Klein Tools D213-8NE Lineman's Pliers, High-Leverage, 8-Inch

No. The D213-8NE is not insulated. The dark blue plastic-dipped handles are there for grip and identification only, not shock protection, so these should never be used on energized conductors. If you need protection on live work, you need a tool rated and marked as insulated (1000V), not a plastic-dipped one.

The jaws open to a 1.375 inch capacity with a 1.438 inch jaw length, and the cutting knives run 0.719 inch along the side of the head. That gripping window handles conduit-sized round stock and bundled conductors, while the induction-hardened side knives do the wire cutting. The cross-hatched knurled jaws are what keep round stock from spinning in your hand.

No. The D213-8NE is not tether capable, so there is no attachment point rated to hold it on a lanyard. For elevated work where dropped-object control is required, look for a Klein lineman's plier built with a tether ring.

New England nose is the shorter, squared-off head pattern. On the D213-8NE the jaw measures 1.21 inch wide and 0.625 inch thick with a 1.438 inch jaw length, which gives a stout, compact head for twisting conductors and pulling in tight boxes. A Chicago pattern runs a longer, more tapered nose that reaches deeper but has less bulk behind the jaw.

Overall length is 8.59 inches with a 4.84 inch handle, and the tool weighs 0.9 lbs. That is the standard 8-inch lineman's size that drops into a plier pouch, shorter and lighter in the hand than a 9-inch high-leverage plier while still giving full-fist grip on the handles.

The rivet sits closer to the cutting edge, which Klein rates at 46 percent greater cutting and gripping power than conventional plier designs. Practically, that means less hand force to shear the same conductor. The hot-riveted joint keeps the action smooth with no handle wobble, and the handle tempering absorbs the snap when a wire parts.

Steel construction, forged in the USA from custom US-made tool steel, with a precision-hardened plier head. For buyers with domestic-content requirements on a job, the forging origin is stated by the manufacturer.

Order Klein Tools D213-8NE. That is the 8-inch high-leverage lineman's plier with the New England nose and dark blue plastic-dipped handles, sold as a single model with no finish or size options to specify.