The VISES of Garage Journal

[micahd1997]

A couple pieces of Prentiss paper I received this past week…interested to see if my fellow members have anything similar:

The first is a May 5th, 1906 letterhead to the Cox & Sons Company of Philadelphia, PA, manufacturers of steam engines and gas-fitters’s tools. The letterhead is a response to Cox regarding the price of six Prentiss’ № 5, 6” jaw, stationary vises.

The second is a May 31st, 1901 billhead listing $76.15 of various supplies purchased from A. F. Brombacher & Company of NYC, NY by a buyer whose cursive name my untrained eyes believe to read: “John J Horan - Custodian - Appellate Division, Supreme Court, 1st Div). The purchases listed do not include any vises, but the presence of Prentiss vise depiction on the billhead no doubt implies that Brombacher was a distributor.

 

[chargedmr2]

Picked up this “Record No. 6” vise a couple days ago. Under all the grease and grime, I found a Starrett 926. Not too bad for 250. Can’t wait to get this mounted.

 

[RTM]

Picked up this “Record No. 6” vise a couple days ago. Under all the grease and grime, I found a Starrett 926. Not too bad for 250. Can’t wait to get this mounted.

I like how it says Doxxx Not Sell on it. Wonder if there is a Record hiding somewhere, looking for it’s mate?

 

[chargedmr2]

I like how it says Doxxx Not Sell on it. Wonder if there is a Record hiding somewhere, looking for it’s mate?

lol, I think this was a post divorce sale, and the gentleman was making sure it wasn’t sold off (at least until he eventually sold it to me, of course).

 

[INSP380]

Wrapped this one up tonight…. Wilton 9300N 3” on it’s original Powrarm. It’s key has a Guar 12-31-60 stamping and it’s a Chicago 14. I’ve know the history of this one for at least forty years…… other then being painted a few times it remained in stellar condition. First time spraying this color, I think it fits this vise quite well. Hope you all enjoy.

Steve

 

[colmal]

I've been doing 12 vices at the same time, clean/degrease into the molasses, dremel wire brush and steel wool when derusted, it's been kinda fun,'OOH I need a bolt with a chamfer'- like a jigsaw puzzle with 12 vices ready to put back together- pretty simple when it's all said and done thou.

LocK Tools, Victoria, Australia, bought by Siddons (Sidchrome) at some stage who carried the name over into some 50's/60's wrenches.

A Lock Tools shifter and Siddons Lock tools with the pipe vice.



Just a derust, depaint, nothing flash just trying to keep some of the original paint.

Have noticed the shifter and pipe vice is a similar/same design as the Reed of the same era and a few other USA made examples, if other US makers can copy them why not Aussies ?

Unless Reed was selling the blueprints or had a interest in the AU company ?

 

[Beerhippie]

Have noticed the shifter and pipe vice

What would a "shifter" be in the US?

 

[colmal]

What would a "shifter" be in the US?

Adjustable wrench ?

 

[four.cycle]

US = "Adjustable Wrench" aka "Crescent Wrench"
UK = "Adjustable Spanner" aka "Shifter"
Australia = "Adjustable Spanner" aka "Shifter"
Eastern Europe/Russia = "Key"

Nomenclature thread

(I've always been particularly fond of "schraubenschlussel" and "skiftkenokkel" myself.)

 

[Beerhippie]

And here I've been taught that 'Strine for "adjustable wrench" was "nut-fugger".

 

[CRSINMICH]

The basic idea for pipe vises has been around for a long time.
It seems that nearly every manufacturer produced one like it.

​

 

[colmal]

The basic idea for pipe vises has been around for a long time.
It seems that nearly every manufacturer produced one like it.

​

Yes, and I would buy this, but not paying $329 postage.

ARMSTRONG MFG Co #2 PIPE VISE LARGE RARE 1882​

I could have been more specific thou- The Lock Tools is an exact copy of the Reed, including the Pipe bender and sizes it will fit -

GRIPS 1/8" - 2-1/2" BENDS 1/8”-3/4"​

​

 

[CRSINMICH]

The 1882 Vandergrift pipe vise patent was assigned to Frank Armstrong of Armstrong Manufacturing Company.



That $329 postage is not looking quite so bad now, eh?​

 

[CRSINMICH]

As an illustration of how vise information can get tangled (and mangled):
Armstrong Manufacturing and Armstrong Brothers are not related.
However, they both produced pipe vises and pipe wrenches (shifters).

colmal: The shifter in your LOCK vice photo looks like one of the Armstrong Brothers wrenches.
​

​

 

[Andy FitzGibbon]

Very likely that a lot of those manufacturers were producing tools for one another. Like how Ridgid made pipe wrenches for Craftsman.

