Vise-Grips aren't a woodworking tool, but I'd be hard-pressed to do woodworking without them.

Whenever I break a screw head off, I reach for these adjustable locking pliers to get myself out of trouble. Whenever we have a weird bolt or nut that needs wrenching on a machine, my old Vise-Grips are never far away.

If you have a similar affection for this tool, you should check out a contest being run by Irwin (makers of Vise-Grips) that ends Oct. 31. If you have a good story you can tell in 100 words or less about how Vise-Grips got you out of a jam, you could win a custom motorcycle or $25,000. There also are other prizes and ways to win some tools instantly.

Check out all the details on the Irwin web site via this link. And if you win, be sure to stop by the office and give us a spin on your new ride.

I wish I had a story about how I delivered our second child in the wilderness with the help of Vise-Grips, but my best story won't win me squat. But here it is: Until two weeks ago, a pair of Vise-Grips served as my window crank in my 1968 Karmann Ghia. Yawn.

— Christopher Schwarz