Locking Pliers ....how to use?

[ltbloom]

I bought a couple of cheap locking pliers, with a spring,a screw at the end of one hand grip and a kind of double hand grip, how do I get it to work???
I released the inner part of the double grip and adjusted the gap with the screw, but now I cant get it to lock, can anybody explain how to go about it, and keep it real simple?
Sorry for being so ignorant, and thanks in advance!
Gundi

[moopups]

The locking action is known as a 'top over center' motion. This means you need to loosen the screw a small bit in order for the TOC motion to have room to do as it is designed to do.

After you use it a few times you will develop a sense of when it needs to be further open or closed. Probably there is a small 'metal tongue' in between the handles attached to the lower handle. This is whats used to release the locked grip, by squeezing it to wards the handle its attached to .

[Bearfootfarm]

Close the handles on the pliers and turn the adjustment until it fits what you want to lock on to. Then open the handles and turn the screw in another quarter turn and try it. If it snaps shut and doesnt lock, tighten it more . If the handles dont close completely, open it a little..

Like Moopups said, play with it a little and it will get much easier

[naturewoman]

Bloom, these are called vise grips. You tighten the screw until you can just barely get it to close and lock onto an object...then tighten the screw again and see if you can't still lock it down...you now have an immovable object..then to release it, you pull that inner (double handle) toward the outer one to release the grip.

Vise grips are one of man's most valuable inventions...they can perform miracles!