Pliers

Pliers are usually made of high carbon steel with the jaws hardened and tempered. They are used for twisting and cutting wires and for holding objects firmly. They are also useful for compressing a wide range of materials. The overall length of pliers usually ranges from 5 to 12 inches.

The main types of pliers that are used more frequently in aircraft repair work is discussed below.

Diagonal Cutting Plier: They are referred as diagonals or dikes and are used to cut soft wire, rivets, small screws and split pins. It is a short-jawed cutter with a blade set at a slight angle on each jaw. The diagonal cutting pliers are used extensively in aviation safety systems.

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Round Nose Plier: These snip pliers are used for twisting metal wires and not intended to use in heavier tasks.

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Needle Nose Plier: It has half round jaws of varying lengths and are used to hold objects to make adjustments in limited access areas.

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Cable Stripping Plier: It is used to remove the insulation from electrical cables.

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Duckbill Plier: Its jaws are thin, flat and resembles a duck’s bill. These type of pliers are exclusively used for twisting safety wire.

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Circlip Plier: It is used for removing/refitting both internal and external circlips. Straight and reversible bent circlips are available.

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The following are the main aspects that must be ensured when using pliers.

• Do not make pliers work beyond their capacity.
• Do not use pliers to turn nuts as it can damage them.