The VISES of Homesteading Today.

[Filson]

I've meet several people in my life that collect and restore vises, so I'm betting there's at least ONE more person on HT that does too. But regardless of whether your a collector, general tool junkie that likes vises or just want to share a pic of your vise, let's see 'em!

I'll kick it off with a few of mine...

My Prentiss No. 3, made around the 1890's-1900's.



A well-used Reed No. 933 that my wife bought me at a yard sale. It came from a shipping yard in the Puget Sound and has been used and abused over the years Behind it, is a cheap little vise I picked up for a couple bucks.



My 6" Parker vise after restoration



A 6" Hollands that I cleaned up, and gave to my father-in-law.



A late-model Yost 32C that I bought in nearly new condition for $60 bucks



My 8", 278 lb Reed 208 before restoration...



And late in the restoration process... Kids voted for "John Deere" as the paint theme.



My blacksmith post vises, the big one (6" Columbian) is mounted to the 1 1/2" plate table.



So that's some (not all lol) of mine, let's see what you guys have on your benches! Extra props if it's old-school iron!

[Roadking]

Currently have 2, but certainly not as unique as yours. Both came with the house.
Can't have too many, that's for sure.

Matt

[clovis]

Nice vises!!!

I once had a large vise that looked like the Holland that you have posted. The vise would screw open with the use of the handle, but would not screw closed.

The guy that I sold it to said that he could fix it easily.

Are these vises easy to repair?

I paid $2 for it, and sold it for $75, so I was happy.

[Filson]

Originally Posted by Roadking

Currently have 2, but certainly not as unique as yours. Both came with the house.
Can't have too many, that's for sure.

Matt

Agreed, 100% =) Could you share pics of yours? Would love to see 'em!

Originally Posted by clovis

Nice vises!!!

I once had a large vise that looked like the Holland that you have posted. The vise would screw open with the use of the handle, but would not screw closed.

The guy that I sold it to said that he could fix it easily.

Are these vises easy to repair?

I paid $2 for it, and sold it for $75, so I was happy.

It sounds like your vise was either missing, or had a damaged keeper pin inside. If you were to fully screw out and remove the dynamic jaw/slide, you would see inside the static jaw base, a part that is sitting inside of the static jaw base. It's the piece that your slide, slides over, and is the female part to the screw in the main handle.

On the back side of that piece, there will be a little pin that holds it secure to the static jaw body. If this is damaged or missing, it can create that problem.

While this is not a common break in a vise, it does happen, and can usually be fixed fairly easily for cheap. Requiring more elbow grease than anything else.

As for $2 dollar buy, that's an insanely great purchase lol. If it was a 6" vise, that was older US (or UK like a Record) than you'd probably have been able to sell it for ~$200-400 dependent on condition, make, etc.

And turning $2 bucks into $75 is never a bad thing, you should of been happy!

Let's add to the picture thread guys - show us what you got!

[Bret]

I once announced that I was not going to be tempted into any new vises. As it urns out, I am.

[Filson]

Originally Posted by Bret

I once announced that I was not going to be tempted into any new vises. As it urns out, I am.

Vises can certainly turn into a vice, no doubt.

[Filson]

Alright, I'll keep the ball rolling by posting some more pics of other vises I have...

A Craftsman 5196...



My Craftsman 5162 (first vintage vise I ever bought) Before...



After...



Little baby vise I inherited from my grandpa that passed away a couple years ago...



And another with soft cloth-like jaws...



Little Craftsman vise that is actually a cheap china vise. Bought it for $5 bucks though, so was happy with pickin' her up.



Cheap little vise, that has some unique jaws that will allow you to clamp onto a multitude of different angles of work pieces. Next to it is a Ridged yoke vise.



Two more yoke vises. A Columbian and a Vulcan... Crappy pic though, sorry.



And lastly, most of my vise family on display as I'm still unpacking crap from the move. A few vises are missing from the pic, but I'll take a new pic when the whole gang is together.



Note: The two little vises on the little green bench belong to my two boys. =)

[topofmountain]

Wow a bunch of nice vises. I have one from the 40s or 50s. But never thought of it as anymore than a very handy tool I use a lot.

