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Anyone use Kobalt vise grips?

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Bcom

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How well do the Kobalt vise grips hold up? A couple years ago i bought a cheap no name set a vise grips and all of them bent on the first use. I know the Irwin vise grips are top notch but the Kobalts are $10 for a 3 pack and the Irwins are $30 for a 3 pack.
I do have a couple old school real vise grips but the release lever is missing on each one of them :(
 
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bcradio

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They ****. I really should have tossed mine, but I decided to keep them in my ATV tool survival kit... Hopefully that doesn't come to bite me when I need it.

Get Milwaukee, much better.
 
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Parrothead

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If you break the old Peterson vise grips, the Kobalts have no chance.

I have all kinds of locking pliers, from the Petersons, to Irwin USA, to import Vise Grips, to Kobalts to HF Pittsburgh Pro. I'm a big fan of the old Petersons, but none of the others were bad. Try to buy locking pliers that at least look like the original Petersons as they seem to hold up better. The cheap HF locking pliers, and those like them are pretty much useless.
 
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Bcom

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bcradio said:
They ****. I really should have tossed mine, but I decided to keep them in my ATV tool survival kit... Hopefully that doesn't come to bite me when I need it.

Get Milwaukee, much better.
Click to expand...

Looked at Milwaukee. A plastic adjustment screw? Really? Thats a big thumbs down from me!:confused:
 
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CJM8515

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Bcom said:
Looked at Milwaukee. A plastic adjustment screw? Really? Thats a big thumbs down from me!:confused:
Click to expand...

Not sure which one you got, but the milwaukees I got are all metal and very much like the petersen vice grips.
 
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Brownsfan

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It's not plastic. Look closer. It's just painted and looks plastic. I own a couple of the Milwaukee locking pliers and they are great compared to China Irwin and Kobalt. They are actually dare I say as good as the old Peterson vice grips .
 
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Bcom

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Then it must vary depending on which style grips you buy. Ive seen some reviews say the adjustment screw is plastic some say steel. The ones ive looked at seem to be plastic in the pic
 
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PECVD2

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They are a $10 set after all.
Someone gave me that set several years ago as a Christmas gift and I put the long nose to work immediately as a hose pinch on my golf cart the kids were riding around tearing up the place over the holiday break from school. They couldn't start the cart and never realized that the fuel line was pinched... kept in on that line for over a year and my yard landscaping eventually grew back.
 
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CJM8515

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Bcom said:
Even the first reviewer on ur link says its plastic
Click to expand...



c21813b7dcc18e8027724f576579c1d3.jpg

Just took this photo.
That's a magnet on the metal screw. I have 4 pair of varying sizes all metal.
 

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wayne55

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I just bought 2 pair of the China made Irwin 10WR vise grips to use in welding rather than mess up my old Petersens. The Irwins feel like the old Petersens as far as locking. They have a little side play in the moving jaw. I don't know how they will hold up.

I also bought 2 pair of the Taiwan made Milwaukee and seem to be top notch, no play and they clamp well. They are chrome moly and the red bolt is definitely metal. Again, I can't say how they will hold up, but I would certainly buy more of these when I need any locking pliers. The red bolt is is made like it is in order to put a screwdriver in to tighten or loosen after you have clamped the pliers.
 
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Bcom

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Ok guys ill take a look at the milwaukees. The only place that sells them near me is 20mi away so it may take some time.
 
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OutsideMachinist

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Bcom said:
Ok guys ill take a look at the milwaukees. The only place that sells them near me is 20mi away so it may take some time.
Click to expand...

They are metal. They work just fine. Havea couple pairs. They a few different models. I have a round jaw pair and a hex-type jaw pair they call maxbite i think. Youll still tear the teeth on the jaws up if you abuse them. Same thing with the old ''good'' vice grips. Just order them online.
 
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Bcom

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Well im kinda skeptical to order these online. You guys showed me the adjustment screw was metal but i am absolutely positive that ive seen pics with plastic screws. Even the HD reviewer said theyre plastic. Was the reviewer that dum to think they were plastic and couldnt tell a difference? Basically my point is, if they did happen to make some with plastic screws,i dont wanna get a surprise in the mail if i order them. Id rather see them in person at Rural King and make sure i get the metal screws. I have no HD near me. Closest one is 50mi.
 
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Greg85mcss

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I have that 3 pack with the rubber grips. The part on the needle nose one that pivots against the adjuster always falls out. They're not bad for little things like holding a hood strut but for any real use I grab the irwins.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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gdocktor3

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M6erfan said:
Yeah, because nothin on GJ gets tons of hype then fails to live up...:lol_hitti

Seriously, they do look nice and I plan on picking up the 7" curved jaw to try out
Click to expand...

Yea have you seen the thread I made about hyped up tools?? I figure if HJE is willing to advertise and sell them, they have to be somewhat decent.
 
