The VISES of Garage Journal

[Smitty]

I found another mystery vise in hopes of stumping you know who. There’s not a single marking on it and the pipe jaws are missing ( which is par for the course for me). The Prentiss style jaws are 4 1/2” wide.


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[bulletpruf]

Fellas -

It's spring cleaning time here (yeah, I'm a few months late on spring, but work with me) and I'm ready to get rid of my 920 (2" jaw) baby bullet. I don't get any use out of it and have culled my modest collection to users only.

Anyone got any idea on a fair price? I have about $275 in it. Is it reasonable to think I can recoup my investment?

 

[chrisnazzy]

Fellas -

It's spring cleaning time here (yeah, I'm a few months late on spring, but work with me) and I'm ready to get rid of my 920 (2" jaw) baby bullet. I don't get any use out of it and have culled my modest collection to users only.

Anyone got any idea on a fair price? I have about $275 in it. Is it reasonable to think I can recoup my investment?

Baby bullets with no swivel base or power arm still sell for hefty $$ on Ebay. Realistically you'll more than likely have to sell it there though to get top $$ out of it. I am a strong proponent for listing items with a $1 opening bid for 7 day auction and no reserve. IMO items listed this way not only determine the true value of the item being sold at that particular time but they seem to sell better and for more money than items listed with a higher opening bid and certainly than items with a reserve.

Ultimately though if you're only looking to get your money back, try listing it with a Buy It Now of $330 and free shipping. After 10% to Ebay, 3% to PayPal and a Flat Rate Box you'll just about break even.

Here's some recent sold listings I screenshot for you.

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[bulletpruf]

Baby bullets with no swivel base or power arm still sell for hefty $$ on Ebay. Realistically you'll more than likely have to sell it there though to get top $$ out of it. I am a strong proponent for listing items with a $1 opening bid for 7 day auction and no reserve. IMO items listed this way not only determine the true value of the item being sold at that particular time but they seem to sell better and for more money than items listed with a higher opening bid and certainly than items with a reserve.

Ultimately though if you're only looking to get your money back, try listing it with a Buy It Now of $330 and free shipping. After 10% to Ebay, 3% to PayPal and a Flat Rate Box you'll just about break even.

Thanks, chrisnazzy. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your research.

I'm going to go ahead and put it on eBay this evening, but probably only for 3 or 5 days. The suspense kills me on the 7 day auctions.

Scott

 

[Outlawmws]

He can also have the low starter and a BIN so if someone wants to pull the trigger, they can.

 

[zkling]

Anyone have a small columbian like this? I believe it reads 302, maybe a 502 or even an 802. With an M behind. Even though it is just a columbian, I like it. At the Henery Ford Museum. Most of their vises are Columbians BTW. 2" jaws

 

[bulletpruf]

He can also have the low starter and a BIN so if someone wants to pull the trigger, they can.

I just did a 3 day auction, no reserve, $1 starting bid.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/323847226635

Thanks

Scott

 

[wabo100]

8 hrs of evaporust

 

[Fierljeppen]

I found another mystery vise in hopes of stumping you know who. There’s not a single marking on it and the pipe jaws are missing ( which is par for the course for me). The Prentiss style jaws are 4 1/2” wide.

I'm not sure who you're trying to stump, but I'll help you solve your own mystery. First, I need to know if the jaws seem original or modified. Second, how much does the vise weigh?

If the vise is what I'm thinking it is, you should be really happy with your find.

Anyone have a small columbian like this? I believe it reads 302, maybe a 502 or even an 802. With an M behind. Even though it is just a columbian, I like it. At the Henery Ford Museum. Most of their vises are Columbians BTW. 2" jaws

It's a very rare "602" and on my bucketlist.

 

[Smitty]

I'm not sure who you're trying to stump, but I'll help you solve your own mystery. First, I need to know if the jaws seem original or modified. Second, how much does the vise weigh?

If the vise is what I'm thinking it is, you should be really happy with your find.



It's a very rare "602" and on my bucketlist.

I’m not at the shop right now but I’d put it in the 40-50lb range. The meatball seems way too big for the vise. I was trying to stump you btw

 

[Fierljeppen]

I’m not at the shop right now but I’d put it in the 40-50lb range. The meatball seems way too big for the vise. I was trying to stump you btw

That sounds about right, with it missing it's swivel base. I believe the meatball and jaws are original as well.

Compared to a 4-1/2" Reed or Rock Island combo vise, does the weight of your mystery vise seem high, low or about the same?

