These were bought in a lot of tools and to be honest I didn’t think they would clean up well... Surprise!!! For the finish on these pliers I used Rustoleum Clear Coat!
You are a talented craftsman - many of your viewers, including myself are respectful of your skills and talent, and you are a great instructor. Michael
Hello Michael! That is so very nice of you to say! I'm just delighted that so many people enjoy old tools and seeing them brought back to life! I really enjoy making the videos and it makes me so happy that you enjoy watching them! Thanks again Michael!!!
Vise Grips are one of the best tools ever invented. As kid I must have pinched my hand a thousand times using a sloppy old pair of Channel Locks, once I got a set of Vise Grips I've never looked back.
I love this guys videos. Even when he restore a tool that I'm not interested in, I still end up enjoying it just for the history and knowledge he shares.
I like Vise Grips, they are my favourite collection, I been buying every form of Locking Pliers, copies weird versions etc... Very Cool Video.... as always great video
Hello Timothy, I really was surprised all the rust and original finish came off and they looked great! Usually it goes another way! LOL Thanks so much!!!!!!!!
Another beautiful job. I picked up a pair off of eBay for less than $3. Cleaned them up using your technique and now I have a great pair of vice grips that will last me a lifetime and is far and away better than anything made in China. Thanks for the inspiration. Jim
Excellent tutorial! Lots of useful information and a some great techniques. As soon as I can I watch your tutorials because I learn so much. Thanks for sharing this.
Hello Rick!!!!! These are the only tool I've never heard bad comments on, I would guess they are one of the most popular tools I know of! I guess because it bailed all of us out of trouble at one time or another! Thanks!!!!!!!!
My first encounters with vise grips were with my dad's. Late 50's early 60's time frame. Before the release lever. What a learning lesson when they snapped into the lock position you better be holding them just right....then came the fun of prying them open....Man! When they came out with the release lever it was so nice!
I kept looking up at my ham radio antenna on my garage roof and wondering what was that thing clamped on the tripod mast. I finally went up there and low and behold it was my arc jawed Vise Grip pliers still clamped onto the mast...all rusty! Now I will restore them. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Scout, you are absolutely correct in that these pliers have bailed us out(more than once!) at some time or another. Several years ago, I had to use a pair to get a rounded off lug nut off my wife's car. The vise grip cost me $20, as opposed to what a garage would have charged me $$$. Very useful tool. Cheers!
At 4:43 the tip of the point is often called a dog point. They are better for pushing since if the threads mushroom out from pushing against the mechanism, the bolt can still unthread.
You are so right! I didn't know the terminology of that but you are spot on for the purpose! In fact the original (carriage) bolt was difficult to remove because it was mushroomed! I am going to pin your comment because you have just added an awesome tidbit of information!!!!! Thanks so much!!!!!
I almost didn't see that you used the Rustoleum clear coat. I have a toolbox drawer full of old vice grip pliers. Nice repair on the small 7R pair too. Again more history and I thank you for that!
My first car, a Pontiac Straight 8, had the shift lever pot metal casting on the steering column for the Hydramatic transmission broken... Yep, I used Vise grips for years as a shift lever. Once clamped on, I don't think I ever had to take them loose. I too have been a victim of Oriental "Vice Grips". Years ago I had one of those "mystery" Vice Grip clones. It did grip just fine, but getting it to release always involved the little release lever pinching the be-Jesus out of my hand. One day I had finally had enough... I took them over to the frictional cut-off saw and cut it into little one inch pieces... it was so satisfying! Cheers from NC
Hello ARH! You know I spent 15 years restoring a 1951 Pontiac Chieftain with a straight 8! I learned so much from that endeavor. I know the feeling about destroying a cheap or ill-designed tool! Very satisfying indeed! LOL Thanks so much!!!!!!!
Mine was a '51 torpedo body.. I think they only made 1500 before that body style was finally discontinued. I still have the Chief Pontiac Indian head wheel covers.
Funny thing, the chrome on the wheel covers I had were starting to flake, the wheel covers were made of stainless steel so I wire brushed all the old chrome off and polished up the stainless to a beautiful shine, then I sprayed the area around the chief head within the circle with Clear Red spray paint. They looked NOS! I painted the car (guess) RED with white top and wide white walls... Look like a million dollars! I loved the torpedo style! You're right, very rare! =)
I hadn't realized the covers were stainless.. though I had noticed that the back sides of the the wheel covers are perfect with no rust... you'd think they were made last week and not nearly 70 years ago.
