|
Job Done - Accurate's Redesigned
Piranha Extra Lite Pliers
| Date: |
12/17/14 |
| Tackle type: |
Tools |
| Manufacturer: |
Accurate |
| Reviewer: |
Zander |
Total Score: 8.0 -
GREAT
Introduction:
One of the most useful tools an angler can own is a trusty pair of
pliers. While some anglers are perfectly content to pull out a pair of long nose
pliers from their toolboxes at home there are manufacturers that design pliers
specifically for fishing applications. One such offering is the Piranha Extra
Lite Pliers from Accurate, a company that knows a thing or two about building
serious offshore tackle.
Accurate Piranha
Extra Lite
Pliers
Specifications |
| Material |
Aircraft grade
aluminum |
| Size |
8" |
| Colors |
Stainless Steel,
Gunmetal Grey |
| Features |
Integrated
tungsten carbide
cutters that are
replaceable,
tungsten carbide
jaws that are
replaceable(Optional:
Self coiling
lanyard,
protective
cordura sheath) |
| Origin |
USA |
| MSRP |
$99.99
($89.99 for the
APXL-7 7 Inch
Model) |
Accurate has redesigned their
Piranha Pliers, meet the "Extra Lite"
Impressions: Accurate is not as well known to bass anglers as it
is to saltwater sports fishermen who rely on the company's robust conventional
reels to tackle some of the world's biggest and toughest species. The company
started out as a machine shop that specialized in building precision aircraft
engine components. The team brought that hi-tech, spare no cost philosophy to
the sportfishing tackle market in 1990, 40 years into the company's existence.
These pliers are machined out of
aircraft grade aluminum
Their first product? Not a reel but rather a tool, a fishing gaff to be
exact. This spawned a line of reel conversion components for other saltwater
brands like Penn, and eventually the company transitioned to designing and
manufacturing complete reels. It didn't take long for saltwater anglers to take
notice, and within the span of just a few seasons Accurate became known for
designing some of the very best saltwater reels on the market. Today all of the
company's reels and tools continue to be manufactured in the company's own
facility in Los Angeles, California.
Both the jaws and cutting blades
are made out of carbide tungsten
Last season Accurate introduced a new pair of
pliers that built on their original Piranha Series, called the Piranha Extra
Lite Pliers. The redesigned pliers are still made out of aircraft-grade aluminum
but feature more aggressive machining to bring the weight of the pliers down.
The 8" model weighs in at 4.8oz. while the 7 inch model weighs in at only
4.2oz., and also includes an integrated cutter that is rated for cutting through
braided lines.
The grips are machined with
ergonomic edges
In the lab the pliers look and feel very high
quality, and the machining work on the pliers is excellent. We test cut a
variety of lines ranging from nylon monofilament to 70lb braid and in each case
the tungsten carbide cutters did a good job making clean cuts without frayed
edges. My only gripe at this point was that the nylon sheath is an optional
accessory. When the pliers are at rest the spring loaded jaws hold them in an
open position, making them a little harder to carry around without a sheath. It
was time to see just how well these pliers would perform in real world
applications.
From the side the handles appear
totally solid
Real World Tests: To test the Accurate
Piranha Extra Lite Pliers we employed the tool on our bass fishing trips for an
entire season and also brought it with us to fish in inshore applications as
well as a getaway to the Big Island of Hawaii to target some local coastal
species.
Fishing in Hawaii, but certainly
no vacation for the Accurate Piranha Extra Lite Pliers
Next
Section: Facing the sand and the surf
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