This vise was just sitting on the ground, luckily covered in oil & grease so it is really rust free. I asked them if it was for sale and they said 'that old thing?' Said I could have it as it was heavy, dirty and just in the way.
Wilton Bullet Vise date stamping. show yours with or without EXP on slide
- Thread starter drivesitfar
- Start date
This vise was just sitting on the ground, luckily covered in oil & grease so it is really rust free. I asked them if it was for sale and they said 'that old thing?' Said I could have it as it was heavy, dirty and just in the way.
See my post a few posts above yours. Looks like the same Wilton No.4 made within months of each other. Looking at your pics, yours appears to be marked in the same place as mine, lower right side (looking from the front) below the static jaw and forward of the base. I'm jealous. Mine has no swivel base.
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Hey NorCa what's the jaw width?
Blue Frog
Well-known member
My latest acquisition - a 920 Baby Bullet.
Blue
Blue
looks like the one on eBay is 1945?
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/tls/5207385675.html
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/tls/5207385675.html
Maui
Well-known member
For those interested in searching through the actual patent #131,498 that Mr. Vogl was granted in March of 1942, it appears as a pdf file in this link:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...98.pdf&usg=AFQjCNGWNU7ioIVd4Cy75hXo9Tp7yYgkSw
It is very short and to the point, so it did not require the amount of time to put together that many patents do today. I will post the dates on my Wilton vises shortly.
Maui
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...98.pdf&usg=AFQjCNGWNU7ioIVd4Cy75hXo9Tp7yYgkSw
It is very short and to the point, so it did not require the amount of time to put together that many patents do today. I will post the dates on my Wilton vises shortly.
Maui
ZRX61
Well-known member
Someone just sold a 400N on facebook for $60....
Wildfire
Well-known member
TJay
Well-known member
My newly acquired Wilton.
No EXP on it, just says 6-945
No EXP on it, just says 6-945
OP
drivesitfar
Well-known member
BB: thanks again for keeping up with the database for all these Wilton bullets and cadets. Wildfire did mention a 3/46 stamp on his, but i agree that he should post more pictures of his Wilton if he has time to.
TJay: how wide is your Gramp's old Wilton bullet. we measure with the jaws shut across the top. i'm guessing 4 inches, but you might have something different. if you have time please post and more pictures if you have any.
TJay: how wide is your Gramp's old Wilton bullet. we measure with the jaws shut across the top. i'm guessing 4 inches, but you might have something different. if you have time please post and more pictures if you have any.
![photo_1[1].jpg](/forum/data/attachments/378/378913-b24a066af5b135a5bfa168bb6d6760d3.jpg)
![photo_2[1].jpg](/forum/data/attachments/378/378950-5df7dcc62ffabe71180c3f720b0b39a1.jpg)
ShadowRuleZ
Well-known member
This one is 5-46: http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/tls/5237004491.html
I know the seller and might be able to get more information if anyone needs it.
I know the seller and might be able to get more information if anyone needs it.
thejudges69
Well-known member
KMScott
Well-known member
That one is a oldie. 11-45 puts it back to 11-40. The straight serrations are first generation and was made before the tooling was set up for the 30 degree diamond serrations everyone sees now. Nice buy jjgag60. You earn a You **** on that treasure.
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TJay
Well-known member
Looks like it's 4" across, as assumed
Got a couple quick pics before work this morning
OP
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Judge: can't say i've got any $2,500 vises given to me so you did great there. you might want to clean and degrease that old Wilton C3. also i know you got it for free, but it's worth about $1200 as is so think about that when you get ready to hit it with a sledge or put a pipe on the handle.
TJay: nice mounting job. did you grease it? that vise should last you 50 years with a cleaning and greasing every few years. also a good thing to do on those bullet vises is to throw an oily rag on the slide if you are cutting anything in it's jaws to keep the **** and debris out of the inside of the vise.
Kev: pretty sure Bluebolt and this thread has determined that the 1941 though 1945 bullet vises were not stamped and sold to the government for the most part. the first stamped ones were in 1945 with actual dates when Wilton lost it's government contract and started selling vises to the public. then Bluebolt can chime in with his information on the first EXP or GUAR stamps that were stamped 5 years forward.
then Wilton stopped the 5 year stamping when vises were maybe sitting on the shelf longer before selling or whatever and the stamps now are of actual date again.