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winlinmac

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In spite of the minor cons on Knipex-branded locking pliers, I'd still go for them and Milwaukee. Grip-On is also another option, but the orange paints flakes off a bit too soon. At least there is warranty for these three brands pliers here in the states. No warranty info for Bollmangrips is available AFAIK as they have been recently imported via HJE.
 
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davethorik

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Bcom said:
Well im kinda skeptical to order these online. You guys showed me the adjustment screw was metal but i am absolutely positive that ive seen pics with plastic screws. Even the HD reviewer said theyre plastic. Was the reviewer that dum to think they were plastic and couldnt tell a difference? Basically my point is, if they did happen to make some with plastic screws,i dont wanna get a surprise in the mail if i order them. Id rather see them in person at Rural King and make sure i get the metal screws. I have no HD near me. Closest one is 50mi.
Click to expand...

The screws are metal, lol if you are willing to believe a dumb *** reviewer and not the 5+ people here who have directly told you its metal, not plastic, including the magnet pic then why even come here for advice? Just go read reviews on HD's website to guide all tool purchases.

The Milwaukee are better than china irwin. You can use a wrench, another pair of pliers, or a screwdriver to tighten the knob (the one you've convinced yourself is plastic, but isnt). They aren't as sloppy as China irwins.
 
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Hammer1963

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Just buy the Milwaukee pliers online. They are by far the best copies of the best design Peterson ever offered and the small improvements that Milwaukee has incorporated into their design makes them hard to beat. I was skeptical at first but they have proven to be top notch. If you do not like them, send them back. Seriously, a plastic screw .......... NOT!
 
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Bcom

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davethorik said:
The screws are metal, lol if you are willing to believe a dumb *** reviewer and not the 5+ people here who have directly told you its metal, not plastic, including the magnet pic then why even come here for advice? Just go read reviews on HD's website to guide all tool purchases.

The Milwaukee are better than china irwin. You can use a wrench, another pair of pliers, or a screwdriver to tighten the knob (the one you've convinced yourself is plastic, but isnt). They aren't as sloppy as China irwins.
Click to expand...

Look here dude. I know the members here have proven that the screw is metal. However ive seen pics of plastic ones. You dont think that its even possible that Mikwaukee tried plastic screws before going to metal and some still exist out in the world?:headscrat
 
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bmrisko

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I have the $10 set of rubber-grip Kobalts that I got sometime last year and they have held up for random tasks around the house. I'm going to pick up some of the Milwaukees though...they look pretty slick!
 
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someone else

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I gtrabbed a set of the kobalt locking pliers on black Friday (small and large curve jaw and needle nose) for cheap. They're not terrible, but no comparison to my old Petersons. I played with the Milwaukee ones at home depot the other day, they seem solid as well. They are definitely metal - its just a plastic coating in the screw, for comfort I imagine.
 
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Bcom

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someone else said:
I gtrabbed a set of the kobalt locking pliers on black Friday (small and large curve jaw and needle nose) for cheap. They're not terrible, but no comparison to my old Petersons. I played with the Milwaukee ones at home depot the other day, they seem solid as well. They are definitely metal - its just a plastic coating in the screw, for comfort I imagine.
Click to expand...

Ahhh i see. No wonder they look plastic. Never thought about a plastikote over top of the screw. :thumbup:
 
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winlinmac

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Clearly the screw on the Milwaukee one is metal, that plastic is there for a better handling only. There's a valid reason why that metal bolt is en-sheathed in a coat of red plastic.
 
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isb cornbinder

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My sons says I have over 150 pair of Petersen Vise Grips in many styles. I have a standing order with some local pawn shops and second-hand stores to call me is anything Vise Grip comes in. I like the look of the MILWAUKEE Vice Grip but, I really don't need any more locking pliers.
The pictures show two of four drawers filled with Vise Grip.
My mother immigrated to Canada, in 1920, from the Dewitt, NB area. Her family knew the Petersen family. So, we have had a loyalty to the brand.
 

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Brownsfan

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They were always metal as far as I know. I have never seen a plastic one. Ever. I own a few pair. They are metal. All of them. How do you know they are plastic by a picture? It sounds like you don't want to buy them. So don't. Buy something else. Buy the cheaper Kobalt or Stanley. That's fine. But when many are telling you and actually OWN said product are telling you otherwise and you still don't believe it. Then again don't buy them.
 
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Bcom

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isb cornbinder said:
My sons says I have over 150 pair of Petersen Vise Grips in many styles. I have a standing order with some local pawn shops and second-hand stores to call me is anything Vise Grip comes in. I like the look of the MILWAUKEE Vice Grip but, I really don't need any more locking pliers.
The pictures show two of four drawers filled with Vise Grip.
My mother immigrated to Canada, in 1920, from the Dewitt, NB area. Her family knew the Petersen family. So, we have had a loyalty to the brand.
Click to expand...

Dude why dont you ship me a good 10" pair, a good 6 or 7 inch pair and a smaller needle nose pair?:bounce:
 
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