Mole Grips

[Simon Hill]

New member here. I am in the process of setting up my first 'proper workshop' and have developed a worrying obsession with picking up old British made handtools. (I'm sure I am not alone in this?)
I have just bought a pair of Mole grips marked Birmingham. England. I know Mole made grips in their Charlotte St Birmingham factory from early 50s to 60s when they moved to Newport. Mine have a small no embossed on the handle 1158 . Could this be month and year of manufacture? Were these dated? Any opinions are gratefully received.
Thanks!

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
They passed QA in November 1958.

 

[fatbob]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
They passed QA in November 1958.

Never new that!, just been and checked mine, 1069

 

[Sachakins]

Mine were 9911 ?
Now reading right way up, 1166, makes far more sense now. Doh

 

[clogs]

they were the nut's until Vice Grips came along.....
not seen Vice Grips on sale for a while but the Milwauke ones are just as good.......

 

[RobNichols]

No moles were harmed in the making of this thread (or so I'm assured).

 

[BillHoughton]

they were the nut's until Vice Grips came along.....

Actually, I believe, Vise/Vice Grips came first, developed in 1924 by Willliam S. Petersen in DeWitt, Nebraska. Mole Grips seem to have started production in 1955 and, from the pictures I've seen, are pretty well knock-offs of Vise Grips. The Petersen company maintained high quality production; in 1985, the company was purchased by a larger company and eventually folded into Irwin Manufacturing. Irwin seems to have made a specialty of breaking perfectly good tool designs of companies it has purchased; I wouldn't buy any Vise Grips not made by Petersen, but that may be harder there in the U.K. (here in the American colony, original Petersen vise grips can be found at estate/yard/etc. sales easily).

 

[clogs]

Bill I have a few old pairs that I brought back from Calif years ago....inc some long legged dody panel models.....
they still work great....although the jaws are getting marked......
just to say those Milwauke ones are as good ....honest......

my 30's Plumb brake spring pliers got nicked never found any decent replacements even Snap On......

Mole's would be the equiv of chineseiumn today......they did the job....just....but we had nothing else....
OK for DIY'ers ......I do have a few old Moles that are really nothing more than earth clamps for welding odd shaped stuff......
ur side of the pond is far ahead of us even now when it comes to tooling.......
I was in Sears watching a maintainence guy use a magnetic wood screw holder 50 years ago'ish......

lastley as a young apprentice *17-18* .......now 74.......
my tutor had a sweet Duo Glide.....
he wanted a workshop manual, in those days u had to apply for permission to send money out of the country.......
although it's better now it's still a serf /peasant - lord society......
thanks to the internet were catching up......when we can afford it......

 

[Tony51]

Facom make an adjustable grip that will clamp round a four inch bar.

Tony

 

[Jameshow]

No moles were harmed in the making of this thread (or so I'm assured).

I presumed they were for removing moles from the front garden?!

My dad swore by them for rusty car maintenance!!

 

[paulrbarnard]

So why were they called mole grips? Unless it’s as @Jameshow suggests.

 

[David Lloyd]

So why were they called mole grips? Unless it’s as @Jameshow suggests.

Have you ever picked up a live Mole? they are strong, unbelievable for such a small creature.

 

[BillHoughton]

They were produced by M.K. Mole and Sons, who were probably not actual moles (except in the alternate universe of "Wind in the Willows").

 

[Peri]

They were produced by M.K. Mole and Sons, who were probably not actual moles (except in the alternate universe of "Wind in the Willows").

It's a shame King Dick (of the spanners fame) didn't invent them

 

[yetloh]

I seem to remember tat back in the day when you could arrange with (pay, presumably) for Royal Mail to have localised postal franking marks, there was one which read "The home of the Mole Grip".

I don't know about them being Petersen knock-offs but there were definitely Mole Grip knock offs, I have one and it is undoubtedly inferior to my Moles!

Jim

 

[Pabs]

(I'm sure I am not alone in this?)

you are not alone and there is nothing to be ashamed of.