Alan W
Well-known member
Since I've spent more than 50 years working with hand tools, mainly on precision bench work, I thought I'd start to share some of my favorites that might be a bit less known. So, this first episode is about a specialized set of pliers, Engineer's screw extractors. They make a number of models. The one I use is the PZ-55. Since a picture is worth 1000 words, here:
The magic is in the cross threading of the tip, right at the edge, which allows you to grab pan head screws by the edge of their head quite firmly. However, once you get these, you will realize that they are also the nicest pliers you've ever used. (I think some of the Channellock from the 50's were probably as nice when they were new. I don't know when I got most of my pliers, especially the older ones.) Most of my good small pliers from the last 15 years are Knipex, they have always been about as good as it gets, (although my finest needle nose are Swiss, but no other marking on them, and it's been at least 30 year since I got them). In any case, if you see some Engineer pliers in a pattern that you want, don't hesitate to get them, unless cost is the issue (but in all fairness, they are generally 1/2 to 2/3's the cost of what I would consider comparable.
The magic is in the cross threading of the tip, right at the edge, which allows you to grab pan head screws by the edge of their head quite firmly. However, once you get these, you will realize that they are also the nicest pliers you've ever used. (I think some of the Channellock from the 50's were probably as nice when they were new. I don't know when I got most of my pliers, especially the older ones.) Most of my good small pliers from the last 15 years are Knipex, they have always been about as good as it gets, (although my finest needle nose are Swiss, but no other marking on them, and it's been at least 30 year since I got them). In any case, if you see some Engineer pliers in a pattern that you want, don't hesitate to get them, unless cost is the issue (but in all fairness, they are generally 1/2 to 2/3's the cost of what I would consider comparable.
