The VISES of Garage Journal

[Shiftless]

I would be greatly surprised if the Great Fish or Blue Heron vises have a parts department.

 

[Eric Brown]

Here is their response (sorry)

Thank you for contacting Rust-Oleum Product Support. Unfortunately, the Stops Rust Hammered paint has been discontinued, and we currently do not have a replacement available. As our product offerings evolve, we cannot guarantee if the Stops Rust Hammered paint in Verde Green will be reintroduced.

Wondering, Rust-Oleum does have hammered paint in quart cans, could the silver be tinted to make the Verde Green?

 

[Shiftless]

Beerhippie’s excellent illustration of his filing technique inspired me to do some clean up work on that Craftsman 5196 I’ve been working on. (More pics over on the vise repair thread)
The anvil surface had literally hundreds of tiny divots and scratches.
I started with what I think is exactly the same file (Nicholson 12 inch ******* cut) I then graduated to a 3M fiber wheel and then to a 1 micron fiber cup brush.
I didn’t want to make the surface perfect and left a few of the deeper dings…the rest of the vise shows evidence of hard work. Perhaps I went too far.

The vise body is still in primer. I polished the nose, and handle and removed the black paint from the slide with a knotted wire cup brush.
I plan to paint it light blue.

 

[RTM]

I would be greatly surprised if the Great Fish or Blue Heron vises have a parts department.

I know, but we know the others don't carry parts anymore, so maybe someone young n energetic can look, maybe they find the needle in the haystack.

 

[Eric Brown]

I have a couple of bronze vises. The first one on the left is well made but unmarked. It doesn't have a very strong clamp and can only go on a bench/table up to 1 1/2" thick. The fixed jaw is about 1/2" wide by 1" long with a gripping surface of small flat-topped pyramids in a 4 x 8 pattern. The movable jaw is flat, 3/4" x 3/4" with a lip.

The second vise is a Tinius Olsen & Co. Philadelphia. It has a substantial gripping surface consisting of horizontal grooves that interlock. This company makes pull testers for determining the strength of materials. This was taken off a machine that was being scrapped.

 

[Beerhippie]

Beerhippie’s excellent illustration of his filing technique inspired me to do some clean up work on that Craftsman 5196 I’ve been working on. (More pics over on the vise repair thread)
The anvil surface had literally hundreds of tiny divots and scratches.
I started with what I think is exactly the same file (Nicholson 12 inch ******* cut) I then graduated to a 3M fiber wheel and then to a 1 micron fiber cup brush.
I didn’t want to make the surface perfect and left a few of the deeper dings…the rest of the vise shows evidence of hard work. Perhaps I went too far.

The vise body is still in primer. I polished the nose, and handle and removed the black paint from the slide with a knotted wire cup brush.
I plan to paint it light blue.

Yep, same file! Unfortunately, mine was a new POS Nicholson.

I say was--WARNING: Check surfaces for welding spatter before attempting to draw-file! I missed one little glob that was down in one of the deeper scars on the vise jaws and now I need a new file. Suggestions welcome for better quality.

 

[four.cycle]

^ Pferd. Hands down.

 

[four.cycle]

Wondering, Rust-Oleum does have hammered paint in quart cans, could the silver be tinted to make the Verde Green?

Karen at Rustoleum advises against attempting this. (phone 03/31/25 11:05 PDT)

 

[Eric Brown]

Karen at Rustoleum advises against attempting this. (phone 03/31/25 11:05 PDT)

I wonder why. It wouldn't work or would it simply make the paint less effective?

 

[four.cycle]

Because modern-day paint (particularly what we commonly refer to as "oil based") has all kinds of weird ingredients in the mix.

I've tinted LATEX (for interior paint jobs) with tubes of acrylic artists' paint and it worked fine, but that was at least 25-30 years back.

 

[Beerhippie]

^ Pferd. Hands down.

I think I'll just skip the 12" single-cut ******* from Amazon:



but I did order two of the 10" at $16 ea.

 

[ararat]

I have a couple of bronze vises. The first one on the left is well made but unmarked. It doesn't have a very strong clamp and can only go on a bench/table up to 1 1/2" thick. The fixed jaw is about 1/2" wide by 1" long with a gripping surface of small flat-topped pyramids in a 4 x 8 pattern. The movable jaw is flat, 3/4" x 3/4" with a lip.

The second vise is a Tinius Olsen & Co. Philadelphia. It has a substantial gripping surface consisting of horizontal grooves that interlock. This company makes pull testers for determining the strength of materials. This was taken off a machine that was being scrapped.

