Crimping Pliers for Western Plugs in Blister with Multi-Component Handles 190 mm, 97 51 10 SB

I am a security system's installation engineer and use an RJ45 crimping tool basically for a living! So I've been using one of work's £15 crimping tool (Theyve been in the business for 23 yeas) where the handle's grip comes off as you use all your mite to do the one hand crimping challenge and when that fails (9-10 times out of 10) or even when you use both hands, with a considerable force (I mean I might as well quite gym if I'm doing this daily), the grip comes off. Doing this for a day gives you hand and arm fatigue, not to mention the strength required to push the connector in. I finally decided to buy one of my own since I forgot the old crimping tool in its rightful place and I needed one to complete my tool set (in the company's office if this was not clear). I looked through Amazon and what is available this morning and found this at a bit above £32 and thought ooo that's a bit pricey but then saw the amount of 5 star reviews so decided to give it a try! When I got home and looked at it, I was impressed by the size first of all, then when I picked it up, the weight even though it was still in its blister packaging. When I opened it, I felt quality, so light, the grip felt amazing, then I put it to the test, the single hand crimp challenge, let's just say I rarely leave a review and that too a 5 star. Every penny spent wisely. I have six other various hand tools (2 x side cutters, 1 x precision cutters, 1 x long nose, 1 x crocodile pliers and 1 x regular pliers, all with the same high standards). This crimping tool mans you don't need to carry around a pair of side cutters to do your jobs. The Cat5e cable stripping part works so clean and precise, I was shocked in amazement at how much better and easier my life had become since the decision I made to buy this fantastic piece of tool!!!

Years ago I bought a cheap set for a few quid on eBay and used them a couple of times for RJ45s and then the sat in the garage since. Picked them up the other day to do a RJ11 but the pins were half in and slightly bent so I bought these instead. Can’t speak for the longevity as I’ve not long had them but have already crimped over 100 connections and every one is bang on perfect. I’ve got plenty of knipex tools and if these last half as long then they will have paid for themselves 10 x over. Would advise not to put off by the price as the quality stands out.

As far as RJ45 crimp tools go, this is the best tool I have used. The old ratchet tool I had was designed only for CAT5e plugs so would end up destroying any CAT6 plug. This tool works with both CAT5e and CAT6 and hasn't caused any issues yet. The build quality also seems strong and sturdy and you can drop this tool a thousand times and it will still work like new. I've not used the cable cutting or stripping blade on here as I have a special tool just for this. However, I can't see any way to adjust the blade reach so you do risk cutting the inner core cables if you apply too much pressure. That's why I prefer a separate tool for this. Cable cutting shouldn't be a problem here through, although I again use some sharp cable sheers for this to avoid the strain.

I always rave about Knipex products and this is no different. Whilst I don't work with data/phone cables on a regular basis I am sometimes called upon to terminate cat5e/cat6 or knock up patch lead extensions. I bought this initially to terminate RJ45 plugs onto cat5e cables for CCTV camera set ups and this tool has never let me down. Nice and solid build and easy to use. My one and only criticism is that the ratchet closure is a little too sensitive so when your not using and you want to close the handle to store it in your tool bag it always springs back open unless you can close it slowly by just a couple of clicks. That aside its a quality product

Knipex seems to be a good brand in respect to networking tools plus I've seen a few YouTube reviews where the presenters have used their tools. I'm a DIYer with regard to cabling and therefore have no experience other than watching demos on YouTube. There are a huge loads of very cheap networking kits that includes testers and generally they get mixed reviews - certainly the "pros" on YouTube advise to stay away and to spend a bit of money on something half decent. In particular, pointing out some of the flaws with the cheaper devices. Fair enough. Whereas the tool worked OK, I just have this feeling that it could be better. Cutting across the cable cleanly didn't always happen and there was one occasion where the crimping failed. Now this could have been user error, rubbish connector or just bad luck but I lost a little faith in the device and it certainly doesn't seem to be as performant as I was expecting.

I brought this item as I was fed up of using a cheaper style budget crimper that was far from consistent. This has terminated RJ45 connectors correctly every time without fail. As expected from knipex this tool has much more quality and sturdiness than the cheaper crimping tools. The striping blade is also adjusted perfectly making sure the inner conductors are not nicked when stripping. If you need a more premium crimping tool which will get a lot of use I'd definitely reccomend.

Started a big wiring job at work using our cheap old Maplin tool but quickly got sick of it, so I bought these. They are worlds better in both quality and ease of use. I was a little skeptical about the ratchet at first but I'm definitely a convert. I would recommend these to anyone planning on crimping more than a few heads.

Using the Knipex 97-51-10 gave me a perfect working RJ45 cable immediately. From my experience I’d recommend paying a little extra to buy this tool. I suspect it’s a combination of quality plus the integral lock that ensures just the correct amount of force is used to crimp the plug. I have been using another brand of “Expert RJ45 Crimping Tool”, with unstable connections as a result. I wished I spent the extra money in the first place now.