No Vice Grips at your Home Depot?

[shortfuse]

Went to my local HD this past week looking for some needle-nosed Vise Grips and there wasn't a Vise Grip brand in sight. All the locking pliers and others were Milwaukee. I have nothing against Milwaukee, but just was caught by surprise. Has HD quit carrying the Vise Grip brand or is it just my local store? When I asked the local chump in the tool section about not having any Vise Grips, he just shrugged his shoulders and said "I dunno...".

[hddnis]

My local one has a Irwin Vise Grip line and Milwaukee, they also have a few DeWalt brand locking pliers.

It is kind of disappointing because the QC has gone way down now that it is all sourced from China. Sloppy fit, jaws with very dull edges, points that don't align when closed, screws that are gritty and hard to turn.

I look far and wide at all the thrift stores, pawn shops and garage sales to find good condition original vise grips. But then so do about a million other people, they go for top dollar.


Mr. HE

[mla2ofus]

If the average homeowner handyman ever used REAL visegrips, he'd quit buying the Chinese junk. No, I'm wrong, he wouldn't realize what he had. Nowadays where would he find good ones? Like said at garage sales, hock shops, etc.
Mike

[Fnord5]

About 6 months ago they switched to Milwaukee.
Since my life occasionally depends on the holding power, I'll only ever stick with real vise grips.

[BD1]

That sucks. I have many assorted REAL vise grips from the old days. Only issue is some lost or broken springs. I'm glad I bought them when I did.

[skyboltone]

I think, given the pair of needle nostril Irwin "Vice-Grips" that I bought about three weeks ago, that Vice-Grip must have sold theirselves to the highest bidder. The end of another era....

Not good.

[wb4rt]

If you have any old hardware stores, the real kind, not the chains, you may find some Made In USA ones hanging behind the newer ones. I have picked up several that way. I have even found a few original in Sears. Otherwise, as stated already - Craig's List for estate sales, flea markets, yard sales, etc.

I do not like the Milwaukee ones. They have been in our Home Depots for almost a year now.

[Oldendum]

... Only issue is some lost or broken springs...

Irwin will send you replacement springs for free.

http://www.irwin.com/support-services/replacement-parts

[BD1]

Irwin will send you replacement springs for free.

http://www.irwin.com/support-services/replacement-parts

THANKS !!!! I'll get the numbers and do it . THANKS AGAIN ! I better do this quick.

[pedaldude]

They've been pulling all sorts of shenanigans with exclusive deals that nothing would surprise me. Just browsing Lowe's I noticed they don't carry Klein anymore and just have some junk no-name brand in its place.

I have nothing but good things to say about Milwaukee corded power tools that I've owned and operated but recently purchased their hand tools and they were junk. I got the large and small reaming pliers which are a ripoff of the Knipex Cobra pliers and they were good until I had to use them. The jaws on the Milwaukee pliers won't grip even the soft brass I was using them on. I thought about giving them away but they are such junk I wouldn't want someone hurting themselves with them. If Milwaukee gave as much thought to their locking pliers I would avoid at all costs.