CarCareTruth Score
Decent.
Opens Amazon in a new tab. No account needed to look.
Saved to your guest loadout. Sign up to also save to your Cabinet (consumables) or Kit (tools you own).
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure
Prices may varyThis product ranks #4 of 7 in Pliers & Cutters.Three above it ↓
Last reviewed May 26, 2026
TL;DR A Made in USA Klein Tools electrician specialty kit covering every wire-work task · cut, strip, crimp, and cable-cut · but only 2 of the 4 baseline plier types (needle-nose and diagonal; no slip-joint, no groove-joint). Forged alloy steel with induction-hardened cutting knives and dual-material Journeyman handles confirmed from product imagery; Klein's lineman's pliers line has multi-decade community-documented service life on r/electricians and r/Tools. Highly rated on Amazon, with owners reporting no jaw or grip failures, though the per-SKU review base is still modest. Specialty kit, not a complete pliers set.
Six tools built around electrician wire-work: High-Leverage Lineman's Pliers (J213-9NE, 9 in., built-in crimper), High-Leverage Diagonal Cutters (D227-8, 8 in.), Long-Nose Side-Cutting Pliers (D302-8N, 8 in.), Forged Wire Stripper/Cutter/Crimper (11054, 10·18 AWG), Crimping/Cutting Tool (1005, 10·22 AWG solderless terminals), and High-Leverage Cable Cutter (63060). Steel is forged alloy with induction-hardened cutting knives, confirming "Forged Steel" visible in product imagery; Klein does not specify chrome-vanadium by designation for this kit but the brand-line durability record for lineman's pliers is extensive. Dual-material Journeyman handles · color-coded, bi-material TPR/polymer, no natural rubber latex · confirmed from feature imagery. Hot-riveted pivots with "no wobble" visible in flat-lay. The kit covers wiring and cable-management tasks completely; it does not cover general-service grip work (hose clamps, fasteners, fuel-line fittings) that needs groove-joint or slip-joint pliers. Highly rated on Amazon, with owners reporting no jaw deformation, pivot-play, or grip failures, though the per-SKU review base is still modest.
Right pick for an automotive electrician or hobbyist doing wiring harness work, trailer wiring, audio installs, or any job that centers on cutting, stripping, crimping, and terminating wire · the six tools cover that range completely in one Made in USA package. Skip this as a general shop pliers set: the absence of slip-joint and groove-joint pliers means hose clamp work, fastener-grip tasks, and pipe fitting require a separate purchase. A Tekton WRN55168 8-piece or KNIPEX 5-piece set is the better choice when general automotive service coverage is the goal. Also skip for live-circuit electrical panel work · the Journeyman handles are not VDE 1,000V rated.
No chemical exposure pathway · forged alloy steel hand tools with dual-material polymer handles; no SDS. Forged alloy steel is recyclable at standard ferrous scrap facilities at end of life; the dual-material polymer handles require separation from the steel before recycling. Klein's lineman's pliers are documented in community use across multi-decade service lifespans, which meaningfully reduces replacement-cycle waste. Any degreaser, penetrating oil, or brake fluid used during wiring or service work carries its own hazard profile · check those products' reviews for applicable PPE guidance.
Six pieces, all wire-work focused: High-Leverage Lineman's Side-Cutting Pliers with built-in crimper (J213-9NE, 9 in.), High-Leverage Diagonal Cutting Pliers (D227-8, 8 in.), Long-Nose Side-Cutting Pliers with slim head (D302-8N, 8 in.), Forged Wire Stripper/Cutter/Crimper (11054, strips and crimps 10·18 AWG), Crimping/Cutting Tool (1005, crimps insulated and non-insulated 10·22 AWG), and High-Leverage Cable Cutter (63060, cuts aluminum/copper/communications cable). This is an electrician specialty kit · not a general-purpose automotive pliers set.
No. The 80086 is an electrician wire-work specialty kit that deliberately omits slip-joint and groove-joint (Channellock-style) pliers · the other two of the four baseline plier types. It's purpose-built for wire stripping, cutting, crimping, and cable work. Buyers who need a general automotive pliers set covering slip-joint, needle-nose, diagonal cutter, and groove-joint geometry should look at the KNIPEX 5-piece, Tekton WRN55168 8-piece, or Channellock multi-piece sets.
No. The Journeyman dual-material handles are ergonomic bi-material grips, not VDE 1,000V certified. The 80086 is not rated or intended for work on live electrical circuits. VDE-rated insulated tools carry a visible certification mark; no such mark appears in any 80086 product imagery. For live-circuit work, a VDE 1,000V-rated set (e.g., Klein Tools electrician's insulated kit or KNIPEX VDE line) is required.
Klein lists the steel as forged alloy steel and specifies 'Induction Hardened Knives' on the cutting edges. The listing does not specifically name chrome-vanadium. Klein's broader lineman's pliers line uses forged alloy steel that the community documents at decade-plus service life · scored here as forged alloy steel with brand-line durability evidence rather than per-SKU Cr-V confirmation.
The Forged Wire Stripper/Cutter/Crimper (11054) strips and crimps 10·18 AWG. The Crimping/Cutting Tool crimps insulated and non-insulated 10·22 AWG solderless terminals. The Lineman's built-in crimper handles 10·20 AWG stranded non-insulated connectors, lugs, and terminals.
Marketing copy from Klein Tools, via Amazon. Not editorial.
Weekly pick
One product, one safety verdict, every week. No spam.
KNIPEX
Cobra Pliers Set, 3-Piece (7, 10, 12 in.)
IRWIN
VISE-GRIP GrooveLock Pliers Set, 8-Piece (2078712)
Tekton
Pliers Set, 6-Piece (Slip Joint, Groove Joint, Cutting, Lineman's, Long Nose)
Channellock
GS-10 2-Piece Plier Set (430 + 369)
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure
Community
0 postsShare how you use this product
Drop a quick comment or post a full review with photos and a star rating.
Sign in to postNew here? Create a free account.