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A dedicated lineman’s pliers earns its place on the belt by doing three jobs that would otherwise need three tools: cutting, gripping, and crimping. Knipex’s 09 12 240 adds a fourth — a built-in tape puller — and the German engineering behind the leverage geometry is the kind of detail that shows up as less hand fatigue at the end of a long day.
What It Is
This is a 9.5-inch high-leverage New England-pattern lineman’s pliers with an integrated cable/tape puller in the joint gap and a universal mandrel crimping point below the joint, for crimping standard connectors without a separate crimping tool.
Key Features
- Built-in tape/cable puller in the joint gap
- Universal mandrel crimping point below the joint for connector crimping
- Optimized transmission ratio requiring roughly 40% less hand effort than conventional combination pliers
- Crosswise-serrated gripping zone in the jaws for secure gripping and pulling
- Additional gripping zone below the joint for leverage-heavy pressing tasks
- Induction-hardened cutting edges at approximately 64 HRC
Pros and Cons
The reduced hand effort is noticeable if you’re used to standard combination pliers — Knipex’s leverage geometry is a genuine, measurable improvement, not just marketing language, and it matters over a full day of repetitive cutting and gripping. With 1,185 ratings at 4.8 stars, this is a well-proven tool.
Knipex tools carry a price premium over generic lineman’s pliers, and at $63 this is a noticeably bigger spend than a basic pair — justified if you use pliers daily, less so for occasional use.
Who It’s For
Electricians and linemen who use pliers constantly and will feel the difference in hand fatigue and durability over years of daily use.
Verdict
For daily professional use, the reduced hand effort and built-in tape puller make this a lineman’s pliers upgrade that’s easy to justify.