Vise Grips- Made in US w/ Global Component

[Dicholscrn]

Hey guys. Found a couple pairs of VG with that dreaded "made in America with global components" in the label. No marking on the tools themselves though. Are these an "in between" set so to speak? Been looking for US made ones at the back of racks and this is the. Lowest I've found besides flat out China ones. Any idea how long they were manufactured like this?

 

[thesilverone]

yes in between set. did you look at the back of the package and see what year was printed on it?

 

[american lockpicker]

I think they were making them in 07 or 08 as I remember them when I first started seriously buying tools.

 

[plinker]

Kind of a transition item. I think they were labeled that way for about a year.

I cant say if they are better or about the same as the made in china ones. Not as good as the Made in USA for sure though.

The best way to tell the import ones apart from the USA ones, is the hex key hole on the adjustment screw. Unless the screw was replaced in an older pair, it is something the global components and china vise grips introduced.

Epstiens has some USA made ones on thier website, last I knew.

 

[Dicholscrn]

yes in between set. did you look at the back of the package and see what year was printed on it?

Yeah 07. Guess I'll look on Epsteins. Thought I might have got lucky. Thanks guys

 

[Dicholscrn]

Kind of a transition item. I think they were labeled that way for about a year.

I cant say if they are better or about the same as the made in china ones. Not as good as the Made in USA for sure though.

The best way to tell the import ones apart from the USA ones, is the hex key hole on the adjustment screw. Unless the screw was replaced in an older pair, it is something the global components and china vise grips introduced.

Epstiens has some USA made ones on thier website, last I knew.

That's good to know about the hex. Make sifting through stock much easier.

 

[BobsurUncle]

The global components were 07-8 like everyone said. I've found that they are just as good as the true USA ones. I would much rather have those than the Chinese ones. Use those for the abusive work and save the US ones for the easier.

That's what I do.

 

[ajchien]

Use those for the abusive work and save the US ones for the easier.

Hrm.

I use the good stuff when it really matters that things get done with as little mess and fuss as possible.

I use the cheap stuff when I don't care how mangled an item gets.

 

[BobsurUncle]

Hrm.

I use the good stuff when it really matters that things get done with as little mess and fuss as possible.

I use the cheap stuff when I don't care how mangled an item gets.

Abusive in my terms is clamping pieces together to be welded, beating on stuff they're clamped to with hammers stuff like that. If I need a good clamp for grip, I don't consider that abusive.

I'm not going to be grinding or welding on my new found US Visegrips for stuff like that. I use my Tiawanese ones, since I own no Chinese. I've ruined enough originals over the years.

 

[jsackin]

From what I've heard the "global components" refers to the screw, the spring and the rivets. The body was still US made.