The VISES of Garage Journal

[Shiftless]

Hey Mayer:
Here is a pic of the top of my paint can. It’s Benjamin Moore.

I don’t know if this is a company universal code or a record of one particular dealer’s color match process. I’m afraid it is the latter.

Here is a standard color, misted green, from their palette that I almost selected instead of having them custom match my old vise.

 

[RagTopTA]

You did good cleaning off that black paint to reveal the old patina.

I use acetone too. It works very quickly but you have to be careful. It’s extremely flammable and you better either use it outdoors or have excellent ventilation like maybe working right inside an open garage door or inside a garage with doors open and a fan. Here is a quote from part of the MSDS for

ACETONE

INHALATION: Harmful by inhalation. Vapours may cause drowsiness and dizziness. Inhalation of high vapour concentrations can cause CNS-depression and narcosis. Severe overexposure may produce more serious symptoms, including coma and risk of kidney damage.

Add to that list blowing up your garage and setting your house on fire.

I have been around it and used it at work for 25 years so Im pretty used to the precautions. I use it from a squirt bottle in my garage. Little bit at a time.

 

[RagTopTA]

Heres the two vises I found this weekend as reported in the Garage sale thread. One, the Craftsman, I had to buy the entire bench to get it. The Wilton was a lucky string of events that lead me to it.

Craftsman 5180

Wilton bullet 10-46

 

[Shiftless]

RagTop:

That 940 bullet for only $50 is a totally “you ****” deal.

The Craftsman is a great addition to anybody’s collection.

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Heres the two vises I found this weekend as reported in the Garage sale thread. One, the Craftsman, I had to buy the entire bench to get it. The Wilton was a lucky string of events that lead me to it.

Craftsman 5180

Wilton bullet 10-46

Congrats RagTop! A long C Craftsman by Reed and a '46 Wilton Bullet. You double ****!!

 

[RagTopTA]

RagTop:

That 940 bullet for only $50 is a totally “you ****” deal.

The Craftsman is a great addition to anybody’s collection.

Thanks! funny thing, my dads best buddy that has a huge shop and works on the model A's with us has the same bday! So I'm going to fix it up make a stand and present it to him for his shop : )

Congrats RagTop! A long C Craftsman by Reed and a '46 Wilton Bullet. You double ****!!

Thanks! This Craftsman is really growing on me! I like it alot

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Thanks! funny thing, my dads best buddy that has a huge shop and works on the model A's with us has the same bday! So I'm going to fix it up make a stand and present it to him for his shop : )
...

When was that long C Craftsman vise made cause that's my birthday! Just sayin'. I'll be visiting DFW soon iffen you're looking to stop by!

Seriously though, that's really nice of you to do RagTop!

 

[bluebolt]

I am still trying to find out what catalog (Sears big book or Craftsman catalog) and year this picture is. But judging by the Underlined Craftsman logo AND the Samson vise on the same page I think it is right around 1930. FINALLY a catalog page for the mysterious 5241 and the 5222 is probably real close in years.

 

[PghJKB]

I am still trying to find out what catalog (Sears big book or Craftsman catalog) and year this picture is. But judging by the Underlined Craftsman logo AND the Samson vise on the same page I think it is right around 1930. FINALLY a catalog page for the mysterious 5241 and the 5222 is probably real close in years.

Bluebolt
Your estimate is very close, 1930 would be a little early.

E.W. Fulton patented the "Cylinder Jaws" shown in the upper drawing in 1932 (patent #1890114). The manufacturer of the 5241 would have had to have licensed the jaws from Fulton or I.N.T. (International NuTyp Tool) Corporation.

Perhaps Fulton's I.N.T manufactured these vises? Which, for me, would be incredibly cool.

EW seems to be rather deeply involved in the vise world during this period of time. The octopus with tentacles everywhere.

JKB

 

[zoomieport]

1936 Sears catalog...

 

[Asport]

1936 Sears catalog...

Not one but a shelf of unicorns! Some peoples collections never cease to amaze me! Awesome Zoomie!

 

[kenc184]

There's a good one for Smitty on C.L. locally. A Prentiss 57 - all 220lbs of it. Trouble is the jaws would need some work. Not sure if a supplemental jaw has been welded onto the cast in jaws on one side or what?
I'd go look myself but have too much on this week.

Looks pretty good apart from the jaws. Probably cheap too "offers".

 

[RagTopTA]

When was that long C Craftsman vise made cause that's my birthday! Just sayin'. I'll be visiting DFW soon iffen you're looking to stop by!

