LOOK !!! Very rare tools

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It look my LWS a while to track these down for me.  But here are the last 12 USA MADE 11r Welding Vice Grips in the world.     Really didn't have the money for them right now.   But he had been working on finding these for a couple of months and finally did. Attached ImagesLincoln 300 Vantage 2008300 Commander 1999SA250 1999SA200 1968Miller Syncrowave 200XMT350MPA/S-52E/xr-15Xtreme 12vs Millermatic 251 w/30A  Millermatic 251 Dialarc 250 Hypertherm 1250 GEKA & Bantom Ironwokers
Reply:Of course they'd all be made in USA again,  if sales of the imports dropped off.At the time, I didn't realize what was happening, but a year or so ago the flea markets and such were flooded with genuine USA Vise-Grips. I think somebody on here posted that USA built warehouse stock had been dumped prior to Vise-Grip shamefully turning their back on their home.I for one have decided that I'm not buying any non-USA Vise-Grips.Good Luck
Reply:Blame Rubbermaid for the chinlee thing.  They bought out American Tool & moved everything over to China.Did you know Vice Grip was created in a garage of a tinkerer in DeWitt Nebraska?  A town of about 350 people.  Local farmers liked em & started buying them.  After a redesign or two, he patented the idea & Vice Grip was born.  My ex-brother in law went to high school with the grandson.  I toured the plant in the early 70's before it sold to American Tool after grandpa died.Vice Grip will never be the same, even if it returns.  It will be so overpriced, we can't afford it anymore.  Like Harley Davidson.MarkI haven't always been a nurse........Craftsman 12"x36" LatheEnco G-30B MillHobart Handler 175Lincoln WeldandPower 225 AC/DC G-7 CV/CCAdd a Foot Pedal to a Harbor Freight Chicago Electric 165A DC TIG PapaLion's Gate Build
Reply:Blame Walmart for the Rubbermaid thing. They put the squeeze on them to lower their prices to the point that they went belly up. The new company was forced to push manufacturing overseas.
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749How much did you have to give for them?? I bought a bunch of them at Menard's last year. I should have gotten more. I haven't looked to see, but I think they are made in USA. They were like $13 a piece. I bought 5 pair. I probably have, all told close to 30. Not a lot, but enough. I need to buy a few more sets to make into deep throat clamps.Don't do much welding anymore, so I guess I have enough to get by.
Reply:Nope, Walmart didn't do this with Rubbermaid, Rubbermaid did it all by itself.  Walmart wasn't buying Vice Grip (name brand) at the time it decided to move it.  It did own the company and "PROMISED IT WOULDN'T MOVE" to China.  They even put it in writing.Screw Rubbermaid.  They wiped out a town because of their greed.MarkI haven't always been a nurse........Craftsman 12"x36" LatheEnco G-30B MillHobart Handler 175Lincoln WeldandPower 225 AC/DC G-7 CV/CCAdd a Foot Pedal to a Harbor Freight Chicago Electric 165A DC TIG PapaLion's Gate Build
Reply:I like the Lock-Jaw brand vice-grip-style pliers.   They are self adjusting and very quick and easy to clamp with.  They were a big time saver on the school building project where I had to do alot of repeated clamping of various widths and constantly screwing and unscrewing the Vice-Grip clamps was slowing me down.  The Lock-Jaws clamp any size in one motion with no fooling around with the adjustment.   They're made in USA too and don't cost all that much more than a regular Vice-Grip!www.lockjawpliers.comLast edited by DesertRider33; 08-20-2009 at 11:49 PM.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Those lockjaw pliers look amazing, gonna have to go out and get me a few!Miller Dynasty 300dxSpeedglas 9002XMiller Spectrum 375 XtremeLincoln PowerMig 255xtLincoln PowerMig 140cMilwuakee Portaband
Reply:I've got one pair of the lock-jaw ones and they are the ****.  I always grab them first over the standard vise-grips.
