DeWalt 12" V-Jaw Pushlock Pliers

First impressions and setup

I put the DeWalt 12-inch V‑jaw pliers into rotation during a week that had a bit of everything: a leaky P‑trap, a stubborn conduit coupling, and some cabinet installs where I like having a long-jaw plier as a “third hand.” Out of the package, the pliers feel reassuringly solid at 1.3 lb, with a long, narrow nose that extends deeper than standard tongue‑and‑grooves. The push‑lock adjustment slides smoothly through multiple detents, and the bi‑material grips are contoured enough to avoid hot spots without getting bulky. They’re confident in hand—more tradesman than DIY toy.

Jaw design and capacity

The V‑shaped jaw is the headline feature. On round stock—pipe, conduit, dowel, threaded rod—the V locates fast and nests securely. On hex fasteners it grabs two flats with good purchase, and on odd shapes the extra jaw length helps you find bite where shorter pliers don’t reach. The serrations are cut sharp and uniform; they’ll mark softer metals, so plan on padding anything finished or plated.

Opening capacity is generous for a 12‑inch pair. I had no trouble gripping 1‑1/2 in and 2 in plumbing fittings, with room left to angle the head. The deep jaw helped reach a plastic slip nut tucked behind a trap arm without losing leverage. If you often work in sinks, behind appliances, or inside cabinets, that extra reach is useful—less knuckle gymnastics to set the tool on the work.

The push‑lock adjustment

These are groove‑joint pliers with a push‑lock slider: press the button, move the lower jaw to your notch, release, and you’re set. The slider action on my pair is smooth and positive with clearly defined stops across the 19 positions. I can thumb it one‑handed while holding the work with my other hand, even with gloves.

Two notes from field use:

• Keep the button fully released before loading the jaws. If you’re still half‑pressing, it will creep.
• Load the pliers so the jaw wants to self‑tighten, not pry them open. Like any groove‑joint, direction matters.

When set correctly, the lock holds fine for most tasks. I could horse on galvanized couplings and conduit connectors without the jaw jumping notches. Under very high torque—think corroded fittings where you’re at the end of the handle with a full‑body pull—I did induce a couple of “clicks” to a larger setting. It’s not frequent, but it can happen if you’re on slick chrome and the bite starts to slide. Compared with the self‑locking cam style on premium push‑button pliers, this mechanism is slightly easier to adjust quickly but a touch less resistant to movement under extreme load.

Ergonomics and control

The handles do a good job of avoiding pinch. Unlike classic water pump pliers that occasionally “kiss” your palm when they slip, these kept my skin out of the danger zone. The grip compound is grippy without being gummy, and it didn’t get slick in wet work. Handle spread at large openings is wide, as you’d expect with a 12‑inch tool—smaller hands may reach their limit at the widest settings—but for most adjustments I could maintain a strong, controlled squeeze.

The head is reasonably slim for a long‑jaw plier, and the nose profile gets into tighter spots than blocky pump pliers. There’s a bit of play at the joint, typical of groove‑joints; nothing excessive, and it didn’t translate into chatter under load. The long jaws do make the tool a little nose‑heavy, which I don’t mind—it helps the jaw settle onto round materials—but it’s something you notice when carrying it on a belt all day.

Performance across trades

• Plumbing: This is where the V‑jaw earns its keep. Sink traps, supply connectors, tub spouts, and hose bibbs are all straightforward. The jaw depth helps reach recessed locknuts, and the extra leverage from the 12‑inch length is welcome. For chrome finishes, I wrap with a rag or use scrap rubber to prevent marring; the teeth are aggressive enough to leave witness marks otherwise. On deeply seized fittings, I prefer a self‑locking design or a pipe wrench, but for day‑to‑day plumbing tasks these handled everything I threw at them.

• Electrical: Conduit couplings and locknuts are easier with the V‑profile, and I appreciated the control when tightening compression connectors without over‑torquing. The long nose lets you straddle a fitting inside a box and still get decent bite. No arcing or slippage issues, and the handles are comfortable in gloves.

• Carpentry/general: They shine as a general fixer: pulling stubborn staples, tweaking hinge barrels, clamping odd shapes while glue sets, or acting as a quick field clamp. The long jaw stabilizes thin stock better than stubby pump pliers. As always, watch the teeth around finished wood.

Materials and build quality

The head is chrome vanadium steel, and the finish resists shop grime and light moisture reasonably well. After a few wet‑work days, a wipe‑down and light oil kept any orange fuzz at bay. The button and rail machining are clean on my sample—no burrs—and the detents are evenly spaced, giving fine control over jaw size.

I did manage to pick up some grit in the rail after cutting drywall nearby; the slider got notchy until I blasted it with compressed air and added a drop of oil. Keep the adjustment channel clean and these stay smooth.

Quirks and limitations

• Jaw movement under high torsion: It’s rare, but I can make the jaw step open if I both exceed the bite (slick surface) and apply torque in a direction that tries to open the joint. Load direction and a slightly tighter notch fix it.

• Surface marring: The teeth are designed to grab, and they do. Tape, leather, or a scrap of inner tube is your friend on finished surfaces.

• Handle spread: At the widest settings, the span is large. Folks with smaller hands may prefer a 10‑inch size for repeated work, stepping up to 12‑inch only when needed.

• Spec sheet oddities: The listed numbers for capacity and head width don’t all agree with each other. In practice, real‑world capacity is ample for common 1‑1/2 in and 2 in fixtures, and the head is slim enough for most access.

Tips for best results

• Set one notch tighter than you think you need, then twist the tool into the work so it seats before you pull.
• Always load so the jaw wants to rotate closed, not pry open.
• Keep the slider channel clean. A quick blast of air and a drop of oil keeps the push‑lock crisp.
• Use padding on finished metal and wood. The teeth will leave tracks.
• Don’t hover a thumb over the button under heavy load; if you accidentally bump it, you can release the lock.

Durability and warranty

After several weeks of mixed use, the teeth show normal polish but no chipping, and the joint remains snug. The handles haven’t loosened or twisted. With basic care, I expect a long service life. There’s a 1‑year limited warranty, which is short compared to lifetime guarantees from some competitors, but the build hasn’t given me a reason to test it.

The bottom line

The DeWalt 12‑inch V‑jaw pliers combine a useful long‑jaw profile with a quick, one‑handed push‑lock adjustment. They’re comfortable, they bite well on round and hex stock, and they reach into places where shorter pliers struggle. The mechanism is smooth and convenient, though not completely immune to stepping under extreme torque, so load them correctly and tighten your notch when tackling stubborn fittings.

Would I recommend them? Yes—with context. If you want a versatile 12‑inch groove‑joint for plumbing, electrical, and general shop work, these are a solid, comfortable choice with excellent reach and a fast adjustment that genuinely speeds up the job. If your work routinely involves breaking loose seized, slick fittings where any slip is unacceptable, a self‑locking cam‑style plier or a pipe wrench remains the safer bet. For everything else, these DeWalt V‑jaws earn a spot in the bag.