Seriously though, that's really nice of you to do RagTop!

hahah thanks!! He helped us chop the top on my dads coupe so least I could do. Hes a great fabricator and hot rod builder. when ya gonna be in DFW ?

 

[Smitty]

There's a good one for Smitty on C.L. locally. A Prentiss 57 - all 220lbs of it. Trouble is the jaws would need some work. Not sure if a supplemental jaw has been welded onto the cast in jaws on one side or what?
I'd go look myself but have too much on this week.

Looks pretty good apart from the jaws. Probably cheap too "offers".

Unfortunately it’s a bit outside of my area otherwise I’d be all over it.

 

[bigpapaporsche]

I am new here be kind. Loved all the Vice pictures and stories. There must be something wrong with people that enjoy stuff like this. When we moved into out existing house 1 1/2 years ago, I found this strange looking Vice laying on the floor. I wasn't exactly sure what it's use was, but I knew I like it. For those who don't know, it is a Leg Vice. These thing are made to be Beat ON, many are very old, dating back to the late 1800s! Blacksmith and other Metal Workers can't get enough of them. I made the Stand/Tool Holder.

 

[chrisnazzy]

1936 Sears catalog...

Zoomie

Your vise collection is impressive in both scale and awesomeness!

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[Smitty]

Can anybody identify this?


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[RBarnes]

Can anybody identify this?


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It is used to castrate Elephants. No seriously does it hinge at the bottom?

 

[Smitty]

Yes and it’s made of cast iron. It says Niagara on the base with an anchor logo.

 

[RBarnes]

Yes and it’s made of cast iron. It says Niagara on the base with an anchor logo.

Seems like it would be used to hold something, wonder if it is related to blacksmithing? Almost looks like something one could slide under and use to lift a heavy manhole cover or similar plate?


Slow on the board today so I guess instead of "show and tell" this is "what the hell". Anyone know what this went to? It is bigger/heavier than it looks in the photos.

 

[kenc184]

I am new here be kind. Loved all the Vice pictures and stories. There must be something wrong with people that enjoy stuff like this. When we moved into out existing house 1 1/2 years ago, I found this strange looking Vice laying on the floor. I wasn't exactly sure what it's use was, but I knew I like it. For those who don't know, it is a Leg Vice. These thing are made to be Beat ON, many are very old, dating back to the late 1800s! Blacksmith and other Metal Workers can't get enough of them. I made the Stand/Tool Holder.

That's a good looking stand - and leg vise. What's the jaw width on the vise - or the marked "poundage" on the jaw?

 

[moto_ridah]

Can anybody identify this?


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Was originally thinking shear but with some google-fu it looks like it is actually a tin roof crimper.

Edit... also seen hits for crimping tongs and seamer.


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[gman007]

I am new here be kind. Loved all the Vice pictures and stories. There must be something wrong with people that enjoy stuff like this. When we moved into out existing house 1 1/2 years ago, I found this strange looking Vice laying on the floor. I wasn't exactly sure what it's use was, but I knew I like it. For those who don't know, it is a Leg Vice. These thing are made to be Beat ON, many are very old, dating back to the late 1800s! Blacksmith and other Metal Workers can't get enough of them. I made the Stand/Tool Holder.

Big
Welcome to the GJ. That is a good looking leg vise! I really like the stand that you made, nicely done

Now unless you are British, Australian, etc you get GJ demerit points for spelling a viSe with C

Finally while leg vises might not be as popular as bench vises, there are a fair number of the members who collect and like them as much as bench vises.

 

[RBarnes]

Thought I had better post something on here related to vises. My dream of original green paint under the heavy black paint was short lived when I started removing paint. This vise had been painted 5 times, with just a little of the what looks to be original grey as the very bottom coat!

Chicago with 1947 warranty date, I appreciate the Wilton vises made during the WWII years. Noticed similar vise posted by Ragtop TA yesterday, with 1946 date, his has the acorn nuts on the swivel, but not the bars that run through the nuts to adjust them. Guessing they changed that sometime during the 1946 warranty dates?

 

[Smitty]

Was originally thinking shear but with some google-fu it looks like it is actually a tin roof crimper.

Edit... also seen hits for crimping tongs and seamer.


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Thanks for the input, I appreciate it.

 

[gman007]

Thought I had better post something on here related to vises. My dream of original green paint under the heavy black paint was short lived when I started removing paint. This vise had been painted 5 times, with just a little of the what looks to be original grey as the very bottom coat!

Chicago with 1947 warranty date, I appreciate the Wilton vises made during the WWII years. Noticed similar vise posted by Ragtop TA yesterday, with 1946 date, his has the acorn nuts on the swivel, but not the bars that run through the nuts to adjust them. Guessing they changed that sometime during the 1946 warranty dates?

