"lone_liberal" (token-liberal)
08/21/2019 at 14:00 • Filed to: None
1
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"lone_liberal" (token-liberal)
08/21/2019 at 14:00 • Filed to: None | 1
| 28 |
Taakuro’s post reminded me that I wanted to help people out with tool identification. In the picture below there are two tools. The one on the left is a pair of Vise-Grips. Invaluable when working on anything mechanical. On the right are a pair of Vise-Grip branded locking pliers made by Irwin. Pieces of shit that shouldn’t have that name on them. It’s best not to get the two confused unless you want to practise your swearing.
MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick)
> lone_liberal
08/21/2019 at 14:13 |
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Is it merely the quality difference between the tools or is there something functionally different about the brand name Vise Grips
Takuro Spirit
> lone_liberal
08/21/2019 at 14:14 |
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Oh wow, I didn’t even realize they made “new” Vise Grips. I thought you just naturally had a pair, and they last forever.
I have 3 or 4 pairs of Vise Grips and I’ve never bought any. I just... HAVE them.
Sovande
> lone_liberal
08/21/2019 at 14:15 |
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I’ve never had a pair of vise grips (or similar locking pliers).
vicali
> lone_liberal
08/21/2019 at 14:15 |
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Step one;
Step two;
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lone_liberal
> MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick)
08/21/2019 at 14:18 |
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Functionally they’re a little different as the old kind have a release lever, but it’s the build quality that’s the real difference. The new ones don’t hold nearly as strongly and the two sides of the jaws don’t even match up squarely. And it’s not just this particular pair, I bought a set of them and none of them measure up to the ancient pair. You lock them down tightly and then they slip off.
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vicali
> Takuro Spirit
08/21/2019 at 14:19 |
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Best pair I have,
I found
on the side of the road..
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lone_liberal
> Takuro Spirit
08/21/2019 at 14:22 |
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Same here. I don’t remember ever buying them they just sort of were there. If I thought about it logically I’d think they came from my dad’s tools but as far as I know he still has his.
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lone_liberal
> vicali
08/21/2019 at 14:23 |
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I’m not sure what a Crescent wrench has to do with pliers, but I wouldn’t argue.
ttyymmnn
> Takuro Spirit
08/21/2019 at 14:30 |
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The vise grips I have are probably 30 years old.
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lone_liberal
> Sovande
08/21/2019 at 14:32 |
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They come in very handy in various situations, like trying to pull out a rusted cotter pin from a castle nut which is what I was doing when I got frustrated with the “new and improved” version.
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Takuro Spirit
> vicali
08/21/2019 at 14:32 |
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I haven’t checked to see if this one works. It may become #5 (came with the car)
user314
> Takuro Spirit
08/21/2019 at 14:39 |
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Ditto. I have one pair, no idea who’ s they were. Might have been dad’s, might have been granddad’s . Some day they’ll be passed down to my nephews.
Urambo Tauro
> lone_liberal
08/21/2019 at 14:50 |
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Without looking, I’d say I probably have about 8 or 10 pairs of locking pliers. Straight jaw, curved jaw, needle-nose... of different sizes and brands. I do have some Irwins, but haven’t spent enough time getting acquainted with how much “better” the release mechanism supposedly is. At any rate, it’s hard to pick a favorite because each pair serves a different purpose anyway.
This little Tekton replaced the alligator clip on the end of my test lamp . It was the cheapest pair of locking pliers I could find, and I’m thinking that a small pair of needle-nose locking pliers might have been the better way to go. Still, it’s proved pretty handy. Much more so than that stupid alligator clip.
And I haven’t had to use it much, but this slide-hammer mod has proven to be a real life-saver:
Speaking of mods, I also have a couple of needle-nose s that I keep rubber hose slipped over the jaws. I use them for pinching rubber brake hoses to minimize fluid loss when changing calipers. Works like a charm!
punkgoose17
> lone_liberal
08/21/2019 at 14:52 |
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I think the locking lever makes a huge difference.
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lone_liberal
> Urambo Tauro
08/21/2019 at 14:59 |
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My frustrations with the Irwins above came to a head when I was trying to pull a cotter pin out of a castle nut on a ball joint that had been there for 4 decades . They just would not hold on to it. I managed to get enough of the pin showing that I could get the old ones on there and they locked down and did the trick with no fuss.
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Urambo Tauro
> lone_liberal
08/21/2019 at 15:18 |
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Any chance it’s just a difference in leverage? Not of your arm, but between the pliers’ pivot points and their jaw tips? Seems like the stubby jaws would naturally have an advantage over the long jaws (assuming that the straight-jaw and needle nose pliers shown in your pic are the ones you’re comparing).
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lone_liberal
> Urambo Tauro
08/21/2019 at 15:35 |
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I guess that i t’s possible, but the Irwin pair seemed to have a lot more “give” to the jaws when I started pulling. I ’ve used them before for things that didn’t require them to hold against very much pulling (axial?) force before and they were fine but for this they just couldn’t hold on. It was frustrating since the narrow tip fit the job better than the wide jaws.
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MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick)
> Sovande
08/21/2019 at 15:37 |
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I used to be this way, and now I have seen the light
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MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick)
> Urambo Tauro
08/21/2019 at 15:39 |
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So you personally have had good luck with non-brand name ones? And the slide hammer hack is SWEET I want to try it but don’t want a reason to
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MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick)
> vicali
08/21/2019 at 15:47 |
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I have a mini 10mm crescent I found in the junk yard. Lost tool karma is real. They will come back to you, just maybe not in this lifetime.
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Urambo Tauro
> MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick)
08/21/2019 at 15:55 |
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Well let me put it this way: I can’t say that I’ve had any real problems that I can blame Vise-Grip, Irwin, Tekton, Pittsburgh, etc for. I’ve had straight-jaw pliers slip off of a pipe that I should have been using curved jaws to grip, and I’ve had fasteners so hopelessly rusted that they were never going to budge anyway. Not to mention all the time s I failed to clamp the pliers tightly enough...
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vicali
> Urambo Tauro
08/21/2019 at 15:55 |
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Those are some Vice-ninja moves right there.
The only set I ever bought was a long nose pair when the rear heatercore crapped out mid-trip in the vanagon. Clamped the inlet hose and enjoyed the rest of the vacation.
Still have that pair.
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MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick)
> vicali
08/21/2019 at 16:05 |
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Because of the time I spend on JRITS I have seen them used more as a ‘semi’ permanent fix than for anything else. Seems pretty good in a pinch, same as using a spark plug for an oil drain plug: crush washer and typically the same threads
PyroHoltz f@h Oppo 261120
> vicali
08/21/2019 at 17:24 |
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What’s wrong with a C rescent wrench?
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vicali
> PyroHoltz f@h Oppo 261120
08/21/2019 at 18:22 |
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A sk the next person who has to deal with that bolt..
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PyroHoltz f@h Oppo 261120
> vicali
08/21/2019 at 19:37 |
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Who the hell boogered the bolt up in the first place? I think I would have selected a socket for that location anyway, not a Crescent wrench.
I find that most often a Crescent wrench is good for plumbing and less common for automotive but there are times it's nice to bend something back into shape with a Crescent.
Fuckkinja
> Takuro Spirit
08/21/2019 at 21:42 |
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All brands get destroyed around here. Usually the threads on the adjustment strips out. Or the jaws twist and never clamp tight enough again. Probably using them past their design. It’s r usty in MI.
brianbrannon
> lone_liberal
08/22/2019 at 15:39 |
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Grip-On are the brand snap on is reselling now. I'm happy with them