When you have that special connection with your garage, there’s no limit to the number of tools (or rather, junk) that can find their way in unless you get a hold of organising the space. While there are certainly tools you can do without, the circlip tool isn’t one of them.
Based on a somewhat similar concept as regular pliers, this tool is also known as the C-clip, retaining ring, snap ring, and interestingly, as the Jesus clip too because of the clip’s spring detachment from the tool, resulting in the “Jesus, where did it go” exclamation. The circlip tool’s widespread use with applications requiring spinning, turning, pivoting, and fastening bearings, means it’s a tool perfect for work with pistons, turbines, and motors.
Given the fact circlip tools can be used either to fit into and push outward a housing, and bore’s inside groove, or pressing on a shaft’s outside, there are two types of circlip tools respectively: internal, and external, with different features. Likewise, they are also available in different tip diameters, circlip sizes, as well as lengths.
You can get to cut down on an expense if you require the use of both by opting for the adjustable variety. This circlip tool, so called “convertible”, is made up of components enabling you to use it for both external and internal applications. If its parts are separated, you have to adjust by rejoining them, whereas if the parts are based on a switch, you can easily make the switch from internal to external and vice versa even as you work.
Other types of circlip tools include ones with an angled tip, those with the straight tip, and the ones designed for heavy duty, much stronger than the standard type of circlip pliers.
The angled tip, as you can guess from the name, comes in a variety of degrees, not just 45° or 90°, and are ideal for carrying out tasks in limited space. The straight tip is opposite of the angled, and is the right tool for that extra reach when accessing a circlip into a shaft. The heavy duty pliers aren’t only stronger, they’re also different from regular pliers by having that screw mechanism feature, meant to provide utmost leverage (more than a person’s hand can), and they make a valuable purchase as they are suitable for different jobs with their variety of tips.
So, when you make the purchase make sure you distinguish well between the different pliers and buy adequately to the application you need the tool for. This way you avoid causing any damage to the circlip, or the tool as a whole, by straining it, and you get the job well done.