Malco Eagle Grip pliers

[toolenthusiast]

Lots of assumption here they werent making money.
They never said that.
Seems more to this story than we know.

“Despite our best efforts, the reality is that we have not been able to make this a successful business for our company.”

That’s as close as you can possibly get to “We didn’t make money” in American Corporate Jargon.

 

[tarbellb]

Disappointing but not surprised.

Failed marketing, poor market research, and over priced.
---
Sure copy the original, make it better, but STILL shouldnt cost triple+ the originals or other clones. At least be innovative, then you can start charging prices like this. Look at Facoms 500A series, they arent just leaning into what others have done. They are lightyears ahead in design. Simple trigger for release, unobtrusive clamping force adjustment, and loot at that capacity!

I bucked up and paid extra for Facom...

You clone a $10 Peterson and ask $50, gtfo. Argue all you want about the price, they either failed at producing them cheaper or marketing to the right groups.

 

[dnschmidt]

Yes, they're useful on the welding table but I run a professional weld shop and we rarely use the standard pliers style in the welding world. The C-clamp style,

Those are also the ones I primarily use.

 

[dnschmidt]

Failed marketing, poor market research, and over priced.
---
Sure copy the original, make it better, but STILL shouldnt cost triple+ the originals or other clones. At least be innovative, then you can start charging prices like this. Look at Facoms 500A series, they arent just leaning into what others have done. They are lightyears ahead in design. Simple trigger for release, unobtrusive clamping force adjustment, and loot at that capacity!

I bucked up and paid extra for Facom...

You clone a $10 Peterson and ask $50, gtfo. Argue all you want about the price, they either failed at producing them cheaper or marketing to the right groups.

RIGHT! I worked for the French between 1994 and 2010 and one thing they are is innovative. They are obsessed with design and elegance which is what identifies them as French. When S-T built a wafer fab it was a work of architectural art. When Motorola build a fab it look like a particularly ugly box.

Pretty same old ****, no matter how well made, is still the same old ****. This was one of my major complaints with TOPTUL. Their stuff is great, in my opinion their wrenches and sockets are as good as any made by anybody in the world but they don't innovate like KABO. KABO is always introducing new and innovative stuff.

 

[KnurledNut]

“Despite our best efforts, the reality is that we have not been able to make this a successful business for our company.”

That’s as close as you can possibly get to “We didn’t make money” in American Corporate Jargon.

You left out this part:
“Despite all of these efforts, the reality is that this platform doesn’t align with our core focus, so we’ve made the difficult decision to exit the locking handle tools business.”
Benninghoff said the company "is engaged in discussions with industry partners and potential buyers and will communicate further details as they become available."

 

[drtyler]

"We hope Great Star will buy this albatross from us"

 

[GeoBruin]

Disappointing but not surprised.

Failed marketing, poor market research, and over priced.
---
Sure copy the original, make it better, but STILL shouldnt cost triple+ the originals or other clones. At least be innovative, then you can start charging prices like this. Look at Facoms 500A series, they arent just leaning into what others have done. They are lightyears ahead in design. Simple trigger for release, unobtrusive clamping force adjustment, and loot at that capacity!

I bucked up and paid extra for Facom...

You clone a $10 Peterson and ask $50, gtfo. Argue all you want about the price, they either failed at producing them cheaper or marketing to the right groups.

Those Facom pliers look awesome! But they are at least as expensive as the Eagle Grips.

 

[colintrax]

Admittedly these aren't used every day, and I wouldnt (nor havent) use them for welding. But this little guy has been bathed in grinder sparks, and been dropped/kicked around. Bet all I need to make it look brand new is a microfiber and a toothbrush.
This Harbor Freight OTOH...

 

[Bubba Fett]

If it ain't broke, why fix it? The original Petersen grips are the ones to copy if you're going to copy one.

But everyone has copied it, so what's the point?

 

[tarbellb]

Those Facom pliers look awesome! But they are at least as expensive as the Eagle Grips.

