Vintage Prentiss Vise No 20

[alwaysbetter]

Hey everyone I have tried researching this and the only thing I can come up with is it was made in the 30’s. Anyone know anything else or a possible value? Thanks!

 

[paulsomlo]

I'd go $40 on that - where are you located?

 

[Maui]

I have one as well. They are not easy to find in good, undamaged condition.

 

[Shiftless]

I have one as well. They are not easy to find in good, undamaged condition.

I have lots and lots of vises but I don’t have a Prentiss 20
A.B. :
Where are you located ?

 

[Maui]

I have lots and lots of vises but I don’t have a Prentiss 20
A.B. :
Where are you located ?

Upstate New York.

 

[Shiftless]

Always better:
Where are you located?
I’m in the east Bay Area San Francisco

 

[crguy]

That's a great vise. Swivel jaw and swivel base, fine condition it appears.

 

[alwaysbetter]

It’s in great working condition. From what I can find, the No20 is not very common. I’m located in Pennsylvania

 

[alwaysbetter]

 

[alwaysbetter]

I'd go $40 on that - where are you located?

Yeah let me get right on that and while I’m at it I will overnight ship it for free for ya too

 

[alwaysbetter]

Upstate New York.

I hunt in upstate NY, where about upstate?

 

[Maui]

Rochester area, right on Lake Ontario.

 

[genog]

Yeah let me get right on that and while I’m at it I will overnight ship it for free for ya too

Ok then
I may submit a bit

 

[alwaysbetter]

Anyone have an idea of a good honest eBay starting bid price? Thanks

 

[genog]

I'd go $40 on that - where are you located?

There you go, OP!

Hey, do I hear $45 anyone?

 

[thehorse13]

You're going to get clobbered on this vise if you try to sell it on Ebay. The shipping cost is your enemy.

I have the same vise only mine is about 20 years or so older than yours. Here in the mid Atlantic, yours would go for about 125-175 bucks. That's full retail in this area but vise prices swing wildly depending upon location.

 

[Mike'smeatshop]

You're going to get clobbered on this vise if you try to sell it on Ebay. The shipping cost is your enemy.

I have the same vise only mine is about 20 years or so older than yours. Here in the mid Atlantic, yours would go for about 125-175 bucks. That's full retail in this area but vise prices swing wildly depending upon location.

That was what I was going to say. I live in the middle of Ky. I know and have got a relationship with some men in Gatlinburg Tenn. They will buy a vise like that and drive 2 hrs for it. They decorate shops with old tools for customers. And I advertise like Cincinatti for old tools and engines and sell a lot. I would put it on CL in NY city if your not that far. Meet half way.

 

[crguy]

Anyone have an idea of a good honest eBay starting bid price? Thanks

Start it at $99. in a 7 day auction. Let the bidders decide what it's worth to them. If you offer local pickup as an option, you may get someone close that will pay more if they don't have to pay big shipping costs. I have shipped a few heavy items like that in 2 Flat Rate boxes cheaper than one single box.

 

[alwaysbetter]

Thanks everyone for all of your help!

 

[Ketuo]

I have one as well. They are not easy to find in good, undamaged condition.

What are the usual breaking points and what should I be looking for. There’s a somewhat cheap #19 near me, and I know next to nothing about Prentiss and rear swivel vises.

 

[Maui]

Here's a photo of a Prentiss No. 21 vise I had years ago. You can easily see the braze repair where the dynamic jaw tower had broken off of the slide. It also had an issue with the swivel jaw as well as a problem with weakness in the static jaw tower. You will often find the top of the slide cracked on these vises if the owner tried to use it as an anvil. They are beautiful vises, but abuse often takes a toll on them. If treated properly, they hold up well.

 

[Ketuo]

Thank you very much for that. Those issues seem to be in line with what I'd expect to look for, maybe I know a little more than I thought... I'll have to make a point to fully inspect it before I make a decision of any kind.
Thank you, again!

 

[Montauket]

Bringing this back up with a question on the #20. I have seen some of these with the handle like pictured above and some with a button that lifts the plunger for the swivel. Can anyone advise as to which of those are period correct or were they both available from Prentiss?