Reply:I recently bought a couple 11Rs and actually congratulated myself at the time for buying honest-to-God American tools.  I felt sick when I got them home and saw "Made in China" on them. I paid a "Made in America" price for them, too.  I guess I just have to start reading the fine print wherever I go.Tim
Reply:Yeah that's too bad about Vice Grip going chink on us.   May as well just get the generic ones at Harbor Freight for less if you want ricer carp.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:If I would've won the powerball, I would've opened a chain of stores, across the midwest first but then expand, every product I sold would be Made In The USA.  If a group of investors was really smart, they would do this idea.  I don't care if you take this idea, it needs to be done.  Get a few billionaires together that are willing to take a risk, open a chain of stores that only sold stuff Made In America.  You buy at a bulk discount to compete with Wal-Mart, you would crush them.  Hell if K-Mart would do this I would deal with their crappy store & the weird people that go there.  Wal-Mart would still be able to stay in business, thanks to foreigners.  All you would see parked there is Toyota's & Hondas.
Reply:Funny thing is, that's how Wal-Mart used to be a couple decades ago, mostly US made stuff.  Then the guy died and they sold out...MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Originally Posted by DesertRider33Yeah that's too bad about Vice Grip going chink on us.   May as well just get the generic ones at Harbor Freight for less if you want ricer carp.
Reply:Thanks for the compliment.  I don't normally participate at all in Harbor Freight topics or chinese welding equipment topics.   I don't visit the Everlast or Longevity sections of the forum at all.Sure there are some China made things in my shop.  Not many but a few.  It is impossible to not buy something made in China these days, regardless of the item type or use.If you are Chinese or Asian, my appologies to you.  My comment was nothing against you or your race.  Please accept my appology.I just don't like China or their overtaking of the manufacture of goods sold in the US, so I don't support them.  One way to not support them is avoid brands that take their manufacturing to China.  If Vice Grip has done that, then I will find some other brand of locking pliers to buy that are made in the US, or other allied country.   Lock Jaws are made in the US, the pliers are very good, I like them alot, so I will stick with them.  Last edited by DesertRider33; 08-23-2009 at 05:29 PM.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Nope, not Asian in any way.  Not that it matters, but my ancestry is a mixture from all parts of Europe, like many who might take your post or others like it and use it to justify hatred.Lapse in judgement or true colors showing through?
Reply:The "Made in USA" variety is on clearance at Lowe's - I think they were $11.50.  Saw 'em this afternoon.
Reply:I expect Desert Rider posted that comment as a comment about "sub standard" items that have been the norm for a few years now and how China uses subsidies to keep manufacturing costs low.  Much like Europe does.But again, lets not take this to a place of name calling or "jumping to the conclusion" by applying generalities to specifics.  Rubbermaid is the one that took Vice Grip to China.  Bill Peterson Jr. (grandson of the founder of Vice Grip) tried to purchase the company back from Rubbermaid, but Rubbermaid refused.  Well, actually they priced the subsidiary way out of the ball park to avoid having a hostile take over.If you want to get angry at the Chinese, first get angry at Rubbermaid & boycott their products.  They are fairly easy to find, just Google it.MarkI haven't always been a nurse........Craftsman 12"x36" LatheEnco G-30B MillHobart Handler 175Lincoln WeldandPower 225 AC/DC G-7 CV/CCAdd a Foot Pedal to a Harbor Freight Chicago Electric 165A DC TIG PapaLion's Gate Build
Reply:Naw..... Windex does not sound like an Asian to me. He does sound like some Democrats I know though. :laughpg: Originally Posted by DesertRider33Thanks for the compliment.  I don't normally participate at all in Harbor Freight topics or chinese welding equipment topics.   I don't visit the Everlast or Longevity sections of the forum at all.Sure there are some China made things in my shop.  Not many but a few.  It is impossible to not buy something made in China these days, regardless of the item type or use.If you are Chinese or Asian, my appologies to you.  My comment was nothing against you or your race.  Please accept my appology.I just don't like China or their overtaking of the manufacture of goods sold in the US, so I don't support them.  One way to not support them is avoid brands that take their manufacturing to China.  If Vice Grip has done that, then I will find some other brand of locking pliers to buy that are made in the US, or other allied country.   Lock Jaws are made in the US, the pliers are very good, I like them alot, so I will stick with them.
Reply:Originally Posted by piniongearNaw..... Windex does not sound like an Asian to me. He does sound like some Democrats I know though. :laughpg:
Reply:Mr Windex, I already addressed your concern.  If you wish to spin what I already cleared up to suit your own opinion, then so be it.  You are entitled to your opinion.  I will not participate in any further discussion about it.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Originally Posted by DesertRider33Mr Windex, I already addressed your concern.  If you wish to spin what I already cleared up to suit your own opinion, then so be it.  You are entitled to your opinion.  I will not participate in any further discussion about it.
