Pincers (tool)

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Pincers are a hand tool used in many situations where a mechanical advantage is required to pinch, cut or pull an object. Pincers are first-class levers, but differ from pliers in that the concentration of force is either to a point, or to an edge perpendicular to the length of the tool. This allows pincers to be brought close to a surface, which is often required when working with nails.

Pincers are primarily used for removing objects (typically nails) out of a material that they have been previously applied to. Carpenter's pincers are particularly suited to these tasks.

Sharpened pincers are also used to cut away natural calluses, also called chestnuts, from a horses body.[https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gxeEUzOkOXo The practice of removing chestnuts]

Further use of pincers is the trimming of the edges of horses hoofs.[https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Bjd2dAiKKJ4 The practice of trimming the edge of a horses hoof]

If the pincers have perpendicular cutting edges, the pincers are often called end-nippers or end-cutters. They're often used in jewelry making, for trimming flat wire or cutting off the end of an ear stud.{{cite web|url=https://www.maunindustries.com/knowledge-base/what-are-end-cutting-pliers-and-how-are-they-used/ |title=What are End Cutting Pliers and how are they used? |publisher=maunindustries.com |access-date=2024-03-13}}

Pincers, often red-hot, have also been used as an instrument of torture{{cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/empires/medici/medici/murder.html |title=Example of the use of pincers for torture in mediaeval Italy |publisher=Pbs.org |access-date=2018-04-16}} since ancient Roman times or earlier.

Pliers are a similar tool with a different type of head used for squeezing, rather than cutting and pulling.