Hi ScoutCrafter, longtime viewer first time commenting. First great job on the Vise-Grips as usual. Reason I'm posting is I wanted to pass on a tip that I got from a friend relating to cleaning up after a vinegar soak, it seems to 99% solve flash-rusting as a problem in a way that dunking in baking soda or washing soda doesn't do. The tip? Give the parts a scrub with an old toothbrush and common hand soap (the cheaper the better, I use those tiny motel soaps if I have any). It works so well it means pieces can be soaked, scrubbed clean, dried and then just left bare, for weeks or even months. No having to rush to wax or oil, prime or get some shellac on them to stop the beginnings of rust. I think the way it works is firstly cheap soaps are strongly alkaline so they neutralise the acid residue, plus the suds clean the metal down to a finer level than the bristles of stainless brushes go. Anyway that's only our theory, may be wrong, we just know it works regardless of the mechanism. Hope it helps and keep up the great work!
This is the one I’ve been looking for. I was able to save a pair that was seized up because I watched your videos. But I never. Got them looking good. Now I know what to do. Thanks!!!
Ah the Vice Grip. Probably the first tool I knew by name. My dad used these on everything. We had a vice grip as the cold water knob in our bath tub for half my childhood probably... great video! First time on the channel.
For me it's the needle nose vice grip. Cant live without that! I've used those for everything! And to be perfectly honest, I've used them in a pinch to hammer in more than one nail haha
Hello Gani! A while back there were a couple people who were using fowl language in the comments, they were very rude when I asked them to stop so I blocked them... I suspect it is there way of getting back at me! Thanks!!!!!! =)
Hi Scout , I just Watched This . A Great Informative Video and Fun to Watch about One of the Best Tools Ever ! Love the Original Vise Grips ! I have A Few Pair. Very Handy . Use All the Time .
Thank you very much for your great vids Scoutcrafter, I used a VG to do a temporary battery/cable connection in an underground mine once. Have a nice day - kind regards, Clive, NZ
Good job SC. I have an OLD pair of 9" Crafstman vise grips and I would never part with them. As the old Grateful Dead song goes 'Just give me something built to last'. Well done!
Hello Teddy! The best thing about Craftsman is they had all the top manufacturers making tools for them! They made sure their specs were good and it was a win/win for everyone! Including us! Thanks!!!!!!
Hello Manuel! Thankyou so much for taking the time to let me know you enjoy the videos! We have a great bunch of people here who all love old tools!!! Like you! Thanks again my friend!!!!!!!
great job again vise grips were one of the best tools they ever came out with they also were not very expensive. I have a pair like the ones in the diagram at the end i think from the 40's I found them buried in a flowerbed i used them for many years there not in very good shape they would be a real challenge even for you but they still work good
Hello David! The funny thing is this tool is so well respected and everyone loves them! I thing at one time or another we all needed one to get us out of a jam! Thanks so much!!!!
I've got my dads old ones, even before the quick release was added. The spring broke but I found a knockoff and got the spring to fix mine and canned the knockoff. Mine stay too oily to rust because they're used all the time and I just hit them a lick and a promise with an oily rag because the humidity is so high where we are. So good deal, Scout! Mine are the traight jawed ones and i got a newer pair with the long nose on a smaller frame. You're right in the newer ones are nothing like the quality of the old! Rain here so we have a lot in common!
Yesterday, I have trouble with my bath tap, It's stuck,LOL I tried wrench, then I tried pipe wrench, no solution,It's turn to solid thing then I used some wd40 and my old stanley vice grip with little old fabric It's come like butter..LOL...
Great video. They really shine! Glad you got a “grip” and didn’t say your “vice” was “vise grips”. Had to say it! 😂. I’m surprised you put two dissimilar metals together to make that that thumb screw. 🤔 I got metal lathe envy. It was the knurling.
Hi Jill! When I get my larger lathe I will do a lot more stuff that is difficult on smaller lathes. Like making that bolt... It would have taken me at least an hour to make it on my lathe because of having to take such small cuts. The Aluminum makes it go so much faster! Also the knurling comes out so nice on Aluminum! I could have used brass too! That would look nice! =) Thanks!!!!!
