Vise #5 Columbian Gyro Twins 72 ½ and 73 ½
(See post #41697, Page 2085 for my previous posting)
I bought these two vises several years ago because they came as a pair, were priced cheaper than the same ones sold individually, and had a novel mount and unique form. At the time they didn’t seem to command any price premium, or maybe the seller just underpriced them. In any case, they currently are fetching inexplicably high prices.
Researching them, it appears they were designed originally by the Will-Burt company in Ohio. The company still exists but specializes in mobile towers and extendible masts. I suspect that they sold the rights and patterns to Columbian and focused on the more profitable aspects of their business. That they sold everything lock, stock, and barrel is clear since the castings are identical. The only identifier marking them as Columbian is a decal mounted in an oval depression in the casting.
I was skeptical when I first set them up since the novel mount allows the vise to swivel about two axes, and locks its position only when the jaws are tightened. Remarkably, the locking mechanism (a lever cam) works wonderfully, and as much as I don’t like conventional swivel vises, these have proven to be very handy.
As you can see from the attached brochure, there were two jaw styles and several mounting options available. There were also detachable pipe jaws available which I have never seen. In many ways this design works well as an easily adjustable fixture clamp, and that is largely how I use it.
The two jaw styles, one similar to a sheet metal vise, are both deep and broad enough to clamp blocky shapes and plates. I suspect that these vises would be useful for carvers or moldmakers. I use the 73 ½ to hold parts for filing, deburring, and Dremel work.
One feature I truly like is the smooth jaw faces on both vises. I have stuck PSA’ed neoprene to the jaws from time to time on the 72 ½ which does a great job preventing scratches on finished surfaces.
Finally, the narrow width of the vise and the ability to lay it over on its side make it very useful on the drill press. I have a bolt pattern on my table to secure the base and use it frequently to clamp small parts for drilling.
. 
