The vise vice

ajchien · Dec 18, 2010

I thought that the floor jack was my obsession. Then it was sockets, then toolboxes, then breaker bars. But now, I've realized, like many of you, that I have a vise vice.

After setting out a month go to get a vise, I now have 3. The Wilton and Parker are discussed on a different thread. But today I came home with a Craftsman 4.5" 391.5197 M003 for $20. The handle is slightly bent, the nut is a little worn, but everything else looks great. Pics to be posted early next week as well as rehab.

Can anyon tell me anymore about this vise? COO? Date stamp anywhere? Original manufacturer? Looks like the original color was a gray.

Arachnotron · Dec 18, 2010

Post some pictures of it.

ajchien · Dec 18, 2010

cell phone pics:

autopts · Dec 18, 2010

ajchien said:
cell phone pics:

Looks like a newer Columbian at a glance. Older Craftsman always had COO on them. Could be an early import.

ajchien · Dec 18, 2010

T shaped jaw inserts, 3 pins holding in the jaw inserts from below the jaw. On the inside of the slide is stamped NO 391 5197 M-003. I see no USA stamp on it. There is a small BF stamp on the side near the rear base. Does that provide any hints?

spongerich · Dec 18, 2010

You're screwed.

I got hooked the same way. It all started last spring with an innocent looking Prentiss on Craigslist. I drove an hour each way to pick her up. It was a nice vise, but missing the swivel base (as so many of the older vises are). I thought, "What the hell, I drove all this way and it's only $25... I can bolt it down"

I wasn't really happy with that solution, so I kept looking. Next find was a sweet 1940's Wilton Bullet. Also, only $25. I knew I could clean her up and flip it on eBay and walk away with an easy $100... but she just looked so pretty sitting on my bench, and where else am I gonna find another one that's as clean and original?

Since then, I've accumulated:

2 3-1/2" Parkers
1 4" Parker
1 5" Record
1 5" Monarch
1 4" Reed
1 4-1/2" Yost
1 5" Wilton
1 1" H&B
1 1-1/2" H&B
1 6" Morgan
1 2" Wilton
1 3-1/2" Wilton (Going to my Dad for Christmas)
1 4" Craftsman (I didn't even WANT to buy this one, it came attached to a welding table I bought)
Plus a few others that I've stashed away and can't even recall what they are

Most of these are in various stages of cleaning/repainting and I have every intention of selling at least 6-7 of them... but I can't seem to keep up and I'm definitely acquiring them faster than I can sell them.

mkirkpatrick · Dec 19, 2010

Check out this web site, http://www.roseantiquetools.com/id116.html it will give you an idea when it was made. Then you can figure out the rest. hope it helps. It looks like it was made after 1959.

ajchien · Dec 19, 2010

mkirkpatrick said:
Check out this web site, http://www.roseantiquetools.com/id116.html it will give you an idea when it was made. Then you can figure out the rest. hope it helps. It looks like it was made after 1959.

Thanks. It looks a lot like the vise pictured in the 72-73 catalog, and does also fit autopts thoughts that it is a rebadged Columbian. mjozefow in the vise threa also suggests that both columbian and Wilton have made vises for craftsman. Can anyone add more?

So ... Any opinions on whether to paint it gray or red?

mkirkpatrick · Dec 19, 2010

I have an old 49 to 59 3 1/2 craftsman. the actual color of that is this institutional gray/green.

I just cleaned it up and started using it.

autopts · Dec 19, 2010

mkirkpatrick said:
I have an old 49 to 59 3 1/2 craftsman. the actual color of that is this institutional gray/green. I just cleaned it up and started using it.

Here's one and I'm told the jaws are excellent!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190481057939&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

mkirkpatrick · Dec 19, 2010

yeah there was one on ebay like mine with a broken stud in the swivel, thing sold for 50+shipping. amazing what people will say and buy.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...tWmVlCg%3D&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK:MEWAX:IT

ajchien · Dec 21, 2010

Cool, I'll look for a gray-green color. Someday I'll add these vises to the vise thread... Someday ....

ajchien · Dec 21, 2010

On second thought, Im tempted to go red with the color. Opinions?

autopts · Dec 21, 2010

Red! If your going to use it and bolt it down? I would either leave it like it is, or completely strip it and oil it down. Chipped red paint could look unsightly after a while. Any usage marks you put on a unpainted vise will blend in unnoticed and its appearence will never age. Its just my 2 cents.

ajchien · Dec 27, 2010

I thought having 3 vises was 2 too many. I was wrong.

So my Parker and Wilton are mounted in the corner if my workbench, 90 degrees from each other. I found this really useful in holding corners together. The craftsman is about 4 feet away in the middle of the workbench - together with the Parker, they act like a sawhorse.

I think my wife likes it. As a DIYer, I did not need to use the phrase, " Honey, will you hold something for me???" during this last project.

blue dog · Dec 27, 2010

AJCHIEN, did you become plagued with a new addiction?

ajchien · Dec 27, 2010

I did just try to rationalize having 3 vises, huh?

macgee · May 11, 2015

Resurrecting an old thread just for the next person who may ask about COO info on this vise (391-5197).

The vise is made in Japan.

bluebolt · May 11, 2015

I thought it was made in Japan going by the 391 prefix. Thanks for the confirmation.

ajchien · May 12, 2015

Wow. I had completely forgotten about this thread, yes, the vise I have is made in Japan.

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