Malco Eagle Grip pliers

[Kscardsfan]

Bumping an old thread because I just picked up a pair of these and took some pics of them compared to the Grip-Ons that are also rebranded and sold as Proto and previously sold by Snap-On as well.

I am impressed with the quality, granted Malco's tooling is only a year old at this point so everything's still new and sharp.




Will report how well they hold up after they get some heavy use.

Man I want some of those badly now.

 

[Sgtboz]

Bumping an old thread because I just picked up a pair of these and took some pics of them compared to the Grip-Ons that are also rebranded and sold as Proto and previously sold by Snap-On as well.

I am impressed with the quality, granted Malco's tooling is only a year old at this point so everything's still new and sharp.




Will report how well they hold up after they get some heavy use.

Where did you buy them?

 

[General Geoff]

Ordered them from amazon

 

[ChefRex]

https://www.harryepstein.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=+Malco+eagle+grip
has them too, I thought they were cheaper when I bought them, with shipping I'm not sure but I would rather support them than the Brazilian river.

 

[metaldad]

nicely made hand tool.
bought 2 when they 1st came out

 

[scooby074]

A poster on the SO locking pliers thread is saying Malco has dropped the VG's from their lineup. Hope not. No evidence I could find. Malco was doing Eagle Grip swag givaways and there was several tool reviews on the usual sites all through August.

New Snap On locking pliers

Often wondered what the wire cutting function is for on locking pliers as I don't see locking pliers as a tool for working on electrical items. Do you need to cut hard-wire during welding, or is it for something else?

www.garagejournal.com

 

[Mr_B]

I'd be a little surprised and hopeful of that not being true ...
For sure it probably not an easy product sell big volume due to price and market competition at 3rd the cost but it is a proper effort product, to me the biggest issue is lack of grip range and not even publicity on upcoming plans on grips.
They really need bring back bent long nose, the large oval jaw pliers and innovate a bit, long reach double joint locking pliers, pinch off pliers, fabrication clamp pliers and crimping pliers .

 

[SilverDeck]

I have reached out to my contact in Malco’s administration to see if these claims are valid or not. Keep in mind that anyone can join and post content here, so when a new member joins and drops a bombshell like this, I always suspect a troll.

 

[dnschmidt]

It would make sense for Malco to sell these exclusively to Snap-On though whether this is true or not is unknown. I (for obvious reasons) can buy a box of ten TOPTUL vice grips for the cost of one Eagle Grip and I can guarantee you that 10 TOPTUL vice grips will last longer than one Eagle Grip particularly since I primarily use Vice Grips for welding applications. The competition from HF Bremen (which are surprisingly good) and Milwaukee is pretty strong as well. When you think high dollar you think Snap-On. If people are willing to pay $250 for a ratchet off the truck $75 for great Vice Grips doesn't seem out of place.

 

[KnurledNut]

The rumor came from an unreliable source, a one-post wonder here on GJ.
I wouldnt lose your marbles just yet.

 

[charbar]

I don's see them going away either. Hell I just got a flyer in the mail straight from Malco about the Eagle Grips not more than a week ago.

I have a pair of the SO branded ones. They are top notch. I need to get some more-under the Malco name though since Im sure they are cheaper. Far superior to my Vice Grip brand ones and I would definitely put them above my Milwaukees also.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

They still have the **** release lever though.

 

[dnschmidt]

They still have the **** release lever though.

I agree. Apparently the idea was to exactly duplicate the originals which they truly did. However, this one little improvement would have been beneficial.

 

[larry4406]

What’s the hate with the release lever?

The lever on all my original Petersens works fine along with the Irwin clones.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

What’s the hate with the release lever?

The lever on all my original Petersens works fine along with the Irwin clones.

Use some with the release lever working the other way and you'll understand. Especially when you've clamped them tight as hell.

 

[GeoBruin]

What’s the hate with the release lever?

The lever on all my original Petersens works fine along with the Irwin clones.

Maybe they like the reverse style where you squeeze to release instead of the opposite?

I have a love hate relationship with that "feature" on my Tektons. If I had never known anything different I think it may be superior, but because I spent my whole life doing the reverse, I sometimes fiddle with it.

 

[SheetMetalGod]

UPDATE!!! Malco is closing the doors to the EagleGrip factory effective Dec. 31, 2022. They are actively looking for a buyer. They are going to finish an order for another company and that is it.

 

[Chrome Vanadium Cody]

Bummer. Loved the story and I would have happily paid double the price of Irwin’s for them, may have even paid triple, but 4-5x the price was just too much for me.

 

[toolenthusiast]

UPDATE!!! Malco is closing the doors to the EagleGrip factory effective Dec. 31, 2022. They are actively looking for a buyer. They are going to finish an order for another company and that is it.

