[302 Z28]

Originally Posted by poncho62

Gonna play the devils advocate here......How do you know that the Chinese Vise Grips are a worse quality than the US made ones?

Unfortunately they are just as good quality. The thing that rubs me wrong is these companies go offshore for cheap labor and no EPA or OSHA rules and market the Chinese product in the US for the same amount of money as the former US made tool.

Vince

[DOCTOR DC]

right on poncho....just like, CRESENT WRENCH, BAND-AID,CHANNEL LOC,ETC.

[cobalt327]

The quality varies among the companies and sometimes even among the individual tools made by the SAME company.

The main differences are the thickness of the stamped parts and the release arm function (some open differently than others, the non-Vice Grip-type are usually different than VG) and that the jaws on VG's are ground, not as-cast.

The Great Neck lockers are made in Taiwan, but are a much better tool than the US made pair of Stanley. The only Chinese locking pliers I could find are a pair of 'needle nose' type. They are worst than the Stanly pliers- MUCH worse.

So, pick up the tool and LOOK at it. Just the feel and looking will quickly tell you what you're holding, quality-wise, IMO.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by poncho62

Gonna play the devils advocate here......How do you know that the Chinese Vise Grips are a worse quality than the US made ones?

Is your neighbors wife better in bed than yours.................?

I don't give a crap if they are better, worse or the same, they aren't made here!

If all of America did this we wouldn't be in the trouble we are in. Ask China why they won't import our cars there!

Brian

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by 302 Z28

Unfortunately they are just as good quality. The thing that rubs me wrong is these companies go offshore for cheap labor and no EPA or OSHA rules and market the Chinese product in the US for the same amount of money as the former US made tool.

Vince

Yep, the tree hugging morons who protest outside factories and close them down celebrate while the plant opens up in another country and craps on the earth without any regulations at all! Oh, yeah, they did a great thing, closed down the factory that was getting regulated here, just not to the tree huggers fancy, to move to Mexico where it gets no regulation what so ever. That was a great job tree hugger!

Brian

[poncho62]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

Is your neighbors wife better in bed than yours.................?

I don't give a crap if they are better, worse or the same, they aren't made here!

If all of America did this we wouldn't be in the trouble we are in. Ask China why they won't import our cars there!

Brian

Not wanting to get in a pissing match over this, but the fact of the matter is......The US is a capitalistic society......Lately, they have been getting beaten at their own game. Lower cost, more productivity.......Sure, complaining about the Chinese may convince enough people to buy US only, but thats not likely going to happen.

I am somewhat bitter at the US capitalistic society these days. 4 years ago, the US company that I worked for for 25 years (they had a plant in Canada for 35 years) decided that in order to survive, they had to pull up stakes in Canada and move home.....We were their 2nd most productive plant out of many......Some of the US plants were much less productive than us, but we were closed......I guess thats their right, after all its their show.........but, one still can be bitter....as many US citizens are now due to losing jobs to foreign countries.....goes both ways

[pepi]

The fact IS poncho . we like being living in a capitalistic society .. .. You on the other hand must like socialism..... that is fine with me live it up I say .

Think about it this way, bet you are a sports fan, loves his team, hates the others .............. well the USA is our team and we love it .... and should defend it by buying products made here.

Oh so we took a plant that was located in canada ......... and the candian capitalist made a good living and now you are crying ...... that is the funnest thing I have read ..

There are a load of folks that will buy American ......... the problem is we cannot find American made that it the point .... Sure there are cheepskates that shoot themselves in the foot buying crap, they are always good for a laugh.

On there other hand some of us want quailty and are willing to buy that.

[poncho62]

Originally Posted by pepi

The fact IS poncho . we like being living in a capitalistic society .. .. You on the other hand must like socialism..... that is fine with me live it up I say .

Think about it this way, bet you are a sports fan, loves his team, hates the others .............. well the USA is our team and we love it .... and should defend it by buying products made here.

Oh so we took a plant that was located in canada ......... and the candian capitalist made a good living and now you are crying ...... that is the funnest thing I have read ..

There are a load of folks that will buy American ......... the problem is we cannot find American made that it the point .... Sure there are cheepskates that shoot themselves in the foot buying crap, they are always good for a laugh.

