More new USA Locking Pliers from Snap On

[Steve_P]

It's just strange that people thought $45 for Malcos were too expensive, but $80 for Snap-On is an amazing deal, because warranty.

Does a warranty cover abuse? By their nature, locking pliers are often abused, and used in unintended or even destructive ways. Even if the warranty does cover that, it certainly won't cover lost or stolen pliers.

I could by 7 or 8 Bremens for the same price, and not worry about losing them.

The Malcos were vastly superior to everything else in the PF tests. If you need the best to get the job done on time for your paycheck, then they are worth the $ based on that. And if you are buying from SO and get a warranty, then it totally makes sense.

If a Bremen costs 15% as much, and doesn't do the job, how does that help the purchaser that needs to get a job done in a specified time to make $? That is the entire point of the Malcos. If you absolutely need the best, or just want it, then they are it. If you aren't making money with them, and think that something that doesn't work, and costs 15% as much as something that will do the job is a sensible purchase, then buy that. It's not like you can put two Bremens on a rusted nut to hold it instead of one Malco. It either works or it doesn't, and that's the point of the Malcos. Yes, the price is high, but for some people they are worth it.

Snap On warranties impact sockets and screwdrivers for normal wear. Why wouldn't they warranty locking pliers? Gripping a nut and it spinning and wearing out the teeth isn't abuse, it's normal wear and tear. Cracking the tip off of a slotted screwdriver while using it as a prybar is clearly abuse, and yet SO typically will replace that.

 

[Snapped-off]

It's just strange that people thought $45 for Malcos were too expensive, but $80 for Snap-On is an amazing deal, because warranty.

Does a warranty cover abuse? By their nature, locking pliers are often abused, and used in unintended or even destructive ways. Even if the warranty does cover that, it certainly won't cover lost or stolen pliers.

I could by 7 or 8 Bremens for the same price, and not worry about losing them.

My last dealer warrantied a set of slip joint pliers that the nut had fallen off and into a bilge where it wasn't going to be seen again. I handed him each half and he grabbed a new pair of pliers off his ceiling.

I've also warrantied a pair of combination pliers that had really dull teeth.

I'll buy from them until they offshore production of their hardline tools.

 

[toolenthusiast]

It's not like you can put two Bremens on a rusted nut to hold it instead of one Malco.

This, so much this.

If everyone understood this we could eliminate like 90% of the repetitive traffic on this forum

 

[Buckgnarly]

Different design from the ones in the OP?

Yes. They were thin nosed 7 and 10 curved jaws. I THINK I got mine off Amazon as recall, but they dried up as far as I know.

They are PERFECT for sway bar end links, and would be even perfecter with a SO warranty!

Here is an example, but I did NOT buy them from this seller.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0BMGNJLFP?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[2ndGearRubber]

This, so much this.

If everyone understood this we could eliminate like 90% of the repetitive traffic on this forum

If the tools doesn't get the job done, it's worthless.

Locking pliers are the nuclear option. Think about those awful situations, not a one you'd ever wish to be in. I'd LOVE to throw every last pair in the trash, but I need them. And when I need them, I NEED them to do the job at hand.

It's like an air hammer. I don't want to use it. The studs should pop out easily, the bearing not sieze in the knuckle, the exhaust pipes slide apart. And yet, that is not the case. And when the going gets tough, you want the best you can afford by your side. I've made plenty of money doing things other places don't even want to work on. Be it rusted manifolds, diagnostics, whatever. And when it's you and your tools vs the job at hand, you want to be damn sure you've got the best. If you fail, you failed with the best. No questions or wondering if the tool you thought was "good enough" really was.

 

[j3rf]

Yes. They were thin nosed 7 and 10 curved jaws. I THINK I got mine off Amazon as recall, but they dried up as far as I know.

They are PERFECT for sway bar end links, and would be even perfecter with a SO warranty!

Here is an example, but I did NOT buy them from this seller.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0BMGNJLFP?tag=atomicindus08-20

Ohhh interesting. I don't think I've ever come across those. But you are right, those would be very useful.

