John Gilkey from Montgomery County (MD) Station 29 sent in a solution to ensure a pair of vise grips are always handy for rotary saw forcible entry.
The simple solution was created with some scraps laying around the firehouse and involves adding a low profile mount to secure the vise grips right to the air cleaner cover. The mount is made from a thin piece of metal, a 3/8″ bolt, a few nuts, and a small piece of velcro.
The nice thing about this set-up is that no real modifications are needed to the saw. Just take the bolt holding the air filter on, thread the “back-bone†and bolt it all back together. The vice grips are then adjusted until they “Grip†the 3/8†nuts and are held in place with the velcro strap.
Another modification on this set of vise grips was the addition of only two links of chain to the adjustment bolt. The saw’s shoulder strap can be removed and can be used as the lanyard for holding the vise grips when stabilizing a pad lock while cutting.
These modifications are simple, don’t take up any room in a compartment and always assures that your vice grips are with you when you use the saw to cut locks.
nice job thininkg out of the box, the best thing for you guys is that your old safety officer is now jambing the guys in charleston up and not you guys anymore, im sure he would not allow this grand idea in charleston, as its not NFPA…keep up the good work and stay safe
I like this, very nice. Thanks for the idea
One of the things we did on our truck and squad is just to clamp the vise grip right on the hand grip of the saw. This is a nice idea having another option. Options are good. BE SAFE!
We previously clamped ours to the saw handle like Gary, but the other shift complained that it was “damaging the handle”. You could barely see the teeth marks in the rubber handle. They have since been removed and we haven’t come up with a better idea yet to carry them.
Another idea I forgot to mention. I took my vise grips and removed the adjustment screw and replace it with an eye bolt. This is so I can attach a carabiner with my webbing to hold the object in the vise grip. Like cutting a pad lock with a saw. Keep up the good work this is a great site.