Mole wrench recommendations please

Mine were stolen and I bought a cheap lookalike. They bent when I closed them hard on something.

I now have a pair of Irwin ones. They are what the Mole was modelled on. They seem very solid and I have had no problems.

how sad....fakes are ok

Though my dad always called them "mole grips", the ones I have that were his are Draper, probably the least slop out of the ones I have, and the screw section is welded, not just folded.

I have several Lidaldi ones, they're Cr-V I don't use them often, but they handle abuse OK.

Apparently Irwin exported manufacture to China and the quality dropped, then someone bought the old factory and started making Eagle Grips in the USA, various small tool channels seem to rate them as the best "continuity vise grips", but they may have also stopped production, they keep coming and going on Amazon, not cheap though ...

I couldn't justify buying any.

Same here, bit wobbly but do the job - similar quality to modern Stanley

Look nice - third of the price if bought from the US, WTF etc.

Go to the used old tool stall & take your pick. If it's lasted decades it'll normally be good. New ones are more of a gamble.