 

[Mgdoug3]

I just bought the Astro 498K so I love using my air hammer. I use it over the HF Chief because of the trigger control.

If a person who doesn't use vise grips often and has several older pairs, which style would you recommend? 7", 10", straight jaw, curved etc

 

[F-22]

Not officially, but most Snap-on guys are going to warranty anything that they can. Tool trucks that don’t warranty tools out liberally will be quickly shunned by an entire shop worth of techs. Then the techs will even text their buddies at other shops and tell them not to deal with the guy. Tool guys can get left out in the cold really quick. The ones who screw around too much can even get told by the shop manager/owner to never come back.

People praise Snap On warranty so much, but at the same times it seems like it can be a very fickle thing as well (worse than some other brands).

I just bought the Astro 498K so I love using my air hammer. I use it over the HF Chief because of the trigger control.

If a person who doesn't use vise grips often and has several older pairs, which style would you recommend? 7", 10", straight jaw, curved etc

I'd go for curved. It usually gives 3 points of contact while straight jaws usually only offer 2 - and even then at an odd angle.

 

[rlitman]

The Malcos were vastly superior to everything else in the PF tests. If you need the best to get the job done on time for your paycheck, then they are worth the $ based on that. And if you are buying from SO and get a warranty, then it totally makes sense.
...
Snap On warranties impact sockets and screwdrivers for normal wear. Why wouldn't they warranty locking pliers? Gripping a nut and it spinning and wearing out the teeth isn't abuse, it's normal wear and tear. Cracking the tip off of a slotted screwdriver while using it as a prybar is clearly abuse, and yet SO typically will replace that.

Here's the gotcha in that theory. Snap On would warranty them so long as they have replacements in stock, but once an item has been discontinued, your replacement will at best be the closest comparable currently stocked item, and if they stop selling locking pliers you may end up effectively having no warranty at all.

 

[toolenthusiast]

if they stop selling locking pliers you may end up effectively having no warranty at all

Or if they go bankrupt. Which is probably almost the same tiny possibility as them deciding that locking pliers don’t matter to mechanics.

 

[rlitman]

Or if they go bankrupt. Which is probably almost the same tiny possibility as them deciding that locking pliers don’t matter to mechanics.

I don't expect Snap On to discontinue locking pliers, but if you own one of the shiny new Eagle Grip models, don't expect it to be replaced in-kind by them once current stock is exhausted in a few years. And they've more than once discontinued whole lines of tools. It's even been lamented here before:

Alternative to Snap-On E series

All my cutters and pliers are from the Snap-On E series line. Now that Snap-On has decided to discontinue most of them, I need to find an alternative, and honestly, I am getting tired of the spring breaking or losing it in general. I have heard good things about Lindstrom, Swanstrom, Excelta...

www.garagejournal.com

Snap-on SGDMRC4-?? ratcheting screwdriver blades discontinued?

Appears that SO has discontinued the soft-grip ratcheting screwdriver blades (SGDMRC4-??). I tried to order some phillips and Torx blades. Anyone know if this is temporary or are they gone forever? :( One of the reasons I got the soft-grip before the hard-handle ratcheting screwdriver was so...

www.garagejournal.com

Heck, I own an OEX76A combination wrench that's been discontinued. Nothing I can do about my flaking chrome but brush it off.

 

[Steve_P]

I don't expect Snap On to discontinue locking pliers, but if you own one of the shiny new Eagle Grip models, don't expect it to be replaced in-kind by them once current stock is exhausted in a few years. And they've more than once discontinued whole lines of tools. It's even been lamented here before:

This is true, but you can apply this to the entire SO line. Maybe they'll stop making inch wrenches next year. Or screwdrivers! Who knows? The point is that SO is going to be making these locking pliers themselves, they're not selling what's left of the Malco stock.

 

[afazz]

This thread is wild!

Anyway, I bought a set. Other than the obvious size difference, I cannot see any differences in the construction, fonts, knurling, or other details between these newer models and the Snap-on models I purchased months ago. They still say “Genuine Made In U.S.A. ” and that trademark is (was?) registered to Malco.

