I have, I bought 4 pair of "Vice-Grip" clamps at Sears, the long reach type. What a bunch of junk, they are nothing like the older Vise Grips that I have, they feel really cheap and rough. The threads on the adjusting screw were so rough that it required pliers to adjust them, I had to use a thread file to clean them up. They also feel like they will bend if you put too much pressure on them.
I wrote to Irwin (manufacturer of "Vice-Grips") with my complaints, they did respond and said they are being made in China now and they took note of my complaints.
Where else can I buy good quality affordable tools?
Ron

Mac tools, Snap On, or garage sales that sell older Craftsman stuff. Sad to say, most tools now-a-days are "Cheap, china made tools"

When I broke my Craftsman vise a couple years ago I took it back and Sears replaced it, but no lifetime guarantee on the new one...

I almost bet after the first of the year Sears and Kmart will file for bankruptcy. I have a bunch of the old vise grips and they are great, as for all the new ones that are junk like you said because they now have them made in china.:sad::sad:

I have, I bought 4 pair of "Vice-Grip" clamps at Sears, the long reach type. What a bunch of junk, they are nothing like the older Vise Grips that I have, they feel really cheap and rough. The threads on the adjusting screw were so rough that it required pliers to adjust them, I had to use a thread file to clean them up. They also feel like they will bend if you put too much pressure on them.
I wrote to Irwin (manufacturer of "Vice-Grips") with my complaints, they did respond and said they are being made in China now and they took note of my complaints.
Where else can I buy good quality affordable tools?
Ron


Harbor Freight :yes:






oooooo, see, even typing it made me feel violated..... i must go take a shower now to try and get clean :(

I would go with Snap On, but not not Blue Point, which is their Chinese brand.

Where else can I buy good quality affordable tools?
Ron

Ok, normally I find most car TV shows semi-repulsive as they are almost info-mercials, however, one episode of a USA toolmaking company kind of impressed me. I haven't bought or even seen one of their tools in person yet, but the tour of the factory impressed me.

Here's a link to their web site: http://www.cornwelltools.com/index.asp

you might want to check the pawn shops in your area brought 8 pair of old real vise grips for only $25

Ok, normally I find most car TV shows semi-repulsive as they are almost info-mercials, however, one episode of a USA toolmaking company kind of impressed me. I haven't bought or even seen one of their tools in person yet, but the tour of the factory impressed me.

Here's a link to their web site: http://www.cornwelltools.com/index.asp

Cornwell sells Irwin vice grips. :(

Cornwell sells Irwin vice grips. :(

I don't know what to tell you about that, but the very thing that impressed me about this episode on TV was a tour of their factory here in Ohio where they were making their own tools.

Made here in the USA by a small company that's employee owned. Check out this page about them:

http://www.cornwelltools.com/onlinecatalog2008/ifc.html

isnt there still a line of vice grips that are us made?

I hope so, I thought the Vice Grips were, until I bought these. The package didnt say China anywhere on them.:sad:
Ron

you might want to check the pawn shops in your area brought 8 pair of old real vise grips for only $25


pawn shops here, at least the ones I've been in, ask about 80-90% of the retail value..... and thats if its in decent condition.... no less than 65-70% of retail value no matter how crappy it is...... and something about using another mans tools that have been stolen out from under him by some crack head low life makes me feel guilty.... well, at least at those prices, if it were 35-40% of retail it might be different ;)

I buy Matco these days, as they're the only truck that makes it around to the shop. The Mac Tools guy visits next door on Wednesdays, but he won't run any accounts unless you work where he's stopping. Haven't seen the Matco guy in a few weeks, but I don't owe him either. Fine by me, I've been trying to cut back. ;) Other guys do owe him, so they're fine with his absence. They do make quality tools, and are more economically priced than Snap-On for most stuff.

I don't know what to tell you about that, but the very thing that impressed me about this episode on TV was a tour of their factory here in Ohio where they were making their own tools.

Made here in the USA by a small company that's employee owned. Check out this page about them:

http://www.cornwelltools.com/onlinecatalog2008/ifc.html


Not a very "user friendly" site.
I saw Vice Grip brand tools on page 310-311 and "locking pliers" on 235-236.... but all that clicking on "next page" seemed like a hassle when you need to get so far into the catalog..... unless there's an easier way that I'm missing :confused:

I bought a 3 pc craftsman vice grip pack about 6 months ago from sears. They are no different than the made in Taiwan pair I've been carrying around in my tool box for the last 25 yrs. I looked at the packaging they came in and noted it was

"Made from components from abroad"

It seems today almost everything is made off shore someplace.I value the Original America/USA made tools I have since thats how I make my living.I have taken to buying Harbor Freight tools to use where the normal wear and tear will be excessive.That way if it gets damaged in some way,its not a big deal.Just my.02

Im glad I got some of the Vice Grip locking pliers before they started farming out to china. Ill tell you what, the cheap line of locking pliers from Sears are the absolute worst I have ever worked with from any tool. And I am a mechanic for a living. These were the worst christmas gift I have ever gotten.

