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

Great video, as always. A suggestion/request for video comparison: countersinks… I always seem to be burning them up during metal work, and would love to know if there’s one that might hold up for more than a few weeks. 👍

Eventually companies will drop the 'As seen on TV' slogan for 'As seen on Project Farm'

I have been watching for years. I'd love to see a test on breaker bars. A simple but crucial tool one we all have struggled with. They can be an unsung hero of any shop.

This is easily the most useful channel on RU-vid. You always do the absolute best comparisons, not to mention real-world USEFUL data, not opinion pieces like most do.

I was literally at the hardware store this morning buying locking pliers. As I normally do, checked PF and saw nothing, so I bought the Irwin. Then I saw the notification pop up on my way home and immediately pulled over and stopped to watch. Based on what I saw, I decided it was a good purchase, had no reason to switch, and now I'm home with some decent tools and a few bucks in my pocket to spare. Thanks!

My Malco Eagle Grips are by far my favorite locking pliers. They are definitely expensive, but well worth the price if you actually use your tools. Good stuff. They took over the old Vise Grip factory and I hear they even hired back some of the folks who used to work there :-)

As always, I appreciate your side by side testing with a non biased approach!! I’ve actually made a decision in the past to go with an item that preformed the best vs the item I seen others rave about.

The Malco pliers are made in the same factory as the original Peterson Vise-Grips that Irwin bought and then moved to China in the early 2000s. I love my Peterson Vise-Grips.

When I teach the scientific method to my 5th graders, I show them a video of yours to describe how to control the variables. Thanks as always!

Your channel is the real reason I second guess purchasing very cheap or even very expensive products. Also each of your test clips are 3-5 seconds, I could only imagine it would take so much longer to plan, setup, record and edit the whole video . Much appreciate all your efforts.

Thank you again for this very detailed and enthusiastic analysis. I was glued to the video like I was watching a horse's race, waiting for the contender positions to change at every test !

I'm realizing that Irwin just generally makes some really high quality tools for the price. Would you consider a video for scissors or kitchen shears? You could see how they maintain edges after cutting leather, denim, aluminum, staples, bones etc.

I like when you say: " we are going to test that". The word "we" sounds very nice.

I'm so glad you take the time to perform these tests. It help the rest of us make the best choice of tool for the money.

Congratulations on 1 million viewers! I am one of them. Thank you for all your hard work and saving all of us $ and frustration from inferior products. I won't buy until I check out your test results first. You have saved me so much time and money. Thanks!!!

Ha. The soft grip on the Pittburgh wasn’t for comfort. It was for covering up how it was assembled

A video on torque wrenches and comparing accuracies would be really nice! Just given how vital it is that they are accurate. Click type, split beam, digital. How well they hold their set value after repeated torqueing. Testing for loss of accuracy if dropped. Could be pretty interesting.

Both my Vice-Grip brand vice-grip and Crescent wrench are more then 50 years old and have Made in the U.S.A. stamped on the handle. After watching this I'm going to try not to do anything to stupid with them because they still get the job done. Thank you for the testing and video.

I love the fixtures and jigs you build to do these tests. Well done, Sir!

Just an observation: In our shop, I have no doubt that we have gone through dozens (literally dozens) of locking pliers on our welding and radiator repair benches. In both applications there seems to be a trend: Vise-Grip pliers manufactured back in the day, in the USA, by Peterson Manufacturing Co. are, by far, the oldest survivors of a tough life. There are also a few other vintage locking pliers from Craftsman, Malco, Snap-On, Millers Falls, and Klein left in serviceable condition but, by far, the best are the old USA-made Vise-Grips. It's also notable that when you do a close comparison of these old warriors, aside from the trademarks, they are all pretty much identical. Wonder if there might have been some ghost-manufacturing going on(?) We also have some new Vise-Grips (Irwin), some Kobalt, Craftsman, and others. These are all transients... just passing through my shop on their way to the scrap yard. These are the ones we chose when the TIG welder or plasma torch are going to be danger-close. They'll be long gone when the 50 year old Vise-Grips (and the others made in the same factory back in the day) are still doing what they do...

I think it is a tribute to the exceptional quality of Todd's videos in that this one is currently just above 250,000 views but already has over 15,000 likes. There are countless other videos with far more views but with no where near the percentage of likes. That speaks volumes to how much people like me enjoy and appreciate these videos.

As a tool nut, I'm so addicted to these videos and buy many of the products to add to my collection. Others try and imitate you, but don't come close. So you win the "Best Tester Award" by a country mile !

