Finally able to contribute after learning a lot. This Wilton 1750 (January 1997 dated on key and outside of spindle) was purchased from a machine shop and I did a quick clean up so far. I thought no paint was left so I got a wire wheel out and after an unfortunate strip of paint was lost from the back, realized almost immediately that the paint was there. About 1.5 hours of scrubbing, blue scotchbrite on belt sander and a trip to get new jaw screws (1/4-20), here we are. I still need to clean up the main handle. I only did the swivel locks.
Then my new project is at bottom. A Yost 33C that fell in my lap today. It lived life mounted to the top of a Military wrecker and the vise is frozen in that postiition. Seller sprayed kroil on it (hence the dark spots) before I picked it up. Will be researching how to free it up. The jaw faces and vice jaws look like they were barely used.
Nice job on resurrecting that 1750.
Regarding getting that Yost unstuck - whatever you do, don't go to wrenching on the jaws with a prybar to try to separate them. I've have some luck by removing the swivel mechanism/base and direct-bolting stuck vises to my 24x30 garden/project table, tipping it on its side and then placing a piece of 2x4 or 2x6 over the rear end of the slide and then after heating the body with a torch, whacking on the back of the slide with the 2x4 acting as a cushion/spacer with a deadblow hammer (sometimes a 3lb hammer, but not bigger...) a couple of times and then spraying more PB Blaster/Kroil/etc., and then walking away and working on something else for awhile, rinse and repeat.
(Obviously, in the pic below, I had to do it a little differently because it was a Wilton 1750 with an internal slide, but you get the point)
In my opinion, the secret to doing it this way and not causing damage due to getting mad/over-vigorous is to be patient and not make it your mission to necessarily free it up that day. It may take a couple of days or weeks to get it to fully come apart, but if you're patient, in the end, you will free it up without damaging it. Remember, when you hit it, you want to make it an effective "whack" but you're not trying to drive a railroad tie. Also, just in case it isn't obvious, you need to remove the main screw during this process as well. Good luck and nice vise!
---Get ready KMS, this is one for the books.
fellows.---2 really nice restores.
