Always wear safety glasses when using pliers, right?

So I was cutting some wire with my new pliers yesterday, and a piece of wire snapped right off and hit me in the eye. Luckily I was wearing safety glasses, but it got me thinking - do you all always wear PPE when using pliers? I mean, I know they're not power tools, but still.

Absolutely, Dan. Even hand tools can be dangerous. I've been doing restoration work for years and I've seen too many close calls. Safety glasses are a must, and if you're doing heavy cutting or prying, add some gloves. That little piece of wire could have done serious damage. Good thing you had them on.

I'm with Dave on this. I always where my safety squints when using my Knipex pliers, but seriously, even the best pliers can slip. I also make sure my work area is clear so if something does fly off, it doesn't hit someone else. And don't forget to wear ear protection if you're cutting armored cable or something loud.

Good points. I never thought about ear protection with pliers, but yeah, cutting through thick cable can be loud. What kind of gloves do you guys recommend? I find them bulky sometimes.

I use those cut-resistant ones with the rubber coating on the palms. They give a good grip without too much bulk. For really fine work, I take them off, but for any cutting or prying, they're on. Better safe than sorry.