TJay: nice mounting job. did you grease it? that vise should last you 50 years with a cleaning and greasing every few years. also a good thing to do on those bullet vises is to throw an oily rag on the slide if you are cutting anything in it's jaws to keep the **** and debris out of the inside of the vise.
Kev: pretty sure Bluebolt and this thread has determined that the 1941 though 1945 bullet vises were not stamped and sold to the government for the most part. the first stamped ones were in 1945 with actual dates when Wilton lost it's government contract and started selling vises to the public. then Bluebolt can chime in with his information on the first EXP or GUAR stamps that were stamped 5 years forward.
then Wilton stopped the 5 year stamping when vises were maybe sitting on the shelf longer before selling or whatever and the stamps now are of actual date again.
thejudges69
Well-known member
I don't abuse it, I use it for what it's meant for. And we don't put pipes on the handle. My shop will be done in a couple months. I'll probably clean it up then and remount jt and continue to use it. I use the anvil on the back a lot also. Oh and it wasn't technically given to me, the plant I was loading at was closing and had about 20 vises inside and the disgruntled employ said sure buddy take whichever one you want so I took the biggest one in there.
Since Drivesitfar brang it up again yes the dates for BULLETS And C-series vises appear to go like this so far. I am not discussing Cadet's at this time because their changing length of guarantee on the early years and it confuses things. This is a sampling ov over 200 vises.
1941-1944: US gov't vises no stamp. Over 30 vises like this.
1945: first stamped vises date from 1-945 to 6-945 with a 3 digit year code.
1945-1953: vise with 2 digit year code found 8-45 which the stamp appears this way up to 12-53.
1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959. No bullets so far with any of these years stamped UNLESS they have GUAR EXP stamped also (some GUAR EXP 12-31-1959 vises).
GUAR EXP BULLET vises have date stampings so far from 12-31-1959 to 12-31-1964. Twertsy has a GUAR EXP vise with a 12-30-66 but this does not line up with the other ones and may be a miss-stamp.
Vise stampings that don't have GUAR EXP stamped show up with dates of 6-30-60 and after.
1941-1944: US gov't vises no stamp. Over 30 vises like this.
1945: first stamped vises date from 1-945 to 6-945 with a 3 digit year code.
1945-1953: vise with 2 digit year code found 8-45 which the stamp appears this way up to 12-53.
1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959. No bullets so far with any of these years stamped UNLESS they have GUAR EXP stamped also (some GUAR EXP 12-31-1959 vises).
GUAR EXP BULLET vises have date stampings so far from 12-31-1959 to 12-31-1964. Twertsy has a GUAR EXP vise with a 12-30-66 but this does not line up with the other ones and may be a miss-stamp.
Vise stampings that don't have GUAR EXP stamped show up with dates of 6-30-60 and after.
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OP
drivesitfar
Well-known member
BB: thanks for the 411 and again for keeping all the stats on all of these Wilton bullets and cadets.
We might not ever know for certain, but i think we are getting a good idea now.
We might not ever know for certain, but i think we are getting a good idea now.
Wildfire
Well-known member
No 4 Wilton bullet, as bought from an antique store.
Date stamp is 3-46
Color is now rustoleum satin moss green.
Straight line serrations on the jaws.
Not sure if this is going to be a working vise or a display in my office vise. Probably a little too rough for display.
The jaw screws were goobered up, so I replaced those with socket cap screws. While not fillisters like the original, they work pretty well.
I'm not happy with the replacement machine screws for the locking collar. too shiney and combo straight/phillips will keep looking around for something that looks right.
As soon as I find my white paint pen, I'll highlight the lettering.
(and I got all those beer can crushed too! - busy weekend!)
Date stamp is 3-46
Color is now rustoleum satin moss green.
Straight line serrations on the jaws.
Not sure if this is going to be a working vise or a display in my office vise. Probably a little too rough for display.