They are awesome, and similarly priced. Better capacity, innovative features, and just as tough.


The basic version most similar to Eagle Grips is $25-30 ea, and thats made in FRANCE with even stricter production restraints

 

[Maddog1337]

Very disappointing news. I'm going to take a bit of a different stance here but many forget the amount of anticipatory threads/posts regarding this product coming online, but are quick now to bash it. I'm seeing a lot of price variability referenced, 3x, 4x, 5x, even 6x the cost of a HF pair... Like anything you have to shop around - I bought my first pair of 10" straight jaws from Amazon 4/2021 for $38, yesterday I purchased the same pair from a vendor linked on Malco's site, TruTechTools for $44.

There were some OK marketing materials, I did receive a hat in the mail which was neat. I thought the website looked nice, couple nice videos promoting the product, interviews with excited former Peterson factory EEs, etc., but none of that likely reached the average consumer. I guess beyond initial release buzz Snap On could only prop the business and buy so many pairs.

If anything, they could have conducted some market research and discovered this wouldn't be a successful business venture at their current price point from the beginning. We don't know the additional marketing efforts that were unsuccessful. I highly doubt they were content with their exposure, but I'm sure they contacted the big box stores, clearly for whatever reason be it contracted shelf space, competition, or price point they never made it there. People are complaining they were primarily sold on Amazon? The biggest e-commerce website for retail products? I wonder what they could have done with more visibility - maybe providing samples to any and every YouTube tool channel would have helped.

The fit and finish on these pliers are unparalleled and maybe overly so. I wonder if Malco or another suitor could cut costs by reducing the full chroming process. Hoping for a positive outcome here but I fear what implications this has for other USA tool manufacturing endeavors.

 

[Tool Using Animal]

They are awesome, and similarly priced. Better capacity, innovative features, and just as tough.


The basic version most similar to Eagle Grips is $25-30 ea, and thats made in FRANCE with even stricter production restraints

Looked at a couple of pictures, not great if you ask me. The top jaw is just riveted and not brazed to the sheet metal. The Irwins have a brazed top jaw and the fold on the thread is brazed as well. The current Taiwanese ones are actually better made than the old made in USA ones - those didn't have the fold at the threads brazed.

 

[KnurledNut]

They are awesome, and similarly priced. Better capacity, innovative features, and just as tough.


The basic version most similar to Eagle Grips is $25-30 ea, and thats made in FRANCE with even stricter production restraints

Those are made in France? They sure look like rebranded Grip-on.

 

[tarbellb]

Those are made in France? They sure look like rebranded Grip-on.

Yeah I think you are right, these are the same as Snap-On $40-50 units made in Spain i believe.

 

[Mr_B]

Those are made in France? They sure look like rebranded Grip-on.

+1
Facom has a mix of pliers sourcing, the older versions being the best .

 

[American Locomotive]

Guys, I really don't think the full polish chrome is what pushed these pliers to the $50 price point. Take a look at Wright Tool - the price difference between the satin industrial finish and the full-polish chrome on one of their 19mm wrenches is 96 cents.

I think their production line and methods were just inherently expensive to operate, and perhaps they were looking for a much faster ROI than what was happening. I'm sure COVID also set them back significantly, and if it's to be believed - apparently they had a rather high reject rate for these pliers.

I still think they could have made it work they really pushed the advertising of these being the best locking pliers. People will pay a premium for the best. For me, my 10" Eagle Grips proved their worth when they locked on to a rusty 9/16" nut hard enough that a Milwaukee 1/2" high torque impact was able to snap the bolt stuck in said nut without slipping. For the 4 bolts I had to get out, it saved what would have been probably hour of cutting and grinding upside down in a tight area. None of my other locking pliers came close to being able to deal with that kind of abuse.

There is an inherent worth in something that can do a simple task better than anything else. I've had at least half a dozen people scoff at how much I paid for the Eagle Grips until they used them in a situation were basically every other pair of locking pliers would have failed miserably. They all became instant believers afterwards.

