needle nose locking pliers?
- Thread starter dscheidt
- Start date
jsaw
Well-known member
I have Vise Grip brand. But newer ones not as good as older ones
four.cycle
Well-known member
BlakeTheCarGuy
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Well options are limited these days. I’d say needle nose version probably find a used set of the Peterson original USA ones but people online think they are gold so you won’t find any for cheap. Otherwise I’d have to say Bremen I know they are Taiwanese but really good actually for the money. I use them at home and have some at work and they do really well. I’d avoid Tekton theirs don’t stay locked and they are the annoying lever design lol. I’ve recommended Bremen to several and the ones who have bought them haven’t been disappointed. It may not be USA but still really good.
Petersen 6LN 9LN would be nice, can find on eBay fairly easy at around 10 to 25 buck each for nice condition ones .
Bremen from HF do same design as Petersen and can get them for likes of 10 bucks each but do want self QC extra nice fit/finish off the shelf from what available for best user experience .
Milwaukee another easy option and they in the 12 to 20 bucks range for 6" and 9".
If like the wider jaw style long nose then the MAC versions could be an option .
Bremen from HF do same design as Petersen and can get them for likes of 10 bucks each but do want self QC extra nice fit/finish off the shelf from what available for best user experience .
Milwaukee another easy option and they in the 12 to 20 bucks range for 6" and 9".
If like the wider jaw style long nose then the MAC versions could be an option .
BigLeagueSmoes
Well-known member
Bremen sold at Harbor Freight
+1 Irwin Vise Grip
I believe both are made in Taiwan. Both have been good for me
+1 Irwin Vise Grip
I believe both are made in Taiwan. Both have been good for me
IMO spend the $$ ON 4LN, 6LN, or 9LN NOS Petersen Vise Grips on ebay. Made in USA and they will last.
finn
Well-known member
I bought the Bremen. They seem ok.
Frankly, the cheap Pittsburg or whatever the bargain version is called would have probably been ok. Needle nose locking pliers have a low bar for me to consider them acceptable. I don’t consider them a high stress tool, so as long as I can clamp something in the jaws easily to hold, weld, etc they’re usually fine. I have had some pretty sketchy locking pliers that really don’t perform any worse for my use than my Petersons.
Frankly, the cheap Pittsburg or whatever the bargain version is called would have probably been ok. Needle nose locking pliers have a low bar for me to consider them acceptable. I don’t consider them a high stress tool, so as long as I can clamp something in the jaws easily to hold, weld, etc they’re usually fine. I have had some pretty sketchy locking pliers that really don’t perform any worse for my use than my Petersons.
Bubba Fett
Well-known member
Petersen Vise Grips are good, except for the later days of the US production. They started to cut costs, and got sloppy. The quality dropped significantly when Rubbermaid bought Irwin, but they seem to have improved now that Stanley Black & Decker owns them.
Bremen is the best bang for the buck, and made in Taiwan.
Bremen is the best bang for the buck, and made in Taiwan.
WWheeler
Well-known member
Irwin Vise Grips COO is mainland China, not Taiwan. That said, they are not near as bad as some proclaim them to be. Project Farm's testing has them doing as well or better than several more expensive competitor's products.
The old USA made Peterson Dewitts though are the ones to get if you can find a NOS or very good conditioned used.
Personally if I was buying one set I’d get 6LN. If it was two I’d get 6LN + 4LN. Although the GJ answer is definitely all three 4LN + 6LN + 9LN.
With jobs that I need locking pliers for I personally find that smaller is more often useful, and things that need bigger usually works with 7WR or 10WR. YMMV.
With jobs that I need locking pliers for I personally find that smaller is more often useful, and things that need bigger usually works with 7WR or 10WR. YMMV.
plinker
Well-known member
9LN & 6LN would be my go to sizes, 4LN is nice to have at times. I use the 9LN's as brake spring pliers. Peterson's are the way to go for the most part, I do have some Milwaukee's, the jaw length is shorter and slightly wider, but I really have not used them enough to form an opinion.
