Cheney Anvil Vise

[3baygarage]

Spent some time messing around with this thing today after leaving it sit for a while.

This was so caked with grease I had to scrape it off and bath it and it still could use more. You are only seeing a portion of the grease mess.

You guys should have seen when I bought it. I unbolted it from the work bench and it was literally like I dumped out a flower pot of dirt, that's how much dirt was inside it. It was in an old shop at an old farm house.

The slide portion, half roached looking and with it's bent handle was in a bin of scrap metal. Luckily I saw it but was not 100% sure the two piece went together. I almost left with just the anvil at first, till I noticed it looked like the hole and nub fit together in the track. The other jaw, forget it. Nowhere to be found.

Oh yeah, and I had to unbolt this from the bench in the dark corner to see that a chunk was missing also. I did use that in negotiating but don't remember exactly what I paid. Probably too much for the condition.

Anyhow, I thought it was a neat piece. If I didn't buy it I think the sliding jaw would have hit the scrap yard for certain it was so rusted.

 

[3baygarage]

After a little cleanup. At least it can be read, and surprise there is some color to it.

 

[Slackmaster G]

Try engine degreaser . That will remove the heavy gunk

 

[3baygarage]

Thanks, I got it fairly decent.

Anyone have a source for the removable jaw? Haven't tried getting that pin out at all.

Its just a shame there are two breaks, the base and a piece of the jaw. Not really sure it's worth a resto but would be nice to find that part now that I know what I'm looking for.

 

[drivesitfar]

3bay: not sure that vise is worth enough for you to spend money on new jaws and repairing the broken foot that is missing. it's a cool vise and i think i have a few of them. not heavy duty, but definitely in the COOL CATEGORY.

here's a picture of my #40 i have handy that needs a new handle and some spiffing. some member or maybe i found this 1896 catalog page.

PM me if you have questions about vises value anytime and if i can help i will. also in some areas close to you there is a huge supply of old vises that the guys on the vise thread keep finding so good luck. remember there is a vice for vises addiction and since i still have well over 100 of them while i'm trying to sell a few to members i can tell you first hand about that.

cheers

 

[3baygarage]

Thanks for the pictures Drives. Certainly too far gone to repair, as damage all over, and there aren't many salvageable parts to really call it a parts vise. The anvil may be cool to paint up and display somewhere which was my original thought.

 

[drivesitfar]

3bay: i like that idea of putting it on a shelf cause these are PURDY aren't they. just saying your handle and vise nut might be valuable some day as those are not easy to come by in original condition or easily made.

in fact if i find a broken one like yours with a better handle than mine i might buy it just for the handle instead of making a new one.

it's survived over a 100 years of some pretty tough users and it might even be usable if you can figure out how to mount it with a missing foot.

 

[LesserSon]

They are nice looking. Too bad for me yours is a 20 - my 30 is lacking the original screw, and I suppose the nut. Probably not the same size, do you think?
I received this as a gift, and have done little to it besides mounting it. I find it doesn't hold well, which I think is owing to the nut not really seating firmly in the body. Also, not convinced the static jaw was really intended to pivot - despite the advertisement illustration - it has a tendency to rear up and out of its position when not held by the pin. I think it may just have been intended to be removed as an obstruction to the full flat surface of the anvil.

 

[drivesitfar]

Lesser: i have yet to use mine cause it's sitting under one of my benches, but i think you have a good point about the full removal of the static's jaw to get better access to the anvil. it's not really a very good anvil and more of a decoration so not sure exactly who might have use these vises. maybe tinsmiths or guys shaping lead or other soft metals?

 

[LesserSon]

I think marketed to "thrift-minded" first-time farmers persuaded they'd only need occasional light use of an anvil or a vise.
I take back what I said about intended. It surely was intended to pivot - it just doesn't work very well. Maybe made worse by mine having a mismatched screw.

 

[Careinhart71]

I've got the same vise in excellent condition minus the nut for the sliding jaw. You interested in selling the nut?

 

[3baygarage]

This is definitely one thing that did not make the move to FL with me. I would love to help you out with the part, but sadly it’s been stored and not sure when I would ever get at it.

 

[52pu]

TO: Three Bay garage; I have a Cheney vice like yours with the blue green paint. Anyone know where can I find some of this paint? I guess I could go to a paint store and have them shoot the color.