Craftsman Robo Grip Pliers - The Ideal Junk Drawer Tool

[Garcky]

My late father-in-law was not handy. Despite that, he sometimes bought tools, in the belief that if he had them, he'd somehow know how to use them. That was not true, though. Whatever tools he had went unused all of his life. When he died, nobody else wanted tools, so I packed them up in a box and took them home with me. I can't say that I added any of them to my toolbox, though. They were not good tools. He didn't buy good tools. He bought tool sets from the display near the cash register. That's OK, though, because he didn't use them anyhow, so cheap was better.

The one exception was a pair of Craftsman Robo Grip Pliers. Those I kept. There's one of the pair in each of the junk drawers in our house. One in the kitchen junk drawer, along with a six-in-one screwdriver and the random 20' tape measure that magically appeared somewhere in the garage. The Robo Grip Pliers are not really suitable for any real work, but they have their uses. My wife can work them, so she uses them to open the tops of smaller bottles with screw tops. They're powerful enough to break free the cap of even a Schweppe's tonic water bottle. The other pair is in the laundry room, where it is used to open detergent and bleach bottle caps. So, there is actually a use for Craftsman Robo Grip Pliers, despite what people who disparage them say.

 

[CoogarXR]

I had a pair of those Roundo-grips around here somewhere.

 

[gleman]

I still have the three pack I got my Dad for Christmas one year. Still have the gold caps on the jaws!

 

[Jeepster04]

I'll never forget the commercial with Bob Vila. Bob says screw those slip joint pliers.

 

[WWheeler]

One of our maintenance techs in an an automotive manufacturing plant uses those every day and has for the last 15 or so years I've worked with him. He swears by them and TBH after watching him put them to use so many times he's really good and fast with them. The times I've tried to use them has been awkward to say the least.

 

[Shocker]

I have a few of these and they work just fine for all sorts of jobs. Not perfect of course, but I use them more often than not.

 

[slowtwitch73]

Those things are junk. I got some in my dad's tools, and between being hideous to look at and being a pita to store cuz the handles always splay open I sold em on Ebay.

 

[Etchase]

First thing I reach for when twisting chrome fixtures. With the soft grips of course. I’ll have to try them for bottle tops.

 

[Wiz02]

Unless you are doing electrical work, why are you using pliers instead of the proper tool? Isn't this GJ?

 

[Prospecter]

I also use them with the soft grips, and like them. As others have noted, they are great for chrome plumbing, and bottle caps. And for anything else that needs a soft, non-marring grip. I use them when I need to adjust wood dowels in furniture joints.

 

[Big Bad Dad]

I never throw away tools. But Robo Grip **** has been my one exception. I recently sent one of mine out with a load of scrap metal. I guess they might be OK for a lady to open a plastic bottle cap, but that's about it. Junk!

 

[dnschmidt]

I have them, use them and like them. Never understood all the hate. They're really great for opening oblong paint cans like we use in autobody.

 

[belvedere]

Forgot about those! Had a couple back in the 90s, but haven't seen them in years.

 

[Mr.zippy]

Hard pass for me, or I should say throw. They landed in between the garden and the lilac bushes the last time I tried to use them.

 

[anndel]

In the tool box buried under tons of wrenches and drum brake tools.

 

[Red 17]

My late MIL gave me one for Christmas. It is used infreqently, which is getting to be the case with lots of stuff. But I'll keep it as she was a wonderful person and it reminds me of her generosity. We all miss her so--words so infrequently spoken about a mother-in-law.

 

[Meursault74]

I think it's the ideal tool to put this guy back together

 

[General Geoff]

I actually just rediscovered my own matching pair of RoboGrips and AutoLocks a couple weeks ago!

 

[scooby074]

The ole' Nutfucker 9000

 

[M6erfan]

I had a pair of RoboGrips that I bought back in the mid-90's. I never understood all the hate either, they are bulky but that's about the only knock I can think of. I haven't seen mine in years.

 

[zendriver]

When it comes to hand tools, I have never liked a "self adjusting" anything, including these.

Have (or had) an almost new pair. Don't remember if they are still buried in the plier drawer or sold on eBay.

