No-Name Model 170 Cutting pliers (Blue handle) and their actual working limits

[Kiriakos GR]

It was a time that some one presented the PLATO branding, along the Model 170 of cutting pliers (date unknown).

The industrialization of China at 2025, makes now possible, not just the copying of everything branded, but also production at enormous quantities.
There is no other explanation, when such cutting pliers are sold for 0.50 Euro or American dollars, and the seller still makes a profit.
We came to the point as a planet, the offering of hand tools to be greater than the human population.

Model 170 Cutting pliers (Blue handle), this is from regular iron, and despite of the Chinese marketing hypes, this tool does not tolerate misuse.
This tool is made by recycled iron at the thickness of 2.0 mm
It mechanical join, the metallic pin, this also has a wall of 2.0 mm at both sides.

At actual testing, the tool can handle only cutting, and it should not be used as a stripper.
Even 16 AWG of wire ( 1.5 mm) this is too much for it.   

At 17 AWG and or 1.0 mm, the tool operates with it jaws not be stressed.

For a prolonged service life, you need to obey all times and with out exception at these golden rules:
Only cutting.
Never stripping.
Copper, Aluminum and soft plastic.
Max diameter of solid copper 1.2mm as maximum and or as safe limit.
Add a drop of 90 SAE motor oil at it pin, before even use it.

If you are more demanding, then you need to buy something else.
From my own pack of experiences, neither the tools at the price point of 25 Euro or American dollars, these are immortal.

But neither I did ever dare to spent 75 Euro or American dollars, for aviation class of cutting pliers, so to test their strengths.

In summary, there is not a good reason to stress any tool above of what it can do, no matter the price of it.