We live in a world where people will pay $135 for a standard 3/8" Snap-On Ratchet. I think the right marketing could have sold the best locking pliers point-blank on the market.

 

[Steve_P]

Guys, I really don't think the full polish chrome is what pushed these pliers to the $50 price point. Take a look at Wright Tool - the price difference between the satin industrial finish and the full-polish chrome on one of their 19mm wrenches is 96 cents.

I think their production line and methods were just inherently expensive to operate, and perhaps they were looking for a much faster ROI than what was happening. I'm sure COVID also set them back significantly, and if it's to be believed - apparently they had a rather high reject rate for these pliers.

I still think they could have made it work they really pushed the advertising of these being the best locking pliers. People will pay a premium for the best. For me, my 10" Eagle Grips proved their worth when they locked on to a rusty 9/16" nut hard enough that a Milwaukee 1/2" high torque impact was able to snap the bolt stuck in said nut without slipping. For the 4 bolts I had to get out, it saved what would have been probably hour of cutting and grinding upside down in a tight area. None of my other locking pliers came close to being able to deal with that kind of abuse.

There is an inherent worth in something that can do a simple task better than anything else. I've had at least half a dozen people scoff at how much I paid for the Eagle Grips until they used them in a situation were basically every other pair of locking pliers would have failed miserably. They all became instant believers afterwards.

We live in a world where people will pay $135 for a standard 3/8" Snap-On Ratchet. I think the right marketing could have sold the best locking pliers point-blank on the market.

I agree with most of what you posted, but not the advertising part. The amount of people that will pay 4-5X what the "equivalent" HF or Milwaukee locking plier costs is infinitesimal, and most of them are here, or professionals. That's it. If you work on vehicles for a living, it's worth it. But that's not enough, as proven. Unfortunately, there are nowhere near enough buyers to support running the factory even 40 hours a week. So even the Snap On sales weren't enough; and again, these are not going to sell in HD, Lowes.... when there are Vise Grips next to them for 20% the cost. I have no doubt these are the best locking pliers, but the price for these was just too much to sell enough to keep the factory running.
1 of my 25 neighbors change their own oil. I guarantee I have the only set of flare nut wrenches, no matter the brand, in the small subdivision I live in. And I guarantee none have even heard of Malco, and even if they have, they wouldn't pay 5X more than HF charges.

 

[General Geoff]

We live in a world where people will pay $135 for a standard 3/8" Snap-On Ratchet. I think the right marketing could have sold the best locking pliers point-blank on the market.

It needs the brand recognition and warranty to back it up. Snap-On could probably rescue this operation if they saw fit to do so, and sell under their brand exclusively.

 

[dnschmidt]

"Your our only hope Obiwan!" In this case that would be Snap-On but I don't think they could sell enough of them to support an entire factory making them.

 

[matthew]

The more I think about it, the more I think they had more than one problem. I think “we have not been able to make this work” means both that:

1. They have not been able to distribute as widely as they hoped. I think that actually means the trade places that sell Malco snips not stocking Eagle Grips. Or industrial suppliers. I suspect they knew box stores wouldn’t.

2. I suspect manufacturing costs are higher than anticipated and no clear path to bring them down, or an obviously unacceptable capital cost to do so.

Did they patent their lock ring design? I’d also say that would have been a mistake. Patents have their place, but if it’s not keeping any competitor out, and your customers don’t care, then it’s just a cost.

I’d like to see it stay in Dewitt. It’s the spiritual home of ViseGrip. But if SnapOn did buy it, I’d think it more likely to put in an existing plant.

 

[four.cycle]

so where is the best deal on these things? looks like they can be had for about $44 ??

 

[General Geoff]

so where is the best deal on these things? looks like they can be had for about $44 ??

Right now I think the best deal is at Acme Tools, using a $10 off coupon code. Need to spend $200+ for free shipping though.

