Colombian 04 vise

[DwightS]

I picked up this small Columbian 04 - 4” vise this morning, probably payed too much, but it was calling out to me. Can anyone give me an idea how old it is? I honestly don’t think it’s very old, but it is Made in the USA. My plan is to clean it up, paint it and put it to use.

Thanks for any information y’all can provide.


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[thehorse13]

Early 80s. People are now paying 40 bucks for these light duty homeowner grade vises now, which grinds my cheapskate ways. At least yours is USA made though. I see similar Craftsman vises from that era that are made in Japan and then later on, in China.

 

[DwightS]

Early 80s. People are now paying 40 bucks for these light duty homeowner grade vises now, which grinds my cheapskate ways. At least yours is USA made though. I see similar Craftsman vises from that era that are made in Japan and then later on, in China.

Thanks. My plan is to replace a 5 1/2” sloppy jawed Japan made Craftsman vise. This Columbian, while small, is pretty tight in comparison.


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[Shiftless]

Thanks. My plan is to replace a 5 1/2” sloppy jawed Japan made Craftsman vise. This Columbian, while small, is pretty tight in comparison.


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I see you are into Craftsman tools.
Be on the lookout for what is in my opinion the very best Craftsman labeled vise ever made. Something from the 519x series.

Here is my 5195

Look for a 5191 (no swivel base), 5195, 5196, 5197, or the biggest bad boy, the 5198

 

[DwightS]

I see you are into Craftsman tools.
Be on the lookout for what is in my opinion the very best Craftsman labeled vise ever made. Something from the 519x series.

Here is my 5195

Look for a 5191 (no swivel base), 5195, 5196, 5197, or the biggest bad boy, the 5198

That is gorgeous, too pretty to use.

A 5195 would be one I would love to have. A small Craftsman was in the picture of the estate sale ad, unfortunately I got there a little late and someone else had already gotten it. Didn’t get to see it to identify it, but it had the chevrons on the side.


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[Shiftless]

Dwight:
By shear coincidence, this very similar but probably older Columbian was bolted down to a workbench at an estate sale about a mile from my house.
It’s now on MY workbench in pieces undergoing a rehab.

 

[DwightS]

Dwight:
By shear coincidence, this very similar but probably older Columbian was bolted down to a workbench at an estate sale about a mile from my house.
It’s now on MY workbench in pieces undergoing a rehab.

Definitely older than mine. Looking at mine closer, you can tell it was pretty much painted after assembly.


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[Shiftless]

Definitely older than mine. Looking at mine closer, you can tell it was pretty much painted after assembly.


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That’s common.
When mine was apart, you could see red paint on the front and the back end of the slide but no red paint for a few inches in the middle just the same distance as the size of the main body of the vise. Painted with the dynamic jaw inserted into the main vise body but without the screw and the handles.

I stripped the dirt and old paint off of mine and cleaned up the handle and nose. You see flash rust on the jaw tower. I use a primer designed for lightly rusted metal.

I did not remove the screw from the dynamic because the retainer is a very heavy duty C clip that is original to the vise and removing it damages it too much to re use.
I have removed them in the past and replaced with a set screw collar. That’s OK too IMHO.