Vise Grips
Products > Tensile Grips > Vise
Vise Grips are the most basic type of grip used by a Universal Testing Machine(UTM) for tensile testing. There are two main types, Low-Profile and U-Style. The Low-Profile version is lower cost but has a limitation on the width of the grip face inserts. The U-style is more standard and can accommodate larger jaw inserts. Two versions of the screw action also exist. The single action style has one fixed jaw and one moveable jaw that is tightened with a screw mechanism. Dual action uses two moveable grip faces. There are a few different types of grip face inserts available including diamondized, plain smooth metal, rubber, serrated, and wavy. Quick change inserts and pneumatic versions of almost every grip size are also available.
Low-Profile U - Style
The vise grips from Universal Grip have a special mechanism that allows them to strengthen the gripping force during a tensile test. The grip faces will slightly pivot as the tensile force increases. This changes the lateral grip force on the sample to be slightly angled. More force is subsequently placed on the back of the sample specimen. The diagram below demonstrates what is happening.
The Quick Jaw Carrier
The quick jaw carrier is a mechanism which allows the operator to easily switch out different jaw inserts. Instead of manually screwing in each jaw on the vise grip, the quick change jaws easily slide and lock into place. This function saves a lot of time, especially if the UTM technician is switching between several ASTM test procedures which require differently sized jaw inserts. The quick jaws are highly recommended for users in the textile industry who switch between ASTM D751, D5035, D5034, and other similar tensile and tear tests on fabrics.
22lb. - Tiny Vise Grips - 100N
The Tiny Vise Grips are quite small, they measure about 1 inch by 1.5 inches. They use a special, smaller adapter which can mount onto the more standard 5/8 eye end. A few different grip faces are available including smooth steel, serrated/pyramid, and rubber.
225lb. - Small Vise Grips - 1kN
The Small Vise Grips are the most common for testing packaging materials and tapes. The opening, as well as the grip face size and type are the most critical dimensions for a successful tensile test. There are a few variations, including a cheaper, lower profile grip and the standard U-style for use with grip faces larger than 30x30mm.
1,000lb. - Vise Grips - 5kN
The 1,000 lb. Vise Grips are very similar to the previous version, just slightly bigger. Standard grip insert sizes are 30x50mm, 30x80, and 30x100. The grip opening is generally between 0-1 inch, wide vise grips are also available.
1,000lb. - Extra Wide Vise Grips - 5kN
The 1,000 lb. Extra Wide Vise Grips are designed for samples between 10-100mm. The max opening on the grips is almost 4 inches. A sliding channel is embedded in the grip to stabilize the jaws and the entire apparatus.
2Klb. - Large Vise Grips - 10kN
The Large Vise Grips are for use with a dual column Universal Testing Machine for tensile tests. Vise grips at this size can be very finicky and it is critical that the proper grip face insert is selected in order to guarantee a successful pull test.
4.5Klb. - Steel Vise Grips - 20kN
These grips are good up to 20kN. They are not as commonly seen because most tests will require a wedge grip at this range of force in order to avoid slippage of the sample.
20kN Vise Grips for Extra Tall + Wide
This specially designed vise grip has an opening of 4 inches or about 100mm for holding extra thick samples. Extra wide jaw inserts can also be used for over-sized samples.
Huge Vise Grips - 50kN+
The huge vise grips are necessary for procedures such as testing the tensile strength of Geo-Textiles. The grip faces are tightened with a pneumatic torque wrench.
50kN Vise Grips for ASTM D4595
The 50kN Vise Grips are Extra Wide to accommodate up to 8 inches of sample width. A 100kN version is also available in Steel. The grips can be tightened manually or with a pneumatic wrench.
Hydraulic Vise Grips - 60kN
Hydraulic tensile vise grips are necessary for high strength testing especially for hard samples such as ceramics and steel. Our 60kN model can ship complete with a simple and compact pneumatic over hydraulic pump.
Vise Grip Sizes and Specifications
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100 N (22 lbf) Tiny Vise Grips: about 1 × 1.5 in body, small adapter for the standard 5/8 in eye end; smooth, serrated or rubber faces.
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1 kN (225 lbf) Small Vise Grips: low-profile or U-style; U-style takes faces larger than 30 × 30 mm. Common for packaging and tape.
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5 kN (1,000 lbf) Vise Grips: faces 30 × 50, 30 × 80 or 30 × 100 mm; opening 0 to 25 mm (1 in).
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5 kN (1,000 lbf) Extra Wide Vise Grips: samples 10 to 100 mm wide; opening just under 100 mm (4 in).
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10 kN (2,000 lbf) Large Vise Grips: for dual-column universal testing machines.
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20 kN (4,500 lbf) Steel Vise Grips: the upper limit for most screw-action tests before wedge grips are needed.
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20 kN Extra Tall and Wide: 100 mm (4 in) opening for thick samples.
