Klein Tools 71980 6-1/2 in. Type L1 Needle-Nose Side-Cutters Telephone Work Pliers

I was issued a set of these on 1-5-1998 when I started with the phone company. I used them every day for 20+ and the checkering on the jaws started going a bit smooth and the boss during a truck and tool inspection said it was time to retire them. The new set the company offered me (that were NOT kleins) had a much wider nose to them, the cutter was misaligned, and the stripper was AWFUL! I had to acid etch my old trusty 20+ year old kleins to get the model number so that I could order an exact replacement for my new set. It was like shaking hands with an old friend again. I now have 4+ years on my "new" set and I refuse to ever use any other needlenose pliers but my klein 71980's. The narrow tips on these make wrapping wire on binding post terminals in tight cross boxes, pedestals, or jackfields a breeze. The checkering on the inside jaw faces is agressive and give you more than enough grip even when holding onto the smallest amount of bare wire. The cutting edges mate perfectly, hardly wear, and stay sharp for ages. The stripping groove and hole just flat out work perfect every time. If you're a 'phone man' these are worth every penny and more as they are the absolute BEST needlenose pliers you can have on your hip....and are worth shelling out your hard earned money for. As for my 24+ year old 'retired' set...they are in my toolbox at the house and still work flawlessly.