Locking pliers, vice grips ****....

[Fast LT1]

I'm on a quest for a good set of vice grips. Since Irwin bought out vice grip they seem to really ****! I've tried kobalts locking pliers too. I've also tried sears locking pliers, I don't remember which brand they were though. So what's the best ones? Maybe snap on?

 

[John316]

NOS (New Old Stock) or Used Peterson

 

[Basskiller]

Grip on

 

[DeliveryGuy]

I have Grip-on pliers. They are made in Spain, and sold in Canada through Gray Tools, and on par with Vise Grip prices. I believe Snap-on locking pliers are Grip-ons, painted a different color.
Search Grip-on, and you'll find threads talking about them.

edit: not my picture, but I found it in another GJ thread.

 

[TwoInch]

the craftsmans are the same as the irwins. kobalts are no good.

 

[dsimatt]

I have Grip-on pliers. They are made in Spain, and sold in Canada through Gray Tools, and on par with Vise Grip prices. I believe Snap-on locking pliers are Grip-ons, painted a different color.
Search Grip-on, and you'll find threads talking about them.

edit: not my picture, but I found it in another GJ thread.

QUOTE]

Years ago i bought the snap-on set they were promoting and the next week my dealer bought the set back full price because no matter how tight i got them they'd just slip off, i even put the handles in a vise to clamp them and still slipped.

 

[sqaurelizard]

Have a set of the blue point locking pliers and they are a total waste of metal. only decent ones are the old vice grips

 

[Fast LT1]

Have a set of the blue point locking pliers and they are a total waste of metal. only decent ones are the old vice grips

Old vice grips are crazy expensive. I don't wanna pay $40 a pair

 

[John316]

Old vice grips are crazy expensive. I don't wanna pay $40 a pair

Snapons are only $34.75 ;-)
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...roup_ID=682188&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

 

[Fast LT1]

Snapons are only $34.75 ;-)
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...roup_ID=682188&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

Actually I get those for $21 and if I get a lifetime warranty...

 

[Fordman7795]

Have a set of the blue point locking pliers and they are a total waste of metal. only decent ones are the old vice grips

Yep, bluepoint ones are total junk

 

[kunkernator]

Last I checked, I think Epstein's still has some NOS Vice Grips, I would call and ask before ordering.

 

[byoungblood]

Old vice grips are crazy expensive. I don't wanna pay $40 a pair

Just go to a few yard sales, anyone selling more than a handful of tools probably has a set of old Petersen vise grips. Plus, if you dig around you can probably find some old US made pairs at hardware stores. Let the jerks on eBay ask too much money as long as they want.

 

[crewchief888]

lately i've been finding vintage, used USA vise grips @ garage sales and flea mkts for $1-$3 /pair.

as long as the teeth are in good shape, i'll take them.

 

[Stuart in MN]

lately i've been finding vintage, used USA vise grips @ garage sales and flea mkts for $1-$3 /pair.

Me too. I've bought probably a dozen of them in the last year at swap meets, some I've paid as much as $5 but they're usually less. I only pick up ones that were built in Dewitt, Nebraska.

 

[Brownsfan]

I bought a bunch of older but in great shape(no rust and not beat up) for $15. There were 8 different types and sizes. I got them at a local pawn shop. These replaced my super ****** Kobalt ones. They were the absolute worst locking pliers I have EVER used

 

[crewchief888]

in with my "working" tools i keep a pair of 6" needlenose, 8" & 10".
vice grips are truely a "last resort" type of tool for me. those 3 pair at at least 8-10 years old, and still like new.

the used ones i get are mostly destined for welding/fab work. i dont care what they look like, they just need to hold.

 

[Monte]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-New-Stanl...4?pt=BI_Tool_Work_Holding&hash=item3f2673b57a

 

[Jagmandave]

What do you use them for?

The only thing I've found them useful for is clamping two pieces of something together - usually metal, for welding........

The are absolutely worthless for removing a rounded off nut, for example.

 

[Fast LT1]

What do you use them for?

The only thing I've found them useful for is clamping two pieces of something together - usually metal, for welding........

The are absolutely worthless for removing a rounded off nut, for example.

I like them for holding shocks while I undo the nut at the top and my old vice grips were the only ones that would hold the shock rod. They since have come up missing.

 

[Outlawmws]

in with my "working" tools i keep a pair of 6" needlenose, 8" & 10".
vice grips are truely a "last resort" type of tool for me. those 3 pair at at least 8-10 years old, and still like new.

the used ones i get are mostly destined for welding/fab work. i dont care what they look like, they just need to hold.

on THIS ^^^

I'm up to about 50 pairs, and if the price is right...

 

[FiendFX]

Snap on are made in spain. I was suprised

 

[Fast LT1]

on THIS ^^^

I'm up to about 50 pairs, and if the price is right...

Well if you want to sell get some pics and a price and well talk

 

[Gotmayhem]

Snap on are made in spain. I was suprised

Made by Grip-On, same as Proto's and others. I have a Snap-On branded set, they were actually one of the cheaper distributors in the US that I could find for the Grip-On design, and you get their warranty to boot. I like them quite a lot and they have held up well so far, jaws maintain their shape very well.

 

[canuckian]

Older US made ones are like hen's teeth where I live so I went for grip ons. Some snap on branded and the others are orange as pictured earlier. Couldn't be happier.

 

[TwoInch]

I like them for holding shocks while I undo the nut at the top and my old vice grips were the only ones that would hold the shock rod. They since have come up missing.

if you have a pair of 12" knipex alligators, or cobras, try those next time. they bite really well(named appropriately ), better than most any other plier type i have tried.

 

[CWP1616L]

The main thing is how the release lever works. If I was in the market for some, I'd be looking at Grip-On or Knipex since they got the kind of release levers I like.

 

[TwoInch]

agree. having a proper release lever makes using them so much less of a headache. ii have old craftsman USA versions that are of three styles, i like the grip on style lever best. CM also had some that levered the other direction, which was a pain in the ***, and they also had some way back that had no lever at all, you just pulled the bottom handle back down. they gripped well, but man are they terrible to unlock when you have them cranked down....

 

[stonesfan68]

I'll give another vote for the Grip-On products. I have the Proto version and like them a lot.

Harry Epstein's carries the USA Vice Grips.