Getting one of these shipped out of the US is pretty expensive, but i use my generic chinesium vise-grips all the time, so if these are as good as it gets, i guess its worth the expense getting a pair before its to late.
Thanks for this! I’m shocked at how poorly the Knipex fared. I have a few or their pliers that are really well made, especially a pair of flush cutters I bought a few years ago. Simply the nicest I’ve ever owned.
Regarding vice grips, I’ve owned some really bad ones over the years. I bought a pair of Irwin’s last go around and thought were decent. They say “Vice Grip” right on the side, so I assumed they were the original. Obviously these Malcom’s are far superior, which of course means you won’t be able to get them anymore.
Is it me, or is anything worth a shit soon to be manufacture discontinued these days?
And even if I can somehow stomach the hybrid powertrain next go-around (just got the title from the bank last week), Honda also dropped what I consider to be an additional safety item, fog/driving lights!
There might be a next-generation Passport in my future, who knows?! I won’t even consider another car purchase until the market returns to something resembling normalcy, where I might be able to TEST-DRIVE the car before I take the plunge!
I just ultrasonic cleaned a pair of antique USA vise grips, but went ahead and ordered some Eagle Grips anyway, one can never be too prepared. Alas, Summit appears to be out, so it was from the Bozosphere that I ordered them.
Aside--raced MTB today at Road Atlanta / Fox test track (only open a couple times a year to non-fox employees but more on that another time) and met a friend of a teammate who does something at the driving club there--got to go by the clubhouse and see a Superlight with an LT5 in it (great lines--an aesthetic masterpiece, and apparently functions as well as its form) and about 300 Porsches (the track was thick with them too, apparently PCA today). Anyway, mentioned coming to the track one day and also that I was a track day member of your sub stack, and he remembered you from when you came to Xtreme Xperience some years ago (actually a little painful to type that--my brain is all "SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!"). Ended up talking a little about trading an MTB for some coaching / track time. We will see....
Nice trails, worth checking out, although it's pretty XC--your Trek is probably overkill.
I have an enduro and a Lynskey Pro29 for that sort of thing, but realistically speaking I'm too fat and crippled to pedal seriously for that length of time :)
I have a few of the Irwin branded vice grip pliers, I don’t really like using vice grips , but for some jobs, you just have to, nothing else grips like them when you have no wrench pads on the fasteners
A high quality US made product and an interesting story - unfortunate in this case, make a great gift. Ordered multiple, tool-heads and even a few who are not will be getting one. Thank you for the recommendation!!
TruTech Tools has all but the 10" curved jaw in stock.
The only time I ever recall my father giving me a look of disgust was when I started waxing poetic about my 6" curve jaw Vice Grips because of all the things it could do.
"To do a job well, you need the right tool."
"Sometimes a Vice Grips is the right tool."
Interestingly, he had a number of Peterson branded Vice Grips including the relatively rare chain wrench.
I went back into my toolbox and tracked down my vice-grips, which are, in fact, an inherited set of Irwin branded MIUsa pliers. Now I can't decide if I need to spring for the Eagles
The funny thing about that drawer full of pliers is : over my career several 'mechanics' have made a point of loudly berating me for having that many special types of pliers, only when others were around to join in the merriment .
Not surprisingly these were also the guys who most often came to me with problems they couldn't figure out themselves .
Typically in any shop, the guy with the biggest, fanciest rollaway is the least capable Mechanic along with the loudest mouth .
Timely post as my old one has given up the ghost. But $110 CAD on Amazon for us Canuickstanians. If someone knows of a better source please do shout out!
Sometimes between exchange rates, customs duties and taxes the cost of any given time US to CAN can easily double. One of many reasons I hate my country.
Another adjacent tool you should check out if you already haven’t are Vampliers. Great for getting out small damaged screw heads and other objects. Used them to great effect after I mangled a bunch of JIS screws on my R1’s air box trying to use a Phillips. Not US made unfortunately but Japan. Precision made and I find myself using them more than I probably should.
I've been eyeing Vampliers - seems like one of those tools that is best bought when you don't need it so you've got it when you do. Got recommendation on the best size(s) to have for general auto and motorcycle maintenance and repair?
I was joking about Vice-Grips and Duct Tape in an earlier post ! Ironically, I had ordered a pair of these many months ago after watching the Project Farm video and they were out of stock. I just placed another order and keeping my fingers crossed they will arrive this time. Thanks for the heads up!
Getting one of these shipped out of the US is pretty expensive, but i use my generic chinesium vise-grips all the time, so if these are as good as it gets, i guess its worth the expense getting a pair before its to late.
I need a new vise-grip. My old one (like 30+ years) is getting a bit long in the tooth. So I went and ordered one.
Thanks
Just purchased from Summit. Thanks!
Thanks. I just ordered one from Summit, too.
I have a vise grip slide hammer attachment that’s been pretty valuable for removing press fit parts.