 

[shockwave]

I can see as a lot more coming out as these locking needle nose are looking good and maybe a contract with snap on for first year just as Matoo with there hyperstep drill bits

and maybe so as snap on is starting to produce there own taps and dies and extractors as completely different than the Irwin made snap on as Stanley black and decker shut down Snap-on/matco for them and changing alot for others too

 

[SellersMachineCo]

I’m glad I stumbled across this thread after I found the locking needle nose on SO’s website. I followed the whole Eagle Grip meltdown closely. You can (or could) find the auction listing online. One interesting thing I noted, was they had purchased quite a bit of Western Forge equipment. Several drop forges and other machinery. I also noticed dies for slip joint pliers in the Eagle Grip auction… likely from Western Forge. It looked to me like Malco was tooling up to start making more types of pliers in the Dewitt factory. Which made it even more odd that they pulled the plug. The drop forges were literally in various stages of assembly with fresh concrete pits around them. They never even gave that whole project a chance. I’m glad to see Snap-On is carrying on production of the locking pliers though, they are an amazing product. I just hate it for the people in Dewitt who came back after Irwin abandoned them and put their hearts and souls into making the best locking pliers in the world.

 

[mreisner]

I just bought these off of my Snap-on guy's truck 10 minutes ago said they were new they were just getting them in. They are identical in fit finish and feel and construction to my Malco Eagle grips that I have in various other sizes that I got from hje. He wasn't sure if they bought the plant, but at the very least they bought the tooling. These were apparently in development for a while and then when the plant closed nothing happened. The teeth definitely look better than any of the Irwin vice grips that I had in the past. He also said there was an announcement at the dealer convention this Summer that there was no locking pliers coming so it sounds like they are making them in house with the Malco tooling.

 

[SellersMachineCo]

I just bought these off of my Snap-on guy's truck 10 minutes ago said they were new they were just getting them in. They are identical in fit finish and feel and construction to my Malco Eagle grips that I have in various other sizes that I got from hje. He wasn't sure if they bought the plant, but at the very least they bought the tooling. These were apparently in development for a while and then when the plant closed nothing happened. The teeth definitely look better than any of the Irwin vice grips that I had in the past. He also said there was an announcement at the dealer convention this Summer that there was no locking pliers coming so it sounds like they are making them in house with the Malco tooling.

Before Malco shut down the Eagle Grip factory, they actually contacted me and asked if I’d be interested in being a “research contact”. Interestingly enough the one thing I suggested to them was they needed to bring out a needle nose option, and they said it was in the works but they wanted to know how I’d use them and why they were needed. Shortly after the announcement came out that they were pulling the plug.

 

[neophyte]

Before Malco shut down the Eagle Grip factory, they actually contacted me and asked if I’d be interested in being a “research contact”. Interestingly enough the one thing I suggested to them was they needed to bring out a needle nose option, and they said it was in the works but they wanted to know how I’d use them and why they were needed. Shortly after the announcement came out that they were pulling the plug.

How could a tool maker not know the need for needle nose locking pliers ?

 

[American Locomotive]

How could a tool maker not know the need for needle nose locking pliers ?

How could a tool company making arguably the best locking pliers of all time not go on a crazy marketing blitz? Very few people outside GJ and maybe project farm viewers knew about the Eagle Grips. They should have put a a couple pairs in the hands of every Tool Tuber, Youtube Mechanic and Plumber. Malco is pretty much unknown outside of the HVAC and roofing/sheet metal industry. In those industries "word of mouth" seems to be the name of the game. But if you're introducing a brand new product, in a segment you're not really fully entrenched in, from a company not many people have heard of - you need to market.

There were a number of things working against Malco - from Covid, to lack of marketing, to apparent production difficulties.

Like I said, living in the rust belt, I'm a big time vise grip user and abuser. I've used a lot of vise grips from genuine Petersens, to Irwins, to HF specials. The Eagle Grips are hands down the best ones I've ever used. Yeah they were a bit pricey, but the price was justified IMO. Sure you can get a bunch of HF ones, but that's pointless when you're trying to hold onto a hardened shock absorber shaft and the teeth of the HF pliers immediately flatten every single time.

