I have used pliers with a needle and thin repair wire to sew boot soles, loosed
by fire, back on.
Vise grips are good for aid climbing to help remove small driven-in protection.
If you have pliers along, like Doug says, they can be used every day as pot
grips.
Maybe some use like a hemostat. Maybe a hemostat could find some use as
pliers?
Fisher people make use of pliers a lot.
Pulling teeth?
Skinning a pig?