From
July to October of last year, hundreds of consumers shared the different and
unique ways they have used Irwin Vise-Grip locking pliers or wrenches to solve
problems either in the workplace or at home. The top 50 were selected as
finalists, and consumers then cast votes for the best entries.
The
top three vote-getters now have a chance to win the grand prize — a custom
chopper from East Coast Custom Cycles valued at $25,000. A panel of judges is
reviewing the three entries, and a winner will be announced later this month.
Visit
www.irwin.com/vise-grip
for additional details.
The
three finalists are:
Paul
Schraps, San Rafael, Calif.
Story: In 1980, I was taking my
mother to a cancer clinic in Mexico. After crossing the border, our truck hit a
bump in the road, breaking a bolt on the exhaust system. I walked into town to
discover the $600 part was not in stock. I used my favorite Vise-Grip locking
pliers to clamp the corner of the manifold and the exhaust together, stopping
the leak completely. I was able to get my mother to the doctor for her
treatment. Twenty-eight years later, I have the same truck with the Vise-Grips
still holding the exhaust to the manifold.
Paulie
Smith, Valley Center, Calif.
Story: The Baja 500 is one of
the most grueling races in the world. Many years almost half the teams who take
the green flag fail to cross the finish line for the checkered flag. A “Did Not
Finish” is every team’s haunting nightmare. I remember one Baja 500 race I
participated in was almost cut short when a brake line failed. However, I was
able to use my Irwin Vise-Grip to crimp off the faulty line and maintain
pressure on the remaining three brakes. Our team was able to rally and finish
that arduous race!
Bryan
Fox, Chesapeake, Va.
Story: As a U.S. Navy spine
surgeon, I routinely deal with dozens of different types of screws, rods and
bolts that have been implanted into the spine. Each manufacturer has their own
unique tools to insert and remove their specific hardware. While deployed to
the Middle East in support of operation Iraqi Freedom, I did not have access to
these specialized tools. I did however have some Vise-Grips that could be
sterilized and used to remove the screws and rods from an infected soldier’s
spine.