 

[neophyte]

How could a tool company making arguably the best locking pliers of all time not go on a crazy marketing blitz? Very few people outside GJ and maybe project farm viewers knew about the Eagle Grips. They should have put a a couple pairs in the hands of every Tool Tuber, Youtube Mechanic and Plumber. Malco is pretty much unknown outside of the HVAC and roofing/sheet metal industry. In those industries "word of mouth" seems to be the name of the game. But if you're introducing a brand new product, in a segment you're not really fully entrenched in, from a company not many people have heard of - you need to market.

There were a number of things working against Malco - from Covid, to lack of marketing, to apparent production difficulties.

Like I said, living in the rust belt, I'm a big time vise grip user and abuser. I've used a lot of vise grips from genuine Petersens, to Irwins, to HF specials. The Eagle Grips are hands down the best ones I've ever used. Yeah they were a bit pricey, but the price was justified IMO. Sure you can get a bunch of HF ones, but that's pointless when you're trying to hold onto a hardened shock absorber shaft and the teeth of the HF pliers immediately flatten every single time.

Knipex pliers were for sale thru major industrial suppliers like Grainger, and MSC, and even in small quantities in Sears back during the 1990s or earlier.
Knipex also made pliers that were rebranded by Matco and Williams and maybe MAC, probably during the same period.
Despite that, it probably took a decade or more for more general tool users to even know what the brand was, or maybe longer.

Malco may be available in some Home Centers, but the brand is sort of a niche specialty brand, and locking pliers were a bit to the side of what Malco usually made.
It would likely have taken longer or cost way more for marketing to get the Eagle Grip pliers well known.

 

[Steve_P]

How could a tool company making arguably the best locking pliers of all time not go on a crazy marketing blitz?

This keeps getting repeated, like you can flood the TV, internet, magazines with ads for a pair of $50 locking pliers, literally for the 1% of buyers, and then miraculously, they'll sell many more. No. Does PB Swiss, Knipex, or Wiha spend $ on mass market advertising in the US? Does Malco spend $ marketing their other products?

The locking plier market has been flooded with $5-25 choices for decades; it's not 1980 Vise Grip times when they literally owned the market in the US. 99% of people aren't going to spend the $ on the "best" locking plier because they don't need the best. This was the same factory from decades ago, when there were ~no competitors, and now there are a dozen competitors that sell for a fraction of the price. And they're supposed to keep the same factory going with 10X the competition who sell at a fraction of the price? Can't happen. But if they ran a few other products in the same factory, in batches, same workforce.... it would've worked. But not with only one product. Does anyone really think that SO makes one type of plier 8 hours a day 52 weeks a year? No, they do stuff in batches; it's obvious because they run out of stock and post the "available by" date on their website. That means they'll run another batch soon.

 

[American Locomotive]

This keeps getting repeated, like you can flood the TV, internet, magazines with ads for a pair of $50 locking pliers, literally for the 1% of buyers, and then miraculously, they'll sell many more. No. Does PB Swiss, Knipex, or Wiha spend $ on mass market advertising in the US? Does Malco spend $ marketing their other products?

Knipex (which now has a pretty significant following in the U.S.) runs advertising and promotions all of the time. They're always at trade shows, I see ads for their tools all the time. They're also establishing a comprehensive social media presence.

Professionals will buy professional tools at professional prices. It's how companies like Snap-On stay in business.

 

[Shocker]

Right now I only grab my Malco's when I have a situation that I KNOW will be tougher that hell to get done.

Otherwise I grab the cheaper ones. Especially if I am tack welding something real quick.

The cheapest ones I like are those Lock-Jaw ones. They seem to grab pretty well and I got them for under $10 if I remember right.

I just can't bear to damage the Malco's...it's weird really...

 

[Snapped-off]

...

Heck, I own an OEX76A combination wrench that's been discontinued. Nothing I can do about my flaking chrome but brush it off.