 

[Smitty]

It seems heavier than it looks.
Cue jeapordy theme
The vise also has an elongated base with a hole in it that extends under the slide similar to a Columbian.

 

[Fierljeppen]

It seems heavier than it looks.
Cue jeapordy theme

Ok, I'm gonna help you with the weight data, but next time you need to utilize the vise spreadsheet. It really is a great resource.

Look at the weights of the Reed and Rock Island combo vises and compare their weights to yours. Is your vise heavier, lighter or about the same. This and the jaws are very key in solving your mystery.

Your gonna solve this one, not me.

 

[KMScott]

Those replaceable jaws got me stumped. If I had the jaw spec:s I could maybe help, I was thinking Rock Island.

 

[Fierljeppen]

What vise manufacturer had lighter vises than everyone else?

Did I tell you how much I liked the vise zkling posted tonight? The jaws on that vise are very interesting.

That's all the clues I'm giving you. I've got to get back to my Belgium beer.

 

[Smitty]

Thanks for your help jeppen, I’ll weigh the vise tomorrow when I get to the shop.

 

[midwestusa4x4]

This is my first post here, so I will start off by saying hello. I have really learned a lot from all of you and I hope that I am able to contribute in the future.

I have a question that I am hoping someone can educate me on as I have not been able to find an answer anywhere. I just purchased a nice Charles Parker 978 vise locally through an online auction (pictured below). It was advertised as a model 978 with 6" jaws. My understanding is that the 978 should have 8" (wide) jaws. When I measured the jaws, they are in fact 6" wide but the casting shows it as a No. 978. I also have a Charles Parker 976 that I picked up last fall and it also has 6" jaws (as I would expect). Both appear to be identical in size and with a few minor differences in the castings, the two vices are nearly identical. The 976 does not have a patent year, but the 978 does show Patent 1930. My question is was the Model 978 made with both 6" and 8" jaws, and if not, how did I manage to find a 978 with only 6" jaws?

 

[Outlawmws]

Either a casting error on the numbers or the 8 is actually a 6 with smudge in there.

 

[midwestusa4x4]

Thanks, Outlaw. I was wondering if it could have been a casting mistake as well, but thought I would ask here in case I was missing something. Would have been nice if it been a 978 with 8" jaws, but for the price I paid and the nice condition it is in, I'm certainly not going to complain. I think this may be the beginning of a new 'addiction'...these old vise's are true craftsmanship and I look forward to finding more in the future to add to my collection.

 

[va.grouseman]

Can we see a pic of the other side of the 978?---Do the numbers look this crisp or blurred?

 

[zkling]

Here's another pic I took. Yes, a bit dark. The other is a 2.5". The 602 makes sense, following columbian's naming convention for a swivel base 2", but did not get a 6 from that stamping.

 

[dct55]

This is my first post, though I've been following for years. I caught the vise fever this spring, and it's been fun. Today I picked up a 4" swivel vise. The online photo only showed the opposite side of the swivel lock, with no ID on the vise. It appeared for all the world to be a Columbian 604, right down to the T jaws. The seller said it was his grandfathers. When I picked it up, on the swivel lock side, it was labeled "4", under that "STANDARD", and under that "VISE". That's as generic as it comes. I sure looks like a Columbian 604. Does anyone know if this was a Columbian label, or did they manufacture some for other brands?

 

[midwestusa4x4]

Va.grouseman...here is a picture of the other side. The '8' very much looks like an eight and not a bad/sloppy casting. My guess is that the casting may have inadvertently been made with an 8 rather than the proper 6. I may have the only 978 with 6" jaws in the world...Haha. If only an error like that would increase the value 10x like it does with stamps and coins.

 

[Outlawmws]

Well if you notice the 1930" patent date (correct) also looks like 1830 (before Parker even existed) So I suspect old sand got stuck on the mold...

 

[Smitty]

It seems like a casting issue to me as well. I see this on Columbian vises quite often.

 

[Smitty]

Here’s a few more photos of my mystery vise. The handle style seems quite unique to me. The vise has 4 1/2” jaws and weighs 56 lbs.
.


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[wabo100]

Finished my 5197 Craftsman Kevin these are the jaws you sold me for the rock island 574

 

[KMScott]

Smitty, does this drawing match your jaws, Fierljeppen gave us a really good hint but I think these jaws might match your vise, check the center to center on the screws when you have time.

