Being the "Tool Nut" that I am, I wanted to let you guys know that he Malco manufacturing Company has purchased the rights from Peterson and is making the original Vise Grip pliers and clamps in the original Factory in the USA once again. BETTER THAN EVER!

Not only is the quality absolutely excellent - it is better than the original ever was - even Snap-on has them private label them for their Snap-on branding. There is also an Allen key hex in the back of the adjusting nut so you can get even more clamping pressure.OK - they are more expensive than the Chinese knock offs but they are a much much better and strong er product. Personally, I avoid Chinese tools like the plague - can't think of any I own and would not knowingly buy any.

So if anyone is interested, the link is below. Anyone who uses these type of pliers would be well served with a set or two or three! They are well worth the money IMHO!!

https://www.eaglegripusa.com/

One of the most useful tools in the tool box.

Larry

I like it, I have no use for China tools or anything else I can get that is made somewhere else.

Have quite a few different original vice grips bought in the 70’s, well used d but most ok as I dont make a living with them any more.
Good to hear they are US made again, will have to check them out.

Great news! I’m also a tool guy, and refuse to buy China junk. Made in China vice grips have soft metal and the teeth deform easily.

Didn’t know about this, so thanks for sharing, I’m going to have to pick up a pair!

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NRA Life Member

Thanks OP!

I still have a few from the late 60s -70s that are still doing the job. So many uses for those very versatile tools.

The perfect tool to clamp under a open garage door so you can work on springs.(for safety do it on both sides!) Also makes a very good battery cable clamp in a pinch.

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14 S&W Revs none with locks!

Chief—thanks for posting this. I thought I was doing well buying Irwin—an old US tool company. WRONG—made in China. I think a lot of folks are like me, they are buying china made products and have no idea.

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No school like the old school.

That oughta make the sale price $40-$50 . . .

(Edit: I posted before I followed the link. $38.24 on Amazon for 7" locking pliers. 10" are $60. The tools you think of when you think of Vise Grip, but I'll pass at that price.)

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

Around $39 bucks for the most common model, however the USA made ones have hardened steel and the teeth and wire cutter LAST! Soft Chinese steel just slips and mars - sometimes they will work and sometimes they won't! They are also able to be torqued with the addition of an Allen Key Nut on the rear. If you use them often or as a last resort tool - that matters!

Sometimes when helping out friends I will ask them for a pair of Vise Grips and they hand me a pair of the Chinese "Junkers". I walk out to my car and get a real pair that I know won't slip or let go.

To some it might not matter much - to others it does. When I see slip and gouge marks on a pipe, part or what ever it bothers me - some don't care. Once again, buy once, cry once - have a quality tool forever! Think about what it costs to eat out at a nice restaurant..... you know where that meal goes a few hours later - lol. A quality tool doesn't wind up in the cesspool.

You've kind of proved my point. People who will pay that price already have the originals that they paid much less for, and because of the quality, they aren't in the market for new. People who won't pay that price will continue to buy based on value. I have long maintained that the vast majority of the American public isn't either willing or able to pay the going price for Made in the USA . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

It will be good to get more manufacturing back here. I do not believe that "information economies" really work long term. It would be nice for my grandchildren to have a "place to work", and not hop and skip around the country like I did.

Application dictates price I will pay.

If I use a tool infrequently or for light duty use, I'm willing to go with lower quality, to a point. Not often, but at times I may buy two or three cheapo's for short term temporary use and simply dispose of when they break.

If I work with it daily, earn a living with it, or can't have one fail while I'm in the field, I want top drawer quality. Many times it's not the most expensive brand, but it's never a bargain brand either.

I'm willing to spend more for quality.

So much domestic manufacturing has ceased, that at times we have little choice.

I want the option of buying U.S. manufactured products again!

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GOA
USA Shooting Supporter

I also stopped buying online when I can get it local. Closed my Amazon account several moons ago.

I buy the majority of my automotive/tractor/mower tools and supplies from an independent NAPA dealer near me.

Other hardware comes from a locally owned builders supply.

These people help support me, I want to help support them.

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GOA
USA Shooting Supporter

This is good news! I shop garage sales for the older US made tools. And I do not mind paying the extra for a quality made in the USA product, new or used.

My shop has tool boxes with top drawer, American made tools (and some German), and a few tool boxes that have foreign made expendables. The junk tools are what I use the most, and what the kids use when they have a need. The good stuff is for my private use - never allow anyone to use them, especially the wife.

A Great tool for the working man. I have four in the garage, hanging on the tool board.