I'm kinda surprised they won't swap it out for the GOEX76A black oxide variant? It's in stock.

I've had old stuff replaced with the closest equivalent model. Never been straight up denied.

 

[F-22]

Does PB Swiss, Knipex, or Wiha

I think it is fair to point out that while those brands do sell to the US, it's not really their target market. I haven't looked at sales figures, but I'm pretty sure all of them primarily sell to their domestic and EU market the most of what they produce.

Malco never really got so far as to stretch beyond the US market with the eagle grips. As very few US manufacturers do, even long established ones - getting any US made tool in Europe often requires quite a stretch to find.

Selling on the rich US market is almost never a bad idea for a company, but having a big profitable business tradition stretching back a century in their domestic country is a very different circumstance than what happened with Malco.

 

[BrandonV]

It's just strange that people thought $45 for Malcos were too expensive, but $80 for Snap-On is an amazing deal, because warranty.

Does a warranty cover abuse? By their nature, locking pliers are often abused, and used in unintended or even destructive ways. Even if the warranty does cover that, it certainly won't cover lost or stolen pliers.

I could by 7 or 8 Bremens for the same price, and not worry about losing them.

Honestly the place I bought the Malcos from back in September haven't shipped them three months later.

If you need tools ASAP and warranty support the truck pays off.

 

[dutchgray]

I think it is fair to point out that while those brands do sell to the US, it's not really their target market. I haven't looked at sales figures, but I'm pretty sure all of them primarily sell to their domestic and EU market the most of what they produce.

Malco never really got so far as to stretch beyond the US market with the eagle grips. As very few US manufacturers do, even long established ones - getting any US made tool in Europe often requires quite a stretch to find.

Selling on the rich US market is almost never a bad idea for a company, but having a big profitable business tradition stretching back a century in their domestic country is a very different circumstance than what happened with Malco.

I would have bought some Malco pairs if I could have got them in the UK without either a massive mark up in price or privately importing them and paying the shipping and tax, if the international postage costs hadn't got absolutely ridiculous I would probably have bought clearance ones from HJE.

But no matter how much better than the common available pairs they might be, it wouldn't stop a co worker from borrowing a pair and absolutely destroying them because they're only locking pliers.

So I stick to whichever brand I can get a deal on when I'm looking for some.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I would have bought some Malco pairs if I could have got them in the UK without either a massive mark up in price or privately importing them and paying the shipping and tax, if the international postage costs hadn't got absolutely ridiculous I would probably have bought clearance ones from HJE.

But no matter how much better than the common available pairs they might be, it wouldn't stop a co worker from borrowing a pair and absolutely destroying them because they're only locking pliers.

So I stick to whichever brand I can get a deal on when I'm looking for some.

Don't share tools, problem solved!

 

[BrandonV]

I would have bought some Malco pairs if I could have got them in the UK without either a massive mark up in price or privately importing them and paying the shipping and tax, if the international postage costs hadn't got absolutely ridiculous I would probably have bought clearance ones from HJE.

But no matter how much better than the common available pairs they might be, it wouldn't stop a co worker from borrowing a pair and absolutely destroying them because they're only locking pliers.

So I stick to whichever brand I can get a deal on when I'm looking for some.

I do a lot of international shipping if anyone is ever interested in freight forwarding!

 

[dutchgray]

Don't share tools, problem solved!

It's not really an option on a construction site, you're not working out of a lockable toolbox, other trades will just borrow a tool sometimes, 99% seems to come back fine so it isn't a major problem.
One of the issues is its "our" company (my brother and I) so we are often providing equipment for others to use anyway.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

It's not really an option on a construction site, you're not working out of a lockable toolbox, other trades will just borrow a tool sometimes, 99% seems to come back fine so it isn't a major problem.
One of the issues is its "our" company (my brother and I) so we are often providing equipment for others to use anyway.

Sounds like it's just the cost of doing business then. I'd be really bummed to come back and find my drill broken, drill bits lost, etc.

That's mostly why I'm such a grump - other people just trashing my stuff, losing/stealing it, having to go find where in the shop they left it, etc.

