An ambidextrous locking clamp system (10, 60, 100, 150, 180, 200, 220, 250, 270, 290, 310, 400, 500, 550, 600) for providing a user the ability to use the right or left hand to engage and disengage a ratcheting means on the clamp. The clamp includes hingedly connected first and second elongated members each with a finger engaging member (16, 66, 156, 186, 206, 226, 256, 272, 296, 316, 414, 512, 562, 614), a working head (13, 63, 103, 153, 183, 203, 223, 253, 273, 293, 313, 404, 432, 504, 522, 554, 572, 604, 624, 660, 676), and a latching member (80, 130, 210, 260, 300, 340, 416, 514, 564) featuring ratcheting teeth. The teeth are engaged by moving the finger engaging members (16, 18； 66, 68； 156, 158； 186, 188；, 206, 208； 226, 228； 256, 258； 272, 278；, 296, 298； 316, 318； 414, 440； 512, 528； 562, 578； 614, 632) toward each other in an engaging motion, and are disengaged by sliding them in a disengaging motion perpendicular to the engaging motion with opposing force applied to the finger engaging members (16, 18； 66, 68； 156, 158； 186, 188；, 206, 208； 226, 228； 256, 258； 272, 278；, 296, 298； 316, 318； 414, 440； 512, 528； 562, 578； 614, 632). One of the elongated members includes a planar portion that is rotatably received in a slot (674) defined in a female portion of the other elongated member. The planar portion can include a wedge that contacts a side of the female portion (672) that defines the slot (674) when the clamp is in a closed position.
