Irwin quick-grip clamps

[Pipefitter]

I don't know if anyone else has had problems with this brand but ever since Irwin took over the quick-grip line of instant bar clamps,I have found they don't hold near as well as the originals that were made by vise grip. I have some of the older black QG's and you can squeeze them with popeye forearms and even 2 handed. The newer ones slip. They must be using a lesser metal or something that lets the braking tabs inside the handle not get a good bite. Also,does anyone know of a good source of the plastic spring clamps without the articulating pads? Again,for my purpose,the originals made by vise-grip were better for me.

[Greg Luckett]

I am just guessing, but so much stuff is now made in China, and my personal experience is that the quality of the metal from there varies a great deal.  Some things are well made, but other things are just shams.

[Scott Dufour]

I've noticed the same thing.  The Irwin clamps slip with very little squeeze, and my older vice grips grip like, well, vices.  I've seen similar quality "slippages" in several of the newly aquired Irwin lines.  I'm avoiding the name now, since I can't trust what I get.  Their parent company, Newell Rubbermaid, is currently a B- grade from Morningstar for profitability.  I give thier newer products a D- myself.

[Greg Luckett]

WOW Scott, you had to really do some thread mining (search) to find this one.  I still use the Irwins, but just for a quick grab when my hands are busy.  For good clamping I have gone back to the bar clamps with a hand screw.  Just slide to contact the surfaces, then turn the screw to adjust clamping pressure.  I have not had one of these slip and have been adding them to my clamp collection at the rate of 2 per 3 months.  They are a lot cheaper than the squeeze type too.

[P Doug (WA)]

Anyone know where you can get the rubber cushions that fit on those type clamps.  I have old ones and would like to replace some of them.  I went to the manufacturing website and they had where you could order one set of replacement rubbers free.  I did and never received anything.  This was a year or so ago. Can't find the site again. 

[Roger Peterson]

I saw the rubber (or plastic) clamp pads last weekend at our local Harbor Freight store.