 

[joel63]

Sounds like it's just the cost of doing business then. I'd be really bummed to come back and find my drill broken, drill bits lost, etc.

That's mostly why I'm such a grump - other people just trashing my stuff, losing/stealing it, having to go find where in the shop they left it, etc.

I think you have every reason to be a grump.
I'm sure you don't treat other people's tools like that.
It's unreal how others treat tools that don't belong to them.

 

[Dzmax77]

Strange Malco never offered them then. They must have made them and stock pilled them somewhere as part of a deal maybe ?

I heard Snap-On bought Malco's tooling when they shut down.

Interesting; do you recall the source of the info?

 

[Skyman]

Just this week I took delivery of two of the Malco Eagle Grip LP10R and one of the LP7R. I'm not easily impressed, and consequently most things I see don't impress me much. But I have to say that the quality of these three items are beyond simply admirable. They are visually gorgeous, and the precision of their manufacture is stunning. They're almost too pretty to use, but I will put them to work. It's a real pity Malco couldn't make the business fly. Made-in-USA tools of this quality are wonderful things.

 

[four.cycle]

The locking plier market has been flooded with $5-25 choices for decades; it's not 1980 Vise Grip times when they literally owned the market in the US. 99% of people aren't going to spend the $ on the "best" locking plier because they don't need the best. This was the same factory from decades ago, when there were ~no competitors, and now there are a dozen competitors that sell for a fraction of the price.

In 1980 we were selling a pair of 10WR Petersen Vise-Grips for about $10-$12. They did not own the market. They accounted for only a small portion of our sales of "locking pliers".
We also carried locking pliers in Wilmar, Zomax, Hollywood Accessories, and Medallion - all imported from Asia - all junk by any metric - and all selling at a retail price point below $5.00 - half what the Petersen model sold for.

Petersen during that era was heavily advertising in magazines and trade journals.

In addition to those I listed above, every other tool "manufacturer" in the galaxy had some variant of a "locking plier" in their product line-up - we also carried them in Indestro (even though they never sold because they were higher than the Petersens.)

There was all kinds of competition. They managed to maintain their market share because (1) they did in fact make a better product, but mostly (2) they advertised the hell out of it to the point that "Vise Grip" became part of the American lexicon in the same fashion as "Kleenex" or "Band-Aid".

 

[M635_Guy]

The Malcos were vastly superior to everything else in the PF tests. If you need the best to get the job done on time for your paycheck, then they are worth the $ based on that. And if you are buying from SO and get a warranty, then it totally makes sense.

If a Bremen costs 15% as much, and doesn't do the job, how does that help the purchaser that needs to get a job done in a specified time to make $? That is the entire point of the Malcos. If you absolutely need the best, or just want it, then they are it. If you aren't making money with them, and think that something that doesn't work, and costs 15% as much as something that will do the job is a sensible purchase, then buy that. It's not like you can put two Bremens on a rusted nut to hold it instead of one Malco. It either works or it doesn't, and that's the point of the Malcos. Yes, the price is high, but for some people they are worth it.

After going a little crazy and trying several different brands, my solution was to have several pairs of Malco, and the rest are Bremen or vintage Petersen. Honestly, the Bremens are as good as the vintage pairs IMHO. I especially like the 1/4" square drive in the knob vs. the hex on most other locking pliers (though I rarely crank on locking pliers).

 

[jackdale]

We all know the Malco Eagle grip situation.

Obviously Malco made some of them for Snap On, but i just came across these on the Snap On website:

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com

Malco didn't offer those in Eagle grip brand i believe ???

So who has Snap On got these from ? Certainly look like the Eagle grip offering the high polish finish etc.

look similar i believe they went out of business sold factory and or tooling to SNAP ON !

 

[jackdale]

You don't believe your own eyeballs? Snap-On is selling a tool Malco never produced, clearly manufactured using Malco's tooling and patents.

they were making an identical product save name

 

[Rabid Badger]

they were making an identical product save name

Malco never sold a long nose version (like the one linked in the first post) under their brand.