Wilton Vise History

[PghJKB]

Re: Estate sale vice purchase

I recently stopped in at an estate sale that I was passing buy and one of the things they had for sale was a new in box Wilton Flip Grip 2 4” vise, model number 594-2. I was interested in buying it but didn’t know much about it, so I did a little research on wether the price they were asking was good or not, and after seeing that used ones were being sold for more than what they were asking for this new one, I decided to buy it. Fast forward to this morning, and I stumbled across this thread while trying to do more research on the vise. After reading through this thread, I think I have come to the conclusion I bought a good vice, especially since I bought it for $40! (Hope I did at least lol!). Here are some pictures of the box unopened and still banded:

Ti4
Nice score on the Tiltin' Wilton

JKB

 

[69HemiGTX]

I don't really have much to add, but this thread made me curious about my bullet vise, so I pulled it apart to find its original color. Being that green is my favorite color, I was pleased to find the "hospital" hue hiding on mine. In order, the pics are as follows:

1 - Paint chips from inside one of the lock nuts
2 - Underside of the stationary jaw
3 - Underside of the dynamic jaw
4 - Underside of the swivel base
5 - Production date

Now if I could just get my other projects done first...

 

[shortykorte]

Just picked up this C1 yesterday. Like others, wondering about the age. I haven’t found a stamping on the bottom of the slide. Original colors appears to be a green similar to above.
Is there a color chart of any kind available? I have a couple of bullets and would like to go with factory color where possible.

 

[hitechneanderthol]

Autopts: The other (and more believable (to me) and probably more correct) theory is that they sold so few of them that they didn't change the bucks (for creating the molds) until they wore out. They were still mfged in the U.S., they were still mfged in Chicago, Ill, so why replace the bucks?
Makes more sense that packing, moving, storing ALL those extra castings... for 30+ years.

 

[PghJKB]

Autopts: The other (and more believable (to me) and probably more correct) theory is that they sold so few of them that they didn't change the bucks (for creating the molds) until they wore out. They were still mfged in the U.S., they were still mfged in Chicago, Ill, so why replace the bucks?
Makes more sense that packing, moving, storing ALL those extra castings.

What the buck???????????????

 

[hitechneanderthol]

Really?! My Wilton is stamped 4-46. So that means it was made in 1941 - their first year? Does anyone have an earlier stamp?

There is sooo much misinformation out there. People will easily/eagerly believe some false nugget but totally dismiss a bucket of truth.
Your date stamp of 4-46 means that your vise was made in 4-46. The 5 year warranty date stamping didn't start until the mid '50's and had "Guar. Exp." Stamped on the keyway followed by the date stamp.
2" and 2 1/2" bullets, for example, were still cast with "Chicago" into the '80's, well after Wilton moved to Schiller Park in 1957.
So, once again, some members are spreading false information to booste their own ego.

 

[AJ JACQMAIN]

I have an old #4 bullet vise...Pull out the movable jaw and flip it over and its stamped 3-43 on the 1/2'' key.. I assume it was made in 43 but some say the number stamped represents the 4 year warranty expiration unless that was something they came up with later on.Doesnt jive if they started in 41....Id be curious if anyone has any insights

 

[yarrum]

This appears to be a 1947 in 1941 or 1942 clothes due to the fish hooks. I am puzzled. Does anyone know if the 840 designation on dynamic jaw is 1941 02 1942 period correct? I do not think the second number after the 4 is a 3. Anyway, I took of the several layers of paint and loose rust without getting aggressive. All hardware is original and straight cut jaws are very good.

 

[yarrum]

Anybody? Looks like the topic died over a year ago.. lol probably just getting over the holidays.

 

[TheRealZeus]

Here is a link for the forum thread, for “Vises of Garage Journal,” Boss.

The VISES of Garage Journal

From da pubs. 📚 Sorry the capture is blurry. Jaw Width 1 7/8”

www.garagejournal.com

Vise info thread;

Vise Info Thread

Brown Valve and MFG Co. 7” Foot Operated Vise. Thanks PghJKB.

www.garagejournal.com

 

[TheRealZeus]

Search the forum for “vise info,” “Vise Part Swap,” “Wilton date stamping” for production dating procedures/clarification/info for their individual threads.
Rules usually at the front page of thread.

 

[neharr41]

This appears to be a 1947 in 1941 or 1942 clothes due to the fish hooks. I am puzzled. Does anyone know if the 840 designation on dynamic jaw is 1941 02 1942 period correct? I do not think the second number after the 4 is a 3. Anyway, I took of the several layers of paint and loose rust without getting aggressive. All hardware is original and straight cut jaws are very good.

Mind if I ask what paint color you used? I have a similar vintage Wilton that I'm considering restoring.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I do not think the second number after the 4 is a 3.

If you're asking about the date code on the slide, I am thinking it has to be "11-45", based on the other features, and that is the month and year it was made. There are a few other "11-45" bullets on the Wilton Dating Thread. The earliest date code recorded in the database spawned by that thread that GJer bluebolt was maintaining (I have a copy) is "1-945", which is interpreted as January 1945. They were date stamping from 1941 to 1944. There are vises with "3-945", "4-945," "5-945" and "6-945" stamps, and then in August they appear to have switched to a much more straightforward month-year stamp format, with "8-45", "9-45" etc on record, and after 1945, the same format throughout 1946 (e.g., "2-46," "3-46", etc) and like that into 1947 etc right through 1953.

EDIT: Summary of Wilton Vise dating linked here.

 

[fishwatcher]

This isn’t mine. Picture found on FB Marketplace.

This doesn’t look like a regular Wilton Cadet. The back of the static looks more like a Bullet, while the dynamic front and static body anvil looks like a Cadet.

Is anybody familiar with this seemingly hybrid variant?

 

[TheRealZeus]

Read one catalog that called it the “Horizontally Anchored Nut.” Here is the right piece… Yours pictured may not be original, but it is good enough if it works for now, tho.

 

[TheRealZeus]

More on pages 14-15 here.. I believe it is referred to as “end piece” as per this parts catalog.. included…

Wilton Catalog 110-B : Wilton Tool Manufacturing Co. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

36 p., illus., 27.5 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

 

[TheRealZeus]

*note; I recall one issue looking up info being that references may be found looking up both “9-150” & “9150,” along with any included search parameters e. g. ”Wilton Cadet,” for that particular model, as well.

 

[fishwatcher]

Read one catalog that called it.the “Horizontally Anchored Nut.” Here is the right piece… Yours pictured may not be original, but it is good enough if it works for now, tho.

This flat back end looks like all other Cadets I’ve seen, including the one I actually own.



The picture I shared in my post yesterday (with the round bullet end) is not mine, but sparked my interest as an odd variant.