Inexpensive! I bought mine back ~2004 @ HomeDepot. A month ago I wanted to buy one for my job and expense it. Went beck in HomeDepot, with the idea that I will walk in buy one, and walk out. Walked in, found tools section, found ViseGrips, found several new iterations, and started inspected. However Found ON ALL OF THEM Jaws and blades didn't align. Also the even though they were new, bottom jaw was moving side to side. When I bought mine back in ~2004 everything was perfectly aligned. I member this because, I member that I was so happy that I as emigrant was holding, and owning something that was made in USA in such grate quality. Today I thought I would be able to find one on Amazon, and buy one. Nop! I found out that company that made mine IRWIN, was bought out by Chinese company, and that they are manufacturing this Vise Grips in china, in same shiity quality that i found in HomeDepot. If you have Unused, or in excellent quality Made in USA by IRWIN Vise Grips, hit me up and I will buy one/more at 400% including shipping.
It's such a shame that we can't get many of the quality tools of years ago, they have the technology and steels to make the same product but they always wind up skimping on something! The Newer Vise-grips look similar but the jaws are much weaker steel and get mangled quickly.... Thanks!!!!!!!!
5 лет назад
One of the best inventions ever, for gripping pipes, worn nuts and bolts, using them as a hand vise, and then all the variations in the metal fabrication to hold sheet metal or what ever in place for welding or riveting. I have seen angle iron welded in the jaws to hold pipes or tubes, people alter them and make toggle clamps out of them, The new Chinese knock offs are very cheap not as good as the originals but 4 pairs for 10 UK pounds you cannot go wrong.
Hello Tony! I agree 100% you can't beat this tool for saving your a$$! LOL Chinese tools are always hit and miss, you can get good or bad! It's like gambling! =) Thanks so much!!!!
Dang those turned out awesome. I didn't think the would look that good. Fooled me. Couldn't tell ya how many times I've had my finger pinched by them getting in a hurry and not paying attention. Good job.
Wow!! Amazing transformation ScoutCrafter! I wouldn't have thought they would look that good after the plating came off but they sure did. Great tutorial also on the taps. I'm starting to collect a bunch of them and now I know what to look for. My grandfather was a machinist for the railroad and I have a bunch of his taps and other tools. Good quality there and some handmade stuff also. Clear coat came out nice, you couldn't even tell it was there!! LOL
Hello Steve! That's so great you have your Grandfather's taps! Those are awesome! Never throw them out because they can be used as other tooling! I'm so psyched for this weekend! =) Thanks!!!!!
So am I. Too bad we're not meeting up but maybe LIATCA next month. I'll never throw anything away from my grandfather. He once made Kneeboard dancing puppets for us and I still have it. He was great at fixing things. Wish I had his wooden machinist tool box but my brother got it. He's probably using it as a door stop right now or sitting on the basement floor underneath everything. Sad really. My other grandfather was a painter and I have his heavy wooden ladder and old pig hair paint brushes. Not many things were saved.
Singer John Denver was using a pair of vise grips as a handle on the fuel transfer valve in one of his airplanes. He ran out of fuel at low altitude and tried to unsuccessfully work the makeshift vise grip handle. The rest is history.
Thank you for posting this! I broke one of our vice grips but turns out it wasn't really me. It was the rust. My bro actually ended up fixing it with a blow torch lol
You know sometimes since a tool is a forging, there are cracks that develop in the tool and will break no matter how gently you treat it! I think manufacturers estimate that 5% of tools are destined to fail... They have no problem replacing such failures! =) Not your fault! Thanks!
Nice job! I’d be lost without my Vise Grips. I have one that is in a really bad condition but the rest are all fine. I found the bad one in a box of tools at my Mom’s house.
thank you very much God for the video I took your recommendation I looked at it I will be working on my house tomorrow God bless you family and friends
Nice one ScoutCrafter or i should say three... That's allot of gripping power 😁 I used some electrolysis on my grandfather mini vise.Was concernead about the threads to use vinager... And we got to see yousing the lathe and a tapping lesson... Great video... A 3 in 1 video combo. Thanks .
Hello Ron! Vise Grips are one of those tools that should be behind glass that reads "In case of emergency Break glass" =) They really can get you out of a jam!!! Thanks so much!!!!!!!
I just did a video here, maybe a week ago, that took me back to when Vise Grips were actually quality tools. They are a Japanese company that makes them, Engineer, and they are actually a specialty set of vise grips for removing screws called Neji-Saurus P-64/65. They are awesome!
