Vise Grip Pliers

[TDLMOMOWERS]

Has anyone had any negative opinions about Vise Grip Pliers since they are now owned by Irwin. I know that when they were owned by Peterson, they were USA made and now they are made in China. I own many different types of Vise Grip Pliers and they were all made in USA. If I break a pair, now I will have to replace them with an inferior product made by the Chi-Coms.

 

[jjjrmx5]

If I break a pair, now I will have to replace them with an inferior product made by the Chi-Coms.

In a word, yes.

Last large Irwin vice-grip lot I bought new was back in 2007 and they were all Asian made back then so this is not really news.

I personally have not had a problem with the Asian made Irwin vice-grips. HFand other cheap a$$ sourced locking pilers are a whole 'nother problem.

A lot of small mom-and-pop hardware stores still likely have some NOS Irwind barnd vice-grips, but all in all buying used or old is the only way to solve the COO problem.

 

[Thegratenate]

I don't use my VGs enough to speak of durability issues with the imported stuff, but I can tell you that the made in USA VGs have better nickel plating on them and the adjustments are smoother compared to the imports. I hit all of the mom and pops I could find and had a very small bit of luck getting some USA clamps maybe one day I'll stroll into the right yard sale.

 

[sk farmer]

Has anyone had any negative opinions about Vise Grip Pliers since they are now owned by Irwin. I know that when they were owned by Peterson, they were USA made and now they are made in China. I own many different types of Vise Grip Pliers and they were all made in USA. If I break a pair, now I will have to replace them with an inferior product made by the Chi-Coms.

yes. they are junk compared to the us made versions. the teeth are weaker and they have a tinny feel and sound to them. i complained to an irwin rep. he shrugged his shoulder and said he had never seen a complaint. i knew he was lieing because i had complained to him about 6 months before. maybe he forgot.

 

[Outlawmws]

Search is your friend...

 

[HubbaBubba]

Garbage. Plating is worn off first time you use them. I also agree on the "tinny" feel to them. Another great product gone bad.

 

[Stuart in MN]

If I break a pair

Has anyone ever broken a pair of old Vise Grips?

 

[jjjrmx5]

Has anyone ever broken a pair of old Vise Grips?

LOL.

Hell--I haven't even broken a new/Asian made Irwin vice-grip and they're used nearly everyday for welding and vehicle modding.

Again, the cheap s^%t HF and Dollar Store vice grips are a far cry from even the current Irwin offerings.

 

[lbgradwell]

Come on, dude.

It's called Google.

 

[plumber84]

Irwin have a bad habbit of buying brilliant tool companys such as vise-grip, record and jack to name but a few, and then they close the US, UK or European factories and move all production to China or Inidia and import garbage back over here and charge us premium prices for inferior tools, they are a prime example of why western economys are in such deep sh*t and they can choke on their profits for all i care. Rant over.

 

[camarotoolman]

I always have lots of used usa vise grips for sale, there easy to find. There on feebay too.

 

[R6 Racer]

I stumbled onto a store that had some of the older US made ones on display. I asked if they had anymore stock & to my surprise they did. I asked if he could work out a deal if I bought a bunch. He did & I cleaned them out of the old stock!

Got 8 of the basic #11 round jaw type for $10.00 each. I cant remember what I paid for the others. I got 14 pair in total for $130.00

Keep your eyes open there are still old ones around!

Steve

 

[kidney]

I bought a bunch a few years back at a garage sale. I grabbed what he had on the table and was making small talk with the old guys selling stuff. I told him how I liked the good USA made ones. About a second later he goes over to his tool box and pulls out a few more.

I bought them for 2-3 bucks a piece.

 

[BJ42LX]

Here's a lifetime supply of USA made Vise Grips for $40. Yes, they are Irwin, but before the move to China.

Thanks to Jawn for the link;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/29069396189...AX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_500wt_1202

 

[wreckerman5357]

The teeth on the newer Vice-Grips flatten out after 2-3 uses and the jaws do not close square. They are pure ****. You are getting a $5 pair of pliers for $15. No thanks. For $25 to $30 a guy can pick up a pair of the Spanish made locking pliers off the Snap-On truck that are light years ahead of the Irwins for not much more money.

 

[srmofo]

Has anyone ever broken a pair of old Vise Grips?

