Show us the vise you have broken!

[visedog]

Many of us have broken a vise by either hammering on it, or by using it as a press. It will be instructive to share our experience in this regard. I confess I have never broken a vise (but often came very close to doing so). Maybe I am not working too hard!

What has been your experience in vise-breaking? It will be interesting to know. Thanks in advance.

 

[sberry]

Been so long ago it's gone.

 

[outlawz2004]

I broke the jaw off a large cheap vice of mine. Not even cranking on it hard. I have an old Wilton that I have beat on hard and its taken all the abuse.

 

[countryroad82]

I'll have to get a pic but my old Kobalt vise had the misfortune of me trying to press or hold something while I was angry (don't remember what I was doing exactly) but the danged thing wasn't clamping good enough so I took a cheater bar and twisted on it and POW!!! The thing cracked. I laughed it off and proceeded to look for a replacement.

 

[visedog]

Thanks for the replies! Some pictures would be nice.

A related query: do the larger vises (like 6" or above) get broken more than the smaller ones? It looks like the larger ones may be subjected to more abuse than the smaller ones.

What do you think?

 

[WittHay]

I consider an English style 6" vise like the ones in the picture an average size vise.

I have never broken a vise of that size. The handle bends before you can damage the vise. Also they can withstand blows from a 3 to 4 lb hammer

 

[Sunset_Z28]

I broke an old jet vise that belonged to my grandpa a few months ago. Not even sure how I did it. I'm pretty sure it had a crack in it for some time and when I took it apart to paint it I hit it just right and this fell off. I hated to scrap it so I jb wells and drilled a hole for a bolt to lock it in place. It's pretty much only used for light duty stuff now.

 

[visedog]

I consider an English style 6" vise like the ones in the picture an average size vise.

I have never broken a vise of that size. The handle bends before you can damage the vise. Also they can withstand blows from a 3 to 4 lb hammer

Yes, Record vises do have that safety feature. A bent handle is easier to replace than trying to fix a broken vise!

 

[visedog]

I broke an old jet vise that belonged to my grandpa a few months ago. Not even sure how I did it. I'm pretty sure it had a crack in it for some time and when I took it apart to paint it I hit it just right and this fell off. I hated to scrap it so I jb wells and drilled a hole for a bolt to lock it in place. It's pretty much only used for light duty stuff now.

Thanks for sharing the pictures! Looks like it was dropped at some point in its life, leading to a hairline crack. Cast iron has poor impact strength, and heavier a vise is, the easier it can crack on being dropped to the concrete floor.

 

[Sunset_Z28]

Yeah, I figured either that or someone had the jaw extended pretty far out and beat on the top of it. Here it is now, hopefully it can stay together for years to come as long as I don't beat on it.

 

[visedog]

Found some pictures of broken Record vises (not mine). I wonder how they got broken, given the handle bending feature of Record vises:

 

[visedog]

This Record vise looks like its was used as a press:

 

[visedog]

Cheap Chinese made vises have ruined good brands like Record, Irwin, Yost, and Wilton. They seem to be made of molasses and sawdust

 

[countryroad82]

Here's the old Kobalt. I could probably fix it but I have the Wilton now so I really don't care. Stupid swivel on it never worked right anyway. Totally deserved what it got!!!

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[BDT/NWMN]

Here's the old Kobalt. I could probably fix it but I have the Wilton now so I really don't care. Stupid swivel on it never worked right anyway. Totally deserved what it got!!!



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How in the heck did You get that Kobalt vise drunk?

 

[countryroad82]

How in the heck did You get that Kobalt vise drunk?

Dude I'm that good . It involved a cheater pipe, that stupid swivel pi$$ing me off, and me trying to get something to hold in that stupid vise. I'll freely admit that thing was a better boat anchor than anything. Junk from the first day I brought it home.

 

[mervyn]

Well I can now add this to the long list of things I have broken. Was trying to get the swivel tightener thingy cranked down and guess I over tightened it.