Hello John! Your Dad was right! Over there by you "MOLE" was the major brand of locking pliers and here in the US it was "VISE GRIPS" they are pretty close in design but the MOLE grips had a better release in my opinion. Either way they are very close in design! Great stuff! Thanks so much!!!
I have ootals of vice grips USA a Asian the things I've noticed about the Asian ones is not only the teeth of the jaws are very soft but the body loosens up on the jaws causing them to be very sloppy especially the needle nose and even the thumb screws are very soft and mushrooms out even under relatively low pressure... I just redid a small pair of mine that I thought were rusted on the threads but the tip of the thumbscrew was so mushroomed that it wouldn't turn!!
Hello Allan! Back from Ohio and finally slept good in your own bed! LOL I know the feeling... Already looking forward to the next show! =D Thanks Buddy!!!!
Yeah, I'm probably gonna be back in Ohio next year with a bigger bankroll and more time. I may try to find where junk shops are out there and try to get to one or two of them. There are a couple of mind-blowingly huge flea markets there that demand attention as well.
Lol, the carriage bolt is classic. I think the oversize knurled knob is a great idea! I think the factory size is too small, especially when your hands are oily. Lol...this has me thinking of a line from the show "Cheers" when Sam asks Norm if he wants a beer, to which he responds: "does a rag doll have cloth knobs"....lmao, it doesn't take long for my mind to drift off to sophomoric jokes. Anyway great stuff, thanks for sharing.
Hello Joe! LOL Yes! Cheers had so many fast one liners you had to really pay attention to get all of them! I always wondered how the heck do you lose the adjusting bolt???? Thanks Joe!!!!!!
Hi, bud,, here in England the generic term for these locking pliers, are MOLE GRIPS,,( regardless of the actual manufacturer,,) Some years ago at work, we got a few Ridgid 300 threading machines, (shipped directly from the USA) inside each box, was a gift of a pair of 6 inch vise grips, !! So you can imagine how happy we were, with such a thoughtful, and useful gift, , I'm not sure if they're the same parent company, ?? Anyway, I still have those grips in my workshop,, , happy days !!
Hi John! Yes! The mole grips are similar but the release is a little different I think.. The original Vise Grips (USA) made were just fantastic! The jaws were almost indestructible!!!! Awesome stuff! Thanks so much!!!!!!
+ScoutCrafter, nice job on those! I did similar to Dad's old Vise Grips. They are well used and the jaws are bent to one side on all of them. I just got a new vise that I need to bolt to the bench and get them squared away. Keep the video's coming, we can't wait until you post a new one!
Hello Aaron!! Nothing like a new vise to play with! Congratulations! I have a weakness for vises! They are without a doubt the most handy tool in the shop!! Thanks very much!!!!!!!!
I broke the last vise I had. I was going to weld it but it was cast iron and didn't think the weld would take so I turned the ram into a makeshift anvil for light duty. Yeah, I scored a 4" wide heavy duty old vise at a yard sale for 10 bucks. It's an old Wilton vise and I cleaned it up and may have it powder coated or use that good tooling paint or just leave it. It weighs a ton. I'm going to mount the new one to the bench this week and work on my old '64 C10. I just ordered some new Vise Grips from KBC tools, on sale for 12 bucks or less for them. I ordered three sizes. There is an Abom79 coupon KBC25AB if you order from them. If you like machining video's check out Abom79, he's great. And your right, vises are a great 3rd hand. I need more. The wife not so much. I would very much like to travel to your neck of the woods and meet up and flea market with you. My wife wouldn't, but it would be fun! Opposite sides of the country is maybe a good thing. LOL. my email is shrsmoke14 at yahoo.com I'll keep an eye out for old tools for you.
Hello Crones! I have a couple, I really like the older ornate ones! They were just beautiful! Made to last and pretty to look at! I will have to get them all together! Thanks very much!!!!
Tremendous restoration! But, I really was looking forward to seeing red Vise Grips... maybe next time. The 7R and 10R were among the first ten tools I purchased at age 16, and recently I did a light restore of those and gave them to one of my sons. Of all the tools to go offshore for cheapification, I lamented these the most. Somehow they just spoke to American ingenuity and value - a fantastic tool virtually anyone could afford. Like you mentioned on the jaws, I did some testing and the new ones are not so good - so I went with Knipex "locking pliers" which have the quailty but not the affordability. And the threads aren't smooth like my well oiled 41 year-old pair were. Not sure how to really fix that. I already well lubricated them, and use them like modern worry beads, thinking wear might solve the thread smoothness. Or of course I could run them through a die to sharpen the threads, but I hate to cut into the finish. Ideas anyone?
