chris142
Well-known member
I noticed that HF has a new brand of vice grips. They say to compare to Irwin. Are they any good or do they fold over like the other junk ones do?
HF vice grips
- Thread starter chris142
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6768rogues
Banned
And a Yugo compares to a Rolls Royce, they both have wheels.
bwringer
Well-known member
Irwin Vise Grips have been Chinese dogshit for several years. (The older US made VGs are great if you can find any used examples at yard sales or whatever that aren't beat to hell.)
The "Bremen" brand locking pliers at HF are made in Taiwan and are quite good and a fantastic value. (Milwaukee brand locking pliers at Home Despot are also Taiwanese and pretty nice.)
HF's "Pittsburgh" brand are still crappy Chinesium; maybe OK for disposable low stress stuff like welding clamps.
BTW, the red handled "Doyle" pliers nearby are also made in Taiwan and very, very nice for the money.
The "Bremen" brand locking pliers at HF are made in Taiwan and are quite good and a fantastic value. (Milwaukee brand locking pliers at Home Despot are also Taiwanese and pretty nice.)
HF's "Pittsburgh" brand are still crappy Chinesium; maybe OK for disposable low stress stuff like welding clamps.
BTW, the red handled "Doyle" pliers nearby are also made in Taiwan and very, very nice for the money.
Rabid Badger
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Agreed, the new Bremens and Doyle products are far better that any of the Irwin-branded products available right now.
Stooge
Well-known member
I picked up a few assorted sizes of the Bremen welding C clamps based on someone on here telling me about them, and was really surprised at how nice they were. Maybe not old US Irwin quality, but certainly miles ahead of the other Pittsburgh ones I have, though I cant bad mouth the Pittsburgh ones too much. they've earned their keep, have taken a lot of abuse and gotten pretty beat up, accidentally cut several times, burnt, etc. over the years and in turn have kept my more expensive clamps in better shape. I definitely plan on picking up some more pairs of Bremens in the near future to replace the old worn out clamps. I have no experience with thebremen 'vise-grip' and needle nose style clamps to speak on how the teeth hold up.
bobcatdan
Well-known member
Malco is going to be making locking pliers in the the DeWitt factory they now own and Lang is going to be selling German made locking pliers, most likely the same ones Epstein sells now. Just saying there are or coming soon, other options.
+1
sourcing good old usa visegrips is way forward and easy do if not being super tight on budget . Bremen good for low cost and rough work or cutting up for custom tool ect, I turned a couple into pipe pinch pliers .
The tekton are pretty good so is toptul, both taiwan and decent alloy and treatment .
Speaking of locking pliers at HF, the rubber padded handle "Pittsburg Pro" locking pliers, the 10" - no more.
I took a pair that had the teeth worn back, nothing to be found, so I grabbed a pair of the "Bremen" and took up to the checkout with other items.
I think they were about the same price I paid for the other.
The checker was confused on what to do (surprise), so she called the woman manager over, who looked a the old pair and retorted "were those purchased here?"
I actually lost it, I was so perturbed she said that. She ended up just swapping them.
I took a pair that had the teeth worn back, nothing to be found, so I grabbed a pair of the "Bremen" and took up to the checkout with other items.
I think they were about the same price I paid for the other.
The checker was confused on what to do (surprise), so she called the woman manager over, who looked a the old pair and retorted "were those purchased here?"
I actually lost it, I was so perturbed she said that. She ended up just swapping them.
Last edited:
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Well considering the Bremen ones are quite a bit better than the current Irwin's I suppose so.
I'm using my 6 and 11 inch C clamps at work daily and they are doing great. Had an ironworker tack some fender washers on em for good measure.
I'm looking forward to the Lang, Channellock and Eagle grip offerings coming soon
Rabid Badger
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You know, I bet if your response had been more like this:
that the end of your story still would have been:
But congrats on yelling at a couple of women.
Farmall450
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SilverBulletZ06
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Limited use on mine but I think they are heads and shoulders above the Husky/Kobalt/Cman lineup so far. Not to say my Husky pliers are garbage, but they are big and clunky compared to the Doyles I picked up.
Professional Tool User
Well-known member
I highly doubt the Bremen ones are any worse than Irwin's garbage.
Quote:
Originally Posted by zendriver View Post
The checker was confused on what to do (surprise), so she called the woman manager over, who looked a the old pair and retorted "were those purchased here?"
I actually lost it, I was so perturbed she said that. She ended up just swapping them.
You know, I bet if your response had been more like this:
Quote:
Originally Posted by zendriver View Post
I calmly explained that I had, in fact, purchased them there.
that the end of your story still would have been:
Quote:
Originally Posted by zendriver View Post
She ended up just swapping them.
