Grip-Lock pliers take top honors for quality and versatility! Lean-n-Mean 2 W/O
Written: Dec 19 '03 (Updated Dec 19 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Trademark Grip-Lock jaws hold fast on any surfaces, easy-adjustability for jaw opening, several sizes available.
Cons: Can leave scratches and jaw marks on softer metals and chrome surfaces.
The Bottom Line: All the benefits of the standard Channel-Lock pliers with the added benefit of Grip-Lock jaws which work like a Subaru... all grip, no slip!
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| openroad's Full Review: Channellock GripLock Utility Tongue and Groove Pli... |
----- Introduction -----
Since my job requires me to work on so many different types of equipment, one of the most important tools I have is my adjustable pliers. For years my company used the standard Channel-Lock tongue and groove models, until we started buying Grip-Locks about 5 years ago. The improved gripping action and offset jaws allow me to get the job done faster and with less wasted energy. Read on to find out why the Grip-Lock design is superior.
----- What is Grip-Lock? -----
If you look in most hardware stores for a quality set of large-mouth pliers, most likely you’ll be directed to a Channel-Lock model. Their prominence in the home and professional market is no accident, and their pliers and other tools are always built with quality in mind. For over 40 years the best selling adjustable pliers were the Channel-Lock standard tongue-and-groove pliers. Grip-Lock is manufactured and sold under the Channel-Lock name, and the two models are almost identical. The major difference is the jaw construction and shape. Channel-Lock’s have flat jaw surfaces with sharp right-angle teeth on both top and bottom. Grip-Lock models have a 90-degree angle cut out of each jaw, and these cuts are slightly off-center. The angled portions have sharp, heavy duty teeth designed to grip at all costs. Flat sections of the jaws have shorter teeth, and are designed more for holding objects than gripping tightly.
The Grip-Lock difference is its aggressive gripping action that allows you to apply most of your force to loosening or tightening the item you’re working on instead of squeezing the handles together. Standard Channel-Lock models require you to squeeze quite a bit to keep the teeth biting and prevent slippage. Grip-Locks are designed to convert the downforce applied to the handles into gripping power at the jaw. The harder you tighten or loosen, the more the jaw grips. Essentially the Grip-Lock works much the same as a standard pipe wrench, only with slightly fewer teeth and a much narrower jaw stance. As in a standard Channel-Lock model, you can “ratchet” the jaws back for another bite without removing them for the object of your attention.
The GL-12 model I use the most has 6 jaw settings with an effective operating range of 1/2" to 2-3/4". The handles are covered in the familiar blue colored comfort grips, which resist cuts or tears very well. One thing they don’t resist is melting, so remember to keep the propane torches away for the handles.
Other sizes are available, and include the 10" GL-10 and the 6" Gl-6. The Grip-Lock GL-12 is a valuable asset to any home or garage, and makes those tough jobs a little easier to bear. Its only Achilles heel is a tendency to leave teeth marks in anything you use it on. This is an unavoidable side effect of the hardened teeth and gripping force these pliers exert. Anything in public view such as faucets, toilet fixtures, visible plumbing of any kind, and other easily marred items should be left to crescent wrenches, strap wrenches, and other less damaging tools. However, for any other job I’d choose the Grip-Lock over a standard Channel-Lock any day of the week.
Follow this link for the Grip-Lock product line, and compare them with the tongue and groove models.
http://www.channellock.com/group2.cfm?group=7
Openroad
This review has been a part of the (Lean-n-Mean 2 Write-Off.)
Thank you all for participating!
Recommended:
Yes
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