I was kinda hoping Malco would have made the 5WR & long nose sizes.
I was kinda hoping Malco would have made the 5WR & long nose sizes.
kaymccampbell
Well-known member
I have some older Irwin ones, as well as some Bremen ones. Both are OK.
I had a couple of old (late 90s, early 00s) pittsburg needle noses. They were pretty horrible, they had lots of side to side slop in the jaws, which meant they didn't clamp thin things well. They'd hold a nut or bolt, but a washer on edge wanted to flip or fall out as you tightened them. I left one clamped to someone's hood release cable...
I bought a couple pairs of the bremens They seemed fine, but as happens, I bought the tool after I really needed it, and haven't needed it since, so they haven't seen much use.
tyyost
Well-known member
I like the Bremen or the Milwaukee for affordable “new” vise grips. The long nose style is my favorite for getting out a jam so I try to keep a newer sharp tooth pair in the box as a backup.
finn
Well-known member
I mostly use mine as welding clamps without issue. Incredible as it sounds, I have a few pair from the 70s or 80s from some unknown source that make the cheap HF locking pliers seem like Snapon pliers. They work too. Ugly as sin, but you really don’t need precision or beauty to hold a bracket.
Plus, when I accidentally weld the pliers to the workpiece, I don’t fret about it….just hit the tips with the grinder or flap wheel.
After I started using Strong Hand tools 4 in 1 weld clamps (got couple dozen now, having a previous account with Enco saved me about $15 per clamp) - I checked their vise grip types out, I MUCH prefer their squeeze to release instead of Vise grips (Mutilate yer finger) version. Here's the needle nose version
I have probably a dozen and a half of the "real" vise grips, and I reach for the SHT more often than not... Steve
I have probably a dozen and a half of the "real" vise grips, and I reach for the SHT more often than not... Steve
Zeus36
Well-known member
four.cycle
Well-known member
I have to confess:
I sent my Pittsburgh and Great Neck needle-nose locking pliers to other GarageJournal.com members a couple months ago in their "Secret Santa" packages. There may have been a couple other off-brand models in there as well.
You know who you are - I'm not going to name names - and honestly, gentlemen, I have to apologize.
I only used those little things for clamping rubber fuel lines on lawnmowers, but other than that, they're fairly useless.
@dscheidt -
If you're seriously wanting some decent small needle-nose locking pliers, bite the bullet, log onto ebay, run "advanced search" for "dewitt vise", used, sort by "lowest first", and go from there.
Decent pair is going to set you back about $20-$25 bucks for a 6LN, more as you go up in size.
Simply not worth screwing around with the "cheap imitations" - ain't one of 'em worth a damn other than the newer Malcos, and they didn't make that model.
YMMV
I sent my Pittsburgh and Great Neck needle-nose locking pliers to other GarageJournal.com members a couple months ago in their "Secret Santa" packages. There may have been a couple other off-brand models in there as well.
You know who you are - I'm not going to name names - and honestly, gentlemen, I have to apologize.
I only used those little things for clamping rubber fuel lines on lawnmowers, but other than that, they're fairly useless.
@dscheidt -
If you're seriously wanting some decent small needle-nose locking pliers, bite the bullet, log onto ebay, run "advanced search" for "dewitt vise", used, sort by "lowest first", and go from there.
Decent pair is going to set you back about $20-$25 bucks for a 6LN, more as you go up in size.
Simply not worth screwing around with the "cheap imitations" - ain't one of 'em worth a damn other than the newer Malcos, and they didn't make that model.
YMMV
SKU : 107-07 - Locking Pliers - Needle Nose Jaw 6-1/2"
Manufacturing professional tools since 1932
www.langtools.com
bwringer
Well-known member
Milwaukee brand at Home Despot, Bremen at Horror Fright. Both made in Taiwan and quite good quality for the money, and available everywhere.
I avoid the Chinese-made Vise-Grip brand. Even if the pliers have risen from "dreadful" to "sort of OK" quality, stamping a once-US brand on them in China and charging the same remains deceptive and slimy. (Same for "Crescent" brand adjustable wrenches, and many other defunct brands.)
