Little Armstrong Bridgeport Pipe vise?

Outlawmws · Dec 9, 2011

Picked up a little Pipe vise at an Estate sale this AM, 1/8 to 1-1/2 inch capacity according to the markings. Armstrong Bridgeport,

Made in USA as well (marked). Anyone have a clue as to the age of this little guy?

It is a No. 231, jaws seem to be in pretty fair shape, other than the rust.

Be handy to put a base on this so I can either clamp it in my bench vise, or into a B&D Workmate.

MattT · Dec 9, 2011

Outlawmws said:

That sucker is tiny for a pipe vise. Wonder what their target market was? I can't see many folks wanting one that small.

Outlawmws · Dec 9, 2011

I'm guessing the homeowner market, or home repair plumbers as it's capacity is sufficient for that market, but yes, smallest one I can recall seeing also.

Farmall450 · Oct 27, 2020

MattT said:
That sucker is tiny for a pipe vise. Wonder what their target market was? I can't see many folks wanting one that small.

Electricians (zombie thread answer)

I picked one up on the nice cast vise stand that has conduit bends on it. Safe to say it was intended for electricians.

neophyte · Oct 27, 2020

Outlawmws said:
I'm guessing the homeowner market, or home repair plumbers as it's capacity is sufficient for that market, but yes, smallest one I can recall seeing also.

The Armstrong Company that made vises hoes back almost to the Civil War, and got sold out around 1950.
While I can’t be certain, it wouldn’t surprise me if a vise that size had been made for gas lighting, which used way smaller pipes than are typically used for running home gas today.

Straightgrain · Oct 27, 2020

It's listed in an Armstrong catalog I have from 1966.

The #231 was their smallest pipe vise with a 1/8"-1 1/2" capacity and the #75 was their largest vise with a 1"-8" capacity.

1982fxr · Oct 27, 2020

So that Armstrong is not the same as the hand tool Armstrong?

neophyte · Oct 28, 2020

1982fxr said:
So that Armstrong is not the same as the hand tool Armstrong?

Completely separate Company.
Interesting history.
They actually made probably the earliest gas/electric hybrid car, back in the 1896 or thereabouts, although as a contract job for the inventor.
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/23133/lot/152/
The car apparently stayed in one of the Armstrong buildings, got water damaged, and an employee liberated it in the 1960s, after which it got restored.

As for the Armstrong vises, I believe they were all Malleable Iron.

The company started out in the 1870s as Armstrong and House.
http://toolarchives.com/index.php/node/30

Eric827 · Sep 16, 2021

It pays to have your friends and neighbors know that you have a vise collection. My buddy across the street got this from his Father-in-law during a clean-out at their house and he gave it to me. Armstrong No 142 (or maybe #232) Pipe Vise with a nice clamp-on base with the captured pivoting wrench. 1/8" -2" pipe size. Seems very dirty but very good shape. I'll do a tear down and full clean-up and hopefully the orange paint will still look good once it's out from under a coating of dried oil. Overall, it's pretty similar to one Outlaw made a posting on back in October 2020.

rtronolone · Aug 16, 2023

Does anyone know where I can get the lower jaw for the armstrong bridgeport no 241.

Little Armstrong Bridgeport Pipe vise?

Outlawmws

Well-known member

Attachments

MattT

Well-known member

Outlawmws

Well-known member

Farmall450

Well-known member

neophyte

Well-known member

Straightgrain

Well-known member

1982fxr

Well-known member

neophyte

Well-known member

Eric827

Well-known member

Attachments

rtronolone

New member