Old unmarked vise

Dustin Crawford · Aug 12, 2011

Hey guys I just got my old vise back I lent to my friend. Its an old one I picked up for 10$ a long time ago. It is a 4" (I believe) and I cant figure out what it is. The body totally looks like a prentiss. Round screw handle ball on front like a prentiss/reed. It is a non swivel with 3 leaf shape projections like reed/parker/prentiss. The jaws have me confused. I cant really see a parting line. It almost looks like they are non removable like a reed. I might barely see some removable jaws like a parker maybe. I mainly only say that because I clearly see there are pins. It has a front screw collar like a parker/prentiss. It doesn't say parker just two numbers on each side of the screw ball. The only other marking I can find is a case 12 in a small circle.

I am totally lost on this one.

I'll get some pics up ASAP.

Just from the first impression, it has to be a prentiss.

Dustin Crawford · Aug 15, 2011

Alright I got to the bottom of this kind of. It is not any of the above. After an electrolysis bath I saw Sargent & Co on the front jaw.

At a glance it looks exactly like this parker

I took pics last night and will get them up shortly. I cant come up with any vises this company made.

I am so curious.

SweetD · Aug 15, 2011

I'm curious too - Sargent & Co.? That's new to me...

Maybe Parker made them for re-sale? Let's see it!

Dave

airbuff101 · Aug 15, 2011

Sargent & co. was a well known maker of arc. hardware and pliers,wood planes etc. in New Haven CT and pretty close to Meriden , for roughly (more or less) the same time frame as Chas. Parker was making vises.
I can't remember ever seeing a Vise marked Sargent but alot of common tools were. Sounds plausible that Parker may have private branded for Sargent.
airbuff

Dustin Crawford · Aug 16, 2011

These Jaws are identical to my Parkers. The only thing I see different from the parkers are no parker name, odd markings (12), round reed style handle holder with no anti-pinch thingy, a long spring that fits over the screw, and the under the dynamic jaw brace is a different casting shape than I have seen.

kc-steve · Aug 16, 2011

It sure looks like a Charles Parker. If it looks like a Parker, then maybe it is.

The reason I say that is because Charles Parker vises were made for over 150 years ending in 1957. So it could be a vise that is so old that they might have not been casting the name or other info in it back in the day.

But I would bet the FIRST vise company to cast their name on the housing was Charles Parker.

Who knows?

Steve

SweetD · Aug 16, 2011

Whatever it is, it's cool.

Dave

bl00 · Aug 16, 2011

Here's an old Sargent ad from 1896 and a Parker ad from 1923. The second Parker looks like yours; same slide support, too.

Catalyze · Aug 16, 2011

Beautiful vise Dustin! That is one unique old beast. The underlug support is so different from Parker or Prentiss. I have an oval slide vise that Parker made for a private label. It is exactly like my labeled Parker oval slide. It is just bigger and no name (tiny Parker marking on main nut). 2 slices of vise pie tonight young Jedi!!
Craig

autopts · Aug 17, 2011

That Classic appears to be in excellent condition. Thats not one to lend out. Bolt it down and use it wisely.

Dustin Crawford · Aug 17, 2011

autopts said:
That Classic appears to be in excellent condition. Thats not one to lend out. Bolt it down and use it wisely.

I actually might have to sell it. I have too many. It currently is getting a hot oil treatment.

Old unmarked vise

Dustin Crawford

Well-known member

Dustin Crawford

Well-known member

SweetD

Well-known member

airbuff101

Well-known member

Dustin Crawford

Well-known member

kc-steve

Well-known member

SweetD

Well-known member

bl00

Well-known member

Attachments

Catalyze

Well-known member

autopts

Well-known member

Dustin Crawford

Well-known member