I work at ACE hardware, and all I do is buy our own brand of tool for really cheap (employee discount is nice), and when it breaks I just take it back and get a new one for free, and I keep taking them back as needed, since i don't constantly break tools, its not a big dear for me, however i built a tool chest on matco's website just for $h!ts and giggles, cost $30,500:eek:

Best bargain in quality tools is USED. I buy mine from Garage Sales, Craigslist or eBay.
Good high quality American made hand tools, including Vice Grips and other quality brand name stuff for pennies on the dollar. If I get some Asian Junk along with the good stuff, I have a large junk bin nearby.
You would be amazed at what you can find out there.

Dan

Deep set metric and us sockets and Craftsman "Mechanix" gloves. All my 3/8 metric sockets have walked away...

I just today bought that same 2 pack you are talking about, my insert said made in USA. The US ones are still out there.

Also got me a new set of craftsman wrenches for $20, and a 3/8 drive socket set for $17.99 or so, I wanted the ones with the big numbers on them. Also got a nifty matco socket organizer, glad the wife was around to show me how to use it, I thought they'd just fall right out!!

i will now have a very hard time buying tools off the trucks (mac, snappy, matco) after buying a bunch of stuff off the matco website. i signed up for their tech ed deal (since im still in school). i bought a toolbox from them list was $4,045 and with the student discount and holiday pricing i got it for $1,566!! i couldnt believe how much of a discount they give.. i dont think they are losing money at my price either, they may not be making much with that price but wow. they are good tools, but the markup on them is unbelievable!!

i didn't get get vice grips or anything but I bought my dad a set of 18 Volt power drill and power saw for Christmas. And It came with a free lithium battery on top of the other 2 rechargeable ones. We never had a good cordless drill and I'm glad I got him it because I get to use it now :) Lithium battery is still on its first charge. My dad also just picked up an air compressor. we have been doin all our work without one and boy is it nice to be able to use air tools!

i didn't get get vice grips or anything but I bought my dad a set of 18 Volt power drill and power saw for Christmas. And It came with a free lithium battery on top of the other 2 rechargeable ones. We never had a good cordless drill and I'm glad I got him it because I get to use it now :) Lithium battery is still on its first charge. My dad also just picked up an air compressor. we have been doin all our work without one and boy is it nice to be able to use air tools!

:beers: Welcome to the 21st Century!! :beers:

:beers: Welcome to the 21st Century!! :beers:

hahaha, sadly that is true, I dunno how we went so long without cordless tools and an air tank. Thanks for the welcome :)

Sears can KISS THIS!!! I Had three 3/8 DRIVE RATCHETS, all 3 of them where worn out..I take them in for exchange and the guy hands me a rebuild kit for just ONE!!! I asked about the other 2 ratchets and got told their policy was 1 tool per customer a day because they don't keep alot of repair parts in stock!!! Guess I'll have to start chasing the snap-on trucks like a dog for now on..:D

I would say those Vice Grip tools were probably made by a little eight year old girl somewhere in China, she may make about Three dollars a week.

Sears can KISS THIS!!! I Had three 3/8 DRIVE RATCHETS, all 3 of them where worn out..I take them in for exchange and the guy hands me a rebuild kit for just ONE!!! I asked about the other 2 ratchets and got told their policy was 1 tool per customer a day because they don't keep alot of repair parts in stock!!! Guess I'll have to start chasing the snap-on trucks like a dog for now on..:D

That policy differs from store to store simply due to laziness. For example, if someone comes in with an assortment of broken sockets, screwdrivers, ratchets, etc., the store can limit the number of exchanges anywhere from one to seven, eight or even nine pieces.

I worked P/T in a SEARS store and almost every week a couple would come in with a lot of junk that was obviously purchased at yard sales. I would exchange a few items for them depending how busy the store was. The ratchets were repaired at the store and if they couldn't be repaired, we simply gave the customer a new one.

Rusted tools that were NOT broken were NOT to be exchanged due to the customers' lack of proper maintenence.

snip~Where else can I buy good quality affordable tools?
Ron

I would go with Snap On, but not not Blue Point, which is their Chinese brand.


He said AFFORTABLE!!!!! :D

I just today bought that same 2 pack you are talking about, my insert said made in USA. The US ones are still out there.