Nothing like a spare hand, to shorten the time span of a job.

Glad to see they are back.

Just checked. Mine are still in the tool box.

From an inflation calculator:
What cost $5 in 1965 would cost $41.69 in 2020.

When i was growing up in the 50s - 60s all quality tools sold here were made here. I remember many long hours working with my Dad on cars, farm equipment, etc. "Hand me the Channel Locks." "Hand me the Vice Grips."

Recently went to the hardware store to get some Channel Locks. I was very pleased that what I saw was "Made In USA". Yes, I paid more. Glad to hear the same is true for Vice Grips. I can always use another pair for out in the mower shed.

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You're shy a few manners.

While there is merit to your statement (and you may be right) people still buy tools. They loose them, lend them and never get them back, have employees that leave tools on the job, (wish I had a dollar every time I've heard that one) or buy gifts for people. This past Christmas I bought 4 sets of William's (really Snap-on but their on-line name) screwdrivers, four 5 pc. sets of Channel-lock pliers, a bunch of drill sets and none of them were for me.

I guess time will tell if made in USA and/or high quality makes a difference to the buyer enough to sustain American Company's. While you may be correct when talking about the average joe on the street, there are still plenty of high-end expensive Company's in business today. ie: Rolex, Mercedes, Cadillac, Snap-on, Coach, Custom Shop Gun Company's, custom home builders, gourmet restaurants, $5000 / night resorts, etc.

As they say, time will tell.

Ironically it's also one of the most misused tools in the toolbox.

Mine are all old enough that they were made in the USA. That includes one marked Craftsman that I bought for a dollar at a yard sale. That's like a 9in or something length

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Can open, worms everywhere.

I like the comments about finding tools at yard sales. I have a couple of old made in the US Crescent wrenches that I picked up for give away prices.

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You're shy a few manners.

[QUOTE=wood714;141153468]Just checked. Mine are still in the tool box.





[img]https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-

I looked at a old one I had picked up a garage sale a while back and the stamp like the one on yours that has USA is pretty much unreadable . The other side can be read. I guarantee the ones I have are china junk. After looking closer and blowing it up the ones I have are made in the USA. The china ones on Amazon have a different stamp on that side than the old ones did and do not say made in china of course but they are.

If one makes their living with tools the best Quality means just about everything. Craftsman used to be US mfg and top quality, along with Snap-On and MAC you could find the correct tool for every job that would Not Fail during use. Reason many tool boxes had signs about not loaning tools. Due to issues in my hands and wrists dont use many tools anymore but quality still matters.

When I was using a lot of tools, Craftsman was the most popular because there was a Sears close to nearly every town. They had a free replacement warranty, but actually, Craftsman weren't all that great. Virtually every socket and wrench failure I had was Craftsman - never Proto, Challenger or Snap-On. I still have a lot of USA Craftsman tools, but I don't treasure them at all.

Chief—this thread got me to thinking so I laid out my vise grips, channel locks, crescent wrenches, etc and took some pictures as soon as I got home from the office. (As a humorous aside my son just got home from football practice, saw me, and said in a calm, soothing voice “dad are you ok? What in the hell are you doing taking pictures of a bunch of tools!!??”).

Interesting to note the Vise Grips say “THE ORIGINAL” on the back—nowhere do they say where they are manufactured. I just assumed Irwin Tool—150 year old American Company—made in the USA. Plus the say “The Original.” A fool and his money are soon parted and I am a living example.

My old Craftsman tools all say “USA” or “Made in USA”. Same with Channel Lock, new or old.

I primarily use the needle nose Craftsman vise grips, same with the regular size Craftsman vise grips.

I am not a Professional Mechanic or Tradesman (I capitalize because those are professions in my book) just a jake-leg, shade tree mechanic so the Chinese Vise Grips are probably fine for me. But I sure was tricked by “THE ORIGINAL.”

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No school like the old school.

I’m gonna have to be sure to ask for them the next time I am at Harbor Freight.

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Not in jail.

The photos of those vise original grips put a smile on my face and filled me with warm memories of working along side my dad as a kid. He was a WW2 veteran and the first in his family to graduate college, becoming an industrial arts teacher. He had those vise grips and a collection of quality tools that he used regularly around our home, making sure that both of his sons knew how to use them, too. Funny how one photo can bring back such joyful memories. Thanks for brightening this fella's day!

How many are you gonna buy?

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

In the past I sold tools, worked in service departments and use them in my wood shop so I appreciate a good tool.