[Filson]

Originally Posted by topofmountain

Wow a bunch of nice vises. I have one from the 40s or 50s. But never thought of it as anymore than a very handy tool I use a lot.

That's a big part of the charm! Many modern tools just don't have the same durability, unique design and old-school charm as a lot of the older stuff.

Have a couple pics of your vise to share? Would love to see what your using as a third hand on your bench. =)

[clovis]

Originally Posted by Filson

It sounds like your vise was either missing, or had a damaged keeper pin inside. If you were to fully screw out and remove the dynamic jaw/slide, you would see inside the static jaw base, a part that is sitting inside of the static jaw base. It's the piece that your slide, slides over, and is the female part to the screw in the main handle.

On the back side of that piece, there will be a little pin that holds it secure to the static jaw body. If this is damaged or missing, it can create that problem.

While this is not a common break in a vise, it does happen, and can usually be fixed fairly easily for cheap. Requiring more elbow grease than anything else.

As for $2 dollar buy, that's an insanely great purchase lol. If it was a 6" vise, that was older US (or UK like a Record) than you'd probably have been able to sell it for ~$200-400 dependent on condition, make, etc.

And turning $2 bucks into $75 is never a bad thing, you should of been happy!

Let's add to the picture thread guys - show us what you got!

Thanks!

It was a very large vice. I strongly suspect that the guy that I sold it to repaired it. He got really quiet when I asked him what he was going to do with it.

(I used to flip a ton of tools to this guy. I am in the flea market business, and sometimes I buy far more than I can handle. I used to flip to this guy on a weekly basis, until I caught him outright lying and trying to deceive/cheat me about some saws I had that were worth a good bit of money.)

I had a very large vise two weeks ago like the Reeds you have pictured, but that thing was toast. It was rusted so badly that that it was totally locked up, and looked to have been stored outside 1/2 its life, and in a farm pond for the other 1/2. Very badly pitted with very deep pits. I paid $1 for it, and sold it for $20 about 12 hours later. It was probably the worst condition vise that I've ever seen in my life, and I've been to hundreds of auctions.

[clovis]

Filson,

Should I ever run into another broken vise, where can I buy parts???

[Filson]

Originally Posted by clovis

I had a very large vise two weeks ago like the Reeds you have pictured, but that thing was toast. It was rusted so badly that that it was totally locked up, and looked to have been stored outside 1/2 its life, and in a farm pond for the other 1/2. Very badly pitted with very deep pits. I paid $1 for it, and sold it for $20 about 12 hours later. It was probably the worst condition vise that I've ever seen in my life, and I've been to hundreds of auctions.

If your in the business, if there is nothing else I could tell you about vises, is that the bigger they are, their premium grows exponentially. There are tons of US vise brands, but these are some of the "bigger" names to keep an eye out for; Wilton, Reed, Parker (could also be Chas Parker or Charles Parker, dependent on year produced), Prentiss, Yost, Athol, Columbian, York, Record, Paramo, just to name a few... The most "collectible" vise brands that are most sought after are Wilton, Reed and Parker. The others are great vises though a bit less of a cult like following for collectors, but "mid-tier" would include Prentiss, Athol, Columbian and Record. I'm probably missing a few names in the list, but that'll get you started.

If that vise your talking about was an 8" vise like my big green Reed - I would of added a zero to it, if you sold it to me. There is a big difference between broken and rusty/neglected. Pics are worth a million words when it comes to vises, but I've seen some amazing restorations.

If a vise has been broken, it will drastically cut the price down in value. A "repair" is done by brazing, and it will never be as strong as it once was. Even if the repair looks well-done, to anyone that actively buys vises like myself, would look at the damage that has been repaired, and wonder what other kind of abuse the vise has experienced in it's life. 95% of vise guys wouldn't give it a second thought, once we see a break or repair. Repaired = still broke in our eyes. Once it's broke, it's done.

Well, sense you go to auctions regularly - keep your eyes out for vises, and if you pick them up fairly cheap, take a few pics and post it here, I may be able to tell you what it's worth. Wilton's command a premium above the other brands, there are die-hard Wilton guys just like Coca Cola guys. I'm a Reed guy, there is not very many of us, but we're out there. :thumbup:

Anyway, share some pics when you get something new. Thanks for posting!