The made in the US ones may still be out there, but they won't last forever. The Vice-Grips factory which was right here in DeWitt, Nebraska was closed at the end of October 2008.

Here is the info straight from the DeWitt web page:

During the agonies of the Depression, something occurred that was to save the town. William Petersen, a Danish immigrant and blacksmith by trade, invented the "VISE-GRIP" wrench. He, his three sons, and a daughter developed a business from the idea. That was in the days when "real jobs were not to be had." It was a great victory for the town when the last WPA worker got employment at the VISE-GRIP Plant. The enterprise that started in Petersen's shop has continued to grow so that upwards of 700 people are currently employed. Merchandise, which now includes an entire line of hand tools, is shipped to all parts of the world. In 1984 the Petersen family, now into retirement age, decided to divest themselves of ownership of the corporation. The company became a subsidiary of American Tool Companies in 1985. In 1993 Petersen Manufacturing acquired the IRWIN Tool Company. In 2002, Newell Rubbermaid acquired American Tool Companies and renamed it its current name: Irwin Industrial Tool Company. In September of 2008, Newell Rubbermaid announced that it would be closing the DeWitt plant at the end of October 2008. Production of the Vise-Grip moved to China, a move Rubbermaid stated was necessary to "remain competitive". October 31st, 2008 marked the end of the 84-year long production of Vise-Grips in DeWitt.

Not sure how they will "remain competitive" if they don't continue to make a quality product. Pretty soon there will be no difference between the brand name "Vice-Grip" products and the cheap knockoffs and as such they will continue to loose marketshare to the cheap stuff. Good tools CAN be made offshore, but if they aren't even going to make the effort to hire a good offshore factory and then monitor that the quality of the products they are putting their name on remains high, they will kill themselves in the process and destroy the brand forever.

Or, they could have retained the manufacturing in the US where they could more easily maintain the quality of their output. To me, this sounds less about "remaining competitive" than it does about some group of executives getting a bonus for economizing the costs of production. I hope Vice-Grip sales go in the tank and that they all get canned. I have a certain affection for the Vice-Grip brand since it comes from my home state and was here for nearly a century, but that brand name soon will mean nothing at this rate.

that really p@#$& me off. i will never buy a pair of vice grips made in china. that competitive thing is a bunch of crap too.that company was making money just not enough for those greedy bastards

The made in the US ones may still be out there, but they won't last forever. The Vice-Grips factory which was right here in DeWitt, Nebraska was closed at the end of October 2008.

Here is the info straight from the DeWitt web page:

During the agonies of the Depression, something occurred that was to save the town. William Petersen, a Danish immigrant and blacksmith by trade, invented the "VISE-GRIP" wrench. He, his three sons, and a daughter developed a business from the idea. That was in the days when "real jobs were not to be had." It was a great victory for the town when the last WPA worker got employment at the VISE-GRIP Plant. The enterprise that started in Petersen's shop has continued to grow so that upwards of 700 people are currently employed. Merchandise, which now includes an entire line of hand tools, is shipped to all parts of the world. In 1984 the Petersen family, now into retirement age, decided to divest themselves of ownership of the corporation. The company became a subsidiary of American Tool Companies in 1985. In 1993 Petersen Manufacturing acquired the IRWIN Tool Company. In 2002, Newell Rubbermaid acquired American Tool Companies and renamed it its current name: Irwin Industrial Tool Company. In September of 2008, Newell Rubbermaid announced that it would be closing the DeWitt plant at the end of October 2008. Production of the Vise-Grip moved to China, a move Rubbermaid stated was necessary to "remain competitive". October 31st, 2008 marked the end of the 84-year long production of Vise-Grips in DeWitt.

Not sure how they will "remain competitive" if they don't continue to make a quality product. Pretty soon there will be no difference between the brand name "Vice-Grip" products and the cheap knockoffs and as such they will continue to loose marketshare to the cheap stuff. Good tools CAN be made offshore, but if they aren't even going to make the effort to hire a good offshore factory and then monitor that the quality of the products they are putting their name on remains high, they will kill themselves in the process and destroy the brand forever.