Who knows if they'll drop in price during liquidation if it comes to that, in January.

 

[dutchgray]

The 7" is now £72 in the UK, up £7 in a couple days.

 

[nicks78camaro]

I have their 10" and 7" curved jaws with wire cutters and been waiting for a long nose version. I guess if they are shutting down and shuddering the plant next month I'll pick up some Tektons.

Try Milwaukees from Home Depot. Around $15-19 per pair and very good quality. Lifetime warranty too.

 

[vssjim]

The only hope of Snap on buying them would be the massive government sales organization they have could make something like that happen possibly

 

[F-22]

Admittedly these aren't used every day, and I wouldnt (nor havent) use them for welding. But this little guy has been bathed in grinder sparks, and been dropped/kicked around. Bet all I need to make it look brand new is a microfiber and a toothbrush.
This Harbor Freight OTOH...

TBH are these even that incredibly better finished than more average ones? On the photos it looks like they're far from a perfect finish. The jaw forging especially looks very rough.



Also, I wonder why absolutely all locking pliers use the sheet metal design. Would be cool to see some different ones, maybe with forged handles like nearly all other plier designs.

 

[General Geoff]

Also, I wonder why absolutely all locking pliers use the sheet metal design. Would be cool to see some different ones, maybe with forged handles like nearly all other plier designs.

Not a mechanical engineer but I imagine it has something to do with the way all locking pliers lock, which depends on a spring tension force provided by the steel. Stamped sheet metal is probably easier to fine-tune the level of force required to both lock and unlock the pliers than a solid forged-steel tool body that would not have the same 'give' that thinner stamped steel has under tension.

 

[FSUwelder1212]

Does anyone have any idea where I could actually purchase these other than amazon, whom doesn't have all models available? Reading between the lines here would have me believe that Malco is sitting on a ton of stock and yet everywhere I look they are out of stock? I'm trying to buy 1 of each model and not sure I'll actually receive anything if I backorder them if they are going to shutter the plant.

 

[AA/FC]

Does anyone have any idea where I could actually purchase these other than amazon, whom doesn't have all models available? Reading between the lines here would have me believe that Malco is sitting on a ton of stock and yet everywhere I look they are out of stock? I'm trying to buy 1 of each model and not sure I'll actually receive anything if I backorder them if they are going to shutter the plant.

I would say if you really want some of these locking pliers you should buy whatever you can, whenever you can. I doubt inventory at various tool dealers will ever be restocked again. According to the guy who posted in this thread who actually lives in that town and has friends who work there..... it sounds like they're pretty much done with production at this point. I was told via email from Malco that any remaining inventory will be sold off at NORMAL pricing, not at reduced pricing that was mentioned elsewhere in this thread.

 

[colintrax]

TBH are these even that incredibly better finished than more average ones? On the photos it looks like they're far from a perfect finish. The jaw forging especially looks very rough.



Also, I wonder why absolutely all locking pliers use the sheet metal design. Would be cool to see some different ones, maybe with forged handles like nearly all other plier designs.

Jaw is as expect, a rough finish. But it shines up nice if you want it too. I don't normally clean my tools, so these pictures are as it sits.

Look at the teeth, clearances on moving joints, and general fit/finish. And remember this is a used tool, pictures taken with a cell phone in a poorly lit garage. Can't compare those pictures to marketing images of competitors.

 

[tarbellb]

Oh boy

we've entered the Tool Jewelry zone
(I guess that's what happens at theses premiums)

 

[SheetMetalGod]

Yeah, the financials must have been really ugly for them to write off that kind of loss after less than 2 years of production. The product is great, so it was all pricing and profitability that killed it. Hopefully the plant gets bought and turned around but would anyone want to work there at this point? They went under twice in 15 ye

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but those retailers don't accept items from manufacturers. Suppliers fill entire sections and profits are the only thing that matters.

Malco can't just go to home depot and make a deal, even if they already have some Malco stuff in the store.

You are correct.