This is good news!

Probably a pair of clamping pliers for myself, a pair of pliers for my Son and one each for a few close friends. I'll stash them away for Christmas gifts - I always like to give something that I know the receiver will use.

I have a few friends that I always exchange things like tools, knives, garage stuff, gun stuff etc. for gifts. Last year I received two attachments (angle grinder and belt sander attachment) for a new Foredom Electric Tool that I had bought, a set of miniature precision nut drivers in SAE and Metric and a 3 ton floor Jack. That's just what we do.

Of course there were also a few bottles of Bourbon as well but those are not around any longer.

Just to be clear, per internet entries Malco Manufacturing makes its its products in Minnesota. The original Peterson Manufacturing factory was in Dewitt Nebraska.

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Gunsmithing since 1961

I must have 30 pairs of vice grips. I don’t know if I ever bought a pair new.
I have an addiction for buying tool boxes at yard sales. This is the Rust Belt. The mines and mills bought quality tools and they leaked out when they folded. Personally I only use them as last ditch or clamps.
I can’t help it when a tool box with $100+ of name brand tools is $3, it’s hard to pass up even if you don’t need them. It’s like buying S&Ws.

Will get one...They’re only an hour West of me.

EDIT: No need for me to buy one...Checked and my Vice Grips are original Peterson’s.

You have just found my wife's birthday and Christmas gifts for me.

I received mine yesterday. I needed it right off the bat since I needed to remove a fastener that required a squared off edge to remove. If anyone is interested you can order American made Justin Boots from straight Justin. And they are not that much more than the imported. The leather is imported, but at least there is an American name attached to the boot.

I have a couple of old Craftsman branded locking pliers from the 70s.They're probably the only ones I will ever need.

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Or something like that . . .

I have many old USA made Craftsman tools that belonged to my father and some his father's. Apparently many of these old ratchets, sockets and such were actually fabricated by companies such as Snap On and Mac and stamped with Craftsman. The China made junk of today is just that, inferior junk.

If you live in Rust Belt you can buy top quality hand tools used for pennies.
Many cases they are new. You are nuts to buy new Chinese junk. I have no idea how many ratchet sets I have from 1/4 “ to 1” drive. Never paid over $5 for any of them.

I think most everyone posting is in the same situation. That’s why I don’t understand the excitement . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

So far so good...Yes VICE GRIPS were originally made in DeWitt Nebr.. Then however, the Petersen family got away from the company and was bought out by Rubber Maid....The steel came from China but was assembled by the workers in DeWitt.

Then the whole shebang Vice Grips were made in China, and the foundry in Dewitt closed..Lock Stock and Barrel. The whole town went under, because at the time, Vice Grips by Petersen was the towns' bread and butter.

Now, Malco in Minn bought the rights to Vice Grips...
\
The original factory in DeWitt, Nebraska is back in business making Vice Grips..(Now made wholey back in the USA, , not China.)

To say they are made by Malco in Minn is not quite true, the home office of Malco is in Minn, but the same process to make the vice grips remains in DeWitt by the same people who made original Vice Grips Those town's people are now making them under the brand name of Malco.

To still call them by the name of VICE GRIPS, is like calling all boxes of tissue paper, Klenex..The name has just stuck with locking pliers being named VICE GRIPS


So, the long and short of it all, There is no more Vice Grips per se..But a exact copy, by the same towns people who did make the originals are back to making there in their town of Dewitt, what they did for many, many, many years. Except now marketed under the name of Malco.

For what it's worth, and probably not that much, one of the heirs and I are are still good friends...and still jabber jaw from time to time. We're both about the same age..well.. he is a year and two days older than me.

So now everyone can go out and buy a set of pliers made in the good ole USA..Even if they are called Malco locking pliers.


WuzzFuzz

P.S...Did you know Kool Aid originally came from Nebraska?

I'm guessing this got started prior to Nov 2020. It won't be long now.

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Charlie

WOOO HOOO!!

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Foster Positivity.

Is Channelock still up in Meadville, Crawford Co., PA? We used to drive past that place going up to our camp. I haven't paid any attention to my new tools in quite some time; I wasn't paying for them.

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Waiting For The Sun.

Thank you Chief !

I use any brand of vice grips being a welder fabricator.

I lost my job due to cheaper machine imports in the 80’s. For three years. I think we all were enjoying imports then.

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Plant garlic in the fall

Amazon delivered mine today. Huge improvement over the chicom versions that i have. Thanks

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Foster Positivity.