On there other hand some of us want quailty and are willing to buy that.

Take it any way you like...I am just trying to express that there are other people in this world....Sure, its your team and be as loyal as you like, but the fact of the matter is, you got beat up upon....and are as bitter as I am about what happened to me.........may come out of it, may not...thats life......

[sqzbox]

You wouldn't believe how much stuff is made and imported from Vietnam today. All for the sake of financial gain.

All my buddies that died in Vietnam for nothing are rolling in their graves and it makes me sick.

[matt167]

you can buy quality and not buy American.. granted it almost never comes from China. lot of good tools are made in Europe... but American doesn't always mean quality.. however, if we switch from buying the tools made by American companies, and those American companies go out of buisnuess then the only remainders are the cheapo overseas companies that have no standards as to QC

[topwrench]

I read this whole thread and really dont know what to say..Im 62 been turning wrenches over 40 yrs. and still at it,I witnessed thewhole deal changing,I remember when "foreign cars" first hit our shores,nobody would buy one they were a p.o.s. then they got a little better and we got a little worse at quality,now we are catching up but may be too late,i rember when the book"unsafe at any speed" came out,sure beat the heck out of Corvair and left VW alone and that was a realp.o.s.I thought Corvair was a preety good car,last year was what? 65,66,I cant remember the monza model sure some ba11s,ran great.I could keep on goin,Curtis mathes,florsheim,Admiral,Zenith,Olds,L88on and on im not giving up.
Here is my list
1 2010 malibu wifes car)
1 1991 corvette
1 1967 camaro
1 1990 c1500
1 1999 2 door tahoe
1 2006 e-150
1 1988 harley bagger
1 2008 Ultra classic
1 2008 Sporty (wifes bike)
we try to buy American,gets harder and harder,whatever the cause and there are many,is sad,Its not just one thing its the summation of many things done wrong.

[stinger12]

Look. I posted on this site for a reason - I linger around here all the time, and I have respect for a lot of you on here. I could have posted on another site, but I didn't for a reason...there is no comparison to here.

All I have received from this thread is a bunch of bickering regarding the US economy and the Chinese economy. This is exactly the opposite of what I was looking for. I know the economy is in the toilet...we all do, and, quite frankly, its going to continue to go down the toilet if we don't support our proudly made USA tools. Instead of hi-jacking this thread, I would greatly appreciate it if we get back on to the main topic at hand. So, once again...

Are there any alternatives to Irwin Vise Grip, which are still made in the proud USA?

Thank you.

[cobalt327]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

Ask China why they won't import our cars there!

Brian

You'd need actual roads to drive our cars on- unless we only sent them 4WD vehicles.

They are COMMUNISTS anyway. The "people" are a tool of the state. As such, there's no place for out American-made consumer goods, for the most part.

China is arming themselves for the future- we are languishing in our PAST accomplishments, w/no eye on the future.

I wish I could be a fly on the wall 50 years on. Or, do I?

[poncho62]

Originally Posted by cobalt327

You'd need actual roads to drive our cars on- unless we only sent them 4WD vehicles.

They are COMMUNISTS anyway. The "people" are a tool of the state. As such, there's no place for out American-made consumer goods, for the most part.

?

With apologies to stinger12......HUH?

http://www.shekouonline.com/assets/i...na_traffic.jpg

http://www.crbc.com/en/anbry_Manage/...7385553222.jpg

http://www.cmu.edu/homepage/images/2...ay_236x236.jpg

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:z...osters.jpg&t=1

http://politicalblogs.startribune.co...hina_roads.jpg

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by stinger12

Look. I posted on this site for a reason - I linger around here all the time, and I have respect for a lot of you on here. I could have posted on another site, but I didn't for a reason...there is no comparison to here.

All I have received from this thread is a bunch of bickering regarding the US economy and the Chinese economy. This is exactly the opposite of what I was looking for. I know the economy is in the toilet...we all do, and, quite frankly, its going to continue to go down the toilet if we don't support our proudly made USA tools. Instead of hi-jacking this thread, I would greatly appreciate it if we get back on to the main topic at hand. So, once again...

Are there any alternatives to Irwin Vise Grip, which are still made in the proud USA?

Thank you.

Maybe here? http://www.madeinusaforever.com/

Brian