Hello Marc! I have found that running the threads thru the wire brush to remove any Micro-burrs and then polishing them on the buffer makes a world of difference! Then a drop of your Red Magic and you will be amazed! Thanks!!!!!!!
Another great restoration and explanation of the use of one of my favorite tools . I was going to ask . But I read in the description that you used a clear coat .
finally went to the doc so should be feeling better this week and my plan to go throw all vids. old vise grips are amazing and so true about jaw but you can never have to many vise grips even cheap ones come in handy
gotta say i love vise grips, the super sharp jaws for gripping those broken studs but.....the british mole grips, sure the jaws are blunt so they last forever, but the release system is so much easier when you have it super tight, i wonder why they always differed on that.
Hello Jusb! Petersen had offered additional designs on a easier release mechanism including the one I show at the end of the video. However you are right, the squeeze release is far easier to use. It's always easier to improve a already existing design! Thanks!!!!!!
i have never seen mk1 vice grips with the single handle! british mole grips had their release in 1958 (the first year, made in wales, before stanley bought them) , any idea what year peterson added their release handle?
Wow they came out nice with the wire wheel! I have had luck with BreakFree CLP for rust protection in areas I couldn't paint or wax. It is thicker than WD-40 and really stays in place. Low odor too.
Hello 357MD! I love CLP (I have to after 9 years as a grunt) lol However now I love the 50/50 Vaseline/Mineral oil mix for tool protection! Cheap and works very well! Thanks!!!!!!!
Hello CM! Face shields are even better then safety glasses! Unfortunately I have trouble using a face shield because I always fog them up! LOL It's true! Thanks very much!!!!!
Don’t know if you mentioned it in the video, as I had to watch this without sound. But those are Peterson vise-grips, those are the genuine and original vise-grips, those are actually quite valuable to collectors
Hello MMR! Yes! You are right! They closed down their plant and moved production to China about ten years ago! What a shame! The Petersen models are superior to the Irwin copies of today! Thanks so much!!!!!
I can't believe how nice those turned out! When I need a bottoming tap I buy the cheapest normal tap I can and cut it down to make a bottoming tap. They work great. Edit: I start the hole with my good tap first.
Hello UD! You know I didn't even think of that! Your so right! I could have cut down a regular tap with the Dremel wheel! I have a lot of taps and should have a 3 set for the most common size bolts I use... Thanks so much!!!!!!! Great tip!!!!!!!!!
@@ScoutCrafter I save all broken taps for just such a purpose also. The only problem is removing the remaining piece from my work. If they are broken beyond that use, the make excellent center punches! Much harder than the ones sold for that purpose. You can make any angle you like. I like a variety.
@@ScoutCrafter With the tooling you have there is no telling what you could do with bad taps. For whatever reason, (hardness?) taps seem to be easiest to shape by belt sander. I also cut grooves and taper hardened bolts in a pinch to make my own when necessary.
@@ScoutCrafter Yessir. I have grown up (old) working on aircraft where the companies I have worked for only like to provide rocks and sticks for tooling. My standards are higher. We made leading edge skins for aircraft with a brake made out of 4×4s and gate hinges with some foam and steel pipe. They actually turned out better that the factory ones would have been if available. They usually aren't.
Hello José, most it's very hard to stop rust in bad environments like unheated garages or automobile trunks, once the chrome flakes off you need to put something on it to prevent air/moisture from destroying it. I chose a clear-coat because the original finish looked very good after removing the rust... Thanks very much!
If anyone is curious where you can get a good new set of locking pliers Knipex makes some decent ones, Grip On makes some good ones, and Gedore makes a beautiful pair of locking pliers.
Sadly, as you rightly mention, Irwin now manufacture these in some far off land and the quality has gone downhill, in my opinion. I call these 'Mole grips' in the UK (a trade name) regardless of manufacturer. Great upload, keep them coming!👍🏻
Hello TD! Yes, the Mole grips have a long history too with nice release mechanism! I know the politicians are lining their pockets while jobs are lost and cheap inferior goods are brought in from overseas making it hard for our companies to remain in business... One day people will see things for what they are! I hope! =) Thanks very much!!!!!!!!
