I first bought a set of fencing pliers when I was 16. That was a long, long time ago. Although I have lost a few pairs, I do still have my original Maun pliers. There is all sorts of equipment available on eBay, and much of it is rubbish. Imagine I have had pliers for over 40 years and they still work well. As a minimum I suggest top quality pliers and top quality wire strainers. Bolt cutters are also essential for cutting high tensile wire, but I have found cheap bolt cutters work fine.

I also have my original Hayes Wire strainers and they are the best. Mine have long lost the spring which suits me. There are cheap Chinese copies available, but why risk using them? Wire straining is potentially dangerous, so using the best possible equipment is essential.

If you are handling plain wire, you also need a wire spinner. These can range from home made to commercial models. It is virtually impossible to handle plain wire without a spinner. We only have horse on the farm now, and I prefer plain wire electric fences everywhere.

There are a lot of other tools, of course, and they can be accumulated over time. A post hole shovel and crow bar come to mind.