Great test. Love how thorough you are ensuring fairness in these comparisons. Well done. 2 million views Well deserved. It's there a way you can test patience ? That would be cool Cheers

This is the man who needs to be overseeing our DoD competitions.

We need some stickers “these tools are PF approved” with a QR to your channel

You do a great job at making these tool test videos. I thank you for videos like this sometimes I don't mind spending the money for a better tool specially if its made in the USA. I have a hard time choosing and your videos helps a lot!

Always a honest and non bias review. Great job!!! Thank you.

Thanks for everything you do, Todd. I sing your praises to everyone I know who's getting into Pandora's Box of tools. Your work is invaluable to newbies and veterans alike.

One of the things I really love about these videos is that I learn about a ton of great brands that I didn’t even know existed. Looking forward to next week!

I have Pittsburgh and Milwaukees. My Pitts are pressed and welded. Weird. My Milwaukees, with the way you can tighten and loosen them have saved my butt so many times. And have held yp incredibly well! Thx for your time as always!

My tool quality has improved thanks to your videos. I really appreciate all you do, you have saved me a lot of time and headaches knowing which cheaply made tools to avoid.

Seriously impressed with Irwin and Craftsman. Well done as always my friend. Keep up the amazing work.

That Marco pliers must be one of the best examples of “you pay for quality” I’ve ever seen

Vice Grips ! One of the best inventions of our existence. 🧰

Another fantastic video! well done! Few suggestions I think would be cool: - cordless soldering irons gas and electric - 1/2 inch drive cordless impact drivers - Kitchen knives - Steel files - long nose pliers Once again, thank you for your meticulous reviews! the time and effort you put into it is incredible!!

I really love the eye on the adjustment screw for my Milwaukee pliers. Super easy to just grab almost any screwdriver and really torque down on a bolt head. It has saved me a few times.

You should do a video on cordless angle grinders

It was good to see the Malco crush the competition. This is a tool that can be passed down to your children. I support American manufacturing

Excellent video as usual, Todd! I really appreciate your efforts to construct complete, fair, and unbiased tests. The amount of effort you invest is truly impressive! When it comes to doing comparison reviews, your channel is my first stop. You certainly sold me on the Malco locking pliers. It's unfortunate that Malco is exiting the locking-handle market soon. Thank you.

Congratulations on the 2 million subs! You do a great job and provide a much needed service.

Anyone else get excited whenever he says “We’re gonna test that!”?

Todd, I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to keep the videos coming. A lot of the other channels I subscribe to have changed and only post videos once every few weeks. Your videos are truly useful as well as entertaining. Again, thank you! Your fans really appreciate all you're doing, even though you must only get 3 hours of sleep a week!

You have a really great test program on all your videos, this one is up there with the best and I found it amusing that your commentary was like listening to a horse race. Keep up the good work.

who can agree with this?? watching your videos has become one of the most important "tools" in my tool box thank you for enlightening me and all your seriously interested fans who just cant wait till the next test!!!

Today on Project Farm, Todd shows us all how to get a grip.

If I remember correctly, malco is making their pliers in vise grips old factory in Nebraska, and is also where snap on is sourcing their pliers. Very happy to buy from them in the fiture

The Craftsman and Stanley did much better than expected. I didn't realize they were keeping quality up still. I have some tools from both brands not because of quality but because I like the beefy grips they have. The black chrome on Stanley tools is cool, too.

Thanks for making this video series. I'd like to see a bench vise comparison if you can fit that into your programming schedule.

So glad the malco’s made it into the test I’ve been following them for years and now that they finally came out I was unsure if they were worth the price

Amazing, I can't recall any of your videos where the most expensive product showed as much dominance as the Malco's. Good to know that the good 'ol Irwin Vice Grips are still a quality tool.

I love my Craftsman tools. Granted, they were made almost 2 decades ago when they actually made great products. I have never had one break, or my dad before me. Irwin is always a damn good brand for the price. I have a few things from them and they’re awesome. My favorite part of watching these tests is going, “Oh, I really did buy the best tools.” Love 💕 the comparisons and keep ‘em coming. God bless!

This is, A: an eye opener, and B: my 'Mole Grips' must be amazing! Never had any trouble, apart from maybe finding the clamp hard to release. The only job they couldn't complete was freeing a rusted bike seat post from it's frame stem. And we were putting some serious forces on that baby, like putting a scaffold pole over the grip handles and hitting it. It wouldn't turn but it didn't slip.

What you do is so great. I really value this whole approach. No hype, just real life results. I would love to see a video of what you do to make a video. You must buy many copies of each thing you test. How do you plan it and how long does it take to make a video? Love to get a behind the scene look. Thanks.

