High quality pliers and cutters I would recommend.

[Enzo]

I too found the plastic Xcelite handles had an aroma, sorta like a balled up wet wash rag, a sour sort of smell.

[nevetslab]

Likewise on the Xcelite hollow shaft Nut Driver set. Been using those for decades, though since I moved into the long narrow shop space at CenterStaging, my machinist chest is no longer at my right to be able to reach over and grab them from the drawer. Instead, I have two sets of 1/4" deep sockets...one Metric, one 'domestic' and the cover the range up to 5/8"/15mm, always within reach in the middle of my bench atop my Philips PM2535 System Multimeter. Housed in one of the small Lane Cedar Chest boxes. Love those little boxes.

[g1]

In the 70s in the workshop we used to see how long we could hold a tongue on a new Xcelite screwdriver handle. They smelt rather odd to begin with, but would produce an increasing burning sensation like raw chilli peppers.

Smells funny, let's see how it tastes!

[SoulFetish]

I too found the plastic Xcelite handles had an aroma, sorta like a balled up wet wash rag, a sour sort of smell.

Is it the handles that smell like that? All I know is something happens as they sit in a tool box over the years that makes the whole thing smell like complete puke.

[Enzo]

Well, I tend to doubt it is the steel blades...

[olddawg]

I have a small pair of dikes from Utica Steel. They were my dad's. I have had them for close to 70 years, not sure when dad bought them. Still tight, still sharp.

I hear ya Enzo.. My father was an aircraft electrician after retiring from the navy. I have more than a few of his tools that still work like new. Some of them pre WWII. He would have been 100 years old this month. Using those tool still connect me to him. When I was a child he used to let me take apart old radio chassis after he removed what he thought was dangerous. I still have the diagonals I used.

[Mick Bailey]

Here's why the handles smell so bad;

https://toolguyd.com/why-hard-plasti...ll-like-vomit/

[SoulFetish]

.
So, it's not pliers or cutters, but I wanted to share the latest addition to the shop which just arrived.




It's a Llambrich super precision keyless chuck. New old stock, which I got at a really good price. I'm still in the stage where I just want to put it down on the table and look at it.