Another vise ID thread...

[bareass172]

OK, so lucky me, I got this vise this past weekend. I have been doing some digging and coming up with very little about it. I found it mentioned and pictured in a couple of threads here with no final outcome:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=127956
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44782&page=60

And then this thread mentions that it is a Milwaukee:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38933

I also saw it referred to as a possible Montgomery Ward Powr Kraft (first thread). It is stamped "Made In USA" on one side, very faintly visible in the pictures. It is stamped V22 under the swivel base. It is stamped V20 on the sliding jaw and V21A on the fixed base. That is all the identifying marks I have been able to find so far. A little light wire brush work shows red paint, possibly original.

So, my question is, does anyone have any additional information about this vise beyond what I have? Because right now I'm thinking it's a Milwaukee, but with no further model or info I am stumped to get more details such as what era it was made in, etc.

I want to get it apart and clean it up. If it's serviceable as is I'll be happy, if not then I may go ahead and give it the full resto. Any help or insight is appreciated as always.

 

[jreb10]

I have a Powr-Kraft vise made in the USA by Milwaukee Tool I think. I can't look at it now as it is down in the barn and its 4 degrees out. I remember the parts were numbered starting with a "V" like yours.

I found a picture of the vise. It is obviously of a later vintage than yours, but note the part numbers V114 on the dynamic jaw and V115 on the static jaw:



I think your vise was made by Milwaukee Tool at a much earlier date than mine. I doubt it was made for Wards as they surely would have branded it with Powr-Kraft.

Edit: I see in your links that there may have been a label with Powr-Kraft on it. That makes sense.

 

[Zrexxer]

You do see that it's been so over-torqued that it's bent, right?

 

[bareass172]

jreb - thanks for the insight. Maybe you're onto something and that's why I'm seeing 2 different possibilities in the info I'm digging up. Perhaps it is a Milwaukee and perhaps Milwaukee made them for Montgomery Wards under the Powr Kraft name for a bit. The "V" markings are definitely similar, along with the fact that the parts are all cast with different numbers instead of a single model number cast on it.

You do see that it's been so over-torqued that it's bent, right?

I did notice that the base handle was bent, yes. I plan to see if I can get it back straight when I pull it all apart.

 

[jreb10]

Here is a previous thread on a Powr-Kraft Vise. Post #12 shows a picture of the underside of the swivel with the Milwaukee Tool name cast into it. Now, that vise was made after Milwaukee Tool had subbed out production to Japan. Previously, when my vise was made, they produced the vise in the USA. So I think we can say for sure that Milwaukee Tool supplied Powr-Kraft vises to Wards.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=266333&highlight=powr

 

[Voi]

I also saw it referred to as a possible Montgomery Ward Powr Kraft (first thread). It is stamped "Made In USA" on one side, very faintly visible in the pictures. It is stamped V22 under the swivel base. It is stamped V20 on the sliding jaw and V21A on the fixed base. That is all the identifying marks I have been able to find so far. A little light wire brush work shows red paint, possibly original.

I found the exact vise at a garage sale last spring. Same castings and everything.

One the flat spot on the side in your second pic was a very beat up Powr Kraft sticker/emblem. I hesitate to call it a sticker. More like a high quality self adhesive badge.

The vise was a dark forest green, including the areas where the sticker had come off. Paint was in pretty good shape so it's possible it was removed during before re-painting.

 

[Zrexxer]

I did notice that the base handle was bent, yes. I plan to see if I can get it back straight when I pull it all apart.

Not the handle. The whole vise is sprung.

 

[bareass172]

Not the handle. The whole vise is sprung.

My mistake, I misunderstood. Oddly enough though, it's not. I see what you're talking about and noticed it right away when I first looked at it, but the jaws square up perfectly AND I noticed the same quirk in pictures I found of this vise from other owners. I attached another pic from a better angle with the jaws closed up, perhaps you'll see what I mean - the jaws are square but the lines on the vise are crooked.

 

[Zrexxer]

Wow, something still looks wonky to me, but I guess it's just the pictures, as you say. Carry on!