Thanks for this! I’m shocked at how poorly the Knipex fared. I have a few or their pliers that are really well made, especially a pair of flush cutters I bought a few years ago. Simply the nicest I’ve ever owned.
Regarding vice grips, I’ve owned some really bad ones over the years. I bought a pair of Irwin’s last go around and thought were decent. They say “Vice Grip” right on the side, so I assumed they were the original. Obviously these Malcom’s are far superior, which of course means you won’t be able to get them anymore.
Is it me, or is anything worth a shit soon to be manufacture discontinued these days?
^ This!
And even if I can somehow stomach the hybrid powertrain next go-around (just got the title from the bank last week), Honda also dropped what I consider to be an additional safety item, fog/driving lights!
There might be a next-generation Passport in my future, who knows?! I won’t even consider another car purchase until the market returns to something resembling normalcy, where I might be able to TEST-DRIVE the car before I take the plunge!
I just ultrasonic cleaned a pair of antique USA vise grips, but went ahead and ordered some Eagle Grips anyway, one can never be too prepared. Alas, Summit appears to be out, so it was from the Bozosphere that I ordered them.
Aside--raced MTB today at Road Atlanta / Fox test track (only open a couple times a year to non-fox employees but more on that another time) and met a friend of a teammate who does something at the driving club there--got to go by the clubhouse and see a Superlight with an LT5 in it (great lines--an aesthetic masterpiece, and apparently functions as well as its form) and about 300 Porsches (the track was thick with them too, apparently PCA today). Anyway, mentioned coming to the track one day and also that I was a track day member of your sub stack, and he remembered you from when you came to Xtreme Xperience some years ago (actually a little painful to type that--my brain is all "SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!"). Ended up talking a little about trading an MTB for some coaching / track time. We will see....
Nice trails, worth checking out, although it's pretty XC--your Trek is probably overkill.
I have an enduro and a Lynskey Pro29 for that sort of thing, but realistically speaking I'm too fat and crippled to pedal seriously for that length of time :)
I have a few of the Irwin branded vice grip pliers, I don’t really like using vice grips , but for some jobs, you just have to, nothing else grips like them when you have no wrench pads on the fasteners
A high quality US made product and an interesting story - unfortunate in this case, make a great gift. Ordered multiple, tool-heads and even a few who are not will be getting one. Thank you for the recommendation!!
TruTech Tools has all but the 10" curved jaw in stock.
The only time I ever recall my father giving me a look of disgust was when I started waxing poetic about my 6" curve jaw Vice Grips because of all the things it could do.
"To do a job well, you need the right tool."
"Sometimes a Vice Grips is the right tool."
Interestingly, he had a number of Peterson branded Vice Grips including the relatively rare chain wrench.
This Substack is getting expensive. I think I'm in over $500 between tools and pens, not including the price of admission.
Agreed. Add in my growing stack of "to be read" books, and it's costing me both time and money!
It's actually a front for a diverse collection of authors and toolmakers. I'm not even a real person!
I went back into my toolbox and tracked down my vice-grips, which are, in fact, an inherited set of Irwin branded MIUsa pliers. Now I can't decide if I need to spring for the Eagles
Pliers are always a tricky tool to use .
My primary roll away tool chest has one drawer dedicated to pliers, many different specialty types .
Bummer they stopped production .
-Nate
The funny thing about that drawer full of pliers is : over my career several 'mechanics' have made a point of loudly berating me for having that many special types of pliers, only when others were around to join in the merriment .
Not surprisingly these were also the guys who most often came to me with problems they couldn't figure out themselves .
Typically in any shop, the guy with the biggest, fanciest rollaway is the least capable Mechanic along with the loudest mouth .
-Nate
Timely post as my old one has given up the ghost. But $110 CAD on Amazon for us Canuickstanians. If someone knows of a better source please do shout out!
Summit Racing should ship to Canada, they are fifty miles from the border.
Sometimes between exchange rates, customs duties and taxes the cost of any given time US to CAN can easily double. One of many reasons I hate my country.
Another adjacent tool you should check out if you already haven’t are Vampliers. Great for getting out small damaged screw heads and other objects. Used them to great effect after I mangled a bunch of JIS screws on my R1’s air box trying to use a Phillips. Not US made unfortunately but Japan. Precision made and I find myself using them more than I probably should.
I just bought a set of five Vampliers. They are gorgeous.
I've been eyeing Vampliers - seems like one of those tools that is best bought when you don't need it so you've got it when you do. Got recommendation on the best size(s) to have for general auto and motorcycle maintenance and repair?
This is what I bought, works well on everything I’ve tried so far. https://www.vampiretools.com/shop/products/pliers/vampliers-6-25-screw-extraction-pliers/
YOU JUST COST ME 40 BUCKS!!!
Bought one
I was joking about Vice-Grips and Duct Tape in an earlier post ! Ironically, I had ordered a pair of these many months ago after watching the Project Farm video and they were out of stock. I just placed another order and keeping my fingers crossed they will arrive this time. Thanks for the heads up!