 

[neophyte]

Armstrong Manufacturing of Bridgeport, CT built what was possibly the world’s first hybrid gas electric car, back in 1896, as contract work for the designer, Harry E. Dey.
The prototype remained at Armstrong manufacturing for some reason, till a worker took it home in the 1960s.

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/perhaps-the-worlds-first-hybrid-an-1896-armstrong-sells-for-483400-at-amelia-island/

 

[DDOPWD23]

Hi, first time posting on this thread and it is quite a lot of pages filled with a lot of great information. I am looking for some help since a bench vise is not something I have researched a lot. I have two 4” vises of the same vintage age. One is a swivel base Yost and the other is a static base Columbian.

If you had to choose which one which would you choose and why?

Below is the only picture I currently have of the two of them as I am not home.

Thanks.

 

[Beerhippie]

Hi, first time posting on this thread and it is quite a lot of pages filled with a lot of great information. I am looking for some help since a bench vise is not something I have researched a lot. I have two 4” vises of the same vintage age. One is a swivel base Yost and the other is a static base Columbian.

If you had to choose which one which would you choose and why?

Below is the only picture I currently have of the two of them as I am not home.

Thanks.

It largely depends on where and how you intend to mount them. If you have a post-mount, then a swivel is pretty much irrelevant. Same goes for mounted on the corner of a bench. Mounted in the middle of a bench, swivel-base might come in handy.

If either has pipe jaws, those come in pretty handy for what I do.

 

[CRSINMICH]

If you had to choose which one which would you choose and why?

Welcome. I'm partial to Yost myself but there have been few complaints about Columbians. Beerhippie was right. It depends on how you plan to use them. If you have followed this thread you'd know that the real response would be, "Keep them both".

 

[Patrickm82]

Keep both! You can never have to many vices.

 

[DDOPWD23]

It largely depends on where and how you intend to mount them. If you have a post-mount, then a swivel is pretty much irrelevant. Same goes for mounted on the corner of a bench. Mounted in the middle of a bench, swivel-base might come in handy.

If either has pipe jaws, those come in pretty handy for what I do.

Unfortunately neither of them have pipe jaws, horn or anvil section.

I mostly do home automotive restorations, VTG machinery restoration and whatever else around the house my wife wants.

I do have a 3” that has pipe jaws, horn/anvil and that was my grandfathers that my dad had used and now I have it. Unfortunately I can’t mount it anywhere at the moment.

The plan was to move and I was going to get the shop I wanted but things change and now I’m stuck in a small shop. Surrounded by all the machines and tools I had at my dad’s shop but he no longer has it since he is retired.

Room in my shop is the most important thing right now and as I would love to keep all the tools I have I am running out of room.

 

[Beerhippie]

For a small shop, a portable vise stand is hard to beat.



Being able to take it outside in good weather to keep grinding, etc, crud out with the rest of the dirt is nice.

For a fixed location, a bench corner is my favorite:



A receiver hitch mount is another good idea:



You can buy the receiver tube and make mounts in various places around the shop. Or just get a classic Vanagon to mount it on.

 

[M.Brane]

I have one of those generic Asian double swivel vises mounted to my smaller B&D Workmate. Easily moved around, and pretty stable for most work. My little Korean 3" vise is on the corner of the Craftsman workbench in the garage. My 1932 Reed 204 gets moved around wherever it's needed, and clamped down mostly to the weld table. Eventually I'll build a bench for it that's worthy. It's a family heirloom after all. Grampa bought it brand new, and brought it out here from PA in the late 40s.

 

[colmal]

Welcome. I'm partial to Yost myself but there have been few complaints about Columbians. Beerhippie was right. It depends on how you plan to use them. If you have followed this thread you'd know that the real response would be, "Keep them both".

This is the correct answer

I went down another rabbit hole last night researching a Record No 0, which arrived yesterday ( early 1923,as far as I can speculate, no Made In England or access holes in the base to drive the pin out which was dumb and they changed that for following examples)


I've finished Pipe vice month which followed drill press month, currently in a Record month, and ended up adding another vice to my bucket list.

Comet, Copy of record Imp, same as my Rapier,which means what ? who made the Comet ? know who made the rapier or thought I did, more questions, I don't know nothing now-

 

[CRSINMICH]

colmal: Here is a cut from a 1930 catalogue showing the IMP. It also includes the patent number (In my head I read that with a long "A" sound). It may help with researching IMP clones. Good luck!

​

 

[colmal]

colmal: Here is a cut from a 1930 catalogue showing the IMP. It also includes the patent number (In my head I read that with a long "A" sound). It may help with researching IMP clones. Good luck!

​

Thankyou @CRSINMICH - I'll have a look and venture down that path as well

LOL, this set me down the Comet path, had a look and hmmm, found 3 in a few hours, which is 2 more references than I've found with the Rapier vice in 2 years.