Link?

 

[Bubba Fett]

UPDATE!!! Malco is closing the doors to the EagleGrip factory effective Dec. 31, 2022. They are actively looking for a buyer. They are going to finish an order for another company and that is it.

Source?

 

[Tool Using Animal]

Use some with the release lever working the other way and you'll understand. Especially when you've clamped them tight as hell.

That's why I prefer the Irwin version with the hex socket in the screw. Allows you to loosen the grip gradually with almost no effort. Also allows you to tighten it much harder than you ever could by just squeezing.

 

[dutchgray]

Bummer. Loved the story and I would have happily paid double the price of Irwin’s for them, may have even paid triple, but 4-5x the price was just too much for me.

Here in the UK there was a supplier doing the 7" for £65.
I could buy 3x the Milwaukee ones and get some change for the same and those are pretty good and not a cheap option themselves.

 

[SheetMetalGod]

Source?

The source is the 63 employees who work there and the 600 or so people who live here in Dewitt.

 

[SheetMetalGod]

Link?

I doubt if there will be a press release. I was told all of the inventory of finished tools will b shipped to Annandale and sold thru there at a deep discounted price.

 

[Callelle]

The source is the 63 employees who work there and the 600 or so people who live here in Dewitt.

So nothing more than word of mouth from someone with 6 posts?

 

[SheetMetalGod]

So nothing more than word of mouth from someone with 6 post

 

[SheetMetalGod]

You can believe whatever u want. It is not word of mouth. It is fact. I posted on here a few weeks ago that they were no longer producing EagleGrips. There is 100,000 tools sitting in storage that they cant sell. Why would you keep making more.

 

[LGBFJB]

That ***** if true. I bought both 7"ers and they're great. They spent like 3 or 4 years from buying the plant to actually selling tools, right? It would be pretty lame if the actual production run was shorter than the time it took to get set up.

If this is true, there will be evidence forthcoming (local news, company website etc).

 

[AJHD]

You can believe whatever u want. It is not word of mouth. It is fact. I posted on here a few weeks ago that they were no longer producing EagleGrips. There is 100,000 tools sitting in storage that they cant sell. Why would you keep making more.

Why can't they sell them? Is it a price issue, too expensive?

I know some Malco products are available at local stores like Home Depot. I know it's not that simple, but I'm sure they would sell in store.

I have 2 Malco's from Snap On. I don't use Vise Grips often, but they seem nice and well built.

 

[Lt CHEG]

Unfortunately, it is true that the Eagle Grip pliers are no longer going to be made. I just called the number on their website and Malco customer service confirmed the information. They hope to have product available through the end of the year, so get them while you can. I know I will.

 

[m6z]

You can believe whatever u want. It is not word of mouth. It is fact. I posted on here a few weeks ago that they were no longer producing EagleGrips. There is 100,000 tools sitting in storage that they cant sell. Why would you keep making more.

That's unfortunate to hear, but not surprising given the price tag. When a decent pair of locking pliers can be had for less than $10 at HF, it's got to be hard to sell the USA made option for 5x the price.

 

[AA/FC]

I doubt if there will be a press release. I was told all of the inventory of finished tools will b shipped to Annandale and sold thru there at a deep discounted price.

Sorry to hear this news.

.

 

[LB-1911]

Unfortunately, it is true that the Eagle Grip pliers are no longer going to be made. I just called the number on their website and Malco customer service confirmed the information. They hope to have product available through the end of the year, so get them while you can. I know I will.

I used contact us

Hello,

Despite our best efforts. The reality is that we have not been able to make this a successful business for our company. Simply put, this platform and operation doesn’t fit our core competency and requires a different set of skills and experiences.

Thank you,



Customer service Rep.

 

[Bubba Fett]

Maybe SBD can buy the plant and make the "Original" back in the original factory.

 

[KnurledNut]

The obvious answer here is for Snap-on to acquire them.

 

[Rosso]

Wonder if Snap on would buy the factory and absorb it into the company. They sell them rebranded and made a big deal out of them so might make sense given they fell out with Irwin.

 

[ChefRex]

I guess I'll have some collectable tools in 50-100 years,lol.

 

[Steve_P]

Oh well, that was fast. But how many pairs of $50 pliers did they think they were going to sell when very good quality imports are $10? They definitely didn't do their homework on this business venture.
If there is a sale on these, I'll pick a few up. But not at the current prices.
The only company that could make it work would be Snap On, but they don't seem to be buying enough to keep them going.

 

[KnurledNut]

Wonder if Snap on would buy the factory and absorb it into the company. They sell them rebranded and made a big deal out of them so might make sense given they fell out with Irwin.

They could keep the Vise-grip plant and start up manufacturing of tap and dies there too.

 

[M6erfan]

Sad.