 

[drivesitfar]

BA: i can't tell you a lot about that vise other than for a smallish vise you have a decent one. it was probably made in the 50's and i like that it doesn't have an exposed screw.

there's many ways to remove rust if you want to that i'm sure you know several so if you want the list just ask and i'll state a few i know.

Hope you and your family have a great 2015 and i hope you find some great buys for your shop.

 

[bareass172]

I must admit that I'm surprised I found something that so far (even though it's only been a day) has people stumped! Oddly enough, there is a picture on the vise wiki that lists this as a model "807", but it is in the Morgan vise section so I think it might be just a bit of misinformation.
http://scuttle.dayid.org/wiki/index.php/Morgan_Vise
I also suspect that the "807" is not the model, but just a number on that vise - of course I could be wrong. The one on the wiki is one of the same vises I linked in my first post, the picture is credited as being from here.

As for restoration, I was going to read your repair thread when I get some spare time and then get into tear down and evaluation. I've been pretty busy lately with holidays and all the associated stuff. I'm hoping to get caught up in a week or so and begin fiddling with it. I'd like to do some very basic cleaning and see, my very limited poking with it so far makes it seem like the paint might possibly be in good enough shape to keep it as is. I'll decide once it's cleaned up if I want to keep the patina or restore it 100%. Any specific guiding links or ideas would be appreciated, but otherwise my plan was to just take the time and do my homework reading on here.

Thanks for the info, and I welcome anyone else with insight. I'm not sure I've seen GJ stumped yet, and it's still really early on this one.

 

[Zrexxer]

Oddly enough, there is a picture on the vise wiki that lists this as a model "807", but it is in the Morgan vise section so I think it might be just a bit of misinformation.
http://scuttle.dayid.org/wiki/index.php/Morgan_Vise
I also suspect that the "807" is not the model, but just a number on that vise - of course I could be wrong.

The one in the link you listed clearly has a Milwaukee label on it with the "807" designation... Am I missing something? Is there still any doubt that it's a Milwaukee?

 

[jacked_72]

Here's mine:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=218816&highlight=jacked_72

I was pretty confident it was powr kraft after doing some digging. I recall finding the identical one one ebay with the sticker. Probably the green ones were for Wards.

 

[EDGAR]

The one shown below also has a Milwaukee sticker with model no. 604 and 3.5 inches jaws.

 

[bareass172]

The one in the link you listed clearly has a Milwaukee label on it with the "807" designation... Am I missing something? Is there still any doubt that it's a Milwaukee?

Well there is still some confusion here as to origination. I've found some info where people suspect that these were made by Milwaukee for Montgomery Wards under the Powr Kraft name, but I have also found some info to support that these were made by Morgan for Milwaukee. Is it possible that Morgan made for Milwaukee who sold to MW? Lots of unanswered questions still and very, very limited information thus far.

Edgar - thanks for another pic to aid my hunt.

Thanks to all who are throwing their collective knowledge at this.

 

[bareass172]

/bump
Anyone else have a clue on this?
I've got this thing all torn down now, wire wheeled the loose rust/scale off of it and it's in much better shape than I initially thought. I've done about as much digging as I know to do at this point, just hoping for a new lead to chase down...

 

[Firewire]

Picked a Powr-Kraft up this week and found the same thing. It's a private labeled Milwaukee Tool Model 765 for Montgomery Wards. Made in USA too! They are still in business as well! http://www.milwtool.com/v_work.htm

Pics of my restoration (after) attached.

I have a Powr-Kraft vise made in the USA by Milwaukee Tool I think. I can't look at it now as it is down in the barn and its 4 degrees out. I remember the parts were numbered starting with a "V" like yours.

I found a picture of the vise. It is obviously of a later vintage than yours, but note the part numbers V114 on the dynamic jaw and V115 on the static jaw:



I think your vise was made by Milwaukee Tool at a much earlier date than mine. I doubt it was made for Wards as they surely would have branded it with Powr-Kraft.

Edit: I see in your links that there may have been a label with Powr-Kraft on it. That makes sense.