What are good vice grips?

[craftsman creep]

Hello, looking to get some more vice grips.
What are a good brand to look into buying.
Thanks

Sincerely, Preston

 

[genog]

Vice Grip among others

 

[DerekV]

Bremen from Harbor Freight

 

[M6erfan]

You have to spend countless hours and fuel going to every flea mkt and garage sale within 50 miles in the hopes of finding a genuine vintage Peterson made Vice Grip.

Nothing else will do!

 

[ecotec]

If you have time to search for used… Petersen Vise-Grips from Dewitt Nebraska. Pre-Irwin only.

New… I don’t really know. I have a few Snap-on Grip-ons… and I hate them. The 5 pairs I have of them cost more than the 80 some pairs of Petersens…

The price of buying at estate sales, obviously, does not account for time and gas… but my wife goes to estate sales… and I am often with her…

If you get to estate sales early, there are usually the common tools… and Vise-grips, Channellocks, ball peen hammers, SAE tools, files… are really common at Greatest Generation and Baby Boomer sales… I know I sound like a broken record… but if you are going to garage sales and estate sales anyways, with your wives… there are certain tools where it makes zero sense to pay retail for…

Obviously, if you don’t have the time for this… I am not referring to your particular situation. People on GJ can be pretty bitchy about the hidden or real cost of garage sale, estate sale, and flea market costs… they are not wrong.

 

[ike]

i would buy Irwin or Bremen. Both are cheap and work fine.

 

[Shiftless]

I like the old Nebraska made Petersens myself. eBay or estate sales

 

[Steve_P]

Watch the Project Farm video on YouTube and decide.

 

[qqzj]

countless hours

Yes

and fuel

No

going to every flea mkt and garage sale within 50 miles in the hopes of finding a genuine vintage Peterson made Vice Grip.

Nothing else will do!

 

[craftsman creep]

Thanks for all the suggestions and advice

 

[belvedere]

Tektons work pretty well.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Malco except they are only selling what’s left as they are leaving the locking plier business. Second choice would be Bremen from Harbor Freight. Old USA made Peterson are the best probably but hard to find for a reasonable price anymore.

 

[speed bump]

The Milwaukee ones seem fine, I also happen to like the Stanley or DeWalt ones.

The old Peterson's are overrated all things considered, I used to be that guy seeking them out and after some honest reflection I realized they didn't do anything special that a decent set I can buy at the hardware store doesn't do.

I do wish stronghand tools sold a standard vice grip. I have several locking clamps from them and they are solid.

 

[bb29510]

the ones that havent been thrown out in the yard yet

 

[F-22]

The Facom ones are pretty cool and unique.

 

[Zeus36]

Suggest Malco Eagle Grips, but they are pricey and now out of business. Still available on Amazon. Vintage Petersen Visegrips are what I look for at garage sales and the flea market. Sometimes find them as part of a tool lot on Craigslist.

 

[Monte]

Knipex or other german makes...

 

[DIYNY]

definitely malco eagle grips here

 

[anndel]

Original Petersens at yard sales or Ebay. Brand mew Malco Eagle Grips if you have the money.

 

[F-22]

Knipex or other german makes...

I think those are an ok option (ok quality for the price). But I think they rebrand them and you might find the same pliers even cheaper from the original manufacturer.

 

[KnurledNut]

So far 4 out of 7 have misspelled Petersen.

 

[toolenthusiast]

So far 4 out of 7 have misspelled Petersen.

Someone should open a factory in China and name it “Peterson”. They’ll rake in the cash from people who can’t spell.

 

[Handyandy23]

I've got Grip On (made in Spain) who I think make them for other brands like Snap On. They work pretty well, noticeably nicer than the cheap store brand ones.

 

[Mr_B]

Petersen easy get on eBay although more like 10 to 25 bucks for nice clean condition examples if not fleemartet or marketplace hunting .
I had few from Marketplace last few years , the old bluepoint or ATC sets of Petersen crop up at times ...
I got enough Peterson last my lifetime and can still find odd good used pretty easily .
Bremen at HF hard complain about and prices with coupons was stupid cheap.
Milwaukee and toptul do some good ones, Milwaukee easy find and not over expensive .
Worth spoiling yourself with couple eaglegrips while still can too ...

 

[jimy]

I’ve had about 8 or so vice grips that I bought perhaps 35 years ago and like them. I do have several knockoffs that my dad bought probably 20 years ago.

From this limited experience I find that the Petersen version has (or seems to have) a bit of flex in them when you clamp them down very tightly. I think that really helps with clamping down easily and the grip as well.

The cheap ones I have don’t flex and it can be a struggle to fiddle with the screw to get it just right.

