One of the most useful tools in my toolbox is one that I frequently carry in my back pocket.
Ignition pliers are one of those tools that at first glance look more like a toy version of a tool, something not very useful. Not big enough. But these little pliers are VERY useful.
I started carrying them because my Boy Scout Troop Leader, Byron Fortney, carried them in his back pocket. I immediately went to Sears and bought my own pair, scratched my name onto it, and stuck them in my back pocket like he did (as did most other boys in the troop).
Ignition pliers, although intended for a single automotive task, are handy for two reasons: they are small and light enough to carry AND they can give you a better grip on lots of life’s little mechanical problems. Yes, you could carry a pair of needle-nose pliers, but the points on them make them difficult and dangerous to carry in your pocket. The snub nose of the ignition pliers can give you a closer, firmer grip on things. Combined with a good pocket knife, these pliers can be extremely useful and the solution to many problems, the only things you may need.
I’m no longer a Boy Scout and don’t carry these every day, but I probably should. I’ve found that they’re one of the most useful tools to have within easy reach.
Ignition Plier (Amazon Link)
The Stock Your Toolbox: Ignition Pliers by Randy Murray, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.