Nice save

 

[Eric Brown]

Because modern-day paint (particularly what we commonly refer to as "oil based") has all kinds of weird ingredients in the mix.

I've tinted LATEX (for interior paint jobs) with tubes of acrylic artists' paint and it worked fine, but that was at least 25-30 years back.

I may have found a source for Verde Green hammered Rust-Olem. $52.51 a can. Too rich for me.

Rust-Oleum 7219830 Hammered Metal Finish Spray Verde Green 12-Ounce

Huge amount of items at rock bottom prices

warehousesoverstock.com

 

[Wiz02]

^ Pferd. Hands down.

You recommend a horse? Just kidding. Horse seems like a strange name for a tool company even 225 years ago.

 

[Beerhippie]

You recommend a horse? Just kidding. Horse seems like a strange name for a tool company even 225 years ago.

A powerful animal is actually a pretty common brand or trademark.

The Cardinal #3 Speed Vise is done:



Not bad for scrap aluminum, a drill press, Skilsaw and hand-held angle grinder. Cutting the screws to length so they sit just about 1 thread below the surface was the most time-consuming part of it.

 

[four.cycle]

You recommend a horse?

Not the horse, no. The file.

Pferd / Pferd / August Ruggeberg GmbH & Co. KG, Postfach 12 80, 51704 Marienheide, Hauptstr. 13, 51709 Marienheide, Germany / https://www.pferd.com/ / files and abrasives /

Nicholson moved all production to Mexico.
We don't make files here in country any longer.

There ARE two other file makers about which I am curious, but I have not seen or used any of their products:

Tome Feteira / Tome Feteira, S.A., Apartado 1, 2431-909, Vieira de Leiria, Portugal / https://tomefeteira.com/ / files, rasps, saws / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...portuguese-tool-manufacturing-company.523659/ /

not sure if Empresa is actually a manufacturer or is outsourcing them:

Empresa Andina de Herramientes S.A., Cali, Colombia / files, rasps, edge tools / successor to Kearney & Foot of Paterson, NJ / suppliers to Atkins, Nicholson, Collins, Atila /

 

[Beerhippie]

Not the horse, no. The file.

Pferd / Pferd / August Ruggeberg GmbH & Co. KG, Postfach 12 80, 51704 Marienheide, Hauptstr. 13, 51709 Marienheide, Germany / https://www.pferd.com/ / files and abrasives /

Nicholson moved all production to Mexico.
We don't make files here in country any longer.

There ARE two other file makers about which I am curious, but I have not seen or used any of their products:

Tome Feteira / Tome Feteira, S.A., Apartado 1, 2431-909, Vieira de Leiria, Portugal / https://tomefeteira.com/ / files, rasps, saws / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...portuguese-tool-manufacturing-company.523659/ /

not sure if Empresa is actually a manufacturer or is outsourcing them:

Empresa Andina de Herramientes S.A., Cali, Colombia / files, rasps, edge tools / successor to Kearney & Foot of Paterson, NJ / suppliers to Atkins, Nicholson, Collins, Atila /

Yep. The file I trashed yesterday was a Crescent Nicholson, Made in Mexico. It did good duty until it met its better--weld spatter is hard.

We'll see how the Pferd compares. I need to find somewhere that has the 12" at less than fantasy pricing.

 

[Wiz02]

Not the horse, no. The file.

Pferd / Pferd / August Ruggeberg GmbH & Co. KG, Postfach 12 80, 51704 Marienheide, Hauptstr. 13, 51709 Marienheide, Germany / https://www.pferd.com/ / files and abrasives /

Nicholson moved all production to Mexico.
We don't make files here in country any longer.

There ARE two other file makers about which I am curious, but I have not seen or used any of their products:

Tome Feteira / Tome Feteira, S.A., Apartado 1, 2431-909, Vieira de Leiria, Portugal / https://tomefeteira.com/ / files, rasps, saws / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...portuguese-tool-manufacturing-company.523659/ /

not sure if Empresa is actually a manufacturer or is outsourcing them:

Empresa Andina de Herramientes S.A., Cali, Colombia / files, rasps, edge tools / successor to Kearney & Foot of Paterson, NJ / suppliers to Atkins, Nicholson, Collins, Atila /

It was just a small joke, and I attempted to show that I knew of the company by mentioning that it's 225 years old.

 

[four.cycle]

I need to find somewhere that has the 12" at less than fantasy pricing.

Check Cripe Distributing. They have some old NOS US-made Nicholson. Be sure to check product descriptions for COO.
Do NOT order from Cripe through ebay.
Order from them directly from their website, and SIGN UP as a member so you can get the discount.
You will pay shipping costs, which get spendy on files really fast, so you want to STOCK UP on stuff when you order through them.