 

[neophyte]

Not a mechanical engineer but I imagine it has something to do with the way all locking pliers lock, which depends on a spring tension force provided by the steel. Stamped sheet metal is probably easier to fine-tune the level of force required to both lock and unlock the pliers than a solid forged-steel tool body that would not have the same 'give' that thinner stamped steel has under tension.

TBH are these even that incredibly better finished than more average ones? On the photos it looks like they're far from a perfect finish. The jaw forging especially looks very rough.



Also, I wonder why absolutely all locking pliers use the sheet metal design. Would be cool to see some different ones, maybe with forged handles like nearly all other plier designs.

Locking pliers from some manufacturers in the past used designs that were all forged.
There may be niche designs that still do.
I recall some vintage Facom locking pliers being one type.
I think I’ve come across older German designs that were all forged.

 

[JradM]

These are beautiful pliers and I'm very sad to see them go. However, the price was egregious.

I might buy one as a memento, but they're so expensive it would make me sad to scratch them, chip the chrome or accidentally get a blob of welding spatter on them.

 

[vssjim]

Does anyone have any idea where I could actually purchase these other than amazon, whom doesn't have all models available? Reading between the lines here would have me believe that Malco is sitting on a ton of stock and yet everywhere I look they are out of stock? I'm trying to buy 1 of each model and not sure I'll actually receive anything if I backorder them if they are going to shutter the plant.

Jersey discount tool free shipping and no tax and they ship fast and have four styles/sizes in stock

 

[vssjim]

Jersey discount tool free shipping and no tax and they ship fast and have four styles/sizes in stock

JDTCo. Store | Jersey Discount Tool

www.jerseydiscounttoolco.com

 

[F-22]

Locking pliers from some manufacturers in the past used designs that were all forged.
There may be niche designs that still do.
I recall some vintage Facom locking pliers being one type.
I think I’ve come across older German designs that were all forged.

Cool, I suspected there must've been some "out of the box" designs in the past. Facom seems really innovative with the locking pliers especially. There's many ways to have a locking mechanism where you travel over the "dead" point, and I don't think you need sheet metal for it to be repeatable. Top quality sheet metal locking pliers do not flex much at all either.

Jaw is as expect, a rough finish. But it shines up nice if you want it too. I don't normally clean my tools, so these pictures are as it sits.

Look at the teeth, clearances on moving joints, and general fit/finish. And remember this is a used tool, pictures taken with a cell phone in a poorly lit garage. Can't compare those pictures to marketing images of competitors.

I guess it might be the photos... But some edges just seem a bit sharp, they could at least throw it in a thumbler (or leave it in a while longer) after forging. I really doubt they inspected and hand-grinded all the edges before chroming them. And the jaw forging looks quite rough to me no matter what. Like, if I think of a top end tool forging, I look at my little stahlwille 10mm wrench. All the letters in the indented portion are very distinctly visible and the surface finish is smooth everywhere. They can't really smooth it out around the letters in the indentation, so it must've just been a really high quality drop forging process. The "USA" letters on the eagle grips are nowhere near that quality in my opinion. I think Stahlwille is really exceptional with those - other top end wrenches from e.g. Snap On or Nepros totally avoid any indented parts and lettering so the whole surface can be finished smooth with grinding and polishing.

I understand this is extremely nitpicky haha
But I think these pliers for many people seem to represent the level of finish that Nepros or Snap On socketry is known for. From those photos I do not think they are on that level.

 

[Ton ton]

Jersey discount tool free shipping and no tax and they ship fast and have four styles/sizes in stock

Thank you.

 

[jsackin]

We just got a small shipment of eagle grip pliers in. More on the way. When they announced they were closing the line they said they had about 1,000 of each plier in stock. Not sure where it's at right now.

Search results for: 'eagle grip'

www.harryepstein.com

 

[GeoBruin]

Thanks Jori (is it Jori?),

I'm not seeing the 7 inch straight jaw. Are you out of those or did I just miss them?