Key Features
Reach Tight Spots The long, half-round tapered jaws let you grip, guide, and position small parts where bulkier pliers get in the way. That matters when you’re working around clips, wire, and crowded assemblies. Grip and Cut These Knipex Cutting Pliers Snipe Nose Side 160 mm combine fine gripping with side cutting, so you can handle small components and cut wire without switching tools. Hardened Edges The cutting edges are induction hardened to about 61 HRC, giving you a cleaner bite and longer edge life when cutting soft, medium-hard, and hard wire.
Overview
The Knipex Cutting Pliers Snipe Nose Side 160 mm, Model Number 25 02 160 SBA, is a compact long nose hand tool built for finer gripping and wire cutting work. This is a snipe nose cutting pliers designed for precise gripping, holding, and cutting in tight spaces. If you need one tool that can reach into small assemblies and still handle wire cutting, this one makes sense.
The big advantage here is the jaw shape. Knipex uses long, tapered, half-round jaws with straight alignment, so you get better access to narrow spots and better control over small parts. That is useful for bending, holding, and positioning wire, clips, and components where standard combination pliers feel too blunt and clumsy. The knurled gripping surfaces also help keep small material from slipping when you need a more controlled hold.
This tool is not just about access. It also has integrated side cutting edges, which means you can grip and cut with the same pair of pliers. According to the source data, the cutting edges handle soft wire, medium-hard wire, and hard wire. Knipex also induction hardens the cutting edges to about 61 HRC, which matters because edge hardness directly affects how well the cutter holds up over repeated use.
In practical terms, the listed cutting capacity is up to 2.5 mm for cable, soft wire, and medium-hard wire, and up to 1.6 mm for hard wire. That makes this a good fit for light electrical work, mechanical detail work, and bench tasks where you are trimming wire and then immediately grabbing or routing the next piece. It is a hand tool that saves time mostly by cutting down on tool changes.
Knipex builds these pliers from vanadium electric steel and finishes them with a forged, multi-stage oil-hardened construction. That tells you this is made for real daily use, not occasional hobby-level abuse. The overall size is 160 mm, so it stays compact enough for controlled work, and at roughly 0.31 lbs it is light enough to carry or use for extended periods without feeling front-heavy.
The plastic handle material keeps the grip straightforward and durable. There is no extra bulk here, which works in the tool’s favor because a slim handle profile often makes detail work easier. This is the kind of tool you keep close when you’re working in crowded mechanical spaces, on small assemblies, or whenever precision matters more than raw cutting force.
Made in Germany, this Knipex long nose pliers option is best suited for users who care about fit, finish, and predictable control. If your work regularly involves fine gripping, wire routing, or cutting smaller wire in places where standard pliers are too wide, this is the right kind of hand tool. It is especially useful for technicians, mechanics, electricians, and serious DIY users who want one compact pliers tool that does detail work well.
Precise Control Where Standard Pliers Get Clumsy
This is where a true snipe nose design earns its keep. The tapered jaws help you reach small parts and hold them with better control when the work area is crowded.
- Long, half-round tapered jaws for finer gripping work
- Straight jaw design helps with accurate positioning
- Knurled gripping surfaces improve hold on small components
Built to Cut Wire Without Giving Up Reach
Some long nose pliers are decent at grabbing but weak at cutting. This one is made to do both, so you can move from holding to trimming without changing tools.
- Cutting edges handle soft, medium-hard, and hard wire
- Approximate hard wire cutting capacity: 1.6 mm
- Approximate cable, soft wire, and medium-hard wire cutting capacity: 2.5 mm
Forged Steel Construction That Holds Up
The material and hardening process matter on a hand tool like this because edge life and jaw alignment are what separate a good pair from one that ends up in the junk drawer.
- Made from vanadium electric steel
- Forged and multi-stage oil-hardened construction
- Induction-hardened cutting edges with approx. 61 HRC hardness
What’s in the Box
- (1) Knipex Radio Pliers
Key Specifications
| Overall Length | 160 mm |
|---|---|
| Weight | 0.31 lbs |
| Material | Vanadium electric steel |
| Handle Material | Plastic |
| Jaw Type | Straight, half-round, long tapered jaws |
| Cutting Edge Hardness | Approx. 61 HRC |
| Soft / Medium-Hard Wire Capacity | Up to 2.5 mm |
| Hard Wire Capacity | Up to 1.6 mm |
| Made In | Germany |
Built For
Automotive Electrical Mechanical Detail Work Wire Cutting Fine Gripping Bench Work DIY / Hobbyist Service Technicians
Pro Tip
Use the tip of the jaws to start and position small clips or wire in tight spaces, then slide the workpiece slightly deeper into the jaws when you need a more secure hold before cutting. That takes advantage of the tapered nose without giving up grip.
Warranty & Support
Lifetime warranty against manufacturer’s defects.
Tool Nut’s Take
Tool Nut’s Take
Knipex Cutting Pliers Snipe Nose Side 160 mm is the kind of detail tool you end up reaching for constantly
It gives you the reach of a slim long nose pliers and the usefulness of a real cutter in one compact hand tool.
- Who it’s for: Anyone doing fine gripping and wire cutting in tight areas, especially mechanics, electricians, and techs working around small parts.
- Why it stands out: The tapered jaws are actually useful, and the induction-hardened cutters mean this is not just a grabber with a token cutting edge.
- Worth knowing: This is a precision-oriented 160 mm pliers, not a heavy-duty high-leverage cutter. Buy it for access and control, and it will make a lot of small jobs easier.
Common Questions
- What is this tool designed for? This snipe nose cutting pliers is designed for finer gripping and cutting work, especially where access and control matter.
- Can it cut hard wire? Yes. The source data lists a hard wire cutting capacity of up to 1.6 mm.
- What is the cutting edge hardness? The cutting edges are additionally induction hardened to approximately 61 HRC.
- What is it made from? It is made from vanadium electric steel and is forged with a multi-stage oil-hardened construction.
- Where is it made? The source data lists Germany as the country of origin.
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