Vintage Vice - Should I Buy

[Vespigi]

Hello Gents

My first post after lurking for a couple of years.......I read a thread here the other day stating that there are too many lurkers on Garage Journal.

I have the opportunity to make an offer on the vice below. The condition of the vice is a little rough. What should I set my top limit at? Is the make of vice a good quality one?

Cheers
Luigi

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[jallyn]

Welcome to the forum.

Look kind of interesting. I think to contribute to the forum you should at least let us know where you are located and what type of work you plan to do with said vise.

 

[Vespigi]

From South Africa. The vise will be for home garage / workshop and mostly for metal work. One of my hobbies is restoring / working on Italian scooters......vintage Vespas and Lambrettas. I currently use a smallish Record vise from the eighties but have been on the look out for something more vintage.


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[Maui]

That's a Woden vise. It should have "Made in England" cast in raised lettering on one side. The jaws do not look like they match correctly - I would ask if they have been repaired or replaced.

Maui

 

[drivesitfar]

Maui: unless he just added a picture the vise says Woden on it and their made in England vices are top notch.

VESPIGI: here's a little information about that vice. somebody hit it hard with a BFH (BIG FRIGGEN HAMMER) or dropped it because the one jaw support on the static side has busted off. that said it looks like the prior owner made a new longer jaw and it looks like it's working. since that missing cast is a valuable part as far as value I wouldn't pay more than $30 or $40 US, but you are in a TOTALLY different market. supply and demand.

do you have any old MADE IN ENGLAND OR USA made vises available? or some European vices are also made equally as well. if you like vintage that Woden might be made prior to 1960 and just not sure when. maybe the guys that have them and the folks in your side of the world can give you age and value.

also welcome to the forum and since you've been LURKING while I've been typing it's your turn to start a few threads on your garage, bikes or just because we'd all like to hear how things are in your part of the world. my son in law travels to your area a few times a year because his parents have a home there and he's in the travel business.

cheers

 

[Mark in Indiana]

Vespigi,

Welcome to the forum.

I'm concerned about the missing stationary jaw area that's suppose to be under the jaw face. Also the mis-matched jaw faces. Looks like it was beat with a sledge hammer. Below is a picture of how your vise should look like.

Value? Based on my experience, I wouldn't recommend giving more than $35.00.

Good luck on your search.

 

[2oolhound]

What is the width of the jaws?

If it's 4" or less I'd agree $30 is tops but a little more if it was bigger.

 

[Vespigi]

Evening Gents

Thank-you for the terrific feedback. I am glad that I posted on the forum as I would not have noticed that the vice was damaged and is missing a chunk under the fixed jaws. I suppose that is the advantage of using forums where you can tap into the combined knowledge of thousands of people. I am going to give the Woden a skip and carry on looking for a vintage vice.

We have a fair amount of English made machinery here but not much American. So my chances of finding a Wilton bullet vice are slim to none.

DRIVESITFAR : What part of South Africa is the house in that your son in law's parents own? And I'll start partaking in threads and work my way up to starting my own thread.


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[G-ManBart]

Vespigi,

Welcome to the forum.

I'm concerned about the missing stationary jaw area that's suppose to be under the jaw face. Also the mis-matched jaw faces. Looks like it was beat with a sledge hammer. Below is a picture of how your vise should look like.

Value? Based on my experience, I wouldn't recommend giving more than $35.00.

Good luck on your search.

If that's your Woden....very nice!

 

[Mark in Indiana]

G-man,
I wish it was mine. I just grabbed that picture off of Google to show how the vise should look.
I'm planning a trip to Canada later this summer. Hopefully, there will be some English iron available.

 

[CutterFarms]

Welcome, and if it's in the budget how can you go wrong with another vice? Good luck