Abstract: A pliers-type hand tool has a pair of pivotally connected jaw-forming members defining jaw portions on one side of the pivot connection and elongate slotted lever portions on the other side of the pivot connection. A slide pin is received in the lever portion slots and is connected by pivot links to operating handles which are attached to the pivot connection in common with the jaw-forming members. The arrangement produces a mechanical advantage between the handles and the jaw-forming members allowing a greater jaw-closing force to be developed, related to the manual effort applied to the handles, than with conventional pliers-type tools of comparable size.