Recently, Knipex Tools released their first-ever slip joint pliers after many years of waiting. They call it the Knipex Twin Grip pliers and they come in two versions. The basic version has plastic dipped handles and its product number is 82 01 200. The other version is 82 02 200 and comes with comfort grip handles.
Knipex Twin Grip pliers are the first of their kind in the Knipex Tools line of pliers and among slip-joint pliers. They come loaded with exciting features that you will love. These 8″ pliers are arguably the most versatile slip-joint pliers you have laid your hands on. They are so good that some people even call them the mother of all slip joint pliers. But let us find out if they truly deserve to be on the pedestal.
Table of Content
Features of the Knipex Twin Grip Slip Joint Pliers
Key Features
- Gripping capacity range: 4mm – 22mm (5/32″ – 7/8″)
- Length: 8″ long
- Handles: Non-slip handles or comfort-grip
- Joint adjustment style: Precision push-button adjustment up to 5 positions
- Jaws: Uniquely combines front and side gripping
- Unique design of the jaws to ensure optimal transfer of force from the handles to the object.
- Slim head design for working in confined spaces
- Constructed from chrome vanadium electric steel and oil-hardened
- Side jaws designed to grip round, square, hex, and flat materials
1. Push button adjustment
As you can see, the new Knipex slip joint pliers have some unique features that make them stand out. One of them is the push button adjustment on the joint that makes it extremely easy and smooth to open and close the jaws.
You just press the button in and slip the jaws to your desired size and release. The jaws can adjust up to 5 positions, expanding the jaw width from 4mm to 22mm. There are no other slip joint pliers on the market that offer that kind of precision adjustment and range.
2. Front and side gripping teeth
Unlike other slip joint pliers that feature only the side grippers, the Knipex Twin Grip pliers uniquely integrate both the side and front grippers on the jaws. Hence the name Twin Grip.
The front grippers have vertical serrations and are notched to grip bolts and screws. They turn the pliers into a great screw extractor for removing rounded fasteners and stripped screws. If you are familiar with Vampliers screw extractor pliers or the Japanese Engineer pliers, you will recognize the unconventional design of the front of the Twin Grip jaws. It helps you grip and remove stripped screw heads that cannot be extracted with a screwdriver.
On the other hand, the horizontal grips on the Knipex slip joint pliers are not the usual round shape like the ordinary slip joint pliers. Instead, the jaws are curved like the Cobra pliers with jaw profiles that are almost identical. The only differences are the pattern of the teeth and the orientation of the jaws.
The teeth on Twin Grips are almost straight while those of Cobras are angled forward and backward. Moreover, Twin Grip pliers have a straight head while Cobras pliers have an angled head.
Despite the differences, both pliers provide a fantastic side gripping for a variety of shapes including round, square, hex, and flat. This makes the Knipex twin grip pliers a perfect choice for when you don’t have a wrench or water pump pliers at hand. But they are not a replacement for either your Cobras or pliers wrench.
3. Reliable gripping of flat workpieces
The jaws of the Twin Grip pliers integrate the three-point system, which offers 3 points of contact on flat metal bars. This unique design of the Knipex TwinGrip jaws makes it the best slip joint pliers for gasping flat metal bars.
4. 5 Adjustment Positions
Most slip-joint pliers offer only a single adjustment position but the TwinGrip offers 5 precision adjustment positions. This provides a bigger gripping range from 4mm to 22mm, which is all you need for most applications.
Overall, these knipex 82 01 200 are a great pair of slip joint pliers. They are forged from Chrome Vanadium Steel and have hardened teeth for increased durability just like the other Knipex pliers.
The Twin Grip pliers are indeed designed and built to do much more than the regular slip joint pliers, which makes them the most versatile. They are available on many online retail stores including Amazon and KCTool. I have put a link to the new pliers on Amazon below.
5. Available in two versions
The Knipex Twin Grip pliers are available in two versions. The 82 01 200 and 82 02 200. The 82 01 200 have regular plastic dipped handles while the 82 02 200 come with comfort grip handles. They don’t have insulated handles yet.
Knipex TwinGrip Pliers Video Review
Who needs the Knipex TwinGrip Pliers?
The knipex twingrip slip-joint pliers are for anyone but more importantly you who oftentimes encounter broken or rounded screws and bolts in your repair projects. These pliers combine some of the cool features of the Knipex Cobras and vampliers screw extractors. This includes the overall slim profile, the vertical and horizontal serrations, and the convenient button adjustment mechanism. The Twin Grip pliers simply are screw extractors in Knipex Cobra skin. You definitely need them if do not have reliable screw extractor pliers yet. And if you do, these Twingrips are still sweet to have anyway. After all, they are Knipex!
That being said, sometimes what you need is screw extractor pliers that will do the job effectively. This can put you in the dilemma of having to choose between Vampliers and Knipex Twin Grips. However, knowing how hard a decision this can be, I have put together a comparison table for the two top-of-the-line screw extractor pliers to help you pick the best for your project.
Knipex Twin Grip vs Vampliers
| Knipex Twin Grip | Vampliers |
|---|---|
| Slip joint pliers with advanced features | Linesman pliers with advanced features |
| Rounded end profile | Rectangular end profile |
| 5 jaw adjustment positions | Single jaw opening |
| No cutters | Has inline cutters and cable puller grips behind the pivot |
| Teeth appear on the whole jaw | Teeth are only on a small section of the jaws |
| Curved gripping sections | Straight gripping sections |
| Best for damaged bolts and screws | Best for small screws |
| Made in Germany | Made in Japan |
Overall, if you need pliers that can grip different sizes of rounded fasteners and screws, the Knipex twin grips are the best option. Otherwise, if you want linesman pliers that can extract damaged screws, the Vampliers or Engineer’s screw extractors are what you need.
