Pliers

[Glen]

How do most of you call the name of that most basic of all hand tools, the pair of "slip-joint pliers?" When I say alicates my Mexican friends tell me they're pinzas but that term makes me think of tweezers, which are not the same thing. I've seen both of them used as definitions of pliers and just wondered what you all think...

[wrholt]

Spanish wikipedia has articles for both pinzas and alicates. Based on the names and photos in those articles, it looks like pinzas includes both pliers and tweezers, while alicates includes only pliers.

[Rusty]

Pinza is the first word that comes to mind, although alicate is probably more correct. I've also heard tenaza.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by wrholt

Spanish wikipedia has articles for both pinzas and alicates. Based on the names and photos in those articles, it looks like pinzas includes both pliers and tweezers, while alicates includes only pliers.

Exactly it!

Mexican will always say "pinzas" for a pair of pliers.

[poli]

In some countries pinzas are tweezers and alicates are pliers. What do you use for tweezers. The Tomisimo dictionary says bruselas. Is that what you use?