Or, they could have retained the manufacturing in the US where they could more easily maintain the quality of their output. To me, this sounds less about "remaining competitive" than it does about some group of executives getting a bonus for economizing the costs of production. I hope Vice-Grip sales go in the tank and that they all get canned. I have a certain affection for the Vice-Grip brand since it comes from my home state and was here for nearly a century, but that brand name soon will mean nothing at this rate.

ya ya, and the only store making money is wally world,, so some ones buy'n china's junk...
what is the only make(car) you could by in 2008 and get a tax credit..
honda civic or accord... we sold out the america company years ago.. because americans are to dam cheap

Sears can KISS THIS!!! I Had three 3/8 DRIVE RATCHETS, all 3 of them where worn out..I take them in for exchange and the guy hands me a rebuild kit for just ONE!!! I asked about the other 2 ratchets and got told their policy was 1 tool per customer a day because they don't keep alot of repair parts in stock!!! Guess I'll have to start chasing the snap-on trucks like a dog for now on..:DI had the same thing happen to me,so I just took my broken ratchet to a different store,got another kit,back to the same store, got another kit and so on until all my tools were replaced and I have a spare kit.I do understand that not everbody has a Sears close by in three different directions,but OSH is Sears also,just another name.Just my.02

Just bought a SNAP-ON 5.5mm 1/4" drive shallow socket. It is to open the box that contains the computer in a F250 power stoke. Needed to access the computer to install a Bullydog Program chip. Anyway, it was $12 dollars. %*&^&(?#@

My order is going in Monday for some OTC stuff; an oil pressure/trans pressure test kit 5610; the matching vacuum gauge 5613; and if things go right, the fuel injection test kit 6550 as well.

I want the 2012 engine stand, too. The price is right, but shipping is WAY HIGH, and the damn thing is made in China. So that's maybe not going to happen...

I bought Craftsman stuff--and a fair amount of it--as a youngster. "Lifetime warranty" seemed so WONDERFUL--HOW could you go WRONG??? At some point in my career I got tired of seeing my own blood. I discovered "how you can go wrong..." So, if a Craftsman tool broke, I got it warrantied at the local Sears store. If it broke and the breakage caused me an injury, I bought a Snap-On (usually), occasionally Mac. (There's no Cornwall dealer here; and Matco overall didn't impress me too much--looked to me like their ratchets came from the same folks Sears buys 'em from--which I suspect but can't prove is SK.) I have a strong preference for Snap-On hand tools; they're downright CHEAP since you won't have to pay the medical bills from using weak-ass crap tools. Of course, Mac sold me some torque wrenches and diagnostic equipment, and they sold me "stuff I needed right now" when the Snap-On guy wasn't around.

As a point of comparison between Craftsman and Snap-On--I tend to use a 3/8 ratchet as my "favorite". When that ratchet was a Craftsman round-head, I had to have it warrantied like clockwork every six months. Buy it new, six months later it had to have a "repair kit". Six months later, the thing was SHOT, and they gave me a new one. Six months later, repair kit. Six months later--new ratchet. And that went on for YEARS. One day I got sick of having to go to Sears to get my tools warrantied. I bought a Snap-On ratchet (the first of many) and to this day--twenty+ years later--it's needed ONE repair kit.

The company I worked for later required the employees to have a small tool inventory. Lots of new-hires showed up with imported junk tools or crap that Grandpa had laying around, and COULD NOT DO THE JOB with them because the tools were not strong enough. It is FREAKIN' AMAZING how much stronger a Snap-On wrench is compared to even a Craftsman! Certain fittings on the Detroit Diesel 6V94 would NOT come out with a Craftsman wrench; the jaws spread apart and the wrench slipped off the fitting. The Snap-On equivalent worked fine.

True enough, and just like car parts--there are a huge number of companies that SELL tools; there are not very many companies that MAKE tools. You look at the Snap-On catalog--or Mac--or Matco--Cornwall--whoever, and you see the SAME tools but with a different color plastic box. I bought a Mastercool hydraulic tubing flaring tool a few years ago--Man, is that nice--and it is EXACTLY the same as what was in the Snap-On catalog. I paid about half of what Snap-On wanted. Waekon Industries makes brake pressure testing equipment (and lots of other stuff) that's re-branded and sold "off the truck" for big money. OTC and Fluke stuff gets re-branded and included in the "expensive" catalogs. Be aware of what you're buying...

Sears can KISS THIS!!! I Had three 3/8 DRIVE RATCHETS, all 3 of them where worn out..I take them in for exchange and the guy hands me a rebuild kit for just ONE!!! I asked about the other 2 ratchets and got told their policy was 1 tool per customer a day because they don't keep alot of repair parts in stock!!! Guess I'll have to start chasing the snap-on trucks like a dog for now on..:D
The Store Manager would have to call the cops on me. Honest to fucc, I'd come UN-GLUED on them for pulling that crap.

Being and American and serving my country for the past 12 years, I take great pride in looking down at that tool in my hand with the big ole U.S.A. stamped into it. It is not hard to find US made tools. You just need to look. Spend the extra money to support your fellow American. Keep this commie crap out of your hands. And, yes the saying is true: You get what you pay for!!!