New Blue handled vice Grips?

[bimmer630]

I bought the 10 piece "master" vice grip set from my SO man, comes in a blow molded plastic tray, has two welding clamping pliers, etc...

I thought it was a nice set, but after using them Im getting frustrated with the lack of release levers on the tools. My old vice grips were a lot easier to release when they were clamped down on something really tight.
these simply have a rubber grip in the area where the release lever used to live, and require serious effort to release. often times once they do release, the nut or whatever was being held in the tool goes flying across the shop.

whats the deal ?

http://www.zoro.com/i/G1029856/?utm...hEcEhOvAWE7qXbTPeI1G8lr2XnxpoQiXzcaAifF8P8HAQ

And they have the balls to call them "fast release"!

 

[SASORacing]

Go orange, it's called Grip-On, and Snap-On relabels them grey.

 

[toplessHO]

my guess is that the new value engineered vise grips are Chinese?

 

[Ign]

I'm sorry!

Check out posts 282, 284 and 290 here
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4205185&highlight=Vise+grip#post4205185

Even when they were on clearance at HD some of us wouldn't touch them. They seem like a good idea but **** in practice.

 

[dnschmidt]

Since Vise-Grip was sold to Rubbermaid their quality has gone WAY downhill particularly with respect to the quality of the steel with which they are manufactured. Once I actively sought out PETERSEN vise grips. Now I completely avoid IRWIN Vise-Grips.

 

[cgv69]

Go orange, it's called Grip-On, and Snap-On relabels them grey.

They are re-labeled by many brands including Proto.

Grip-Ons aren't cheap but they are awesome! They put all standard "Vice-Grips" to shame, even the older Peterson made in the US versions.

 

[Strouty]

I am still trying to understand why you would want welding clamps with rubber handles? I have not tried these new ones. I have plenty of older irwin as well as petersen vice grips. I recently bought a set of grip on, but I am not completely sold, in some situations, you need to use two hands to release them or they can fall out of your hands.

 

[rlitman]

Those standard Vise Grip metal release levers are still there underneath the blue and yellow grips. If you don't like how they work, just remove the rubber/plastic grips.

Actually, it is better than that. The large plastic handle IS the release lever.
The little spring loaded lever inside is the secret to how it works. There's no point in removing the grip.

Which brings me to the point that if you're having trouble getting them opened, you're just closing them too tight. I guess it's juut a little easier to do that with the plastic handles.

 

[2jz4me]

Actually, it is better than that. The large plastic handle IS the release lever.
The little spring loaded lever inside is the secret to how it works. There's no point in removing the grip.

Which brings me to the point that if you're having trouble getting them opened, you're just closing them too tight. I guess it's juut a little easier to do that with the plastic handles.

I agree. I have used those before and the release is in the handle. It releases very easily and yes it does seem kinda magical.

 

[Strouty]

Actually, it is better than that. The large plastic handle IS the release lever.
The little spring loaded lever inside is the secret to how it works. There's no point in removing the grip.

Which brings me to the point that if you're having trouble getting them opened, you're just closing them too tight. I guess it's juut a little easier to do that with the plastic handles.

If that was what the tool rep tells me, I would tell them where to stick the pliers. The entire point of vise grips is to be tight like a "vise" and "grip" whatever you have them clamped on. If my hands can make them too tight, then they need to make a better tool.

 

[zcbauer89]

What about the Knipex locking pliers? Those should be excellent if they're anything like their normal pliers.

 

[rlitman]

Vise Grip quality started to go downhill when Irwin took over and has continue to decline ever since.

I keep hearing that here, but my own personal experience with my many Peterson Vise Grips is that my Craftsman locking pliers (the same mechanism as the current easy release Vise Grips, and clearly from the same factory) are far superior to all the older ones, regardless of the fact that they are made in China.

I have a pair of Grip Ons (Snap On branded). They're nowhere near as special as everyone is saying. I really don't see how they're any better than Vise Grips.

What I can say though is that the **** that Harbor Freight sells (and HDX, and lots of other knockoffs out there) are just that. ****. That's what I use for welding clamps and to cut up and modify, when I just don't mind if a tool is ruined.

 

[rob0781]

Actually, it is better than that. The large plastic handle IS the release lever.
The little spring loaded lever inside is the secret to how it works. There's no point in removing the grip.

Which brings me to the point that if you're having trouble getting them opened, you're just closing them too tight. I guess it's juut a little easier to do that with the plastic handles.

There is no such thing as to tight, nothing pisses me off more then when i squeeze them as hard as I can and the object I'm trying to hold is spinning in the jaws..

 

[shockwave]

I wish Irwin would come out with the angle vise grips I love those

 

[DodgeMech]

Cobra pliers lock on and release with one finger...

 

[bimmer630]

There is nothing underneath the grips

 

[jrobb316]

What about the Knipex locking pliers? Those should be excellent if they're anything like their normal pliers.

I have pairs of knipex and snapon (grip on). Grip ons are better, I like their jaw design better. They seem to be slightly harder metal as well. Either will show you just how bad Irwin's junk they pass off "the original" really are. A set of worn out and rusty petersons are better than a new set of Irwin's.

 

[BK13]

I assume they aren't as good as Grip Ons, but the Milwaukee locking pliers are pretty nice, much more so than my Irwins (Ace $5 specials). And made in Taiwan...

 

[SASORacing]

Grip-ons are the best, the ergo's are great, and easy to unlock with the lever. Nothing else is better in my experience.

 

[monomach]

I can't believe how often I see people talking about buying Irwin locking pliers on this forum. It's just over and over and over in the hot deals forum.

You guys are suckers. Those things are well-known to be trash and have been for years. Irwin is one of the worst tool brands in the world, but people keep buying "Vise Grips" and expecting the quality to be the same as it was way back in the day before Irwin/Rubbermaid even came sniffing around the Peterson family with their checkbook.

Get Grip-Ons or any of the halfway decent Taiwan brands like Blackhawk or Milwaukee.