Reply:Considering the context of DesertRider's comment, it seems clear to me that his disdain was directed at both the Rubbermaid company and the Chinese Government with it's policies (that include sanctioning Intellectual Piracy), and was not directed at the individual people, their culture or their race. I also find the following statement to be just as offensive as what Windex complained about:Why don't you go spew racist crap in any thread to do with harbor freight?
Reply:I'm not one to get into online pissing matches, but in my opinion DesertRider has every right to say whatever his opinion is.  No laws against racial slurs, not yet anyway.  Besides Windex, this is a welding forum, get used to it
Reply:So the 'Lock Jaw' brand of pliers are pretty good, huh? I see them in Sears Tool catalog sold as a set, and perhaps they are sold as singles as well.Now you have my curiosity  going. I thought I had every Vise Grip tool ever made (and most likely do) but if there is something quicker to close on different sized members then I gotta see that!Thanks for the tip DesertRider and I will check out that brand......... pg Originally Posted by DesertRider33I like the Lock-Jaw brand vice-grip-style pliers.   They are self adjusting and very quick and easy to clamp with.  They were a big time saver on the school building project where I had to do alot of repeated clamping of various widths and constantly screwing and unscrewing the Vice-Grip clamps was slowing me down.  The Lock-Jaws clamp any size in one motion with no fooling around with the adjustment.   They're made in USA too and don't cost all that much more than a regular Vice-Grip!www.lockjawpliers.comI'm gonna take a wild guess and guess that Windex isn't a career welder.
Reply:VISE not VICE!  Sheez.... Unless you want to squeeze a hooker, druggie or gambler....
Reply:Originally Posted by AntiblingI'm gonna take a wild guess and guess that Windex isn't a career welder.
Reply:Originally Posted by PowerstrokedI definitely agree with you there, or else he wouldn't be so offended.  And if he is thinking about a career in welding, he better reconsider lol
Reply:But anyway, back to the original thread!I have an old pair of original Grip lock pliers by Chanel lock  out in the shop, I would hate to guess how old they are, I got them about 30 years ago and they where old then, I will run out and get a picture of them, they have a sliding mechanism that is much easier to use than the knob at the bottom! Attached Images#1. If you don't like what I wrote, or if it offends you, then don't read it!#2. I am living life the way I see fit, if you don't like the way I'M living, tough sh**!
Reply:And they still work great after all these years.Lets see one of those cheap chinese made pieces of crap last this long!#1. If you don't like what I wrote, or if it offends you, then don't read it!#2. I am living life the way I see fit, if you don't like the way I'M living, tough sh**!
Reply:Yep, that tool will probably last forever.  It's a shame that a lot of America doesn't care where anything comes from.  They would rather just pay less for a product and not care where it comes from.
Reply:Originally Posted by Powerstroked It's a shame that a lot of America doesn't care where anything comes from.  They would rather just pay less for a product and not care where it comes from.
Reply:Hmmm, a lot of hot emotion here. Does anyone know if there is a place to buy the springs for the vice grips? One little ball of spatter kills em. What a pain when they go!!
Reply:Originally Posted by WindexHonestly, I was looking for something along the lines of "you know, I was just so ticked off about vise-grips going offshore, it slipped - my bad".  You know, something showing a little introspection.In the end, you did apologize however, and kudos to you for that.
Reply:Hmmm, a lot of hot emotion here. Does anyone know if there is a place to buy the springs for the vice grips? One little ball of spatter kills em. What a pain when they go!!
Reply:Thank you Oldiron, I appreciate it!!
Reply:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Witt,_NebraskaDo a Google Search "Peterson Manufacturing, DeWitt Nebraska" & follow the results.Rubbermaid acquired Irwin Tool & moved production to China in 2008.  Wiki doesn't show the Rubbermaid connection.  Vice Grip plant in DeWitt closed October 2008...........officially, but quit production back in 2005.MarkI haven't always been a nurse........Craftsman 12"x36" LatheEnco G-30B MillHobart Handler 175Lincoln WeldandPower 225 AC/DC G-7 CV/CCAdd a Foot Pedal to a Harbor Freight Chicago Electric 165A DC TIG PapaLion's Gate Build