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QUALITY Cleco pliers

J

JKevin

Well Known Member
For tools that I use every day over and over, I hate crappy tools. Like every set of Cleco pliers I have ever found. Is there such a thing as high quality Cleco pliers?

I have a pneumatic cleco tool but would like a good quality manual set. Bonus it it was available in traditional and upright versions.

Any ideas?
 
plastidip?

JKevin said:
... Any ideas?
Click to expand...
I've only used the pliers that came with the old avery kit, and they seem ok, probably because I wear gloves 99% of the time.

I recall that some would cover the handles with plastidip - if that's where you feel the tool can be improved.
 
I like the cheaper ones that are lighter in weight. I have had a couple sets of the ones with rubberized handles and on both of them, but over time the rubber covers would loosen up and start slipping off. Turned out I like the feel of the plain steel better.
 
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pair of cleco pliers that measure up to the standards of some of the very old tools I have collected from the past, but if expense is a measure of quality, then you might check out the Clecalls over at ACS - I used a few of their prototype tools, and they are nicely built. I have a little trouble personally using the spring-loaded ones because they mess up my old-fashioned rhythm, but we have lots of different plies in our shop, and many visitors drift right to the Clecalls and don't want to give them up.

Paul
 
pliers

This is awesome. I love my loose and ragged clecoe pliers. Bought from Avery Tools in 1998.

6 airplanes and counting - and I love the finger callus.
 
Cleko pliers

sjhurlbut said:
This is awesome. I love my loose and ragged clecoe pliers. Bought from Avery Tools in 1998.

6 airplanes and counting - and I love the finger callus.
Click to expand...

Same here. I plasti dipped them and it's still on. The loose hinge make them fast with low friction. Just let go and the bottom handle drops.
 
Clecall

I have one of the original Aluminum Upright models...and I would not recommend it. The aluminum is too soft and the checks get hung up in the jaws...

They ARE beautiful, though.

That said, I would try their forged steel ones without hesitation...
 
Old and refined...

I have been using the same pair for 40 years, forged steel very loose in the hinge and slightly reworked at the jaw end to fit tighter spaces and eliminate hang-ups. I have tried a dozen others, but I always go back to my favorite old set. I have a strategically placed wrap of cloth electrical tape on the pull side of the plier that keeps it from slipping in my hands..i will NEVER give it up!
 
I slipped a piece of rubber hose over each handle of my standard cleco pliers. I now call these QUALITY cleco pliers:) They are much easier on the hands than the standard cleco pliers and the rubber hose has never slipped or come off.
 
My favourite set is a tired old second hand set that came with some surplus tools. I put a couple of layers of heat shrink on the handles to improve grip, feel, and comfort. I have also got some of the spring loaded clecall ones, both upright & normal, and they're nice but depending on the angle it can be difficult to get them to fully disengage the cleco's.
 
Use the Marine Heat Shrink tubing from HF on the handles. Thermal adhesive on the inside. It WILL NOT come off.

Fixes them right up
 
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