Did find a reference to Rapier having a vice at the 1950 Brit trade fair, and it looks more of of a mid 40's copy, assuming the Comet is the same era-wonder if record made them and slapped different manufacturers names on them ? as Rapier (Anglo-Scottish tool company- short lived 1940's- 50's)) was more into the planes/wood working tools. (i Had more/or better info at least a year ago on here,

There was a Comet, Sheffield, England tool manufactures as well- Screwdrivers/hand braces and assuming other stuff, not sure if the same company.

Had a little thought last night to add a similar Paramo A-one vice as well- probably on my list already come to think of it-Haven't seen any Paramos in Oz thou.

I'm sure the Brits that venture here would know a lot more and yes I'm hoping to hear from them

Edit- Oh yeah, have a Record 70 arriving soon, was a little interested if a good example popped up and when I saw one for $9 thought why not. Don't know anything about them or have forgotten, they are more recent is all I know-still made in England. And a late 50's on Imp arrived a few weeks ago, already had a mid 40's Imp,oh and a (1930's ) Record 50 as I said been a Record month, wasn't really looking for any more vices, they just kinda appeared., and the 74 of course a month ago.LOL and a small pipe/chain vice-



AH Edit no 2, wasn't going to post the 70 till it arrived as it looks damn close to a Fabrex 424 and wanted to compare them in person.if so assuming post 1960 ish ?

Hmmm, edit no 3- Fabrex was bought out by Record in the late 50's/early 60's I think and maybe sold them as their budget line for a few years

 

[CRSINMICH]

colmol: For purposes of comparison... From 1962

​

 

[colmal]

colmol: For purposes of comparison... From 1962

​

Yes, like them, but won't be buying any unless they are reasonably priced and already in Oz, England postage is ridiculous, $50 AUD for a Imp or similar plus $230 postage,

US is good, bought these 2 sets recently for $39 US + $22 US postage, I'll sell one set, may even make a little on it and left with one free set. ( another rabbit hole, wanted them for a (Sidchrome Proto wall cabinet)

These 2 sets are half the weight of an Imp, postage for a Paramo from the US may be OK then-

 

[Farmall450]

A Wilton 350 followed me home. Free.99, but no swivel base. Pics coming soon!

 

[Farmall450]

Wrapped this one up tonight…. Wilton 9300N 3” on it’s original Powrarm. It’s key has a Guar 12-31-60 stamping and it’s a Chicago 14. I’ve know the history of this one for at least forty years…… other then being painted a few times it remained in stellar condition. First time spraying this color, I think it fits this vise quite well. Hope you all enjoy.

Steve

Stunning vise!

 

[Shiftless]

A Wilton 350 followed me home. Free.99, but no swivel base. Pics coming soon!

The words Wilton 350 and free are rarely seen in the same sentence. Congrats on the find. You ****!

 

[JustVicingIt]

On a road trip so didn’t spend time opening it to check the date. Missing the swivel base but for $35, yeah I think I will buy it

 

[Shiftless]

On a road trip so didn’t spend time opening it to check the date. Missing the swivel base but for $35, yeah I think I will buy it

I can only imagine the excitement going through your brain when you saw a 4 inch bullet in what looks to be decent shape (under that surface rust) priced at ONLY 35 bucks. I bet it was hard to stay calm and not show too much excitement as you pulled $35 out of your wallet.
Was that a garage sale or ??

 

[Patrickm82]

On a road trip so didn’t spend time opening it to check the date. Missing the swivel base but for $35, yeah I think I will buy it

Hell yeah!! You ****!! They always strike in 3’s. Who’s going to get the 3rd free or pretty much free Wilton?

 

[Patrickm82]

A Wilton 350 followed me home. Free.99, but no swivel base. Pics coming soon!

FREE! you **** big time!! Farmall

 

[JustVicingIt]

It was an antique mall surprisingly

 

[INSP380]

Stunning vise!

Thank you!!!

 

[ranger08]

This is the correct answer

I went down another rabbit hole last night researching a Record No 0, which arrived yesterday ( early 1923,as far as I can speculate, no Made In England or access holes in the base to drive the pin out which was dumb and they changed that for following examples)


I've finished Pipe vice month which followed drill press month, currently in a Record month, and ended up adding another vice to my bucket list.

Comet, Copy of record Imp, same as my Rapier,which means what ? who made the Comet ? know who made the rapier or thought I did, more questions, I don't know nothing now-

I seem to recall comet was English and was a second tier line for Woden, not 100% on that but it’s buried somewhere in my back on my mind

 

[colmal]

I seem to recall comet was English and was a second tier line for Woden, not 100% on that but it’s buried somewhere in my back on my mind

Thankyou, I'll be hunting down Woden catalogues tonight now.

 

[ranger08]

Here is my one, I recall someone had a screwdriver made by comet, definitely English tool maker around 50 an 60s copying the imp in this case, might of been wrong with Woden, however that weren’t that many foundaries around then