But congrats on yelling at a couple of women.
Dont be a douche.
He doesn't like be called a liar I agree with him. Congrats on being a douche
Originally Posted by zendriver View Post
The checker was confused on what to do (surprise), so she called the woman manager over, who looked a the old pair and retorted "were those purchased here?"
I actually lost it, I was so perturbed she said that. She ended up just swapping them.
You know, I bet if your response had been more like this:
Quote:
Originally Posted by zendriver View Post
I calmly explained that I had, in fact, purchased them there.
that the end of your story still would have been:
Quote:
Originally Posted by zendriver View Post
She ended up just swapping them.
But congrats on yelling at a couple of women.
Dont be a douche.
He doesn't like be called a liar I agree with him. Congrats on being a douche
I thought the same but just learned first hand how much the Irwins ****, removing broken exhaust manifold studs out of a big block. Rounded the teeth off of an Irwin 10R after two studs, removed the last five with a Peterson 10R and the teeth still look great.
Bagherra
Well-known member
I looked at one of the Bremen locking pliers in the HF store awhile back. One thing I noticed I didn't like compared to the construction of most other brands including the original vise grip design, is that the Bremen is missing the large rivet that the lower jaw pivots on.
Anybody else notice this?
Attachments
^ looks the same 3 rivet design as usa vise grips and same as toptul and tekton besides tekton has the push release over peterson pull release design .
Are you saying it missing the rivet or rivet diameter less ?
as I can see the rivet I assume you saying diameter less which not surprising I suppose .
Are you saying it missing the rivet or rivet diameter less ?
as I can see the rivet I assume you saying diameter less which not surprising I suppose .
Look closer. The Bremen is missing the large rivet where the "BR" is in Bremen.
Rabid Badger
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Just bad Photoshop work; they have the third rivet.
Maybe it is just a marketing picture. I remember looking at a peterson vise grip when I got home and then looking the Bremen up again on their website.
Negen
Well-known member
If your looking to buy new vice grips just wait till the Peterson plant starts selling USA made vice grips again. Should be on sale around spring time.
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Sent from my G8141 using The Garage Journal mobile app
^
I paid up to 5bucks each for mine but all lightly used and very tidy .
I had 5 pairs bought off tool truck in my early days but didn't take me long collect few more used when desired them .
The alloy and treatment in old ones is hard to beat .
I paid up to 5bucks each for mine but all lightly used and very tidy .
I had 5 pairs bought off tool truck in my early days but didn't take me long collect few more used when desired them .
The alloy and treatment in old ones is hard to beat .
You don't even know what I did or didn't say, but FWIW, it was quick, terse and right to the point and directed right at the Manager, who has been there long enough, to know they sold red-padded locking pliers, that say "Pittsburg" on them.
You're fine if someone insinuates you are dishonest?
Not very Zen-like...
Even, the placid, have their limits.
Not that I'm special, but they once mistyped a number and charged me 79 cents for a $70 item. I thought about
but couldn't do it, so I had them correct the proper charge.GF thought maybe the MGr may have been stressed and was "thinking out loud", but I was spending $300 there and it pissed me off, she was scrutinizing a $7 item swap.
Frankly, I'd rather have the padded Pittsburg model.
Negen
Well-known member
I really like the euro style facom is what I have since they dropship direct from facom addresses when ordering from Amazon.Co.uk.
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Sent from my G8141 using The Garage Journal mobile app
Rabid Badger
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You don't even know what I did or didn't say, but FWIW, it was quick, terse and right to the point and directed right at the Manager, who has been there long enough, to know they sold red-padded locking pliers, that say "Pittsburg" on them.
You're fine if someone insinuates you are dishonest?
We have very different definitions of "losing it", but our reaction to the situation you describe seem similar. I retract my statement.
BlakeTheCarGuy
ALLIANCE MEMBER
They are pretty good much better than the Pittsburgh vise grips in my opinion they don’t have as much play in them
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iagsxr
Well-known member
How are Knipex locking pliers?
bwringer
Well-known member
I think so. The Bremens are WAY better in every respect than the garbage now peddled under the Irwin name. Pliers of this general design will always have some play, but the jaws on mine line up nicely.
Go buy a set and see what you think. I mean, they're less then seven bucks. Not much of a gamble.
https://www.harborfreight.com/6-in-long-nose-locking-pliers-63870.html
This came up elsewhere on GJ a while back, and the nearly unanimous verdict was "disappointing". Knipex pliers are wonderful stuff, but everyone who thought they were getting similar wonderfulness in locking pliers was disappointed.
How many stupid house names has Horror Fright come up with?