 

[Old Donn]

Sears got my money for both Robo-Grips and Auto-Locks back when. They're all in the tool chest drawer, in pristine condition, along with a Home Depot Robo-Grip clone I got as a gift. Used the Robo-Grip with the soft jaw mittens on occasion. The Auto-Locks, never.

 

[joel63]

I never bought a set of Robo-Grips and now I feel as if I've missed something.

 

[Garcky]

I never bought a set of Robo-Grips and now I feel as if I've missed something.

Nope. Nothing missed. Truly.

 

[joel63]

Nope. Nothing missed. Truly.

I don't believe you.

 

[zendriver]

I have (had) similar function locking pliers of other designs/brands, as well.

Seems like I had to keep "fiddling" with the settings, just to get a proper "automatic" grip on whatever. they got tossed back in the drawer quickly.

A solution in search of a problem IMO.

 

[Buster21]

This made me go find mine, not Craftsman but Ridgid Robo Grip II and just Robo Grip.

 

[Marsim]

I use the non auto lock ones every day at work (aircraft mechanic). Once you get the hang of them, they become indespensible. I normally get them for a few bucks at yard sales because most people don't like them.

 

[Garcky]

I use the non auto lock ones every day at work (aircraft mechanic). Once you get the hang of them, they become indespensible. I normally get them for a few bucks at yard sales because most people don't like them.

I'm really not much of a pliers user. Diagonal cutters, a pair of needle-nose pliers, and some water pump pliers are the only ones I use with any regularity.

On the other hand, I did use my wire-stripper/crimping pliers the other day. Whoever installed the kitchen cabinets in our recently purchased townhome, put the door pulls in the center of the doors, where there is just a thin panel. However, the screws are a bit too long and the knobs turn loosely. So, I took each one off, snipped 1/4" off the screw, using the convenient screw cutters in that tool. Now, all the knobs are tight again. I'll always be grateful to the guy who told me about those cutters. I never noticed them, despite their being right around the pivot point and labeled with the screw size and thread pitch. How did I miss that?

 

[toolenthusiast]

Sixtyfiveford made a nice set of locking clamps using an old Auto-Lock

 

[Zeus36]

I had a set an old girlfriend bought me as a present. Tried them but did not like 'em. They sat in one of my toolboxes for two decades. Gave them to my Spousal Equivalent a few years ago. She was stoked!

 

[Garcky]

I had a set an old girlfriend bought me as a present. Tried them but did not like 'em. They sat in one of my toolboxes for two decades. Gave them to my Spousal Equivalent a few years ago. She was stoked!

Yeah, my wife likes the pair in the kitchen junk drawer. She uses it pretty frequently.

 

[joel_400]

We went and bought a used washer and dryer for the sister in law one day. We got there and the guy says it's in the basement still hooked up. Someone had probably cranked the hoses on with them as I grabbed the hose ends and started bleeding from them being so chewed up. Then he hands me the robogrips. I quickly destroyed them and handed them back. Bent them so bad they were no longer usable. We then went and found a rag to wrap around the hose end and I got it off by hand. After all that and carrying the new appliances up and loading them I felt bad and helped install the new ones since he wouldn't have his robot grips to tighten the hoses! Haha
Joel

 

[ecotec]

I hate them sooo much…

I snuck them into my father in law’s toolbox years ago.

 

[Shocker]

Wow! No middle ground on these. Either hate em or use em.

 

[Wiz02]

Wow! No middle ground on these. Either hate em or use em.

Not sure where I stand, I don't hate them, but on the rare occasions when I tried to use them, they don't get the job done.

 

[slowtwitch73]

Channel locks or vise grips.

 

[joel_400]

I must add if I'm going to use the "wrong tool" I love me some Knipex Cobras! If they won't get it loose and you slip and tear up the fastener they do a wonderful job! Honestly though they are impressive for what they are! Just my extra two cents!
Joel

 

[ejot]

When I was growing up there was always a pair of RoboGrips with the mixed nuts around the holidays. They are particularly effective on those stubborn Brazil nuts.

 

[ElectroMechTech]

The other day, a co-worker and I were discussing all the gimmick tool **** Sears, would push over the years around Father's Day and Christmas. We agreed Robo Grip wasn't the worse they thing they ever sold, and it did have a sales life beyond Father's Day and Christmas.

We also agreed the best way to disappoint and insult the tool person in your life was to give these as a gift.......