Earlier today I posted about new Bosch pliers and pipe wrenches, and a reader remarked about how the adjustable pliers look like Knipex’s. The new Bosch pliers do resemble Knipex Cobras, but there are signs that the tools are NOT made by Knipex.
Bosch doesn’t have its own hand tool manufacturing facilities (yet?). As such, they’re working with other companies and OEMs.
There is no shortage of pliers and hand tool brands in Europe, with German brands such as Knipex and NWS offering partnering with other brands and companies.
But from the images, it’s clear to me that Bosch is not partnering with Knipex.
For example, Knipex Cobra adjustable pliers have “Made in Germany” marked into the lower pliers handle, with an oval border. Bosch’s new pliers have a rounded rectangular border and the words “Chrome Vanadium.”
There are other differences. Don’t look at the jaws, look at the shape of the raised area round the jaws. Next, look at the adjustment grooves, especially at the travel limit. The Knipex Cobra pliers have a complexly shaped travel limit. Bosch’s is smooth and curved.
These pliers are not made by the same company, or at least they are not identical designs and are not made on the same assembly line.
Could Knipex be producing these pliers for Bosch? Yes. Would they produce a completely different design? No.
All signs suggest that Knipex is not the manufacturer. The clues are always in the details.
It looks like Bosch has partnered with GreatStar, owner of SK Tools, to produce their new plumbing-focused Pliers Wrench.
Look at the shape of the jaw tips, the two indentations in the moveable lower jaw, the shape of the compound leverage arm, and the character of the end-of-travel limits in the adjustment mechanism.
Look at the serrated edges of the adjustment push button, the forged shapes of the lower handle as it protrudes from the handle grip, the distance between those handle features and the border of the toothed adjustment channel, and the recess where the brand name appears in the upper handle.
It’s reasonable to conclude that, aside from the colors, brand names, and shape of the handle grips, these two tools appear to be identical.
Here’s the Knipex 10″ comfort grip Pliers Wrench, in case you were interested in making additional comparisons.
GreatStar, which owns the SK Tool brand, manufactures hand tools for a broad range of other tool brands. They design tools to suit different brands’ needs, and also on occasion they rebrand tools, presumably at the behest of their customers.
It is far less expensive to rebrand tools for different customers than it is for an OEM to develop distinct designs from the ground up, as it means less engineering work and potentially shared production equipment and manufacturing steps.
There’s a good chance there are GreatStar-manufactured tools in your kit. When a tool brand wants to add hand tools to their lineup, and quickly, they work with brands like GreatStar.
None of this has been confirmed, but such is often the case for manufacturing arrangements. It’s also possible that GreatStar is not the manufacturer, but what are the chances a completely separate hand tool OEM – which? – is making tools for both GreatStar’s SK Tool brand and Bosch?
At least the new Bosch Pliers Wrench looks identical in design to SK’s, suggesting it’s made by GreatStar.
I haven’t had much luck tracing potential manufacturing origins or partners for Bosch’s other newly released hand tools – the adjustable pliers, pipe wrenches, or broad selection of insulated hand tools. It’s possible they contracted with multiple OEMs.
It’s also possible Bosch is producing some of the new hand tools themselves, but I have not seen any news or details to support or even suggest this.
This is all of academic interest, of course; I’m not sure about what the takeaway is for end users.