SNAP ON 'Locking Pliers' Best? Let's find out! Snap On vs Irwin, Milwaukee, Irwin, Tekton, CH Hanson

Brands: Snap On, Grip On, Milwaukee, Crescent, Eastwood, Vintage USA Vise Grips, Imported Irwin Vise Grips, Tolsen, Tekton, Performance Tool, SATA, CH Hanson. Locking pliers nose and large jaws compared for grip strength on fasteners. Locking long nose/needle nose pliers also compared for performance on hardened steel and wire cutter performance cutting through nails. Wear resistance and failure load yield performance proves that some tools are no longer made to the same build quality as vintage ones. I purchased all of the pliers tested. So, thank you for supporting the channel.

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➡ Products Tested In This Video (in no particular order):
Snap On: Available online at the Snap On Store

Videography Equipment:

This video is only for entertainment purposes. If you rely on the information portrayed in this video, you assume the responsibility for the results. Project Farm LLC

[ProjectFarm]

Here’s the list of products reviewed. More details in the video description. Thank you!
Snap On: Available online at the Snap On Store

[BYOTools]

Uuuugh! I knew the moment you said “vintage” it was going to be depressing how our new hand tools these days don’t stack up compared to one made decades ago. Thanks so much for this one.

[cheffrin]

It always reinforces my trust in someone's testing when the cheap stuff starts doing well. You and AvE are my faves. Not afraid to just show the numbers.

[EpicBenjo]

Wow the Vintage just wiped the floor with everyone else. The saying, "They don't make them like they used to, " really applies here!

[Traderjoe]

15 years ago I was at a light and noticed a pair of rusty Vice grips like this by the curb. I got out and grabbed them and later on cleaned them up and it turned out to be the vintage USA made Vice Grips and they have never let me down and are a regular addition to my tool line up. They work perfectly.

[HappyHands.]

The vintage Vice-Grips were made when a company valued its reputation and source materials were more affordable.
Although, I've always been pleasantly pleased with Irwin tools for the price.

[btrswt]

It's really sad that there is as much of a difference between the vintage and the newer ones. It really shows that the vintage were made to last and the newer ones are Made to be replaced.

[leifhietala]

I have an old set of American-made needlenose VGs. You can't part me from them. HOWEVER, based on their performance on this channel, I did order some Eagle Grip lockers, and they are pretty damn good. If Malco made a needlenose variety, I bet they would have scored highly.

[texastriguy]

The one critique I would have here is the use of a specific torque on the adjustment screw. The normal use of these types of tools doesn't involve adjusting the screw under load. You typically set the opening where you need it, THEN lock down using the arms, not the screw. What really matters to the user is the force needed to lock the tool - most of us typically tighten that screw until we can JUST barely close the and lock the arms!

I might suggest that your tests would be better if you set the tools up using the same input force to close the jaws via the handles/arms - NOT via torque on the adjustment screw. I just feel like the same torque on the adjustment will cause wildly different pressures at the jaws, and is the reason for the wide range of results you got. But the main concern here is that's just not how these tools get used in the field or jobsite.

[pherdantler]

All too often I have found the release levers to be non-operative, necessitating a two handed gorilla pull on the handles to obtain a release. Would have like to have seen the release levers tested in the video.
I've used your test results on several occasions for my purchases. Keep up the great work!!

[aceroadholder]

The vintage Vice Grips are in the category of tools you set aside in the toolbox for jobs where you know that you are going to need maximum performance to successfully get something apart.
Many years ago I had an imported set of vice grips that in addition to not being the best of tools managed to pinch my palm every time they were unlocked. I got so mad at them one day I took the pliers to the chop saw and cut it into little pieces. It was very satisfying.

[mustie]

l find the old vise grips at yard sales for a buck or two, they can take a beating for sure, thanks for including the old stuff now and then,

[fouraces]

I truly hope that tool manufacturers are watching your channel and see that tools made 40 years ago totally out preform any offering they have. Shouldn't it be the other way around? Thanks so much for the work you do to keep all of us informed and entertained, with all the money you've saved so many folks I'll bet it'd be enough to seriously lower the national debt :)

[judsonr]

As a teen in the 1980’s I built my tool collection on what I could afford and what I needed; so I have a couple pairs of those “vintage” vice-grips. Makes me worry about the quality of tools in another 40+ years. Another outstanding video!

[peaceinator]

Wow. I have about 6 old vise grips I found in my father's toolbox. I remember using them as a kid. Had no idea how incredible a tool I was holding. I'll have to take care of these. Blown away at how much better they are

[JustOutHereTinkering]

I'm gonna get some of those CH Hansons! One thing that amazes me is in the last 40 years we have managed to make lower quality tools that perform worse. I just don't get it! Even with the always overpriced snap on they just couldnt match a 40+ year old design.

[Sir_Uncle_Ned]

The very embodiment of "They just don't make 'em like they used to!" - That vintage tool absolutely crushed the competition.

[bobcoats]

Vintage Vise Grips crushed the competition! Thank you for including them, Todd. Sadly, it shows us clearly that tools are no longer made to last.

[doublel]

It is always nice to see the vintage "Made in the USA" tools added to the tests. Made in America tools can still be found at reasonable prices at yard sales, flea markets, estate sales, and in pawn shops. Thanks for the video !!

[GAIS]

Throughout many of your testing videos I've seen the Irwin stuff more or less constantly perform very well for their price point.
But tools from the olden times, when people generally knew a good tool from a bad one, will regularly outperform the modern stuff.
Most of the tools in my workshop are at least 40 years old. With a squirt of oil every now and then they more or less still work as good as new. When in a pinch, (out on jobs, having forgotten to bring the right tool) I've bought newer tools of the same type to get the job done, and most of them will wear out pretty quickly compared to the good old stuff. They say we have a higher standard of living these days because we have more stuff. However, I would argue that we might have more but most of it is of a lesser quality. Just look at a modern car compared to one made in the 70's. Filled with gadgets that no one really needs, and built to fail within 15 years. And to top it off you can hardly work on it yourself. Unfortunately most things seems to go that way, slowly but surely.
But it makes me happy that this channel makes an effort to counter that. Thanks for all your hard work and yet another great video!