Vise grips

[winchman]

I have a big collection of Vice Grips all the older ones made by Peterson Manufacturing
Whilst at an Autojumble (swap meet) today i saw a pair I have never seen but some one got them before me!
Does any one have a picture of the different ones made? Like a dealer display?

 

[Farmer J.]

I have a collection of various old USA ones too . Difficult to get a list of ALL the different ones they made though, I would like to see that as well. Let's hops some of the Vise Grip expert collectors chime in here..

 

[RTM]

There is a thread on here somewhere encouraging people to post all their different ones.

Might be this one, but probably other threads too.

Holy vise grip Batman!

Petersen mfg model 318R. 17" throat! ::scared:: Never seen one of these before, thought it was pretty cool. Mark Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

www.garagejournal.com

 

[four.cycle]

@winchman -

THIS LINK will provide you with something of a "road map" of the site

here's one of several "Vise Grip" / Locking Pliers threads

 

[LNKMK8]

I think I can list all models by memory... as I recall, there are around 43 (from the modern era)? Let me see....

As for dealer displays, they used several different ones over the years. To my knowledge, none of them contained all of them at once. Several models were introduced in the 1980's and 1990's. Here is a link to the section from the American Tool Catalog from 2000 that lists most (looks like the 11P was discontinued by then)

Vise-Grip Locking Tools : American Tool Companies, Inc. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

10 p., illus., 27.9 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

Petersen Easy Release Lever Vise Grips (1957-2003)
Curved Jaw		Welding Clamps		Bar Style Clamps
4WR		8R		310S
4LW		9R		310R
5WR		9AC		318S
7WR				318R
7CR		Pipe Clamps
7LW		6LC		Multi-Tool
10WR		12LC		5WR
10CR		11P		6LN*
10LW		20R		6LC
Straight Jaw		C Style Clamps		Others
7R		4SP		RR Pinch Off
10R		6SP		11HD Drill Press
		6R
Needle Nose		9SP		75WR Anniversary 7WR
4LN		9DR		Gold Anniversary 7WR
4BN		11SP		Chrome Anniversary 7WR
6LN		11R		Gold/Chrome Anni. 7WR
6BN		18SP		Centennial Model 5WR
9LN		18R		75WR ACE Anniversary 7WR
9BN		18DR		Dewitt 125th Anniversary 5WR
		24SP
		24R
* Sold by Schrade as the ST6 (can opener) and ST6H (screwdriver)

*Vise Grip *Petersen

 

[Farmer J.]

Thanks for that. Useful. The factual information we were looking for presented in a clear format. The other threads were fun and interesting though.

 

[IMCA38]

I have a fairly decent collection of DeWitt ViseGrips. In addition, I’ve managed to acquire a few display pieces.

 

[NYBODYMAN]

There'a a lot of different models out there and also a lot of specialty ones. I've been trying to get at least one of every model. When I go to a yard sale I can't leave a VG behind even if I already have 20 of that model. It's a sickness.

 

[Mintgrun]

It's a sickness.

It's a clamp. You can never have too many clamps.

 

[NYBODYMAN]

It's a clamp. You can never have too many clamps.

Exactly, especially as a body tech. Probably why I can't leave them behind.

 

[IMCA38]

There'a a lot of different models out there and also a lot of specialty ones. I've been trying to get at least one of every model. When I go to a yard sale I can't leave a VG behind even if I already have 20 of that model. It's a sickness.

I have a few. Last time I tried to locate all and count them, I think the total was 107. I’ve added some since then.

 

[d42jeep]

I’m pretty sure that I don’t have that many but I have a few. I posted some previously on the other thread.
-Don

 

[Drill Sergeant Arc]

I’m pretty sure that I don’t have that many but I have a few. I posted some previously on the other thread.
-Don

There is sickness . . . . . and then there is terminal . . . and I'm not supposed to judge.

 

[d42jeep]

I had several left from my mechanic career plus when they are practically giving them away at garage and estate sales they are hard to leave behind. I give some away periodically. If they have a bit of rust they come our very well in the Evaporust dip.
-Don

 

[Dozerhand]

I was told by an old time mechanic that during WW2 there was such a shortage of nickel that some vise grips left the factory silver plated. Anyone else heard that story?

 

[nadogail]

I have some Long Reach C clamps and Chain Grips.

 

[d42jeep]

I was told by an old time mechanic that during WW2 there was such a shortage of nickel that some vise grips left the factory silver plated. Anyone else heard that story?

They weren’t allowed to be chrome plated with the metal restrictions but silver is pretty unlikely, in my opinion. I don’t think my ‘42 patent examples are anything but plain steel.
-Don

 

[Silverhair]

Who made them for Craftsman?

 

[d42jeep]

Parker, according to the Craftsman experts.
-Don

 

[alinc100]

Who made them for Craftsman?

Parker, according to the Craftsman experts.
-Don

Did Parker make them for Dunlap? Parker manufacture after Dunlap? A Craftsman pair came up in a Facebook Group and I posted pics/catalog shots that at one point that particular pair was a Craftsman, in subsequent years was in the sears catalog branded as Dunlap. The pages below are 1948 and 1953. Is is safe to assume the top pair in the '53 catalog is the Parker?

