[oil drilling] Slips is a device used to grip and hold the upper part of a drill string to the drillfloor on an oilrig. The slips are constructed as a collection of metal wedges, hinged together to form a circular shape around the drill pipe. On the inside surface, the slips normally has replaceable steel teeth that grips the pipe. The outs... Found on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slips_(oil_drilling)