Abstract: Pinch free gripping pliers are described including first and second pivoted legs joined by a pivot bolt. The pivot bolt is mounted to the first leg and is slidably received in an elongated slot in the second leg, thereby enabling the pliers to have multiple jaw opening ranges. An arcuate rib on the shank of one leg engages and meshes with any selected one of several arcuate grooves formed in the second leg, thereby maintaining the setting of the pivot bolt. An overtravel stop member is located on the first leg, facing an edge surface on the second leg that is acutely angled relative to the slot. The overtravel stop member and edge surface engage as the handles of the pliers close, limiting further closing and preventing the handles from coming together closer than a predetermined safety distance. The predetermined safety distance is the same at each of the multiple jaw opening ranges, by provision of the angled edge surface.