ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti fˈoːɹ, ɐnˈʌðɚ blˈæksmɪθ, dˈeɪnɪʃ ˈɪmɪɡɹənt wˈɪljəm pˈiːɾɜːsən ʌv də wˈɪt, nəbɹˈæskə, ɪnvˈɛntᵻd ðə fˈɜːst lˈɑːkɪŋ plˈaɪɚz ænd nˈeɪmd ðˌɛm vˈaɪzɡɹˈɪps.
In 1924, another blacksmith, Danish immigrant William Petersen of DeWitt, Nebraska, invented the first locking pliers and named them Vise-Grips.