This is hands down my favorite tool. In my experience the adjustment screw has always been my reason for replacing one of these. On a side note, tell me I'm not the only one who has ever used a pair of vise grips to unlock a pair of vise grips.

Before this, I never would’ve considered spending $45 ona. Vice grips, but after this, those malco grips are looking realllllll convincing.

This is probably my favorite channel for reviews and comparisons. So glad I found this channel. Keep it up.

I love how he just gave up on the Pittsburghs after the first test 😂

Morning everyone

Thanks for the tests. I have some 40 year old Peterson vise grips (irwin) that I have used since taking auto shop in high school. They have always performed very well. The Harbor Freight are ok for light duly jobs, but as a whole they are the worst performers. Keep up the good work.

Great job of editing, and narrating, and not wasting our time while giving great information, that was an excellent test for the tools as well!

This is one of those PF videos where, for me, the testing jigs Todd creates is just as cool as the actual results. Great to see Irwin do so well and Malco? Wow really impressive tool!

I'd really like to see you toss in a vintage tool when you do tool comparisons. Would've been cool to see you find a NOS Petersen Dewitt locking pliers (Can be found on eBay). Just to see if old USA tools are better than modern China/Taiwan tools. I realize it can't always be done, but if the possibility arises, I think it would be a fun comparison. Video idea - Punches/cold chisels.

So basically get a Malco to have as the emergency back up in the most extreme situation and get an Irwin for standard use

If you can find them, the 4" Irwin pliers are a great addition to the toolbox. Strong and great for tight places. Another fun and informative video.

What a great test. I'm always amazed at how you figure out how to test them. Thanks for sharing your time and ingenuity. Be happy, safe and stay healthy 😷⚒

The amazing fact: Congratulations for two million subscribers. The laudatory speech: Furthermore I'd like to thank you for your time, effort and dedication you put into your videos. as well as your passion to never get tired of testing new stuff and sharing the results with the community. I like your objectivity while testing, as well as the results presented in a scientific way. May the sun always shine upon you, may your heart always be filled with gladness to cheer you and may you have all the happiness and luck reserved for the rainy days. Cheers.

You have done SO WELL on these videos! Great Work! Thank You for Teaching! 🙏🚂🎼🌹🎵🎶🛠🧰

Cool video. Nice comparison. I am a little obsessed with locking pliers being a metal / wood working / mechanics, as well as growing up in Nebraska where they were invented and produced until IRWIN bought vice grip out and sent production over seas. Malco just bought the plant and started it back up recently. The problem is, the largest defining feature of a locking pliers is the over center clamping mechanism. This mechanism needs to be made precisely right otherwise the hand squeeze to part squeeze ratio is bad. When the over center, goes too far over center, the pliers will squeeze hard, then relax in the locked position. The way these were tested by torqueing the adjustment screw this mechanism was completely bypassed. I like your design of experiments working hard to eliminate variables. Keep up the good work.

Great comparison. Among my assortment, I always reach for my old Peterson Vise-Grips made in Dewitt, NE when I really need strength. Thank You for testing Malco Eagle Grip, which is made in Dewitt at the original Peterson Vise-Grip plant.

I've learned many years ago that when it comes to pliers and plier type tools to just go for the Irwin's. Not the best, but usually will outlast most DIY'ers and the price is just right.

I bought the malcos because of what they did for the people in DeWitt. And your hard work made me feel even better about it. Thankyou.

In 20 minutes I went from never having heard of Eagle Grip Malco's to purchasing all of them. Great video!

Lost my large pair of locking pliers months ago and need to get another set. Thanks for helping me with the decision based on your testing. Another great video. Long live Project Farm!

Another really Gripping episode that had me gripping my chair harder than a vice. Good to see the irwin ones I have test so well.