Originally Posted by clovis

Filson,

Should I ever run into another broken vise, where can I buy parts???

Depends on what's broken. The short answer - 90% of broken parts of a vise cannot be truly fixed.

If your vise jaw faces (the actual parts that touch the piece your clamping) are broken, most vises have replaceable faces. You can screw these out and purchase new ones through ebay, or have someone machine you up a new set.

Bent handles can be straightened with some sweat. But if any parts of the slide, or main body parts of the vise are cracked/broken, it's toast. People will sometimes braze a "repair" but it will never be as strong as it once was, and frankly, is an accident/injury waiting to happen.

The most likely place to see breaks in a vise, are directly below the faces, where the slide is. The rear part of a slide can be cracked or chipped off. The bolt-down feet can be broken off, and the little "shelf" that the vise faces "sit" on will often be chipped off. I've also seen numerous cases of vice faces being welded in place and such. All of this destroys value.

Truth be told - there really are great condition old vises out there, enough so that it's better to hang on to your money most of the time and wait for something better to come along. Hope this helps.

[clovis]

Filson,

I love this thread.

In the past year, I bought two leg vises for $15 each. Sold them for $125 each. One sold quickly, and the other one, which IMO, was much cooler, well, I didn't think that think would ever sell.

That rusted vise I sold for $20 was toast. I'd say that the guy with a sand blaster and a 10 gallon vat of oil might come out okay on it, but I'd say it is going to take a year of soaking to get it free...and that might not even do the trick. I know what you are thinking, but trust me, that was the worst vise that I've ever seen in my life.

Last year, I had a hay trolley that was frozen, and I let it soak all winter in motor oil. I've had luck with this method, and it didn't even touch the trolley. With the tight clearances on the vise, I sincerely doubt that MO would have touched it.

[clovis]

Oh, BTW, I just bought an old school Wilton that I'll keep for myself. I've been slowly upgrading vises over the years, replacing my existing one when I find a better vise in my travels.

Small, but very nice quality. I'd love to freshen it up with some sanding and new paint, but I've got so many other projects, it probably will never get done.

[BadFordRanger]

but use them quite often!
I had one similar to the ancient one in your second picture but it grew legs and walked off several years ago, but being a welder / fabricator I had to have another one and after busting a couple of Harbor Freight vices, I started looking at the flea markets for one that might take what I threw at it, and found one that looks about like the blue one you have shown in the picture! Pipe clamp and all!
It has 6" wide jaws and will open up to hold a piece of whatever, I think it was a 2 x 8 that it will clamp! I don't think that a 2 x 10 will fit!
Anyway, I didn't do it to restore it or anything like that, but I made a new set of copper jaws for it, so I wouldn't mar whatever I needed it to hold so bad!
I built a pedestal for it starting with an old 16" ford truck rim for the base, then using a section of 4" x 4" boxed tubing for the post and two pieces of 1/4" x 2" x 2" angle iron to hold the vice, but I didn't bolt it down!
Most welders will tell you that you can't weld cast iron, or cast steel (which is what I think this is made of) to regular iron, unless you have special rods, but you can!
I have been out of welding for years now and haven't kept up with what they have now, but I put the vise in the oven on 550 degrees for a couple of hours and set it in the frame and welded it with 3/32" - 7018's and it has been there for several years now!
I also welded a section of a rail road track on it that I shaped into a heavy anvil with a torch and a lot of grinding on the back side of it!
I like that blue paint and I think I'll clean mine up and make it pretty too!
Thanks for the post!

[clovis]

Filson,

I had another vise hiding out in the truck, and after thinking about this thread for a few days, I decided to pull it out.

This is an older Craftsman vise, made in USA. I think it has 5 inch jaws, but the body is not huge. Craftsman number 339.6181, I believe, but could be wrong.

The jaws will open freely and smoothly for the first 3 inches, but trying to open it more is a real chore. There are points that closing it takes substantial effort, especially when it 'locks up' at certain times. I don't see any rust, grease or grime on the screw, or the stationary thing that the screw threads through.

