Craftsman vise?

[john2189]

I have my dads old vise I always thought it was a craftsman, but it doesn’t have a name on it. Just a stamped number of 5163 or 8 can anyone identify it and how old it might be?
Thanks John

 

[Lesserstore]

Yes it is a Craftsman. I think I see the remnants of the label on the moving jaw. The number 5163 lines up with the 4.5" swivel base vise listed. Here's a 1942 catalog image:

I don't know who made it, but I'm sure somebody here knows who.

 

[fullthrottle24]

Rock Island was the manufacturer of that vise. If you look on the the top of the beam, just behind the static jaw a date stamp might be visible. The lack of any craftsman logo in the casting, may be due to war time production.

 

[john2189]

Yes it is a Craftsman. I think I see the remnants of the label on the moving jaw. The number 5163 lines up with the 4.5" swivel base vise listed. Here's a 1942 catalog image:

I don't know who made it, but I'm sure somebody here knows who.

The catalog has the price of $16.95. Probably worth a little more than that today

 

[john2189]

Rock Island was the manufacturer of that vise. If you look on the the top of the beam, just behind the static jaw a date stamp might be visible. The lack of any craftsman logo in the casting, may be due to war time production.

Ill look for the date tomorrow. So I will have to close the jaws and the date will be on top behind the anvil?

 

[LB-1911]

The catalog has the price of $16.95. Probably worth a little more than that today

$16.95 in "42" = $322.99 in "23"

CPI Inflation Calculator

www.bls.gov

 

[john2189]

Ill look for the date tomorrow. So I will have to close the jaws and the date will be on top behind the anvil?

If it was war time, Why wouldn’t they have the craftsman name and the 5163 cast on it?

 

[fullthrottle24]

Yes, behind what most people would use as an anvil(it’s not designed to be one). During war time, only certain models of vises where allowed to be produced due to war production board rules regarding iron and metal rationing. I’m only speculating that perhaps, the casting was devoid of any markings to produce limited numbers for multiple markets.

 

[john2189]

Ill look for the date tomorrow. So I will have to close the jaws and the date will be on top behind the anvil?

The stamped date is 10 44

 

[fullthrottle24]

So in digging thru the archives, I found more irregularities during this time frame. The Craftsman vises did have the arched lettering as seen above in the 1942 catalog. My 5162 has arched with date of 46. Somewhere along the way a vertical cast craftsman was done as well as a stamped numbers only like yours.

 

[john2189]

Ok mine is like your red one. What year is it?

 

[fullthrottle24]

Unfortunately, that vise belongs to member https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/members/highdesignfool.265494/

And the other to member https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/members/galaxyrat.367572/

 

[jjenri]

If it was war time, Why wouldn’t they have the craftsman name and the 5163 cast on it?

I’ve got the same (1944) w/ 5163 on the same side like that…. Interesting!