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50 kN Wide Vise Grips for ASTM D4595: samples up to 200 mm (8 in) wide; 100 kN steel version available; manual or pneumatic wrench.
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60 kN Hydraulic Vise Grips: for hard, high-strength samples; ships with a compact pneumatic-over-hydraulic pump.
Jaw faces include smooth steel, serrated (pyramid), wavy, rubber-coated and diamond-coated. The quick jaw carrier lets you swap faces without tools, and most sizes are also available as pneumatic grips.
Common Standards for Vise Grips
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ASTM D5034 grab and ASTM D5035 strip tensile tests of textiles
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ASTM D751 coated fabrics and ASTM D4595 wide-width geotextiles
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ASTM D882 thin plastic film and packaging materials
Universal Grip Vise Grip Range: Product Pages and Data Sheets
Each item below has its own page with specifications, options, photos and a downloadable Universal Grip data sheet. Everything is configured to order for your specimens and testing machine.
Small vise grips (up to 2.5 kN)
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UGC-VG-070 Small Vise Grip 100 N – miniature 100 N screw vise grip (57 g) with 15 x 15 mm jaws for fine wires and fibers
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UGC-VG-090 Small Vise Grip 400 N – 60 g screw vise grip rated 400 N with jaws from 10 x 25 to 10 x 100 mm
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UGC-VG-110 Small U-Form Vise Grip 2.5 kN – compact U-form screw action grips from 0.27 kg per grip: 2.5 kN with a 10 mm opening down to 1 kN at 52 mm
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UGC-VG-140 Screw Action Grip 1 kN – light 1 kN screw action grip with self-tightening articulating jaws for films and foils
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UGC-VG-150 Fine Wire and Narrow Band Grip 2.5 kN – 2.5 kN screw action grip with quick-change 37 x 15 mm insert jaws for fine wire and thin rope
Vise grips 5 to 20 kN
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UGC-VG-050 Screw Grips 2-20 kN – thumb-screw bar grips for flat specimens up to 8 mm thick
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UGC-VG-080 Screw Action Vise Grip 10-20 kN – dual-acting screw action grips whose articulating jaws tighten as load rises
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UGC-VG-100 U-Form Vise Grip 5 kN – self-tightening U-form screw action grips rated 5 kN, with 28, 50 or 106 mm openings
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UGC-VG-130 Vise Grip 5 kN – general-purpose 5 kN screw action vise grip with jaws on socket bearings and 10 kN clamping at 15 Nm
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UGC-VG-180 Wide Sample Vise Grip 20 kN – 20 kN vise grip for wide textile specimens with 60 x 220 mm jaws
Heavy-duty and wide vise grips (46 to 100 kN)
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UGC-VG-010 Vise Grips for Broad Textile Samples – screw vise grips with serrated jaw plates 70, 150 or 200 mm wide for textile strips and films
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UGC-VG-060 Dynamic Vise Grip for Composites 100 kN – bolt-clamped 100 kN vise grips for static and tension-tension fatigue tests on polymer composites
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UGC-VG-170 Textile and Geotextile Vise Grip 50 kN – vise grip with three screws per side and 40 x 200 mm wave or pyramid jaws, 100 kN clamping at 120 Nm
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UGC-VG-190 Heavy Duty Vise Grip 100 kN – heavy steel vise grips rated 100 kN, with versions to 300 kN, holding up to 200 kN clamping force on thick plates
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UGC-VG-200 Screw Action Vise Grip 46 kN – symmetric steel screw action grip rated 46 kN with 92 kN clamping
Special vise fixtures
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UGC-VG-020 Pipe Saddle Branch Tensile Fixture – custom steel fixture that supports a polypropylene pipe on a mandrel while the machine pulls the saddle branch
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UGC-VG-030 Four-Jaw Shoulder Grip – four-jaw chuck grip with hardened serrated jaws for round bars, tubes and cylindrical parts
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UGC-VG-040 Mineral Wool Tensile Grip EN 1608 – needle-plate grip for the tensile strength of mineral wool and insulation boards parallel to their faces
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UGC-VG-160 Bone Cement Fatigue Test Fixture – backlash-free 30 kN fatigue grips for force-controlled tests on acrylic bone cement
Vise Grip FAQ
Vise grips or wedge grips?
Vise grips clamp with a screw, so the force is set before the test. They suit low to medium loads and soft or wide samples. Above about 20 kN, or for metals and rigid composites, wedge grips are usually better because they tighten as the load rises.
What is the difference between single and dual action?
Single-action vise grips have one fixed jaw and one moving jaw. Dual-action grips move both jaws, which keeps the specimen centered on the load axis.
Which jaw face should I use?
Use serrated faces for rigid plastics and coated fabrics, rubber-coated faces for films and delicate samples, and wavy or diamond faces when samples slip. Tell us your material and we will recommend a face.
Will they fit my machine?
Our vise grips use a standard clevis coupling, and our grip adapters connect them to most testing machines. Contact us with your sample size and capacity for a quote.