There is a very sticky grease on the sides of the slides, or whatever that part is called, but I would think that there is enough clearance to allow for this old grease.

The screw appears to be fairly straight. There might be a tiny bit of wobble to it, but it isn't bent bad, if at all.

Can these vises be easily disassembled?

Thoughts on what the problem might be?

[Filson]

Originally Posted by clovis

Filson,

I had another vise hiding out in the truck, and after thinking about this thread for a few days, I decided to pull it out.

This is an older Craftsman vise, made in USA. I think it has 5 inch jaws, but the body is not huge. Craftsman number 339.6181, I believe, but could be wrong.

The jaws will open freely and smoothly for the first 3 inches, but trying to open it more is a real chore. There are points that closing it takes substantial effort, especially when it 'locks up' at certain times. I don't see any rust, grease or grime on the screw, or the stationary thing that the screw threads through.

There is a very sticky grease on the sides of the slides, or whatever that part is called, but I would think that there is enough clearance to allow for this old grease.

The screw appears to be fairly straight. There might be a tiny bit of wobble to it, but it isn't bent bad, if at all.

Can these vises be easily disassembled?

Thoughts on what the problem might be?

Pictures really are worth a thousand words when it comes to vises. Can you take a few (4-6) pictures of the vise in general, markings, as well as the slide in question, and can you also flip it upside down and snap a pic of the bottom?

I could send you on a wild goose chase with a half dozen issue possibilities, but may even miss something, that some pics would otherwise help me point right at the specific problem.

-- Speaking of Pictures Guys, Let's See 'Em! --

Originally Posted by clovis

Filson,

I love this thread.

In the past year, I bought two leg vises for $15 each. Sold them for $125 each. One sold quickly, and the other one, which IMO, was much cooler, well, I didn't think that think would ever sell.

That rusted vise I sold for $20 was toast. I'd say that the guy with a sand blaster and a 10 gallon vat of oil might come out okay on it, but I'd say it is going to take a year of soaking to get it free...and that might not even do the trick. I know what you are thinking, but trust me, that was the worst vise that I've ever seen in my life.

Last year, I had a hay trolley that was frozen, and I let it soak all winter in motor oil. I've had luck with this method, and it didn't even touch the trolley. With the tight clearances on the vise, I sincerely doubt that MO would have touched it.

Great re-sell on the leg vises! The big 6" Columbian vise that is on the 1 1/2" thick plate table with swivel seat I paid $100 dollars for the whole rig. I couldn't get there fast enough haha. The other two leg vises I picked up from a guy that was having a yard sale, because he was being forced off his land in 2 days for legal issues. I bought one for $10 dollars and the other one (because it was "smaller") for $5. I would of felt guilty, if it just hadn't happened to of been a guy that sold me a lemon of a beater truck a few years back. =P

I just sold the blue Yost 32C about an hour ago, it feels so... wrong... letting one go.

[65284]

I not very informed about vises and can't post a pic right now but I found a rather strange vise at a yard sale last weekend for $5.00.

It's a 4" Wilton it rotates on the base 360 like a lot of vises do, but by loosening a bolt, similar to the one that locks the base rotation feature, the slide and jaws swivel 90 degrees to the left. It's in good shape, minimal surface rust, functions properly, and still has quite a bit of the original paint.

Are these uncommon or have I just never noticed one before?

[Filson]

Originally Posted by 65284

I not very informed about vises and can't post a pic right now but I found a rather strange vise at a yard sale last weekend for $5.00.

It's a 4" Wilton it rotates on the base 360 like a lot of vises do, but by loosening a bolt, similar to the one that locks the base rotation feature, the slide and jaws swivel 90 degrees to the left. It's in good shape, minimal surface rust, functions properly, and still has quite a bit of the original paint.

Are these uncommon or have I just never noticed one before?

That sounds very new to me bud. Any vise for $5 bucks is a great buy, but sounds like you found something pretty unique! Unfortunately, I can't tell you anything about it without pics, and even if you had pics - I've never heard of one like that regardless lol, and I've been in the "vise stuff" for quite some time.

[65284]