Project Farm tests locking pliers.

[neophyte]

My non-scientific real-world use experiences between NOS Petersen-Dewitt Vise Grips and Malcos is that the Malcos are quite a bit better. IIRC didn't Malco buy and operate out of the old Vise Grip plant in Dewitt? In any case it's been my experience that during their time in the building they seem to have made some solid improvements over the old Vise Grip design. I wish I'd bought more than a couple of the Malcos, but I can be a cheapskate. All the brands I've used seem to function well enough for my purposes, and I still have at least a dozen of the O.G. Petersens.

I have many of the different brands tested, but the main thing I got out of TTC's testing vid is that I'm glad I never bought any of the Knipex locking pliers. Perhaps the pair they had for testing was just from an odd bad batch, and not generally representative of them? Everything I've ever had by Knipex has been top tier compared to other brands of like tools.

Malco may have operated out of the old Petersen plant, but I presume practically all or all the equipment had to be new, and a completely new production line set up and designed.
It took Malco a couple years or more from what I remember, between announcing the Eagle Grip pliers, and actually getting the pliers into production.

 

[four.cycle]

^ correct.
they made several improvements on the original design, including heat-treating the jaws and welding the tail end of the handle shut, and adding a screw that could be adjusted with a hex key.
(and unless I'm mistaken they went to a better alloy steel than what was being used previously? )

so while there have been countless imitators over the years, not one of them has even come close thus far, as repeated "tests" by YouTubers continue to attest to.

I very seriously doubt people are paying premium prices for old NOS Petersens simply for the sake of nostalgia. They're paying those prices because it's a better tool.

 

[SixThirtyTwo]

Please excuse the necro reply, but this has been driving me nuts.

Irwin has newer, less expensive locking pliers than the ones tested in the video. I believe the following are the ones that tested well:

https://www.zoro.com/irwin-irwin-vise-grip-10-in-alloy-steel-curved-pliers-4935576/i/G8616941/

On Irwin's site, I can only find the tested model as part of set:

VISE-GRIP® Original™ Locking Pliers 3 PC Tray Set

The IRWIN® VISE-GRIP®Original 3-Piece Locking Pliers Set features high-grade, heat-treated alloy steel construction for maximum toughness and durability. Each piece of the IRWIN pliers set has hardened teeth that are designed to grip from any angle and a classic trigger release designed to...

www.irwintools.com

The updated design is summarized here (2019?):

Irwin Launches Improved Vise-Grip Locking Pliers

toolguyd.com

Reading through forum posts has only further confused me, as I seem to have lost track of what variations to avoid. Are the newer updated models inferior to the one tested in the video (and present in my first two links)? And if so, are they at least decent? It's not a tool that is likely to see much use.

I almost never watch YouTube videos of any kind. Well-written content is vastly more useful for content of this nature.

 

[Ohio Andy]

Please excuse the necro reply, but this has been driving me nuts.

Irwin has newer, less expensive locking pliers than the ones tested in the video. I believe the following are the ones that tested well:

https://www.zoro.com/irwin-irwin-vise-grip-10-in-alloy-steel-curved-pliers-4935576/i/G8616941/

On Irwin's site, I can only find the tested model as part of set:

VISE-GRIP® Original™ Locking Pliers 3 PC Tray Set

The IRWIN® VISE-GRIP®Original 3-Piece Locking Pliers Set features high-grade, heat-treated alloy steel construction for maximum toughness and durability. Each piece of the IRWIN pliers set has hardened teeth that are designed to grip from any angle and a classic trigger release designed to...

www.irwintools.com

The updated design is summarized here (2019?):

Irwin Launches Improved Vise-Grip Locking Pliers

toolguyd.com

Reading through forum posts has only further confused me, as I seem to have lost track of what variations to avoid. Are the newer updated models inferior to the one tested in the video (and present in my first two links)? And if so, are they at least decent? It's not a tool that is likely to see much use.

I almost never watch YouTube videos of any kind. Well-written content is vastly more useful for content of this nature.

For most of what I do, most brands are fine. When I really need something to grip I use my eagle grips. If I needed more I think I would but Snap-On, specifically these and similar.

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com

I have not tried those snap-on yet... But I own eagle grip