How many times have you struggled to remove something and looked for a pair of pliers? Most people take for granted, a pair of pliers will be there waiting for them in a tool box or kitchen drawer. However, pliers had to be invented just like all other tools and early pliers were nothing like today’s sleek and attractive pliers with plastic molding for handles. Let’s take a look at pliers from a different perspective to help you appreciate this amazing and extremely versatile tool.
History
Pliers most likely evolved from simple tongs. Tongs were important as soon as man realized he could melt metals, and they kept people from burning themselves while handling very hot materials. This goes all the way back to the Bronze Age.
The actual history of pliers is unknown because they date back before recorded time. However, one of the earliest images of pliers is from ancient Greece about 5000 years ago. The god of fire and volcanoes (Hephaestus) was also god of metal workers and blacksmiths, and an ancient illustration shows Hephaestus working with pliers or tongs in his forge.
Pliers basic design has remained the same for thousands of years. In fact, the oldest pliers were created with two long pieces joined together at a pivot point. The head portion of pliers is used for gripping or cutting. Even the wire cutters we use today are simply variations of pliers and many pliers have built in wire cutters to give them dual function.
At some point, man realized he could wrap pliers handles to improve the grip and simple wrapping has been replaced by plastic molding which perfectly fits the handles and greatly improves the appearance and ergonomics.
Today’s pliers can serve several functions from channel groove or water pump types pliers, to very sensitive needle nose pliers for delicate work.
Major Innovation
In the early 1920s, William Peterson, blacksmith and inventor, came up with the idea of locking pliers. He needed a tool which would hold things tightly and began to experiment with different designs. By adding a threaded component he could adjust the grip and he finally figured out how to lock it in place. This was the birth of Vice Grip brand locking pliers. In fact, they have become so common place, most people simply refer to locking pliers as vice grips.
The Evolution of the Modern Tool Box
Today, you probably have more than one form of pliers with perfectly fitting plastic molding handles. This includes slip joint, needle nose, wire cutters, wire strippers, and perhaps crimpers. It all started with a simple idea which has gradually been improved over time and some of the latest pliers tools make life much easier for us all.
