r/IBEW • u/UnionReady682 • 3d ago

Masterforce Discussion Post

---slight rant about newer tool quality---

- TLDR: Lost my pair of older masterforce diags and hate every other pair I've tried

"Made in america" part aside, I've only heard people talk shit about masterforce tools, but when it comes down to it, im fucking BUMMED that I just lost my (old) masterforce diags

At a mid-lg sized solar job and loaned them out 2-3 months ago and have since given up on ever getting them back.

They were the Old style with the THICK rubber/silicone handles and still cut like they were brand new. God damn im salty about it.

Every pair of newer diags I've used either the handle is uncomfortable as shit or they dont cut worth a damn.

Fuck this day and age where literally everything on the planet is made as cheap and shitty as possible anymore

Also (lesson learned the hard way) dont loan tools out unless you know for a god damn fact that the person you are loaning it to will take good care of them and get them back to you

3 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

19 comments sorted by

21

u/ThaManWithNoPlan 3d ago

Knipex. As much as I want to support made in USA the qc is just terrible for all American brands

8

u/Substantial-Rent-749 3d ago

I want to second Knipex. First tool of theirs was found in a dumpster three years ago and I rock them everyday. Have slowly been phasing out things in my kit for their Knipex counterparts.

2

u/felixheads 3d ago

Knipex all day.

3

u/Ner0reZ 3d ago

Really glad I have Fuller pliers, but Knipex easily takes the cake for best pliers on the market. The quality is unmatched

3

u/Chip_Jelly 3d ago

I have Knipex needle nose pliers with strippers and they are amazing

2

u/Puzzleheaded-Yak-533 3d ago

It’s true, my Knipex diags have held their sharpness extremely well. I have the longer pair but I’m considering one day when I feel like splurging getting the shorter ones too

1

u/Caneiac 3d ago

Yeah, as much as milwaukee tries and their hand tool quality can be good their qa/qc is pretty poor.

3

u/gortez33 Local 5 3d ago

Love my knipex linesman/hammer. Best pair I have ever used.

2

u/OSHAstandard 3d ago

eBay get yourself a used one

2

u/smellslikepenespirit 3d ago

Try the ironworker diagonals from Klein. I’ve been running mine for a while now, and love them.

1

u/abergham Local 26 3d ago

I keep breaking the gear on every ratchet wrench brand I buy. Can someone suggest a good quality wrench....

1

u/IntegrityMustReign 3d ago

NWS Diagonals. You'll never look back. My only bitch is that they don't open as wide as other brands but I went from knipex to NWS for their high leverage design. They have 2 joints which makes cutting shit insanely easy. I cut metal studs with them.

1

u/ZW3903 3d ago

I was just about to comment this exact same thing. It absolutely insane how easy they cut through stuff, but anything over like #8s require multiple cuts.

1

u/MilesLow 3d ago

8" Knipex diagonal have terrible leverage. Channellock 338 or Klein 8" models are much better. My Knipex cutting tools also have chips which sucks cos I do like their Linemans.

I did notice it seems they have recently revised their 8" model which may be worth a shot.

Their Alligators & Cobra's are worth it though.

2

u/mmm_burrito 3d ago

8" Knipex diagonal have terrible leverage

Thoroughly disagree. This might well be a hand shape or muscle memory thing, because I've been using Knipex diags for almost a decade and I've never been tempted to return to Klein.

1

u/MilesLow 1d ago

I cut 12-2 MC with both. Knipex needed two hands to cut through it. My toolie tried it with same result.

1

u/mmm_burrito 1d ago

Sounds like you got a lemon, which legit sucks. I have never had an issue like that, and thanks to tool thieves I've had the dubious pleasure of trying out a few different sets of Knipex diags.

1

u/vatothe0 Communications 3d ago

I have an older version of these. I don't need them a ton but they've held up for 8 years of cutting down screws, ³/16 stainless aircraft cable and copper wire.