 

[cretedog]

Athol Machine Company No. 106

Needed a break from work this afternoon and started to clean up an early
AM Co. double swiveler I've had awaiting. A style I hadn't seen before. If anyone has a catalog cut I'd be interested. Thanks. (Jaws are 4-3/8")

 

[cretedog]

More pics.

 

[Smitty]

I’ll check tomorrow. It seems like Jeppen thinks it’s a Columbian but I haven’t had any luck matching up any scans. A lady was selling this vise on CL so I went to check it out. Her dad was there when I arrived and you could tell it wat his user for the last 40 years. I shook his hand and assured him that his pride and joy would be well taken care of in the future. He seemed happy to hear it. I’m going to strip the paint and put a fresh coat of BLO on it and let it rest easy on the shelf.

 

[va.grouseman]

This is my first post, though I've been following for years. I caught the vise fever this spring, and it's been fun. Today I picked up a 4" swivel vise. The online photo only showed the opposite side of the swivel lock, with no ID on the vise. It appeared for all the world to be a Columbian 604, right down to the T jaws. The seller said it was his grandfathers. When I picked it up, on the swivel lock side, it was labeled "4", under that "STANDARD", and under that "VISE". That's as generic as it comes. I sure looks like a Columbian 604. Does anyone know if this was a Columbian label, or did they manufacture some for other brands?

Dct, does it look anything like this?


EDIT---By the way Dct, at your current rate, you will be almost as old as Methuselah when you make senior member, but Vow To Persevere.

 

[Shiftless]

When Honza told me the jaws on his Reed 1C were like new, he wasn’t kidding! I’ve got the vise completely torn down and soaking in Evaporust. Including the famous or infamous split ring retainer. A minute with a wire wheel and here is what complete lack of wear looks like. Reed makes tough jaw inserts!

BTW, 2 of the screws have this turned finish on them and the other 2 are smooth top.

 

[Fierljeppen]

Smitty...I do think it's a Columbian No.204-1/2, but after seeing KMScott's jaw drawing, (good stuff!) I'm wondering if Prentiss and Columbian had some kind of a relationship, because there's just too many similarities with their jaws. Columbian used the "C" style jaws from about (1917-1925). If you look at the illustration below of a Columbian and Prentiss swivel jaw, they look almost identical. It's from the same time period as well. However, I can't find any Prentiss combo vises that look anything like yours.

Your vise resembles an early Columbian combo to me because of the body/base, jaw and meatball spindle. I thought your weight estimate of (40-50) lbs. confirmed it because that was so much lighter than a Reed or Rock Island of the same size and style. In 1917, Columbian started making their famous hollow vises. Before that, they were traditional cast vises that weighed the same as their competitors. I've got a 1913 ad showing that.

I wish I knew of a way to see it your vise was hollow. That would tell us a lot. I've attached some relevant Columbian data, but I'm very open minded to this being something other than a Columbian vise as well. I'm very interested to see if your jaws match KMScott's drawing.

 

[Fierljeppen]

Athol Machine Company No. 106

Needed a break from work this afternoon and started to clean up an early
AM Co. double swiveler I've had awaiting. A style I hadn't seen before. If anyone has a catalog cut I'd be interested. Thanks. (Jaws are 4-3/8")

That's a really special vise! Thanks for all of the photos, I'm adding them all to my Athol photo database. I've attached a 1899 catalog page for you.

 

[dct55]

VA,

That IS my vise. Do you know anything about their history?

 

[va.grouseman]

Va.grouseman...here is a picture of the other side. The '8' very much looks like an eight and not a bad/sloppy casting. My guess is that the casting may have inadvertently been made with an 8 rather than the proper 6. I may have the only 978 with 6" jaws in the world...Haha. If only an error like that would increase the value 10x like it does with stamps and coins.

Midwest, I think if that 6 that looks like an 8 had of been turned around in the mold , it would have looked right and proper.

 

[Smitty]

Jeppen
As always, thanks for the effort you put forth. I’ll sharpen my pencil and diagram the jaws tomorrow morning.

 

[va.grouseman]

VA,

That IS my vise. Do you know anything about their history?

I don't have any history on the Standard but we've had discussions about them on this thread before, and seems like the majority of fellows seem to think they were made by Morgan.---Maybe some of our resident historians can shine some light on this.

 

[va.grouseman]

Cretedog, that is a new one on me.---I've seen threaded swivel jaw pins but never a threaded swivel jaw itself.---I'd say pert-near a Unicorn.