some serious mark downs today on these tools which are best in class period.  Specifically the 3 piece set that normally sells for a bit over $120 is marked down to $98 and the huge 8 piece set is marked down 40% which saves over $200 off list.  The 6 inch, 7.25 inch & 10 inch individual models are also marked down as well.

Every day I bring you an item on Amazon that I personally use or has been purchased by many members of the audience and I have researched enough to recommend.  Today’s TSP Amazon Item of the day are Knipex Cobra Pliers.  These started with a gift during set up for TSP-23 from my friend J.R. Haley.  He had a pair of the 7 inch ones and we were using them to remove hoses to blow out pipes for a coming freeze.

He showed me how they worked, how they locked in, etc.  I was done, next thing I am snagging his pair and taking a picture so I didn’t forget to buy some.  He was like, “don’t worry jack I got you”.  Later that evening he gave me a 3 piece set of a 7 inch pair, a 10 inch pair and a 12 inch pair.

Okay I am not the guy that gets “hooked” by tools but I did on these.  Since then I have purchased the two smallest versions to evaluate for EDC tools.  The five inch ones and the tiny four inchers.  They all just rock.  Why?  German engineering is why.  First all but the tiny four inchers literally lock into the size you set them.  They have a button on the back, you set the jaws where you want them and get this, THEY STAY THERE.  Why has no one thought of this till now?

It gets better the jaw design is just exceptional.  We have all gotten a set of channel lock style pliers just right, got onto a pipe, a bolt, a nut, etc. and then, they slip.  These will not slip!  You can literally lock them on a pipe and stand on them and here is the key, in one direction.  The jaw teeth are like that of a snake, back curved to bite into the stock and hold.

It gets better because the teeth are directional they also work like a ratchet.  While they won’t slip in a down motion, they easily slip in an upward motion.  And since the jaws lock to the spacing you want you can have them just barely larger then the stock.  So that bolt you can’t get a fricken ratchet on due to spacing, he is toast now, out you go bolt.

Bluntly I am never buying anything else but these for this style of tool, ever, for the rest of my life.  That brings me to options and let me just say based on the quality of these, I would buy anything Knipex makes, not just these pliers, literally anything.

Now to options, they make these in many sizes, the most popular being….

• 4 Inch 100mm (great for EDC)
• 5 Inch 125mm (also great for EDC)
• 6 Inch 150mm
• 7 1/4 Inch 180mm (likely the all around most useful and pocket sized)
• 10 Inch 250mm (the perfect almost everything will fit size)
• 12 Inch 300mm (the I said you are coming off size)
• 16 Inch 400mm (the I wasn’t asking you when I said you were coming off size)
• 22 Inch 550mm (the I don’t care how big that pipe or bulk head is, it is getting tightened size)
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Now these are not cheap and they should not be again the engineering is amazing on them.  But there are a few ways to get the most useful sizes and a less price per each.

• The 5 Piece Tool Roll Kit – gives you the 5 inch, 6inch, 7.25 inch, 10 inch and 12 inch for 164 bucks.  This really is the best “bang for the buck” option because they are like potato chips you will want more than just one.
• The 3 Piece Kit – what J.R. gave me, includes the 7.25 inch,10 inch and 12 inch for 110 bucks.
• The 8 Piece Kit – The I want it all kit, everything from 4 inch all the way to 22 for 412 bucks.
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I also find the 4 and 5 inch as top contenders for my EDC and I am still evaluating both.  If I find a way to cary them that I really like one or the other is likely to knock carrying a multi tool out of my EDK all together.  On multi tools the things I use most are screw drivers, a knife blade and pliers.  The Cobras are so beyond any and all multi tool pliers that I won’t even compare them.  I mean always have a knife and there are plenty of good EDC options for screw drivers.

Now clearly the 4 inch is smaller but unless you use a belt pouch the one issue both will have is they end up in the bottom of a pocket and tumble around, scratch other gear, etc.  What they need is a clip.  Well turns out the slightly larger one and by proxy you could do it with the 6 inches too, can have a clip added.  I don’t know yet how well that will work but since a clip is five bucks it is low risk to find out.

The picture to the above right is by a reviewer named Lionel.  I can’t link right to a review but it is on the page for the 5 inch set and here is what he had to say about them…

One modification I did to make this easier to carry is add a belt clip to it. I ordered one off Amazon (CIVIVI Deep Carry Pocket Clip) for 5$ and screwed it to where the small bolt that holds the button is, was a bit tricky and made sure to use removable locktight or thread sealer. No need for a carry pouch or anything of the sort that will get caught on something. These have been so good to me I decided to buy the slightly bigger pliers too.

So I will add the clip to my set of 5 inch Cobras and report back.  I am not totally sold on how they seem to lay in that image but Lionel seems happy so I will give it a try.

Let me finish with this, I know these seem expensive but all I can say is once you try them you will see they are absolutely a buy once, cry once investment.  Again I am so sold on them, I would consider Knipex for any and all future tool purchases.  You can find their entire store at the Knipex Amazon Store if you want to check out more of what they have to offer.

So this one has a lot of options and fits under hand tools and EDC at the same time.  If nothing else I recommend you pick up a 7.25 inch pair for general use and either a pair of 4 inch or 5 inch for EDC use.

Lastly Christmas is coming, admittedly you really need to like someone to give them a set of these, but as someone who received such a gift, I can tell you it is a really great thing to get.

 * Remember you can always find all of our reviews at TspAz.com

See This Video for More Info, Scale, etc.