Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
pliers
Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics
Images
needle-nose pliers Illustration showing labeled basic carpentry hand tools, including backsaw, handsaw, try square, miter box, claw hammer, screwdriver, brace and bits, metal smoothing plane, level, rasps, chisels, punches, pliers, gimlet, awl, and tape measure.
Quick Facts
Britannica AI Icon
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
needle-nose pliers
needle-nose pliers

pliers

tool
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
History

pliers, hand-operated tool for holding and gripping small articles or for bending and cutting wire. Slip-joint pliers have grooved jaws, and the pivot hole in one member is elongated so that the member can pivot in either of two positions in order to grasp objects of different size in the most effective way. On some pliers the jaws have a portion that can cut soft wire and nails.

For bending wire and thin metal, round-nose pliers with tapering, conical jaws are used. Diagonal cutting pliers are used for cutting wire and small pins in areas that cannot be reached by larger cutting tools. Because the cutting edges are diagonally offset about 15 degrees, these can cut objects flush with a surface.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.