I’d be curious to know if the current “quality” versions have this flex?

Jim

 

[desertdog256]

Milwaukee works well for me.

 

[WWheeler]

Best Locking Pliers (VISE GRIPS)? Irwin vs Knipex, Milwaukee, Craftsman, Stanley, Malco, Pittsburgh.

 

[Bubba Fett]

Good:
Irwin Vise Grips are not bad. They were terrible when Rubbermaid owned Irwin, but since SBD bought Irwin, the product has improved a bit. Still made in China, and not as good as the Petersen Vise Grips, but the price isn't bad. They do have a wide variety of sizes and styles.

Better:
Bremen locking pliers at Harbor Freight really punch above their weight. They are made in Taiwan, and are the best bang for the buck, IMO. Usually cheaper than the Irwins. This is what I would recommend. The adjustment screw can use a 1/4" ratchet for tightening/loosening, which is a nice feature.

Even Better:
Grip-on makes some pretty good ones, but they can be expensive. They are the OEM for a lot of the tool truck brands. Proto seems to be the best deal.

Best:
Malco Eagle Grips are top of the line, but are hard to find, and very expensive. They have also been discontinued, which is adding to the rarity and high price. These are almost too nice, really.

 

[milkovich]

I have both US and China Irwin Vice-Grips and there's no noticeable difference to me. I prefer the US ones out of vanity but it's nice to brutalize the china ones with zero remorse. The Eagle Grips are amazing but too pretty to use. It's like the Bismarck, fun to show off but will probably get destroyed the first time out. I honestly want to frame them rather than let them loiter in the bottom of the plier drawer.

 

[Ton ton]

I didn't even know Stanley fatmax made locking pliers. They performed surprisingly well in project farm testing.

 

[Mr_B]

I didn't even know Stanley fatmax made locking pliers. They performed surprisingly well in project farm testing.

I consider them garbage vs other options same price range, have to self QC off the retail peg with more scrutiny than even at HF to find a decent made pair.
Stanley bought out the UK vise grip brand MOLE many years back and did make some decent lockingpliers, they outsource to Spain and that how grip-on came about and you can see design concept Grip-on adopted from Stanley MOLE design that originally uk produced .

 

[lardy1]

For my light duty use I buy cheaper versions and consider them disposable if they trash out at the rivets or the teeth wear too much. I'm not hard on them so I haven't invested in the Malco's but my inner tool hoarder talks to me a lot about that.

Tekton and Bremen both work for light/infrequent duty. Nobody else knows your needs.

 

[woody 73]

I agree 100percent for the hunting of used vise grips made in Neb.; but I also understand not many people have the time to hunt for them. With that being said the Milwaukee vise grips are not that bad if you need them asap.

 

[tarbellb]

Milwaukee and Bremen for best economy

Grip-on for correct release lever and widest range

Facom and Malco if you got the money honey

 

[JMCmarker]

I'd definitely say eagle grips. I think Snap-on is still selling them. And they still have old supply that you can find

 

[Kasal]

I have the milwaukee, knipex, grip on, toptul. The Milwaukee are the first ones I grab, they are good for the money. the grip on are more difficult to leave forgotten thanks to its orange color.

 

[Garcky]

What they are is essential! You need some, and in a range of designs. Always useful. Buy brands you recognize and you'll be OK. But, get plenty of them. That's my advice. I look for ones with the original Vise Grips logo. I have lots of those. They seem to work fine.

 

[bwringer]

Milwaukee and Bremen for best economy

Grip-on for correct release lever and widest range

Facom and Malco if you got the money honey

Agreed. Milwaukee (Home Depot) and Bremen (HF) are on the shelf in almost any town with traffic lights, and great quality for the money.

The Chinese imitations now peddled as "Vise-Grip" will indeed pinch things, but the main difference I've seen is that the teeth are not properly hardened, and general quality and alignment are generally much worse. For the same or less money, you might as well get the better Taiwanese Mikwaukee or Bremen pliers.

That said, sometimes Chinese shite is just the ticket, like if you're using them as welding clamps, grinding, or modifying. In that case, pay the proper Chinese prices for the super-cheap stuff on the bottom shelf at Harbor Freight.

 

[Ditchdigger]

I picked up a drawer full of Tektons when they went on sale a few years ago and greatly prefer them to the NOS Petersens I have collected.

I like the operation of the release lever on the Tekton pliers much better. In all other aspects they seem to be equal.

 

[WilliamBos]

Hello, looking to get some more vice grips.
What are a good brand to look into buying.
Thanks

Sincerely, Preston

Malco bought the Vice grip plant and original tooling. Irwins are total garbage.