Disposable Chinese shite certainly has its uses and its place but only if I'm paying Chinese shite prices. For stuff like welding clamps, then the bottom shelf at Harbor Freight is perfect. They work fine in that usage, they are more or less honest about being Chinese shite at honest rock-bottom prices, and there's a plentiful variety and quantity. You can sort through them for the least worst if it actually might matter, but in that case just cast your eyes a little higher up for the Bremens.
I avoid the Chinese-made Vise-Grip brand. Even if the pliers have risen from "dreadful" to "sort of OK" quality, stamping a once-US brand on them in China and charging the same remains deceptive and slimy. (Same for "Crescent" brand adjustable wrenches, and many other defunct brands.)
Disposable Chinese shite certainly has its uses and its place but only if I'm paying Chinese shite prices. For stuff like welding clamps, then the bottom shelf at Harbor Freight is perfect. They work fine in that usage, they are more or less honest about being Chinese shite at honest rock-bottom prices, and there's a plentiful variety and quantity. You can sort through them for the least worst if it actually might matter, but in that case just cast your eyes a little higher up for the Bremens.
LogiLuddite
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2022
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Engineer PZ-66 if you want the screw-extraction capability; about $30
boom10ful
Well-known member
Engineer or 3 Peaks Japanese locking pliers have my vote! 
anndel
Well-known member
Have a bunch of Petersen Vise Grip long nose and bent long nose pliers. They don't build them like they used to.
I got a couple for doing fuel-line work on my old car, and when I went to HF to get the Pittsburgh I couldn't help but get the Bremen instead. The Pittsburgh felt loose and janky, where the Bremen seemed pretty tight and were clearly better-executed. Even as a guy that tries hard not to over-invest in seldom-used tools (and this was the first time in several years I've had a need for locking pliers), for the few extra bucks it seemed silly not to go with the Bremen.
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Bollmann another option for pretty decent long nose at fairly sensible prices .
I have their angled set and they been useful and perform well .
Spoilt for choice really and most be content with bremen and milwaukee for low/mid cost and ease of purchase .
Have always found old stock or close to new peterson easily enough that never needed fully equip in other brands & when been in last chance scenarios it generally always a nice jaw condition set of peterson that got job jobbed ...
I have their angled set and they been useful and perform well .
Spoilt for choice really and most be content with bremen and milwaukee for low/mid cost and ease of purchase .
Have always found old stock or close to new peterson easily enough that never needed fully equip in other brands & when been in last chance scenarios it generally always a nice jaw condition set of peterson that got job jobbed ...
I finally “stopped” buying Petersen Vise-Grips. I have more than I need. I bought them onesie twosie over about 15 years. I bought ones I didn’t have, lightly used, barely used and NOS. I pulled about 8 of my pairs out of boxes.
I paid an average of $1-$3 over the years.
I also have four pairs of Grip-On’s that I do not like as much as the Petersen’s.
I will, realistically, keep buying clean ones I don’t have for the foreseeable future.
I paid an average of $1-$3 over the years.
I also have four pairs of Grip-On’s that I do not like as much as the Petersen’s.
I will, realistically, keep buying clean ones I don’t have for the foreseeable future.
another good one for used market is older Gedore, they proper manufacture and thoughtful design .
Early ones with forged centre bar with made in germany in the forging and flush ground rivets on top jaw are better than current made ones, even the stout round stock shaped release lever has a return spring on it that keeps it centred better and not flopping about when unlocked .
I only got the Gedore 137 models as was interesting jaw design and also has centre groove for better wire/screw/pin gripping that can be super useful but certainly would pick up other same made production era models based on how good the ones I have are .
Early ones with forged centre bar with made in germany in the forging and flush ground rivets on top jaw are better than current made ones, even the stout round stock shaped release lever has a return spring on it that keeps it centred better and not flopping about when unlocked .
I only got the Gedore 137 models as was interesting jaw design and also has centre groove for better wire/screw/pin gripping that can be super useful but certainly would pick up other same made production era models based on how good the ones I have are .