FacomFCM501A 250 mm Q/REL Long Nose Locking Plier - Red

Expensive but high quality locking pliers. Unique design worth having one in your toolbox

I grew up in France and I'm very familiar with FACOM tools since that's all I used there.Now in the US for a long time, I wish that I could buy from that brand easily...I purchase those pliers a few months ago and I understand that the seller was from the UK so it took about a month to get them...In the world of locking pliers, this product tops any other brand hands down. Nothing else comes close, at least from anything else available in the US. If there is a better brand out there, I just never seen it and as a professional, I've seen a lot.The only critic I would make is that those pliers are kinda big for tight places. I have a pair of the old 507 type that I bought 30 years ago (lol) that are smaller and just as bit as good but sadly discontinued.I can't help but to give 5 star to this product, both in reliability and prcticality.

Very well made and unique.

Great holding pliersI'm going to buy more with this design

These things are SO CLOSE to being 5 stars that I almost gave it to them. First off, the build quality is very, very good. The only locking pliers that best them would be the (sadly discontinued) Eagle Grips, or the original made in USA Vise-Grips.Add to that, the adjustable jaws which add versatility by allowing for a much larger range of opening size than most locking pliers, and you have my attention. It works kind of along the lines of slip joint pliers, and is about as fast and easy to move.My only gripes would be the adjustment for the jaw size, and the oddball lock for the jaws. I could live with the odd jaw lock, because with use a person gets used to how it works, but I just do not care for the jaw adjustment mechanism.First the lock. Instead of camming over like all the other locking pliers I own, this one has a latch. Once latched, it is very secure, but if you don't grip it right, like if you are holding it at an odd angle, you can squeeze the release at the same time you are squeezing the pliers, so they won't latch. Not a big deal once you know it can happen, just be sure your hand isn't touching the release when squeezing.The adjustment, on the other hand is awkward, and I really haven't found it to get easier with practice. Instead of a bolt that extends out past the end of the handle where it is easy to grab/turn, it is more of a captive nut built into part of the handle that is harder to find, and harder to manipulate. On the one hand you don't bump it and change the adjustment, but on the other hand it takes me twice as long to get the clamping force I need.All in all the good outweighs the bad for my uses, because I can grab one pair of pliers for many thicknesses of materials instead of having to grab 2-3 pairs to be sure I have the 'right' ones, and build quality is excellent, so they definitely are keepers.