Yes Ill get you pic later...still have them, Im going to weld them back together when my skills improve to the point that I KNOW I have done a proper weld. Broke the lower jaw right off them

 

[71flh]

Come on, dude.

It's called Google.

Sadly, Google is the new Microsoft. That is the antichrist, so use Bing

I kill me...

Better yet yahoo. They're dying.

 

[71flh]

Part of the incentive to get better is showing off your mistakes. At least that was what my friends said about my black eyes.

Post up Ohio dude! I'm originally from NE Ohio BTW. It seems we're an unfortunate brand of excessively straight talking people when we move away. Or I'm just an *******...

Show us your bad welds.

 

[lennoxlennox]

Sadly, Google is the new Microsoft. That is the antichrist, so use Bing

I kill me...

Better yet yahoo. They're dying.

BING .... But It's Not Google

 

[Skin]

Irwin have a bad habbit of buying brilliant tool companys such as vise-grip, record and jack to name but a few, and then they close the US, UK or European factories and move all production to China or Inidia and import garbage back over here and charge us premium prices for inferior tools, they are a prime example of why western economys are in such deep sh*t and they can choke on their profits for all i care. Rant over.

Its not Irwin, its the parent company Newell Rubbermaid. If you go back far enough Irwin was actually aquired by the older Petersen/American Tool Companies (the original inventers of the Vise-Grip). So Irwin never bought anyone. Irwin has simply become the new name since Newell Rubermaid aquired the company, which changed the name from American Tool Company and Irwin division to simply "Irwin Industrial Tool Company" .

 

[71flh]

BING .... But It's Not Google

Duh, the joke was bing is MS, which is/was part of the joke.
This is like giving a blind man a coloring book.

 

[lennoxlennox]

Duh, the joke was bing is MS, which is/was part of the joke.
This is like giving a blind man a coloring book.

huh? truly your intellect is dizzying

anyway... for those looking for some usa irwin vice grips but only want to pick up the odd one.... here's another clearout of NOS (the first 4 anyway)

http://store.harryepstein.com/merch...Store_Code=1930&Category_Code=IrwinIndustrial

 

[vintagefan]

Your best bet nowadays is the ones Snap-on sells.

They're rebranded Grip-on brand, made in Spain, and the quality is absolutely top notch (side note, Spain seems to really have their **** together when it comes to tool manufacturing).

Amazon sells Grip-on brand, as does Chadstoolbox (yuck), but Snap-on charges about the same price, but with MUCH better warranty.

 

[blue dog]

Epsteins has NOS

You want units stamped USA

http://store.harryepstein.com/search?q=vise+grip

 

[metaldad]

supply houses i frequent let me brouse their inventory.
due to the sickness generated by this forum, i have been picking up USA made visegrips as i find them

 

[larry4406]

What is the purpose of the female hex on the adjustment bolt of todays offerings? Some artifact of machinig?

 

[vintagefan]

The main problem I have with buying the NOS locking pliers from Epstein, ebay, etc., is that you basically have no warranty. The Snap-on/Grip-on pliers are a bit more expensive at $20, but at least you know that if they break on you, you've got a quality replacement coming.

Vice grips are a pretty tough tool, but they also see some pretty tough use.

What is the purpose of the female hex on the adjustment bolt of todays offerings? Some artifact of machinig?

It allows you to lock the adjustment of the plier, so it doesn't wiggle out as you open and close the plier. It's similar to adding a jam nut on a bolt.

It's especially handy for repetitive tasks like using the clams to tack weld items together.

 

[larry4406]

It allows you to lock the adjustment of the plier, so it doesn't wiggle out as you open and close the plier. It's similar to adding a jam nut on a bolt.

It's especially handy for repetitive tasks like using the clams to tack weld items together.

The knurled end of the bolt does this - I get this. There is a hex in the end of the adjustment bolt. Why use a hex when the knurl works?

 

[lbgradwell]

The knurled end of the bolt does this - I get this. There is a hex in the end of the adjustment bolt. Why use a hex when the knurl works?

It's just marketing nonsense.

"Hex key adjusting screw tightens to adjust pressure and draw materials together and provides a controlled release. "

 

[Outlawmws]

What is the purpose of the female hex on the adjustment bolt of todays offerings? Some artifact of machinig?

The hex is there in case the adjusting screw gets too munged or corroded to turn by hand; that way you won't be tempted to use something like pliers or even vise grips to turn it which would mess up the knurl's!