 

[LNKMK8]

Who made them for Craftsman?

Depends on the time period... many were made by Parker, a handful by Petersen, and later by Irwin, then other offshore manufacturers.

It should be stated that the Craftsman are Locking Pliers, not Vise Grips. There is only one Vise Grip, and unless it was made by Petersen (later Irwin, although not the same quality), then it's not a Vise Grip.

 

[AreBeeBee]

They weren’t allowed to be chrome plated with the metal restrictions but silver is pretty unlikely, in my opinion. I don’t think my ‘42 patent examples are anything but plain steel.
-Don

I have a small number with that wartime patent and they are all plain steel. That makes far more sense some exotic (for the times) plating.

 

[IMCA38]

Depends on the time period... many were made by Parker, a handful by Petersen, and later by Irwin, then other offshore manufacturers.

It should be stated that the Craftsman are Locking Pliers, not Vise Grips. There is only one Vise Grip, and unless it was made by Petersen (later Irwin, although not the same quality), then it's not a Vise Grip.

In my eyes as well and many of my friends, Vise Grips ceased being Vise Grips when production left DeWitt. The later models simply are not worthy of that title.

 

[4xdog]

They weren’t allowed to be chrome plated with the metal restrictions but silver is pretty unlikely, in my opinion. I don’t think my ‘42 patent examples are anything but plain steel.
-Don

My 1942 patent Vise-Grips have been in our family since new and seem -- I'm guessing here -- to be some sort of coated steel. They're kind of greenish, and have no corrosion.

 

[LNKMK8]

In my eyes as well and many of my friends, Vise Grips ceased being Vise Grips when production left DeWitt. The later models simply are not worthy of that title.

I completely agree. I see you are in Bennet. I grew up just west of Lincoln.

 

[matthew]

I’m not from Nebraska, but my view is DeWitt is the spiritual home of Vise Grips. Moving wouldn’t have felt right no matter where they moved.

I will consider rebranded Petersen’s as genuine. I think my Proto and Wilde with roll pins count, although I can’t say for certain whether they’re post-Irwin or not.

 

[matthew]

I don’t have as many or as complete of a collection as some of you, but I do have one of the rarer ones (and my brother has the Schrade version)

 

[d42jeep]

Did Parker make them for Dunlap? Parker manufacture after Dunlap? A Craftsman pair came up in a Facebook Group and I posted pics/catalog shots that at one point that particular pair was a Craftsman, in subsequent years was in the sears catalog branded as Dunlap. The pages below are 1948 and 1953. Is is safe to assume the top pair in the '53 catalog is the Parker?

Here are two quite different Dunlap locking pliers. I don’t know who made them.
-Don

 

[Junkman]

It is an addiction, that is all that I can say about Vice Grips. I probably have 50 or more, and I don't use them that often, but when you need one, they work as intended. I have to go now to take my medicine........ LOL..

 

[IMCA38]

OK, more show and tell….
My collection of 1942 patent VG’s.
Some of the more unusual modern VG’s.
An unusual welding clamp, next to the more common version. I’ve only seen one other pair besides mine.
Some ”modified” VG’s. Some were done in factory, others in someone’s shop.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a Duro-Chrome example.
-Don

 

[matthew]

Some ”modified” VG’s. Some were done in factory, others in someone’s shop.

That has to be one of the most underappreciated things about Vise Grips - how well they adapt to modification.

 

[Jbullfrog]

I have a few Visegrips. These are clamped to a pallet rack foot. I have over a dozen flat and double legged on the underside of my welding table as well.

 

[Provincial]

I found these in a garden shed at a garage sale
last June. They were not still attached to the backing, but seem to have never been used.

 

[3baygarage]

Good timing as this thread is recent. Some nice postings.

I pulled this one out of a box I had in storage. I think Don showed this style already but here it be.

7” with the 1942 patent stamp.

I have one tool board, if I get near it in the mess some time I can post it.

 

[d42jeep]

The rust came right off of my new estate sale angle longnose Visegrips after the evaporust bath. They look pretty much like new. First one of those I’d seen in person. I’m glad they were made by Peterson because the Irwin branded ones are inferior to the earlier ones.
-Don

 

[NYBODYMAN]

The rust came right off of my new estate sale angle longnose Visegrips after the evaporust bath. They look pretty much like new. First one of those I’d seen in person. I’m glad they were made by Peterson because the Irwin branded ones are inferior to the earlier ones.
-Don

These are tough to find and worth some $$$. There's also the 9BN and 4BN. I have the 6BN and 9BN but need the 4BN.

 

[matthew]

Is the consensus that they went downhill immediately with Irwin? Curious if the ones with the roll pin, but without Petersen marking are any good?

 

[winchman]

Thanks for all your reply's looks like I still have a few to find

 

[LNKMK8]

Is the consensus that they went downhill immediately with Irwin? Curious if the ones with the roll pin, but without Petersen marking are any good?

Not immediately, but the decline was steady. As I have heard, they started making 1 piece at a time in China to get things up and running while still assembling them in Dewitt, until they had everything setup to move production. Near the end, only the cross-bar and roll pin were USA made pieces.