The jaw screws were goobered up, so I replaced those with socket cap screws. While not fillisters like the original, they work pretty well.
I'm not happy with the replacement machine screws for the locking collar. too shiney and combo straight/phillips will keep looking around for something that looks right.
As soon as I find my white paint pen, I'll highlight the lettering.
(and I got all those beer can crushed too! - busy weekend!)
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beltdrive
Well-known member
It should be added that I have in my possession several bullets with PAT PEND lettering that have no date stamp (presumably early than 1945) and several with PAT PEND lettering and date codes indicating 1945. I have not seen the pat pend lettering past 1945. I also just acquired two number 4 bullets to add to my ever growing collection...they both have pat pend lettering and 1945 date codes.
OP
drivesitfar
Well-known member
BD: sounds like you have a few old Wiltons. any chance you can post up a couple pictures of each vise so we can add them to the data? the patent pending vises we all thought were made in 1940 to 1941 while Wilton was waiting for a patent. since they probably had some in inventory after the government cancelled their contract our best guess is that Wilton started selling all their inventory with actual date stamps on them.
Wilton almost went bankrupt according to some documentation that was found and i think posted earlier in this thread just after WWII so that's when they started stamp dating their vises.
good luck putting a handle on that vise for vises you have too.
Wilton almost went bankrupt according to some documentation that was found and i think posted earlier in this thread just after WWII so that's when they started stamp dating their vises.
good luck putting a handle on that vise for vises you have too.
bagged89s10
Well-known member
Here is a 5" Chicago Wilton with no date on the slide. I figure I'll post a picture before the buyer picks it up today.
McBrownie
Well-known member
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You're totally right...after some light cleaning it does read 9400 vs 8400. Good eye
duaneknapik
Member
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2015
- Messages
- 7
OP
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Duane: thanks for posting your old Wilton.
SS: picture would help and to post pics i use the paperclip just above where you are writing your posts. Im guessing you have a 1945 stamped vise like Duane just posted and usually stamps are just #'s with some having guar or exp.
SS: picture would help and to post pics i use the paperclip just above where you are writing your posts. Im guessing you have a 1945 stamped vise like Duane just posted and usually stamps are just #'s with some having guar or exp.
va.grouseman
Well-known member
Here's a couple I'll add to the hoard of Wiltons represented here.
Acme Wiltons on next post.
Acme Wiltons on next post.
va.grouseman
Well-known member
Acme Wiltons.---Both have same date stamp.
I had already put one of the Acmes date stamp on an earlier post.---Here is the first and the latest together.---I'm wondering if Acmes were just made that one year.
I love this thread.
I had already put one of the Acmes date stamp on an earlier post.---Here is the first and the latest together.---I'm wondering if Acmes were just made that one year.
I love this thread.
Acme Wiltons.---Both have same date stamp.
I had already put one of the Acmes date stamp on an earlier post.---Here is the first and the latest together.---I'm wondering if Acmes were just made that one year.
I love this thread.
Are both 4.5" wide jaws?
And no Garageguy54's has a 1950 date. His is a 4" wide jaw. http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4766065&postcount=27607
va.grouseman
Well-known member
Yea Blue.---Both are 4 1/2''.---Identical vises.
Both are 39.8 lbs.
Thanks Blue.---Now I know they made them for at least 3 years.
Both are 39.8 lbs.
Thanks Blue.---Now I know they made them for at least 3 years.
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Found another Acme vise hiding in the giant vise thread. 11-49 date code. No jaw width noted but it has No 4 and 135 on the swivel base. 4" wide jaws? http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1015652&postcount=659
There are also 4 Acme's that sold on Ebay recently, one of VA's 4.5" and two others both with 4" wide jaws one of which has an 11-49 date. The 4th Acme is not a bullet but was I believe an even earlier one with an oval slide. Dodge maybe?
There are also 4 Acme's that sold on Ebay recently, one of VA's 4.5" and two others both with 4" wide jaws one of which has an 11-49 date. The 4th Acme is not a bullet but was I believe an even earlier one with an oval slide. Dodge maybe?
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I bet that should read 6 30 65. That one was likely made in 1965. Waiting on pics!