I got all my Pferd from a tool liquidator here probably 10 years ago. I don't think I paid more than $14 bucks for any one file.
I think most of the Pferds are still new. Not sure I have a 12-incher. I'll go look.

 

[four.cycle]

https://www.harryepstein.com/products/12-mill-*******-file

I have no clue where these are made. I have one in a box in the living room. Apparently I do not own a 12 inch Pferd. My only other 12 incher is a Mexican-made Nicholson that I've been abusing on lawnmowers.

The Mercer is still new, although it's got a wee bit of surface rust on it, which tells me I most likely bought it from Epstein's close-out pages. Cheap: $6 bucks.

12-inch Nicholson from Cripe - I think this was made by the outfit in Colombia:

Nicholson 03786 12" Flat Thai Special Cut File Colombia

Nicholson 03786 12 Inch Flat Thai Special Cut File Aeronca C23R4A

www.cripedistributing.com

12-inch U.S. Vermont American from Cripe:

https://www.cripedistributing.com/products/vermont-american-60119-12-mill-file-*******-single-cut

14-inch "Johnson" U.S. made:

https://www.cripedistributing.com/products/johnson-ft70212-14-mill-*******-file-usa

check Cripe and Epstein. I probably missed some. Distracted here multi-tasking while cooking dinner.

 

[Outlawmws]

The Cardinal #3 Speed Vise is done:

Well done Timm!

with a #3 model, is it safe to assume 3" wide jaws?

I picked up the 4" version (similar base with front and rear mounting holes) but its still in its original rusty patina... Been giving thought to getting it cleaned up the past week. I'll have to do some plate work as well...

 

[larry4406]

Yep. The file I trashed yesterday was a Crescent Nicholson, Made in Mexico. It did good duty until it met its better--weld spatter is hard.

We'll see how the Pferd compares. I need to find somewhere that has the 12" at less than fantasy pricing.

Not a 12", but here is an NOS USA Nicholson 10" Half Round ******* File for $17.95

https://www.harryepstein.com/products/nicholson-10-half-round-*******-file

 

[neophyte]

You recommend a horse? Just kidding. Horse seems like a strange name for a tool company even 225 years ago.

A Japanese high end plier manufacturer uses the brand name “Keiba”.

 

[neophyte]

https://www.harryepstein.com/products/12-mill-*******-file

I have no clue where these are made. I have one in a box in the living room. Apparently I do not own a 12 inch Pferd. My only other 12 incher is a Mexican-made Nicholson that I've been abusing on lawnmowers.

The Mercer is still new, although it's got a wee bit of surface rust on it, which tells me I most likely bought it from Epstein's close-out pages. Cheap: $6 bucks.

12-inch Nicholson from Cripe - I think this was made by the outfit in Colombia:

Nicholson 03786 12" Flat Thai Special Cut File Colombia

Nicholson 03786 12 Inch Flat Thai Special Cut File Aeronca C23R4A

www.cripedistributing.com

12-inch U.S. Vermont American from Cripe:

https://www.cripedistributing.com/products/vermont-american-60119-12-mill-file-*******-single-cut

14-inch "Johnson" U.S. made:

https://www.cripedistributing.com/products/johnson-ft70212-14-mill-*******-file-usa

check Cripe and Epstein. I probably missed some. Distracted here multi-tasking while cooking dinner.

There used to be dozens of file manufacturers in the USA.
Most I think got swallowed up into Nicholson or Simonds, or just stopped making files, and switched to other tools.
Philadelphia used to have I think half a dozen different manufacturers of files.

 

[Beerhippie]

Well done Timm!

with a #3 model, is it safe to assume 3" wide jaws?

I picked up the 4" version (similar base with front and rear mounting holes) but its still in its original rusty patina... Been giving thought to getting it cleaned up the past week. I'll have to do some plate work as well...

Yep, mine's the 3" model--but now it's a 3 1/2" vise! I figured the vise was strong enough to support the extra half-inch and it would be a LOT easier to grind the jaws smooth and flush if I had some clearance from the new paint--I also added 1/4" to the height.

 

[Midwest Shop Supply]

Just got this Reed 403 1/2 for $75 bucks on market place. Kinda bummed that when I got there it had a mounting hole busted and repaired. Not shown or mentioned in the add, but had just driven 45mins to get it. The “pin” came right out and the swivel moves a little. A little clean up and she should move nice. Pretty happy over all, I’m going to repair it better than what’s there now.