Congrats on 2M subs and I see LPL is a fan, too! Nice! After LPL's countersinks, I respectfully request: dust masks! (not like convid, like proper half face proper respirators!) i'm interested in: 1) ease of breathing (Pdiff) 2) life of filters (could be measured in dust weight required to double the flow resistance. 3) glasses/shield compatibility/comfort and fogging. 4) particulate passed (qualitatively with sooty smoke (colored smoke bombs?!) or with a particle counter (i could lend you an industrial one that'd give ppm). 5) fit: out-of-the-box, adjustability, ability to stay in place when headbanging a mullet. (seal could be visualized with a colored grease) 6) ease of don/doff (bonus: to include to drink!) 7) ability to talk to other workers. 8) cost per unit (time or contamination) of wear (e.g. a nice re-usable that clogs slower and can have filters replaced will be cheaper in long run than cheap disposables that clog. 9) maybe some qualitative metric of longevity (PPE doesn't tend to get treated the best between uses!) There are some fun RU-vid vids of people building cheap DIY ventilators from spring 2020 that could make a great test rig! More realistic than just sucking air through a mask! examples (not requests, though I would like to see a pro-level 3M or similar like the 7500 below!) from Amazon: - GVS SPR457 Elipse P100 Dust Half Mask Respirator - Electric Wearable Air Purifier Maskes,Air Supply,Breathe Easier,With HEPA Filter,for Dust Work,Painting, Machine Polishing, Welding and Other Work Protection(Full Size,A whole set) - Trend Stealth Air APF10 Reusable Half Mask Respirator "Color May Vary" - 3M 7500 Series Reusable Respirator With Cool Flow Exhalation Valve

We appreciate all you do, Thank you very much. Over 2M sub.s deserves a victory lap in the Farmabago at least.

This is incredible. You always come out with the perfect video when I need a tool replacement. At least I know what brand to splurge on. Keep up the great work

Thank you for including an ease-of-unlocking test for the locking pliers! Seriously! I've hurt myself more than once trying to release the locking mechanism... Be well and know you're appreciated : )

YT started throwing your vids at me for some reason, and honestly I'm glad they did, really enjoying your approach to testing and providing the results so people can come to their own conclusions while also giving your own opinion. The pliers video was way more informative than I was expecting :D

Thank you - really appreciate your product testing!

"Alloy Steel" nice marketing term considering that every steel is an alloy ;D

Vice Grips … Don’t leave Home without them … I hope I’m not alone in wanting to hear Project Farm’s opinion on the best emergency items or kit to carry in the car … Thanks Really enjoyed your inflators and the jump starter episodes …!

Thank you for this review. Got my Malco pliers today. I got the 10, 7 and LP11 today to replace my 50 year old vicegrips.

Congratulations on 2MM subscribers. I find your product reviews very useful. Could you do a review on freezer baggies to see which ones keep out moisture and are they really better than standard baggies? Thank you.

Once again testing tools till destruction..very thorough and informative, when ever I think about buying a tool I don't have, I always look for a video on project farm first 😀

Wonder if they've ever thought about branching out and making more Project channels? Like a Project Kitchen or Project Home, with reviews for pots, pans, utensils, furniture, light bulbs, etc.

Congrats on your 2 million status. One thing about you...You have Never swayed or yielded to be a pond. You have always bought the products yourself which is admiral thus making it UnBiased. Thank you

As a landscaper, I use concrete/cut off saws every day to cut pavers and cast concrete blocks when installing new patios. It’d be super interesting to see a comparison of either the saws on offer or even the various types/manufacturers of blades out there. I use a Stihl saw at work, but Hilti, makita, and husqvarna all make excellent cut-off/concrete/demo saws, among others. Thanks In advance for reading, love the channel!

Great video, as usual! Glad to see Irwin did so well. That’s what I have in my tool box.

I'm actually impressed by how well the automatic ones did on first test, was not even expecting half that

I've been using Proto locking pliers (which are just re-branded Grip-Ons) and I have the say the squeeze to unlock is much nicer than the push to unlock mechanism you find on a majority of locking pliers. Even if it requires more force, it still feels easier because squeezing is easier than pushing with the backside of your fingers. The other design feels like a knuckle-buster in comparison. I don't use them all the time, but the few times I have reefed on them they've held up well. Excellent testing as always.

Best planned and executed testing on RU-vid. Thank you.

Fantastic testing! Really great testing jigs. I'm sure others on YT will watch your videos to copy your methods, but they'll never come close to PF!

Great series of tests, I am personally sold on the Irwin (c) Vise-Grip(tm) pliers, they showed acceptable performance at a reasonable price; breaking a pair of these wouldn't hurt the wallet too bad.

I love all of your videos. I like especially that you move right along at a fast pace.

This will probably get buried, but I'd love more hand tool comparisons. Claw hammer would be a great one. Checking on the strength of the flaw for pulling, does the head of the hammer crack if hitting edge of nail, general durability and flex. May be a simple tool but worth testing!

I'd love to see a series where you test snap-on tools against the best tools you've tested so far. Like wrenches, impacts, and ratchets. See if snap-on is really worth all the hype (and price)

That was a great series! Thank you! Huzzah for Malco! I will buy them and pass them on to my son. I am sure they will stil be great for decades!

Thanks for this video! Extremely informative.

Once again well done. Always a pleasure to see a new video.