RB
I believe you are correct about the acorn to swivel arm transition.

I have a patent Pending Wilton bullet that has no date stamp which I presume is from around 1942-45 (possibly made for US military ? ) that has acorn nuts as well. I am guessing that this feature like the straight horizontal serrated jaw inserts were also copied from York. But I suppose to be more compatible with other American vise brands the acorn nut was replaced by the swivel arm and the jaw inserts went from the straight horizontal serrated to hash/diamond serrated configuration.

 

[Shiftless]

So is there a consensus of opinion that the earliest bullet vises were some shade of gray? And not the dusty grayish sage color?

Anybody have a sample of the gray?

I am considering painting my 3HD model that bears a date code of 5 46

The current paint has no other layers underneath so my first guess was that meant it was original paint. But the matching color paint in all the dents of the handle implies that the vise saw hard use prior to being carelessly respirated that off white color you now see.

I can’t speak to the question about acorn nuts because when I bought this vise from a fellow it had no base.

What do you guys think about this???
.
.

 

[gman007]

So is there a consensus of opinion that the earliest bullet vises were some shade of gray? And not the dusty grayish sage color?

Anybody have a sample of the gray?

I am considering painting my 3HD model that bears a date code of 5 46

The current paint has no other layers underneath so my first guess was that meant it was original paint. But the matching color paint in all the dents of the handle implies that the vise saw hard use prior to being carelessly respirated that off white color you now see.

I can’t speak to the question about acorn nuts because when I bought this vise from a fellow it had no base.

What do you guys think about this???
.
.

Shift
I believe you are correct about the your vise's color not being the original paint. As you pointed out the color spots on the handle testify to this fact. Also I do not believe Wilton painted the nose. In fact I think I see color spots on even the collar.

 

[RBarnes]

Shiftless, You have seen the thread on the Wilton colors...


https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=353915

 

[Shiftless]

Shiftless, You have seen the thread on the Wilton colors...


https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=353915

Thanks for reminding me...

 

[RBarnes]

Thanks for reminding me...

I just saw it not that long ago, so thought you might also have missed it.

 

[rusty65]

So is there a consensus of opinion that the earliest bullet vises were some shade of gray? And not the dusty grayish sage color?

Anybody have a sample of the gray?

I am considering painting my 3HD model that bears a date code of 5 46

The current paint has no other layers underneath so my first guess was that meant it was original paint. But the matching color paint in all the dents of the handle implies that the vise saw hard use prior to being carelessly respirated that off white color you now see.

I can’t speak to the question about acorn nuts because when I bought this vise from a fellow it had no base.

What do you guys think about this???
.
.

5-46 date code probably would have originally been that satin sage green color. I believe around 2-46 was the date of the switch. Although if you also find the match for the grey color that would also be neat to paint it being a early vise model.


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[sch]

I seem to have acquired a vise not on the Google Docs spreadsheet:

The Rock Island 190.

This little gem sports 3" jaws, measures 12 inches long, and weighs in at 15 lbs.

General wisdom suggests 1920s or 1930s, from what I understand, as it's a stationary model with the bench overhang. This example is in fine working condition, and seems to have a bit of what I guess may be the original finish, which is black and may be some kind of asphaltum.

Anyway, I show it here to add to the collected wisdom, and so that it may be included in the spreadsheet, if the editors so choose.

 

[Smitty]

Was originally thinking shear but with some google-fu it looks like it is actually a tin roof crimper.

Edit... also seen hits for crimping tongs and seamer.


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Thanks again for the input moto. I went out to buy the post vise in the background (which was in beautiful condition btw) and also purchased the crimping tool based on your info. I told him what I thought it was and he took fifty bucks for it.

 

[KMScott]

Nice Rock Island sch, added to the spreadsheet. Thanks.

 

[Smitty]

This is the post vise, it’s a 6” Iron City that weighs in at 100lbs. The jaws are in like new condition and all of the original parts are there. The guy took $200 for it which seems cheap at the price.


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[Loydski29]

Smittyglad billy gave you a good deal he’s not always the most pleasant person to deal with. Did you get the rock island also?

 

[Shiftless]

Thanks for the inside knowledge Rusty!

 

[gman007]

This is the post vise, it’s a 6” Iron City that weighs in at 100lbs. The jaws are in like new condition and all of the original parts are there. The guy took $200 for it which seems cheap at the price.

Smitty

Nice score!

 

[wrenchguy]

Search experts...Is this catalog available to study online? I thought i posted it years back but can't find it online. thanks 4 ur help.