I make new pins for the Reed 403 1/2, here is a picture. If you would like a new one let me know. I have a website, but I know GJ doesn't like it when I post it because last time I did it I got banned lol

 

[Patrickm82]

I make new pins for the Reed 403 1/2, here is a picture. If you would like a new one let me know. I have a website, but I know GJ doesn't like it when I post it because last time I did it I got banned lol

Thanks for the offer, I already made a new one.

 

[Eric Brown]

I make new pins for the Reed 403 1/2, here is a picture. If you would like a new one let me know. I have a website, but I know GJ doesn't like it when I post it because last time I did it I got banned lol

Looks worthy of a restoration.

 

[Midwest Shop Supply]

Looks worthy of a restoration.

Yes, I am contemplating restoring this one. I'm just a bit torn between the original patina look and a restored look.

 

[Eric Brown]

Yes, I am contemplating restoring this one. I'm just a bit torn between the original patina look and a restored look.

it's a vise. Restoring it will preserve it for longer than trying to keep original patina. If you go to sell it, potential buyers will appreciate that it has been taken care of. The real question then is how you are doing the repair on that previously broken lug. If you make it invisible perhaps pictures of before and after would provide full disclosure.

 

[Midwest Shop Supply]

it's a vise. Restoring it will preserve it for longer than trying to keep original patina. If you go to sell it, potential buyers will appreciate that it has been taken care of. The real question then is how you are doing the repair on that previously broken lug. If you make it invisible perhaps pictures of before and after would provide full disclosure.

Yeah thats true, there isn't anything broken on the vise i've got pictured though. The only thing it was missing is the swivel jaw pin, which is what I manufactured.

 

[Midwest Shop Supply]

it's a vise. Restoring it will preserve it for longer than trying to keep original patina. If you go to sell it, potential buyers will appreciate that it has been taken care of. The real question then is how you are doing the repair on that previously broken lug. If you make it invisible perhaps pictures of before and after would provide full disclosure

it's a vise. Restoring it will preserve it for longer than trying to keep original patina. If you go to sell it, potential buyers will appreciate that it has been taken care of. The real question then is how you are doing the repair on that previously broken lug. If you make it invisible perhaps pictures of before and after would provide full disclosure.

Oh I think you probably intended to reply to PatrickM82, if that is the case, then yes I agree, it is all about how the repair of the broken foot is done.

 

[Beerhippie]

Yeah thats true, there isn't anything broken on the vise i've got pictured though. The only thing it was missing is the swivel jaw pin, which is what I manufactured.

As long as you keep it inside and dry, it ain't deteriorating any further. Do what you like, but do be aware some collectors will appreciate an original patina, esp. if it's the original paint.

At the least, I'd just give it a good wipe-down with light oil to stop any rust from condensation if it lives in an unconditioned space.

Mine had multiple layers of old paint, so it got stripped, rust removed and treated with BLO:

 

[Midwest Shop Supply]

As long as you keep it inside and dry, it ain't deteriorating any further. Do what you like, but do be aware some collectors will appreciate an original patina, esp. if it's the original paint.

At the least, I'd just give it a good wipe-down with light oil to stop any rust from condensation if it lives in an unconditioned space.

Mine had multiple layers of old paint, so it got stripped, rust removed and treated with BLO:

Yes, I really like the BLO finish! Great job on that! But yes, the fact that some collectors really prefer the original patina look is why i'm leaning strongly in favor of that look. It is always in a conditioned shop, so i'm not worried about it deteriorating anymore.

 

[Beerhippie]

@Midwest Shop Supply : You don't make swivel bases, too, by any chance?

Not that I ever use the swivel on my other vise....

 

[Midwest Shop Supply]

@Midwest Shop Supply : You don't make swivel bases, too, by any chance?

Not that I ever use the swivel on my other vise....

No I don't make swivel bases at this point, it is something I've give some thought to though. I just haven't been able to devote enough time working it out yet.

 

[Beerhippie]

Yes, I really like the BLO finish! Great job on that! But yes, the fact that some collectors really prefer the original patina look is why i'm leaning strongly in favor of that look. It is always in a conditioned shop, so i'm not worried about it deteriorating anymore.

Here's BLO over 158 years of "patina":

 

[Midwest Shop Supply]

Here's BLO over 140-odd years of "patina":

That is awesome! I've got an old Charles Parker that I'd like to do that too once i've got a new pipe jaw manufactured for it.

 

[Eric Brown]

Sorry, your right. I was looking at a different one.

 

[Patrickm82]

Sorry, your right. I was looking at a different one.

That one was mine. I am fixing it, probably have some progress pics this weekend. I don’t sell my vises so it won’t be an issue!