Anybody use these pliers?

[DaveO]

I've seen these pliers in the HF catalog forever, and haven't been able to figure out why pliers with such a big surface area would be useful. Anybody use these? What's the benefit?

[todmorg]

There are for sheet metal forming, very handy! DON'T get the HF ones, I looked at them in the store, gave them a squeeze and collaped the handles

[DaveO]

I looked at them in the store, gave them a squeeze and collaped the handles

Hope they didn't make you pay for them!

Gotcha- that makes sense. Seems like they should be called "sheet metal pliers" rather than welding pliers, but they didn't ask me.

[redbeard]

We called them duck bill pliers back when I was working HVAC. They are quite indispensable for installing ductwork.

[parkour]

+1... real handy for any kind of sheet metal work. Even for pretty thick stuff.
After cutting, you will have a very uneven edge. You just grab the very edge of the metal and bend it back and forth 5-10 degrees. You end up with a much more even edge. Also nice for making nice straight bends.

[jakeru]

I have those. They work well for folding about ~1" long (or shorter) lip in thin sheetmetal. I don't use them for much else.

There are better quality ones available (with compound action in the handle, giving less effort required), however I am sure they cost a lot more than these babies.

No problems with the handles breaking on my set. But do check them over in the store; some are better made than others. I'd get ones with tight hinges that don't "rock" very much.